Cellphone as mobile modem? CANADA

[skwij]

Hi everyone, posting from CANADA here, where data plans are slooooooow and expensive, and literally nobody accesses the 'net via their cellie.

Now, I've got a monthly subscription to wifi hotspot access (nothing on the subscription said monthly, just a One Time fee), and when I called Bell Mobility (the provider) about it, they said that I can use this "service" to use the cellphone as what amounts to a mobile modem.

I do have a data cable for the phone, and it IS recognised in SysPrefs/Network, but of course I have no clue what modem from the dropdown list to access, or if I have to download a software version that's compatible with the Macbook AND Bell Mobility. One of the modems in the dropdown allows me to dial, but I get a "destination is busy" error.

Before I cancel this "service" I want to at least try and set this up, as there's no 'net access at work, and no hotspot available, no wireless at all.

So.

I have Bell Mobility as the provider, a Macbook C2D, OS/X v 10.4.9, and an Audiovox 8910 cellphone.

Any hints or tips on configuring this, before I call YET AGAIN to Bell's so-called tech support? I've already called, and emailed, and nobody seems to be able to tell me what I need, hardware or software-wise, or even plan-wise.

Note that a lot of the software/hardware options for Canadian cellphones are disabled by BellMobility. I can't even sync the phone on the Windows machine, due to lots of features being disabled by default. That's just the way it is "up here", along with no simCards with Bell phones.

 

[skwij]

Well I managed to speak to someone at Bell today who seemed to have a bit of knowledge. Bell doesn't support Macs at all, and the info I got re the hotspot subscription was wrong. That will be cancelled on Monday.

So I'm SOL with Bell. Can't wait til my plan runs out, so I can switch providers, both for DSL and cellphone.

Hi everyone, posting from CANADA here, where data plans are slooooooow and expensive, and literally nobody accesses the 'net via their cellie.

Now, I've got a monthly subscription to wifi hotspot access (nothing on the subscription said monthly, just a One Time fee), and when I called Bell Mobility (the provider) about it, they said that I can use this "service" to use the cellphone as what amounts to a mobile modem.

I do have a data cable for the phone, and it IS recognised in SysPrefs/Network, but of course I have no clue what modem from the dropdown list to access, or if I have to download a software version that's compatible with the Macbook AND Bell Mobility. One of the modems in the dropdown allows me to dial, but I get a "destination is busy" error.

Before I cancel this "service" I want to at least try and set this up, as there's no 'net access at work, and no hotspot available, no wireless at all.

So.

I have Bell Mobility as the provider, a Macbook C2D, OS/X v 10.4.9, and an Audiovox 8910 cellphone.

Any hints or tips on configuring this, before I call YET AGAIN to Bell's so-called tech support? I've already called, and emailed, and nobody seems to be able to tell me what I need, hardware or software-wise, or even plan-wise.

Note that a lot of the software/hardware options for Canadian cellphones are disabled by BellMobility. I can't even sync the phone on the Windows machine, due to lots of features being disabled by default. That's just the way it is "up here", along with no simCards with Bell phones.