Mobile phone makes for a specific need

Will have to check the shops.

The online says "TOTAL MINIMUM PLAN COST The minimum amount you’ll pay over 24 months is $2,219 including
a $59 activation fee." Bloody ouch. And for only about ten months of the year.

We don't want a plan because it will be turned off for the rest of the year. So unless they do a prepaid out of the actual shop then they are out.

Thanks Rosco.

Phil

I should read my posts more carefully. I meant to say "And for only about TWO months of the year usage".

Phil

Thanks mate. Same story as above. I need to go into the shop and ask. Thanks for the info.

You didn't mention any external antenna socket. Is it inductive or wired?

I am hoping that when Rosco above used the term "wired" that he ment that the phone had an external antenna socket.

Phil

you mite be better looking for a second hand phone / cheap if you only want it for few months year .

I have the telstra easy touch 2 ... good for old farts like me ...
smart type phone external antenna fitting
good reception .

cheers nick

I am beginning to think that way as well but will exhaust other avenues first.

Is prepaid available and does it allow a laptop or other devices to link to the internet through it? ie basically use the phone as a modem. I believe it's called tethering.

Phil

Prepaid would be the best for you if you only want for short periods but you will need a phone , that why i say S/H some people change phone's quicker than they change undies ....
If your using it for traveling the antenna fitting adapter might be very useful .
When using phone to tether to your laptop it uses a lot of data from your phone .
I would suggest one of the newer type with very large screen , as i have found that i just use the phone to do most of the stuff , google , maps ,text , GPS tracking etc , email , all can be done on the phone ( & doesn't use a lot of data ) so get a big buggar , keep your tethering to a minimum save $$$
I wouldn't take to much notice of what you read about on internet , they all have problems , look for the phone that fits the bill .
Good luck with it .

All good stuff Nick and I thank you. Personally I have no need of the phone for the internet. It's just to use as a modem for the grandkids.

And I understand about second hand. Yes it is an option but we want to look at both sides of the story.

Phil

The Sony Xperia won't take an external antenna. You need to buy a cradle and attach an antenna to that. I've looked into this as I have an Xperia and it would cost about $150 by the time you get all the cables and fittings. If you already have an antenna, the cradle alone isn't too pricy.

Maybe check out the Telstra pre-paids and see if they have an antenna port. My old Telstra T2 has one, it's hidden on the back and they don't always list it in the specs.

Thanks Hilux fan, only just got back on line.

Ditto. I have a very very old and basic Nokia but it wont work on G3 or G4.

We shall see.

Phil

I already have one and there is too much delay for the devices that the doctors are talking about.

Phil

I have read too many bad reports to take the chance. Besides all that my wife also read the reports and will absolutely not change her mind. Nah mate. Not after what I read and it's on the Telstra site as well.

Thanks for the input.

Phil

Thanks. It is mainly driven by my wife. She got bad words and you try to tell a woman that she is wrong. I should have said that up front I suppose.

Anyway. I will look into it. The old Nokia prepaid sim won't work but I would need a new one anyway.

Question: I was just looking at the specs for a Telstra Frontier on ebay (Item: 321262590149). What specification says that it has Tethering? Is it the WiFi spec?

Phil

Looking at my frontier it has a setting for usb tethering.

I got one from dick smith for $99 a month ago.

frontier

wizzer

Thanks mate. Nice price.

As an aside; USB tethering is out. Thanks for the information though. The grand daughter will be in the rear and I am not about to have any cables running all over the place. Don't have any now and am not about to start. I hate clutter and crap installations with cables running loose.

I will have a look at the phone because the tethering is only for trips with the grand kids. We really do not have any need of it.

Phil

USB tethering or wifi.... either works. Both use a fair bit of power when stand alone....regardless of phone brands

I suggest you use a simple cig lighter USB outlet and that way it charges same time as functioning....the cables are small as you know

What do you call a fair bit of power?

I was thinking of securing the phone in the glovebox with the walkman and ipod which supply music for the car. Power is available at the rear of the glovebox, from a dedicated 4WD accessory fuse box under the bonnet. I don't use the cigarette lighter option because I won't have loose cables running all over the cabin. Like I said earlier the power for the windscreen camera is under the roof trim. There already is a 15 amp run to near the glovebox. Don't need charging as the phone wont be used outside the car.

Thanks

Phil

A fair bit of power refers to the phone being used as wifi hotspot...under those circumstances it will use a lot more than for example a voice call........

