[meansizzler]

OK, so I thought I have unlimited data with my iphone contract, why not use the sim in my laptop since it has built in 3G..

With a bit of research found a good connection utility called MWconn, simply type the details in and you can connect to either GPRS or UMTS..

for anyone who is interested..

APN: mobile.o2.co.uk

Username: vertigo

password: password..

Now onto the speed tests, used the iphone speed test from dslreport.com

GPRS

83% signal strength

Modem connected at 3.6mb/s

Average Latency = 900ms

Average Speed = 94kb/s

Feels really slow when browsing web pages.. feels worse than 56K...


UMTS

26% Signal Strength

Modem connected at 3.6mb/s

Average Latency = 294ms

Average Speed = 878kb/s

50KB/s average when downloading a 40MB file, no bad at all, on the odd occasion downloaded a 3.38MB wma file in 40 Seconds, when browsing web pages feels just like a 512KB cable connection..., not bad for 26% signal strength, O2 3G is pretty poor in my area, my iphone never locks onto it properly, guess the 3g chipset in it is not as powerfull as the one in the laptop data card..

Once thing negative though is any picture you see, mainly photos are shown with lots of compression, i.e pixelation, I think the O2 severs compress the images a so you can download them quickly and save bandwidth, so not really ideal if you want to upload or download pictures

I did test msn messenger and it works fine, even the video chat works after a few tries, was streaming an episode of eastenders from the iplayer site with no lag or pauses at all

Hope someone found this interesting

[ROBIN50N]

Originally Posted by meansizzler

OK, so I thought I have unlimited data with my iphone contract, why not use the sim in my laptop since it has built in 3G..

With a bit of research found a good connection utility called MWconn, simply type the details in and you can connect to either GPRS or UMTS..

for anyone who is interested..

APN: mobile.o2.co.uk

Username: vertigo

password: password..

Now onto the speed tests, used the iphone speed test from dslreport.com

GPRS

83% signal strength

Modem connected at 3.6mb/s

Average Latency = 900ms

Average Speed = 94kb/s

Feels really slow when browsing web pages.. feels worse than 56K...


UMTS

26% Signal Strength

Modem connected at 3.6mb/s

Average Latency = 294ms

Average Speed = 878kb/s

50KB/s average when downloading a 40MB file, no bad at all, on the odd occasion downloaded a 3.38MB wma file in 40 Seconds, when browsing web pages feels just like a 512KB cable connection..., not bad for 26% signal strength, O2 3G is pretty poor in my area, my iphone never locks onto it properly, guess the 3g chipset in it is not as powerfull as the one in the laptop data card..

Once thing negative though is any picture you see, mainly photos are shown with lots of compression, i.e pixelation, I think the O2 severs compress the images a so you can download them quickly and save bandwidth, so not really ideal if you want to upload or download pictures

I did test msn messenger and it works fine, even the video chat works after a few tries, was streaming an episode of eastenders from the iplayer site with no lag or pauses at all

Hope someone found this interesting

you know you arnt allowed to use sim in other devices like that and they will charge you.

[meansizzler]

erm that was not allowed to use the iphone as a data modem, I am not, the sim card I have have a data contract and minutes which I pay for, I can use them it whatever device i want, i.e that's like saying you can only use this sim card in this model phone no others.

I paid for data and minutes. well data comes with my service so I am using that service..., if they don't want you to use that then when you buy a phone it wouldn't tell you how to use it as a data modem, with the iphone it does not, but the sim i can use in whatever device I want.., my laptop has a sim card slot and imei, just like a normal phone, so i use my sim in it...

[ROBIN50N]

to be honest i couldnt care i where just saying. and they know what your useing the sim in and if its not a phone.
from o2s terms

All usage must be for your private, personal and non-commercial purposes. You may not use your SIM Card:

* in, or connected to, any other device including modems;
* to allow the continuous streaming of any audio / video content, enable Voice over Internet (Voip), P2P or file sharing; or
* in such a way that adversely impacts the service to other O2 customers

[meansizzler]

It is for my private and non commercial use, technically it is not in a modem, it is in a sim card/smart card reader which is connected to a modem, which is exactly the same as a mobile phone, a mobile has a smi card reader and a built in 3g modem, so are you saying you can't use it in a phone now?..

