🚀 go-pugleaf

tgold@microvest.demon.co.uk ("Anthony R. Gold") writes:
>If anyone has any equipment suggestions, I'd appreciate the advice. 

>I'm not looking for a gsm1800 data terminal, just a telphone that 
>"looks" just like an external modem and which could be used by my 
>regular notebook and software.  BTW some of my software runs under 
>DOS, so a set that looks like a plain vanilla serial modem is more 
>likely to be compatible with my kit than a PCMCIA interface, as not 
>all PCMCIA devices come with DOS drivers.

If you really must go for an RS232 solution, probably your only bet
at the moment is a Nokia 9000 (or 9000i). The problems with this you
need to be aware of are:

1. one2one don't sell them, and getting hold of an unconnected GSM1800
   version is fairly awkward. I guess you can get them secondhand, or
   you can do what I did and get a new one from Orange, complete with
   1 year contract. The total cost of doing this will be 230UKP+12*17.50UKP
   - about 440UKP, which, from what I recall, is about the price of an
   unconnected GSM900 one anyway. You might even find Orange's services
   are more useful to you as a data user. I use one2one all the time, but
   I have _very_ wierd needs at the moment ;)

   It may be that Orange SP-lock 9000s now. They didn't when I bought mine.
   If so you need to factor in a 50UKP unlocking charge too. Also it
   takes a small SIM so be prepared to get the scissors out if you're
   still using a full-sized one... you _want_ to cut up your Personal Call
   SIM don't you?... [Yes, it works, I did it, but be careful!]

2. They're big and clumsy. They'll fit ok into an inside jacket pocket,
   but are uncomfortable in just about any other type of pocket. The
   keyboard sucks, the "Fax modem" mode needs to be manually entered
   if you spend more than a few minutes offline. Generally there are a
   lot of things that haven't been done quite properly with it.

3. I've found it difficult to get reliable data transfer through them -
   generally I'm getting 50% packet loss in the receive direction (on
   4/5 bars out of 5/6 (excluding/including the little antenna) reception)
   connecting to Demon via the 0845 number. I doubt it's the modem link
   between one2one and Demon. The 9000 doesn't have hardware handshaking
   unless you want to use the infrared port, and I don't think that lack
   of handshaking helps much... The 9000 also doesn't support V.42 or
   V.42bis - something the Motorola cards do support.

Other than that... well, it's the phone that's won me over to using
cellular. It's my "plastic pall who's fun to be with" ;) I wont go anywhere
without it.

I seem to remember Dixons advertising a GSM900 phone recently that
had an RS232 modem mode, but I haven't seen it in a GSM1800 version -
I forget entirely which phone it was, except it wasn't a Nokia, Ericsson,
or Motorola.

>I see that Demon and Orange offer an end-to-end digital service 
>whereas calling say Demon from One2one will add a further D/A and A/D 
>into the link. I would have guessed that at only 9600bps those added 
>conversions would not have been a material handicap or bottleneck.  
>But maybe user experience says differently.

In my experience with both sides, it doesn't actually make a blind bit
of difference from the reliability point-of-view. The main advantage
of a direct connection, Orange style, is that it's fast. Typically
you're online in around 5 seconds, as against around 20-30 with an
"external" number. This is even more important when you realise you're
paying for those extra seconds, something which is more obvious, and
at the same time, less expensive, with a landline modem connection.

>(Now X-posted to demon.tech.modems)

>Regards,
>-- 
>   Tony - G3SKR / W2TG                   email: tgold@panix.com

Best,






Paul