Verizon gives in, allows DUN from cellphones

Verizon Wireless has given in to consumer demand, and will now allow customers to use most compatible cellphones as broadband modems. Verizon customers have long grumbled about the company's unwillingness to allow customers to use their cellphones to connect computers to the internet, especially since there was never any technical reason not to do so, and many of the phones are capable of connecting over the company's high-speed EV-DO network. Verizon will begin charging $59.99 per month for the service, which initially extends to the LG VX9800 (pictured), Motorola RAZR V3c, Motorola E815 and LG VX8100. Verizon is, however, keeping at least one restriction: DUN via Bluetooth will still be officially off-limits; the only way to legally connect will be via USB cables. Uh huh. But we're ok with that, right?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 2nd 2006 8:20PM]

##Dialup works great with the E815 - just don't do the recent Flash Update - otherwise you'll loose that capability!

Ma Bell Mentality Rules with Verizon!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 2nd 2006 8:28PM]

#26 or anyone else,
when you are using the phone as a EVDO modem, can you receive
phone calls at the same time? Or do they go to voicemail?

Thank,
Dan

[raaaaaa Posted Feb 2nd 2006 8:36PM]

thanks for the bone Verizon!

I need bluetooth to work on my V3c, it is the only option. I have a tomtom go 700 that allows me to connect my phone to it. it lets you do everything ( I mean everything) you can do with the phone via the tomtom device. but being that my phone is cripled I can't get online with it and use the many features that are available.

[ItsTheOMGShow Posted Feb 2nd 2006 8:49PM]

"I will now be crawling back to [Cingular]" Yeah, right.

There should really be a boycott against this company... they are criminals and yet they're still making tons of money. oh right..

"It's the network" You have to own a Verizon phone nowadays because everyone else who doesn't pay for data (yet) and doesn't care about ridiculously difficult to configure features like DUN already has Verizon and IN-Network calling.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 2nd 2006 11:38PM]

Nobody answered my question so I guess it was obvious,
no you can't use the phone for calls when it's being used as a
modem. So why do this? Sounds like the old days of dialup
when you couldn't use your home phone while online.
Why not get a PC card instead? If Verizon is going to charge you
$60 a month for EVDO, why tie up your cellphone service
while using your EVDO service?

Dan

[VAGRANT Posted Feb 3rd 2006 12:06AM]

I stopped using Verizon years ago eXactly because of the Bluetooth issue. I really do get more with T-Mobile. My PDA gets more, my laptop gets more, sharing Cingular's towers here in California that are equipped with EDGE and I pay only $20 for unlimited Internet instead of $80...yeah...I get more. Thanks T-mobile. (Oh yeah, the new MDA PPC w/WiFi, EDGE & BT...yeah, more.)

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2006 1:58AM]

I have a HTC Apache on Verizon and have used it for tethering already. Also got bluetooth DUN working too. No charges, no hassles. Oh, and I use Skype over EVDO once in a while too.
Yes, Verizon's crippling sucks. But get around it and you have one of the sweetest services. I switched from T-Mobile and EVDO is so much faster than EDGE. I may go back once T-Mo has the 3G though.

But cingular? They suck. Small 3G coverage, and they're rated the worst company pretty consistently. AND they're as expensive as Verizon. Screw that.


Oh, and when I'm tethered I still get incoming calls with no problem.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2006 3:54AM]

holy crap... i think they heard me now:

http://www.howardforums.com/showpost.php?p=6538122&postcount=18

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2006 6:18AM]

About fucking time...

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 3rd 2006 11:36AM]

The V (pictured) comes with Bluetooth DUN already enabled. You don't have to go in and turn it on, only specify how to dial into Verizon's data provider. You do that with #777, just make sure you're in a 1x only area or force it into 1x because otherwise it tries to connect with ev-do and unless you have ev-do service (ie VCast or Broadband access) it won't work. This is really easy on a Powerbook.

Also, if you don't mind just using 1x and are worried about contract violations, buy mobile web 2.0 for $5 a month (unlimited) and you can dial in to your heart's content.