Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Cell phone as modem

[Mick]

On Monday 03 December 2007, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2007-12-03, Grant <emailgrant@×××××.com> wrote:
> >> What I do is use Verizon CDMA (far better coverage than any of
> >> the GSM networks) in the US and I have a GSM phone that I use
> >> internationally.  You can get good used unlocked tri and
> >> quad-band GSM phones for $20 and up.  You can get brand new
> >> ones for $30 and up.  I got nearly new used Noka candy-bar
> >> phone that's US-only for $18 off craig's list and a brand-new
> >> quad-band Motorola V190 off ebay for $40. Just for giggles I
> >> have a AT&T pre-paid SIM for my GSM phones so I can use them as
> >> backups in the US.
> >
> > Speaking of SIM cards.  Could I buy a local SIM card in a different
> > country and use it for official data access while I'm there?
>
> Maybe.  In the US, data plans aren't usually available for
> pre-paid SIM cards.  I've never tried to get data service
> outside the US -- only prepaid voice and text messaging.

In Europe GSM is synonymous with cell phone (as far as I know analogue cell 
phone networks are no longer available to retail customers).  You can buy 
Pay-As-You-Go SIM cards for less than $20 dollars equivalent.  If you want a 
new phone with that, you may have to pay a bit more, but not much.  I 
wouldn't be surprised if these days you can get a phone for 'free' as long as 
you buy say, $50 equivalent of Pay-As-You-Go minutes.  As long as your phone 
is not locked by the provider (or you are prepared to unlock it yourself) it 
will work with any provider's SIM card.  Also in Europe there are many ISP 
dial-up numbers, which will just cost you the price of a local call.  These 
in the UK start with 0845- and for some/many of these you do not have to 
register as a user.  Google for 'anonymous free dial up number UK' and you'll 
get a long list of 0845- numbers with username & passwds.  You can use your 
PAYG phone and SIM card to ring any of these numbers.  I have not found yet 
any dial up numbers which are barred by cell phone providers in the UK or in 
Europe (at least Switzerland, France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Greece), but 
YMMV.  To avoid paying international call rates between different countries 
in Europe it would make sense to search and find ISP dial up numbers for each 
country that you intend to visit.

All of the above deals with numbers which are dialed up using plain GSM (TDMA 
or 2G technology).  That's sloooow but cheap if you only intend to stay on 
line for short periods of time (e.g. downloading a couple of plain text 
emails) since charging is structured around the period of time that you stay 
connected.  For larger downloads you need more bandwidth which in (most/all? 
of) Europe means a GPRS connection (FDMA, or 2.5G) and charging structure:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Packet_Radio_Service

With this you can stay connected as long as you want - you only pay for the kb 
of data that you up/download.  As always Google should be able to show you 
loads of deals that are available these days to choose between providers.  
PAYG top-up cards containing the necessary codes that register your SIM with 
the respective cell phone network are available widely from corner shops and 
kiosks.  Any GSM cell phone sold today can access both GSM & GPRS services.

More recently 3G technology (W-CDMA) has been made available in Europe and 
along with 3G enabled cell phones, cardbus, or USB 3G modems are being sold 
as the latest best gadget to get your laptop online (Internet).  There's even 
3G cell phones sold by Nokia with a Skype button on them.  This allows you to 
make Skype (free) calls to other Skype users.  More on 3G here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G

With regards to the mechanics of placing a call, you can use a USB cable 
(assuming one comes with the phone), bluetooth, or irda.  Just like dialing a 
dial-up number with your desktop, you load up the relevant driver, identify 
the new interface and connect to it using e.g. kppp.  You will need to set up 
your phone to accept connections over the relevant interface/ act as you would 
with a PCI modem.

Hope this helps to fill in the picture for Europe.  Googling for relevant 
mobile services deals in UK will get you price plans and what not.

HTH.
-- 
Regards,
Mick