[ROBIN50N]

Originally Posted by meansizzler

It is for my private and non commercial use, technically it is not in a modem, it is in a sim card/smart card reader which is connected to a modem, which is exactly the same as a mobile phone, a mobile has a smi card reader and a built in 3g modem, so are you saying you can't use it in a phone now?..

i was only saying you may get stung. take that up with o2 and there wording then. and put your handbag away.

[RobM]

Fair play for making it work.... but man oh man have you got a big bill heading your way

[meansizzler]

two way video chat on msn works pretty good, can even send files over without lag, can also send and recieve texts

[hutch]

Originally Posted by ROBIN50N

and put your handbag away.

Just because someone doesnt agree with your opinion doesnt entitle you to use comments like that, any more and you'll be getting an infraction.

[ROBIN50N]

Originally Posted by hutch.

Just because someone doesnt agree with your opinion doesnt entitle you to use comments like that, any more and you'll be getting an infraction.

it's not my opinion though it's on o2 website.

[rentagas]

The issue of using the SIM "in" a modem is an interesting one.

O2 essentially are prohibiting the use of the account for anything other than getting data into the iphone for use in the phone.

Firstly 02 will know if the data is destined for another device because the device "tells" the web what it is. It is possible to manipulate this info so the PC "tells" the web it is an iphone and I have seen reference to doing this on another forum, the only downside of this is that sites such as amazon and google will default to the iphone versions.

As an alternative there is an official app that has been intermittently available in the US (and very very briefly in the UK)that does allow the use of the iphone as a bluetooth modem. It is still outside the iphone's T&C's with o2

So...........what you have done is not at all difficult to do but most people would rather not risk the £2-£3 per MB charge that o2 may well charge you. It does not seem possible to top up the o2 account to allow unlimited use as a PC modem (i have asked O2)

If you manage to manipulate the IE sttings so O2 think your PC is an iphone (and change the IMEI number of your modem so it is the same as your phone) that would be cool..................but illegal!

[ROBIN50N]

Originally Posted by rentagas

The issue of using the SIM "in" a modem is an interesting one.

O2 essentially are prohibiting the use of the account for anything other than getting data into the iphone for use in the phone.

Firstly 02 will know if the data is destined for another device because the device "tells" the web what it is. It is possible to manipulate this info so the PC "tells" the web it is an iphone and I have seen reference to doing this on another forum, the only downside of this is that sites such as amazon and google will default to the iphone versions.

As an alternative there is an official app that has been intermittently available in the US (and very very briefly in the UK)that does allow the use of the iphone as a bluetooth modem. It is still outside the iphone's T&C's with o2

So...........what you have done is not at all difficult to do but most people would rather not risk the £2-£3 per MB charge that o2 may well charge you. It does not seem possible to top up the o2 account to allow unlimited use as a PC modem (i have asked O2)

If you manage to manipulate the IE sttings so O2 think your PC is an iphone (and change the IMEI number of your modem so it is the same as your phone) that would be cool..................but illegal!

so you see my point, i was only giveng him a heads up he may get charged, nothaveing a pop at him but he started getting all defensive like id said summat bad. am glad someone else has heard of this too.

[rentagas]

QUOTE=meansizzler " i.e that's like saying you can only use this sim card in this model phone no others."


Yes,

That's what it means. From reading around this O2 do seem to have turned a blind eye to this. Personally I wouldn't risk using a few GB to find out. Most people would find a bill of a few thousand difficult to pay.

[meansizzler]

hmm, well i don't think it would be more than a £150, but in simple terms an iphone or any other phone is no different from my laptop, they both have screens, keyboards, sim card readers and 3g data modems inside, so to say i can't use it in my laptop is saying is like saying i can't use the sim in a phone... , what about phones running windows, O2 sell their range of windows mobile phones i.e xda range, then their are devices like the HTC shift, which runs windows vista and windows mobile, like a hybrid phone/pc except it does not make phone calls..

