Can I use a BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 for modem over phone?

Bighurt49245 · EVDO User Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 62 Location: Homer,MI

I was just wondering if I could use the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 for modem over phone with the "Talk/Message/Data Share" plan. Here is what is in the plan.

Have fun with your phones —unlimited email, Web, TV, text and more.

This plan includes
Unlimited data and messaging: Web surfing, email, BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS), GPS Navigation, Sprint Music Premier, Sprint TV® Premier, text, picture, and video messaging
Unlimited mobile to mobile, night calling and weekends starting at 7 p.m.
Lines 1-2 included, lines 3-5 are $19.99/line/mo.
Domestic long distance and roaming
Featured service for Nextel Direct Connect® capable phones: Direct Connect® and Group Connect® $10/line/mo. (Look for this on the Services page prior to checkout.)

It says unlimited data, so can I use this phone as a modem while Im at home or do I have to buy another service? I did see this under the full feature list.

Phone as Modem Capable
Use the included USB cable to connect to laptops for a wireless modem, or choose to run this capability via Bluetooth with no USB cable requirement.

dima · EVDO User Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 91

Phone as Modem with Sprint has always been one BIG can of worms, they never seem to get it working right or as intended, and as I now understand things, their old PAM plans have been retired and they are going to try a $15/mo option on their new plans but it, as usual, isn't working or offered yet. This is one reason why I have stayed away from Sprint.

The fact that there may or may not be a PLAN available only affects how you are billed for usage (or not as the case may be). The physical connection and required software installations are what makes tethering as a modem work.

I don't know what will happen now, billing-wise, if you just install your Blackberry desktop manager on your pc, and try connectng as a modem to see what happens. Connection through BT or USB via the desktop manager is how modem tethering is done on a Blackberry. Check your documentation for specific details. As a Windows Mobile user myself, I cannot provide these.

On Palm and WinMo devices, there are all kinds of 3rd party hacks, work arounds and connection software that allow these devices to work as modems without paying tethering charges if the extra cost is an issue although tecnically this is probably "theft of service" and no doubt violates carrier Terms Of Service (they gotta have that extra profit to please shareholders after all) but I don't know of any similar software for blackberries. So with all that said, all I can say further is:

Good luck!