34 Years of the Digest ... founded August 21, 1981Copyright © 2015 E. William Horne. All Rights Reserved.The Telecom Digest for Sep 2, 2015
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| Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2015 23:56:59 -0400 From: tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> To: telecomdigestsubmissions.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: What are my options? Message-ID: <jc8y8ddquj73.knecmwoqea6a$.dlg@40tude.net> On Mon, 31 Aug 2015 11:40:41 -0400, Bill Horne wrote: > I've been given a Samsung Model SCH-A930 cell phone. It's branded as > Verizon, and the display shows "VCAST" when I turn it on, but that's all > I know about it. I found just such a model in my old university's phone-recycling bin, and was able to activate it with the MVNO Page Plus Cellular (a Verizon reseller) on a minimal use prepaid plan calling for the princely sum of $10 to be paid at least once every 120 days, with your domestic air-time debited from your balance at 10 cents per minute, and an additional 50 cents deducted once a month, on or around the 25th of the month. Unused funds accumulate into the next 120-day spell; depleted funds can be replenished at any time. Further details upon request. Many other options are offered, too. > 1. Is it for monthly plans, or prepaid? Both. See above. I'd suggest you contact Page Plus, talk to the nice lady at 1-800-550-2436 (550-AGEN(t)), read her your handset's MEID (on the label on the floor of the battery compartment, underneath the battery -- showing both Hex, as 8 hex-digits 0-F, and Dec, as 11 digits 0-9), learn whether it's usable on Page Plus (it won't be if that MEID belongs to a phone reported as lost, stolen, or associated with a bill that's yet unpaid), and she can even set you up with a number of her choice and a few gratis minutes of air time (for testing, etc.). > 2. If it equipped for Internet access? Supposedly, yes, but I was never able to achieve that through Page Plus. Perhaps activation through Verizon would result in a different outcome. > 3. Will it act as a WiFi hotspot? Nope. Not a ghost of a hint of a prayer of that. What ever became of mine, you ask? I still have it, but something in the charge circuitry between the wall-wort charging unit and the handset's battery terminals fritzed out, so the device's battery no longer charges. Until that little calamity, it was very handy to keep along as an emergency phone for use when only VZW had towers within reach, and as an emergency camera for recording pictures onto its little removable 1GB microSD card. As for its MP3-player abilities, I never started up that path, don't know. It's now been replaced by a nearly equally old Motorola Droid X2, true Android phone (but w/ antique version 2.3.5), capable indeed of serving as WiFi hotspot (serving up cellular data to other wifi-dependent equipment), as well as capable of internet connection using not necessarily cellular data but wifi connections, all with acceptable battery life (needing recharge only when I too need recharge, i.e., overnight), and costing (through an Amazon Marketplace Vendor) under $25 postpaid. No LTE. But it takes microSD cards up to 32 GB in capacity (versus A-930's 1 GB). Anyway, enjoy your new-found A-930 in good health :-) . Cheers, -- tlvp -- Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP. |
| Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 11:13:36 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> To: telecomdigestsubmissions.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: What are my options? Message-ID: <20150901151336.GB23264@telecom.csail.mit.edu> On Mon, Aug 31, 2015 at 11:56:59PM -0400, tlvp wrote: > On Mon, 31 Aug 2015 11:40:41 -0400, Bill Horne wrote: > > > I've been given a Samsung Model SCH-A930 cell phone. It's branded as > > Verizon, and the display shows "VCAST" when I turn it on, but that's all > > I know about it. > > I found just such a model in my old university's phone-recycling bin, and > was able to activate it with the MVNO Page Plus Cellular (a Verizon > reseller) > [snip] > > It's now been replaced by a nearly equally old Motorola Droid X2, true > Android phone (but w/ antique version 2.3.5), capable indeed of serving as > WiFi hotspot (serving up cellular data to other wifi-dependent equipment), > as well as capable of internet connection using not necessarily cellular > data but wifi connections, all with acceptable battery life (needing > recharge only when I too need recharge, i.e., overnight), and costing > (through an Amazon Marketplace Vendor) under $25 postpaid. No LTE. > But it takes microSD cards up to 32 GB in capacity (versus A-930's 1 GB). > > Anyway, enjoy your new-found A-930 in good health :-) . Cheers, -- tlvp Thank you for the info: it looks like the A-930 will be useful as a temporary "bridge" device for evaluating Verizon service at my new home. Assuming that VZM is (as the neighbors say) the only choice, then I need more advice about compatible phones and least-cost plans. I'm going to be working in secure areas again, and I will occasionally need to tether my laptop to my cellphone for Internet access. I will need: 1. Reliable voice service in the Asheville, North Carolina area. 2. Cellular data service which I can use via my laptop's WiFi. 3. A LARGE screen. 