I think the only way o2 can stop you form using the sim in your laptop is by shipping usb only 3g data sticks with no sim slot like all the networks do and not providing downloads for the 3g connection utility or even giving out the details to connect to their 3g/gprs network, which is a pain as you buy a windows mobile phone and they don't even give you the APN and dns servers to use gprs with it.

[rentagas]

The USB data sticks do take a SIM card.
It would be entirely possible to put the iphone SIM in a USB stick or an external card eg from novatel etc provided they were unlocked appropriately.

The fact that your modem card is built into your computer rather than plugged into a USB slot or cardbus slot means very little in terms of breaching the T's and C's

Equally there are applications for HTC phones and Nokia phones which would allow the phone to set up a wifi access point and I do this regularly with my tmobile data SIM

But................O2 have been very clear about what data they will allow and what they will not. What you have achieved is dangerously easy to do and anyone reading this thread and implementing it could end up with a massive bill.
If you want laptop data, particularly if you have a modem, an effectively unlimited data SIM will cost around £10 -£20 per month or £5 per day PAYG. It is a shame that o2 will not allow laptop data on top of the montly sub of say an additional £5-10 per month.

ps one 1 hour tv programme is around 350MB=£700 of data!!!!

[meansizzler]

Originally Posted by rentagas

If you want laptop data, particularly if you have a modem, an effectively unlimited data SIM will cost around £10 -£20 per month or £5 per day PAYG. It is a shame that o2 will not allow laptop data on top of the montly sub of say an additional £5-10 per month.

ps one 1 hour tv programme is around 350MB=£700 of data!!!!

Do you have proof the usb sticks take a sim?, i'm talking about the official ones they supply with the mobile broadband connection, I was told they don't, also these sim only contracts do you have a link to them? the one your talking about is the usb modem only, not sim, they expect you to use their modem and the software that comes with it, the only sim only one is the t-mobile one which they charge £10 more than the usb version i.e £30, which does not make sense seeing as your supply your own modem, their just trying to rip business customers...

[rentagas]

Don't believe the sales people in shops (they'll tell you an iphone has no SIM, is glued in etc for a start)
Set up guide for tmobile USB stich accessed here clearly shows insertion of SIM card.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/m...nd/usb-modems/

You'll find the operators won't want to sell you a SIM only deal because they don't want to support other people's hardware-so you'll need to talk to them

[sim667]

Originally Posted by hutch.

Just because someone doesnt agree with your opinion doesnt entitle you to use comments like that, any more and you'll be getting an infraction.

the OP was a bit snappy though

If the contract says no constant video or audio streaming then how do we get away with it on simplify

[meansizzler]

Originally Posted by sim667

the OP was a bit snappy though

If the contract says no constant video or audio streaming then how do we get away with it on simplify

Then why is the Tuner Iphone App one of the top selling apps on the itunes store, which streams internet radio to the iphone over wifi or 3g connection?.

[meansizzler]

How about this, seems to good to be true..

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/m...hone-as-modem/

[Uncle Bulge]

hi guys

the mobile broadband usb modems do come with a sim card, i work for o2 business and have to deal with damn things constantly, and on using the iphone sim in your laptop, you are very likely to receive a hefty bill, check your unbilled on the carriers site to check.

regards gaz

[Scoobiesnacks]

How many people are using the SIM card in their laptop? As this is a sellign point for me on the iphone
You read a lot about it being in breach of contract etc etc.
Are there any real limitations in practice. Ie Do o2 Police this?
And do you really get a restricted web experience at all from using an iphone sim- I've read that pictures are full quality as o2 screens them (is this a myth?) and some websites give you a special iphone version (again is this really true and how widspread is it?)

thanks in advance.

[bbasra]

Hi,

Is there any update on using a Iphone PAYG o2 SIM with unlimited Data in a laptop which has a sim card slot for builtin 3G.

Since i've unlocked my iphone, i have no use for the sim other than i could, if possible, use it in my laptop.

Anyone had any huge bills.