PAM with Blackberry

nevtxjustin · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

I'm starting this as a new thread as the last post on the Sprint Phone-As-Modem Not Avail. with Voice Plans topic of Sept. 29 referring to $15 PAM appears out of date as Sprint web page doesn't show it anymore.

I was a Sprint user a few years ago and would use my Sanyo 8100 for day sat a time when my ISDN was down and for several monhts after I moved to an area that had no DSL...all without any data package on the phone.

I'm likely coming back to Sprint, but the PAM issue seems to have completely been revised within the last few weeks. As of today, Oct. 13, my Sprint business account rep said he only shows a 5 GB $59 a month plan and an unlimited $79 plan. He was just as in the dark as I am now.

He's trying to woo me over to Sprint with some good offerings. Four each Blackberry Curve 8330 for FREE on a bundled plan that compares to my Cingular/AT&T plan.

I have a Sprint data plan already with a data card plugged into a D-Link box in my truck or as a backup data link for one of my tower sites. When I can't use my Sprint card, I'll tether my Cingular phone to my laptop for a BRIEF, LOW data use connection.

Now here's the problem...I would like all four Blackberry's to have a tether ability, even if its only a few web pages per week, not like I'm going to be doing massive downloading. I'm afraid that Sprint may be indeed crippling any modem capability on their phones, as they did with the Instinct.

My options are:
Get a $59 PAM added to each phone - that's overkill.
Tether the dang things and be done with it - not if the phones are crippled.
Get USB modem, the Ovation U727 or Compass 597 for each user - Now I'm back at the $59 per month for each phone/user.

As for the Blackberry 8330...I can go with that phone or the Palm Centro, Motorola Q, Samsung ACE, or HTC Touch as they appear to have similar functionality.

nevtxjustin · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

I was talking to a Sprint rep via online chat. Is EVERY one of them called Jessica???

She affirmed the $15 PAM add on. Excellent!

BUT....at the end of the chat, she said each phone would need the internet package. Of course...no such package is listed on the Sprint web site...but I heard it was like $30 a month. So we're back up to $45 per month.

As far as I can guess...Sprint reduced the $59 data plan down to a $15 PAM plan last spring, revoked it a few months ago and created a new $15 PAM + $30 Internet add on combo.

Alex · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:46 am Post subject:

3Gstore now has a "phone expert" on staff who may be able to help you filter though all the sprint misinformation. if you'd like her assistance, send an email to maureen via sales@ 3gstore.com and explain what you're after... we look forward to serving you as a 3gstore.com customer!
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Maureen · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:33 pm Post subject:

After calling Sprint and speaking with SEVERAL reps on internet chat, I have the answer:

NO ONE there is familiar with this option. NO ONE. I received answers ranging from "you can't do that with a Blackberry" (obviously incorrect) to "it's $39.99 per month" (incorrect) to "we don't offer that option anymore."

The GOOD NEWS is that I eventually got the answer we were all looking for.

Here is what I found in a nutshell:

1) You CANNOT add Phone as Modem if you select the Simply Everything Plan.

2) You MUST have a data plan. With a Blackberry/PDA that comes included with your voice plan, and for regular phones (like the Samsung m300, for example) you can get the Power Vision PRO Pack for $30/month.

3) The cost to use the phone-as-modem is only $15 per month, for either phones or PDAs. This new lower price was put into effect in June.

4) The 5GB limit is still in effect.

All of this information is contradictory to what many people have heard - $15/$59.99 - but I was assured that these were indeed the new prices and several websites have reported the same prices.

You can find out if the phones or PDAs that you're looking at are capable of serving as a modem by looking at the features list on Sprint's website. They include Blackberrys, the Centro, Samsung m300, and more.

Now.. Nevtxjustin - remember that you can add and remove the tethering feature so that it's only active when you need it. You don't need to pay for it every month. You didn't mention whether the people that needed the devices were travelers or in some sort of office environment - if they are all in the same location, you could always use just ONE device (even a tethered Blackberry) in an EVDO router and share the connection.

Since the cost is lower than it was before, if you need phones AND EVDO it sounds like going with the Blackberry's might be the way to go.

Let me know if you have any questions and we will hunt down the answers!

nevtxjustin · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

My Sprint business account rep was reading off his Sprint employee facing page and said he could offer a $79/mo unlimited or $59/mo 5 GB cap plan.

nevtxjustin · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 6

My Sprint business account rep can set me up with four free Blackberry 8330s on a 3,000 (?) shared plan with the $30 internet package and $15 PAM option and share it all between the four Blackberrys.