Whilst USB tethered as an internet access modem it is charging at the same time from the laptop

cheers

Gotchya.

I don't think that the "passenger" is using a laptop but I get your point. It doesn't matter either way. We won't be using USB to the subordinate equipment al-be-it laptop or games console. USNB may be used to supply power to the phone if it does not have a separate power socket. It all depends on the phone.

Thanks for the hint.

Phil

$360 from the Telstra shop is a bit more that I wanted to pay. It is in my list of possibles already.

Thanks Rod.

Hi Bob

"Tethering" is the use of your cell phone (or other mobile device that's connected to the internet) as a modem for another device, usually a laptop or a Wi-Fi-only tablet. This gives you internet access on the go, wherever you are--e.g., if you're trying to work at a hotel that doesn't have free Wi-Fi (shame on them!) or your internet access at home is down for some reason. You connect your phone to your laptop or tablet either directly with a USB cable or without wires through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. (In the good old days, we tethered devices via infrared.)

The tethering can either be via USB (no good for me) or a wireless link like wifi as described above. I need the wireless variety to keep the car tidy.

Coverage: The phone must be 4G compatable and able to also use lesser capable 3G etc systems.

Does that give you the information you needed.

Phil

Very clearly explained, thanks Phil.

Tried to tether my Telstra T94 phone to an iPad.......no show, had to be a smart phone apparently.

If you need one of these T96 phones at that price, let me know Phil.

Bob.

No worries. They were not my words but said it all.

I will keep the offer in hand. There isn't a rush as we don't go until winter.

Catchya

Phil

tethering is via USB or WIFI .... but not Bluetooth !!
you cant bluetooth internet connection between devices ...as above !!

Please take it up with this mob Nick. I think of it as a wireless link. That will do me. I also believe that we need a certain compatability for the kid's "toys". Apple or otherwise and will bother with that side later after we get a few phones in our list of maybe's. Enough is enough at this stage.

What is tethering?

Phil

You can certainly tether by bluetooth to share an internet connection. I've done it. It may depend on what devices you are trying to tether. Google it.

Thanks Mike. This is my point all along. They don't care whether it's an apple, orange or even a Telstra phone. Any phone and any type of tethering and any wired external antenna will do them. They don't even need the internet.

All I need is tethering to a subordinate.

And for once Google did answer -well almost. But all the phones were quite expensive and there was no filtering to eliminate the inductive antenna coupling. I tried using "-waterproof" but still got plenty.

Phil.

mikehzz : could u give us examples HOW & what tethers via bluetooth to an internet connection ? I'd b interested !!!

I used to have to do it with my Iphone 1 because it didn't have a wifi hotspot. If I forgot my usb cable, I could tether to my laptop with bluetooth and the internet connection sharing worked fine. I had to do that quite a few times.

This is pretty plain about it - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethering

Okay on the tethering.

What people are starting to lose here is the main reason for the question. I am really asking for medical reasons. If I am going to have a phone in the car for the doctors so that they can look at my pacemaker with a remote "wand" then I need to get what they require. Namely 4G, external antenna and wireless tethering.

Note that the idea of the external antenna is to assist in "maintaining a reliable connection". Not to extend the range of the phone or even to do it all mobile.

Using the grand kids was meant to draw on others experiences. It will be the same requirement.

Phil

Of all places I was actually in the Telstra shop when I saw them at the bottom of the the specifications page for the Samsung Ace Plus phone. They could have even been on eBay because that's where he got the specifications for the Dave mobile from. Go figure!!

I also saw them on an american forum that came up in Google and/or Wikipedia when I was trying to find out what the Tethering link was actually called.

And a work collegue of my wife had one with troubles. So I am not even going to bother looking at Samsung. She Who Must Be Obeyed says no to Samsung. So be it. I know what side my bread is buttered on.

It's a bit like some people even say that Patrols have trouble mate. Think nothing of it. Okay.

Phil

It's on my list Dave

Thanks

Phil

I have been given a specification to buy to. I am not in the position to change that specification of 4G, external antenna without any inductive feed or connection, and tethering. They can't even say to what it will be tethered.

I added prepaid because I only need it for a coupe of of the a year at the absolute most. I will not have even a $10 a month plan because there may only be one or two calls a week at the most. And they will be incoming. I have already stated throughout this thread what it is for so I won't bore you again. And if it wasn't for that requirement I wouldn't even bother getting one.