4. A FULL keyboard for text messages. 5. A speaker that I can crank up in noisy areas without hearing a lot of distortion. 7. Come to think of it, a good headset with good audio fidelity for hands-free driving etc., preferably one that doesn't fall out of my ear every time I hit a bump in the road. 8. Reasonable price: I don't mind paying for the phone, and I'm OK with buying a used one [Thanks, John!], but I don't want to spend a fortune on monthly bills. Other features don't matter to me. Suggestions welcome, TIA. -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) |
| Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 22:47:26 -0400 From: danny burstein <dannyb@panix.com> To: telecomdigestsubmissions.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: T-Mobile CEO to data "abusers": we know who you are! Message-ID: <Pine.NEB.4.64.1509012247040.16618@panix2.panix.com> ("abusers" in quotes as that was the word he used) [T-Mobile press release] Stopping Network Abusers: An Open Letter to T-Mobile Customers .... This week, I am taking aim at a select group of individuals who have actually been stealing data from T-Mobile. If their activities are left unchecked their actions could eventually have a negative effect on the experience of honest T-Mobile customers. Not on my watch. ... So we are going after a small group of users who are stealing data so blatantly and extremely that it is ridiculous. Here's what's happening: when customers buy our unlimited 4G LTE plan for their smartphones we include a fixed amount of LTE to be used for tethering (using the "Smartphone Mobile HotSpot" feature), at no extra cost, for the occasions when broadband may not be convenient or available. If customers hit that high-speed tethering limit, those tethering speeds slow down. If a customer needs more LTE tethering, they can add-on more. Simple. However, these violators are going out of their way with all kinds of workarounds to steal more LTE tethered data. They're downloading apps that hide their tether usage, rooting their phones, writing code to mask their activity, etc. They are "hacking" the system to swipe high speed tethered data. ====== rest: http://newsroom.t-mobile.com/issues-insights-blog/stopping-network-abusers.htm _____________________________________________________ Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key dannyb@panix.com [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded] |
| Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2015 01:48:09 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> To: telecomdigestsubmissions.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: CenturyLink gets grant to expand internet access Message-ID: <20150902054809.GA24977@telecom.csail.mit.edu> KFGO News - Posted: Tue 5:15 AM, Sep 01, 2015 The funding comes from the federal Connect America Fund. The announcement from members of the state's congressional delegation comes after the Louisiana-based communications company notified the Federal Communications Commission of its intention to accept the federal dollars in 33 states including North Dakota. The funds are expected to support and expand broadband for more than 8,000 rural residents in North Dakota. U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says fast, reliable Internet empowers residents to "better access educational, health and commercial opportunities." http://www.valleynewslive.com/home/headlines/CenturyLink-gets-grant-to-expand-internet-access-323568951.html -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) |
| Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2015 01:53:50 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> To: telecomdigestsubmissions.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: CenturyLink says 55 in La. to be laid off Message-ID: <20150902055350.GA24996@telecom.csail.mit.edu> by Scott Rogers, The News Star CenturyLink said approximately 55 positions will be reduced in Louisiana as part of the company's proposal to eliminate 1,000 jobs companywide. Annmarie Sartor said Friday CenturyLink will reduce the headcount in Louisiana by approximately 55 positions. CenturyLink, the largest public company headquartered in Louisiana, said earlier this month the cuts will come throughout CenturyLink's operations. CenturyLink employs about 44,000 workers globally. http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/local/2015/08/28/centurylink-says-la-laid/71318394/ -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) |
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