Many (probably many of today's) laptop modems are 'cellular' ready.
Basically, they use MNP (Microcomm Network Protocol) which is a fancy way of
saying they have a lot of error correction built in to them.
You can get an analog (tip and ring) adapter for most flip phones, then plug
the modem in to the cell phone and dial away. (The cell phone sends fake
dial tone to the modem to get it to dial).
The problems though are:
1). Many ISP's don't support the MNP protocol.
2). Many ISP's don't support connections less than 9600 baud, because the
web goes too slow.
3). The quality of the connection depends totally on the analog cellular
provider.
In some areas, (but certainly not everywhere) the newer PCS phones do a
decent job of data, at least the GSM (European technology) systems, which
are totally digital from end to end.
Powertel, Omnipoint, Bell South, PAC Bell, etc. The Sprint CDMA phones don't
support it, and I've never seen it work on TDMA systems yet.
Nextel is likely to announce a major data push in the next few months to
keep an advantage over the other digital providers.
The bottom line is that it works, if you can stand to use a text mail reader
like the Unix pine or elm mail readers in a telnet session. TCP/IP is very
forgiving as a network protocol.
We've got some ham packet stuff interconnected to our ISP network, but I
don't think that's a common thing.
You'll start to see more wireless internet connection methods in the next
few years, but right now, its not a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time
application.
I have a higher co-dependency on the Internet than most people, as well as
some other IP based systems that require a little care and feeding beyond
what I'd like to do, but still have to do.
I'll see if I can find some more specific part numbers and prices tomorrow
and send you a message. This type of technology changes so fast that it will
almost be obsolete before you receive it.
Mark
- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto
wner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of ELUBO
Sent: Sunday, October 04, 1998 7:12 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Cell Phones??
Am I missing something, or am I wishing??
Is there a modem that I can hook up to a cell phone??
If so, please give me make & model Nr.
Tnx.
Ed. Lubo
Basically, they use MNP (Microcomm Network Protocol) which is a fancy way of
saying they have a lot of error correction built in to them.
You can get an analog (tip and ring) adapter for most flip phones, then plug
the modem in to the cell phone and dial away. (The cell phone sends fake
dial tone to the modem to get it to dial).
The problems though are:
1). Many ISP's don't support the MNP protocol.
2). Many ISP's don't support connections less than 9600 baud, because the
web goes too slow.
3). The quality of the connection depends totally on the analog cellular
provider.
In some areas, (but certainly not everywhere) the newer PCS phones do a
decent job of data, at least the GSM (European technology) systems, which
are totally digital from end to end.
Powertel, Omnipoint, Bell South, PAC Bell, etc. The Sprint CDMA phones don't
support it, and I've never seen it work on TDMA systems yet.
Nextel is likely to announce a major data push in the next few months to
keep an advantage over the other digital providers.
The bottom line is that it works, if you can stand to use a text mail reader
like the Unix pine or elm mail readers in a telnet session. TCP/IP is very
forgiving as a network protocol.
We've got some ham packet stuff interconnected to our ISP network, but I
don't think that's a common thing.
You'll start to see more wireless internet connection methods in the next
few years, but right now, its not a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time
application.
I have a higher co-dependency on the Internet than most people, as well as
some other IP based systems that require a little care and feeding beyond
what I'd like to do, but still have to do.
I'll see if I can find some more specific part numbers and prices tomorrow
and send you a message. This type of technology changes so fast that it will
almost be obsolete before you receive it.
Mark
- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto
wner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of ELUBOSent: Sunday, October 04, 1998 7:12 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Cell Phones??
Am I missing something, or am I wishing??
Is there a modem that I can hook up to a cell phone??
If so, please give me make & model Nr.
Tnx.
Ed. Lubo