I am asking around now because I don't want a mad rush if we go ahead with it at the last minute right before the trip.

In absolutely no way am I trying to offend you or anyone else. I do realise where you are coming from. Thanks. If it was for my private use without the specifications then I would most likely agree with you.

Okay?

Phil

John

Firstly; my current mobile phone only does phone calls and sms. I think it was the first ever Nokia and it works quite well for what I want. And if we don't go ahead with the remote monitoring then that's all I want. I have no need for anything more than phone calls.

I fully understand what you say, but you are missing the point. I have been given an engineering specification to meet and it says nothing about software. I am not in the position to change that specification.

I am asking around now because I don't want a mad rush if we go ahead with it at the last minute right before the trip.

In absolutely no way am I trying to offend you or anyone else. I do realise where you are coming from.

Okay?

Phil

Hey Phil, no offence taken, and you've cleared up the question I had about your requirements. Good luck with the search.
Cheers, John

Want to see how a simple question goes rouge. Just read all this thread.

I though that it would be a simple quick thread. Aghh well.

No worries. I have a good list.

Phil

Phil I find it strange you were given a specification and not recommended a phone? If this specification is medical related and critical I would have thought you would have been told what to buy. Furthermore relying on this type of technology in a critical medical environment has huge risks and whilst you are entitled to ask for recommendations via these forums is not appropriate. If the medical requirement is not life and death by all means proceed. I hope you get my point, as you seem a non technical person. You have been given good advise here with the ZTE recommendations but there are substantial risks when relying on this type of technology in the outback. Good luck mate.

You do me wrong sir. A couple of things I must clear up for you.

Firstly this phone is NOT for emergencies. For emergencies we have a satellite phone. I did not say it was for emergencies. Nor did I say that it had to work in a remote desert or such. For your information, it hasn't. I never said where I will be using it. It may even be at home.

Developing a solution or software to meet a specification is common practice in large projects where many companies or groups of people work in isolation on the same project. No one would dare tell the other group or company how to do their job. Especially as with our projects when millions of dollars and quite strict security was involved. So they did not tell me which phone to buy.

And to put your mind at rest: My last role after 45 years, and ending in 2005, in the Electronics, Communications and Computing industry was as Senior Technical Officer and System Analyst for the Defence Projects Division ACT of a large international company. I have never bothered with mobile phone technology. Didn't need it nor want it.

So I simply asked those who do and have such working knowledge for their recommendations.

Phil

Sorry to "Do you wrong" Phill but there are so many contradictions in your comments throughout this thread that I don't know where to start. Are you familiar with data charges Phil when tethering your phone as a modem to a laptop? You might spend $45 on a ZTE phone 2nd hand then spend a fortune on data as soon as you tether it? Prepaid data charges are up to 4 times higher than what you get on a low cost business plan. May I make some final suggestions and please no more silly drawings, when you tether to the laptop please turn off windows updates, virus updates etc before connecting, this will save you but due to the many contradictions in your replies you are not making it easy, please don't take offence but you seem all over the shot when you talk about your requirements and uses. I suggest you research Telstra plans, data allowances with prepaid etc and the data you will actually consume once connected. With kids involved data goes through the roof, ask any parent LOL. Good luck Phil, please keep us all updated on how you go this winter, could make for some entertaining reading. Google is your friend trust me..! LOL

It's not even being connected to the internet. No internet plan was asked for. Nor will it be purchased. Where did I say I wanted the internet. Nowhere. You assumed wrong again.

I used the grand daughter as an example so that people have something to work with. She has her own phone and laptop.

Why do people want to show off and talk about things that have no relevance. Try reading my first question and answering that without going off topic next time.

Hey Phil, You have confused the hell out of me too. I'll even quote you from above "Is prepaid available and does it allow a laptop or other devices to link to the internet through it? ie basically use the phone as a modem. I believe it's called tethering"

Phil these are your words and it suggests the Internet. That's how I see it, people are trying to help you but I think you are not doing them any favours.

My apologies. I just wanted what they told me to get and tried to help people stick to just that. I stupidly added a laptop to help people with the tethering requirement.

I am not rude and won't ignore anyone when they "talk" to me, so I am obliged to answer a post. Unfortunately some the posts close by are about areas that I was told not to worry about.

So how do I say thanks, that I understand where they going but please just stick to the question?

