[crutzulee]

I have now had my Palm Pre for almost a month and so far, I've been loving it.
I've setup Mobile Hotspot and will be testing it out later this week at the cottage. I've installed an ebook reader and a Game Boy advance emulator and have been pleasantly surprised with the versatility of this little computer in my hand.

But, I have a few misgivings which are carrier dependant. Firstly, I made the switch from my Samsung Instinct because Bell was offering what I THOUGHT was a killer plan ($35/month for 500mb ). My old phone had an unlimited mobile browser for $10 month but lacked all the other web based goodies that a true smartphone has so I jumped after reading a few posts from people who had found that the 500mb was more than enough for someone with my usage patterns (mostly web browsing). Over the last month, this has seemed accurate as Bell's app indicates that my usage did not break 15 Mbs over the last thirty days.

As a curiosity, and in preperation for my first tethering experience this week at the cottage, I decided to install Netstat to see how my usage would be when broken down. I REALLY wished I hadn't done this! According to this program, I used almost 10 mbs just by browsing to two or three different sites on the pre's browser! At that rate, I will use 500 Mbs in no time. I am now afraid to try tethering while on vacation (though I will - I enjoy living on the edge ). Does anyone have any real world experience with Bell Mobility in this situation? I'm not looking for a fight but has anyone had a dispute with them over data usage. Would they not have to go by the uasage displayed in there own app? Have I lost the rght to plausible deniabilty because I downloaded Netstat and they know that I should have known better?

Secondly, I am a little concerned about the build quality of the phone. I know it can't possibly last the three years of my contract (again I know how crazy that sounds to our friends south of the border). I am wondering about the portability of the plan. I have read conflicting things and have been told different stories from Bell reps.

I guess Bell new what they were doing when they offered me this smartphone (crack cociane). I am assuming that I will lose my discount when this phone gives up the ghost and I have to use the remainder of my plan on a new smartphone. I know the phone with this plan is relatively new but does anyone have any experience with Bell on this? I have decided to hold off on overclocking my pre as I am concerned that it will shorten it's life ( although I am sure that curiosity will soon get the better of me.

[ToniCipriani]

You can always move up to Combo 65 and retain the discount.

[jyeung]

Bell has a bug in their system where data usage is capped per session for CDMA users. You should be fine as they bill by what you see in self-serve.

- Jason

[Breadwinka]

I got some good news for you for some reason bell doesn't seem to track data usage on my tethering or internet streaming on my bill i see maybe 13mb of usage a month only showing mobile browsing. So I hope for you its the same. I'm fortunate that I don't have to worry with unlimited data but you should be fine. Ya the build quality of the phone is meh I'm about to return my second pre as the replacement has a dead pixel...

[ToniCipriani]

If I'm right, data is somewhat "compressed" when it reaches your phone...

I've browsed like hell and when I take a look at bandwidth usage in the Bell App, it shows very tiny usage. I've had this phone for a few months and never been billed for extra bandwidth...

Only BlackBerries compress data via BIS/BES.

And yes, the APN the Pre uses is broken.

[Slippy#WN]

Only BlackBerries compress data via BIS/BES.

And yes, the APN the Pre uses is broken.

I agree...

My previous phone was a HTC Touch Pro, and I used to download GBs (over 10GB one month ) from Usenet on the phone (I like to push my luck ) and on self-serve, I never broke over 100MB.. LOL

So tether away...

[marclh1992]

I noticed that before I would only use a tiny amount of my data plan when I had my Pre before it broke, I think it was the CDMA network capping the amount of data used at just below a MB. Phones on the HSPA Bell network actually show the real amount of data you download

[ToniCipriani]

If you're really paranoid (like me), download Bell's app and track it through there. You get it straight from the source.

[prequan]

by the by, bell DOES NOT support tethering on the pre. I called a couple times tryingto find out and they said that tethering is not allowed. If you do tether and get busted they will charge you $6 per MB. I really want to tether as well but don't have the nuts.

[ToniCipriani]

by the by, bell DOES NOT support tethering on the pre. I called a couple times tryingto find out and they said that tethering is not allowed. If you do tether and get busted they will charge you $6 per MB. I really want to tether as well but don't have the nuts.

Bell Mobility - Smartphone Combo Rate Plans- Bell

See footnote 8 for Smartphone 50. That's what I have.

[prequan]

that's wild. I've called bell twice to ask about tethering on my Unlimited Data plan and they told me both times that the palm pre is not supported and that bell doesn't have a tethering plan. One more reason to be aggravated with bell I guess, cause obviously they DO have tethering. ***.

[ToniCipriani]

that's wild. I've called bell twice to ask about tethering on my Unlimited Data plan and they told me both times that the palm pre is not supported and that bell doesn't have a tethering plan. One more reason to be aggravated with bell I guess, cause obviously they DO have tethering. ***.

Well they are right on the part that the unlimited browser plan doesn't do tethering...

[Weaser999]

True the unlimited plan doesn't do tethering, but I have yet to see any charges since I've been doing it. Mind you, I don't do it often and for short periods of time.

[crutzulee]

Agggghhh.. I just lost my long post. Basically , I reported that I was able to use mobile hotspot to tether at the cottage. Also it appears that after being down for about a day and a half, the Bell app seems to be more accurately tracking data usage. While still noreporting anything close to the numbers I am getting with netstat, I fear I may have to start looking at the plan 60 or greater package.Has anyone else noticed this difference?

Also with respect to overclocking, I had decided against it out of longevity concerns and the fact that I didn't think that it would help me much. I don't multitask and I believe that the major factors that affect speed in what I do (mostly web browsing) are network and connexion dependent. Am I wrong? Will overclocking help with some of the stability issues with this phone? Does anyone yet have any experience having an overclocked pre serviced by Bell?

[ToniCipriani]

Agggghhh.. I just lost my long post. Basically , I reported that I was able to use mobile hotspot to tether at the cottage. Also it appears that after being down for about a day and a half, the Bell app seems to be more accurately tracking data usage. While still noreporting anything close to the numbers I am getting with netstat, I fear I may have to start looking at the plan 60 or greater package.Has anyone else noticed this difference?

Supposed to be like that. Notice the page says there's a 2 hour delay.

Also with respect to overclocking, I had decided against it out of longevity concerns and the fact that I didn't think that it would help me much. I don't multitask and I believe that the major factors that affect speed in what I do (mostly web browsing) are network and connexion dependent. Am I wrong? Will overclocking help with some of the stability issues with this phone? Does anyone yet have any experience having an overclocked pre serviced by Bell?

No issues to report with my UK'ed Bell Pre. Interface is much smoother and with Compcache I rarely get TMCs anymore.

As for longevity concerns, it's the same argument with overclocking desktops, pretty much almost like shorten it from 10 years to 9 years and a few months. But honestly would you keep the phone that long to experience the "longevity"?