# Using my smart phone as a modem?



## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

OK, BF has a Samsung Impression phone with an unlimited data/web plan. It has bluetooth.

We purchased a Targus USB Bluetooth adapter for his laptop, the Compaq Presario V3000, hoping that he could then use the phone as a modem & surf the web on the laptop.

Before I go any further, can this even work via bluetooth? Or do we have to use the USB cable that came with the phone? (cable is in storage....:hammer

He has been trying to get the phone and the laptop to form a bluetooth connection all day, and they ARE recognising each other, but still need to be "paired".... How in the world do we pair them???


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Nevermind; turns out AT&T doesn't allow "tethering"....


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Get a Droid - just got an X through Verizon and they not only allow but encourage tethering.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Jill - I could be wrong (and will check) but ATT *DOES* allow tethering. They simply charge for it. LOL


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

...or maybe not. Try this stuff out, Jill.

http://www.samsung-impression.org/samsung-impression-how-to/impression-as-modem/


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

2horses said:


> Get a Droid - just got an X through Verizon and they not only allow but encourage tethering.


Saw a commercial for the Droid X, and it was 'pushing' the point that you could set it up as a mobile wireless hot spot, and everyone within x feet could access the net from that hotspot. Uber-cool.

2horses... is the wireless plan truly unlimited??? or 'unlimited' for rubes who don't know what unlimited really means. To some, unlimited means 5gb. I can do that in three days, on my very very limited Hughesnet service (200mb daily, unlimited 1am > 6am...). 

I could consider getting one, if the plans were unlimited unlimited!


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

My data plan reads as completely unlimited. There are rumors that Verizon will be going to a tiered plan, much like AT&T's but so far nothing official from Verizon themselves except a "We have no plans at this time..." statement. Regardless, anyone on an unlimited plan now would be grandfathered in (supposedly), so I say go for it!

The phone will warn you that enabling the hotspot is a huge battery drain, that's the only drawback I see to it.

You can always access Verizon's website for more info on the data plan. Right now it says for me: 78106.26KB of Unlimited Used. The only thing I'm not sure of is if you switch to Mobile Broadband usage when the hotspot is enabled. I've not done that so it's not showing up on my account.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

This reminds me...I was one of those who had the unlimited plan from ATT, and I am *SO* glad I kept it. I've been grandfathered in, and therefore I still have unlimited data access, and will continue to, so long as I stay with them.


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Better hurry and switch to Verizon! AT&T ain't all that.......


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

I've got a flash for y'all - Verizon won't remain all that either for long. AT&T was simply the first to switch from the unlimited to the limited data model.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Personally I wouldnt call a Samsung Impression a smart phone. Its pretty much a fix application based phone. I dont know of another tethering option available for that phone. 

The iphone and android phones have options available.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

As far as I know, this is still available through Verizon....in June I bought a Palm Pre Plus because VZ was offering the 5 GB per month Hot Spot for no charge on THIS phone. The Palm Pixie is also part of the promotion. The phone requires a 30 dollar per month data plan, and it IS unlimited unless you use it while the Hot Spot is on. It is compatable with my MacBook. When they look at their 3G map VZ says we are on the fringe, but it works fine. I am not sure how it will do when the leaves start to fall though.

We get a 26K dial up here and are the only phone on a 1.5 mile phone line (DSL is not expected) so I had to try this or bang my head against the wall and that didn't help the connection.


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