Phil

Here is an example of what I just said. Read post number 810121.

Phil

Phil, To try and help you make a smart choice let me outline some explanations of the technology that might help you.

1. 4G (Not G4) is Telstra's latest & fastest data network, it does not improve in phone call coverage over 3G. If you are not using the Internet then 3G is the same as 4G for phone calls.
2. If you only want to make phone calls, then buy something like the ZTE or Telstra phones with external antenna support, personally I would buy a Smartphone as I have a ZTE phone but never use it nowadays.
3. Tethering, Wireless Hotpsot, Personal Hotspot etc all refer to the use of your phone or smartphone as a modem which then insinuates "Internet". No matter the purpose of the connection, you use the Internet once you connect.

Phil, I hope this helps you. I'm not sure who gave you the specification you mention. I you intend to go 4WD'ing and go outback I would embrace a Smartphone with GPS and enjoy some of the great apps to make your journey a fun one.

Over and out.!

You are not listening either. Read thread 810121.

Phil

At my last cardiology review I was told to look into a mobile phone for the clinician to remotely access my pacemaker in case it is needed when I go away.

My old Nokia just makes calls and sms. They said that it won't be good enough and was told to look for a 4G phone with tethering and an external phone. I added the prepaid thing because it wont be used at home and only while on the road and definitely not off road.

I was told not to worry whether it was apple or anything else. NOTHING ELSE. If they use the internet then that's their concern but I wasn't asked about getting a mobile internet account or anything. And Yes. I told them that we use a land line at home for the internet and don't do any wireless internet at all.

So that is EXACTLY what I am doing. Just what was asked. And they are not fools. They know what is needed and how to work to whatever I get.

Phil

And damned well read post 810197 again. How can I say thanls but no thanks. You didn't even acknowledge what I said .

Phil

Personally mate I take offence to your comments, everybody here has been trying to help you, you were the one that went off on a tangent about tethering and connecting to laptops etc, these are your words. If you only want to be able to monitor your pacemaker why didn't you say that at the beginning? Talk about being ungrateful, people are here to try and help you and you shoot them down, I wish you luck, I for one will be ignoring any more of your comments.

Well then why jump in and stuff things up. If you had read the thread before you opened your mouth then you would have seen that there was no need for any more explanations or suggestions on how the specifications should be changed. They weren't wanted nor needed.

And politely said so on many occasions usually associated with the word "THANKS". Any idea what that word means. I also did apologise to you but again you totally ignored that little nicety.

Unlike you, I do not ignore people. I face up and try to meet them on common ground. But all you want to do is lecture me on a bad interface specification. Even though I said repeatedly throughout this thread that the specification is not changeable.

Cheers

Phil

sorry but people were dead right about asking how this is supposed to work.
just because youve given specs doesnt mean the phone will do what you want still

theres different sorts of tethering just for starters which will achieve different things

also I dont know how just ataching a phone to your computer is going to achieve what you want without knowing how it works
- and to be honest it doesnt sound like you know how it works either - so thats going to effect things

basically If I atach my phone to a computer all it does is charge my phone an allow it to be used as a memory card

you said tethering and then you started saying you dont want the internet - well thats what tethring is - using your phone as an internet modem for your computer.

you admit to knowing little about mobile phones - many on here do and youve just dsmissed people who possibly could have steered you in a much better direction than just getting a phone with those 4 abilitys - which still probablly isnt what you need totally
now just for starters its highly unlikely while travelling you will even get 4g as its only available in limited areas in major citys so i have to question why thats a neccessity if you wont be able to access 4g......

thats just one example where just quoting off some imaginary unflexable specs has got you into trouble in your post

you said the phone needs tethering capabilities but not for internet - i dont think you realise that statement makes no sense - so thats another example

I was asked to look for phones that are "capable of tethering". And I have done so. Some nice people have done just what the "doctors ordered" and identified several. So thanks for your comments but I am terribly sorry they are falling on a chemo stuffed brain.

I am no longer able to take in anything complicated or techniical. The brain wont assimilate it. Especially when people differ in their comments.

And guys I am sick of being reminded of that fact. It bloody well hurts so people PLEASE leave this be.

I just tried to keep it as simple as it was asked of me.

Phil

Thanks mate.

If they want it then they can supply everything from the wand to the internet account, including a nice soft camp chair to sit in while all this goes on.

Now PLEASE let's not go into camp chairs.

Phil