Mobile Internet

[black_suede]

This has been bugging me for a while, as official sites seem to overlook it: when connecting to the internet from a mobile device like a handheld PC, with just IE installed, to whom do you pay the bill for time spent online?

Thanks in advance :)

[ll_billym]

If you are connecting to a mobile network then it is your service provider (Vodafone, O2, etc.)

They are the ones that allow your mobile device to connect to the internet.

If you are connecting to a WiFi hotspot then it is whoever owns that hotspot. Some hotspots are free.

[black_suede]

Thanks for the reply :)

How exactly are people billed for connecting to WiFi hotspots?

[Ethel]

The internet usuage is measured in upload and download - you get charged for the amont of internet traffic uploaded and downloaed, unless you connect to a wifi hotspot that charges by the hour.
There is a calculator here that gives you an idea of the amount of mb different applications use:

http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/a ppmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=t emplate08&pageID=MI_0007

[black_suede]

That's very useful, thanks :)

Just one more question: how do The Powers That Be know to whom the mobile device belongs when connecting to a hotspot?

I'm just wondering how they would obtain money from you since you would no longer be using a fixed provider :-/

[Ethel]

Connecting via a hotspot is different again - it is sometimes free or you have to buy credit in advance from BT OpenZone or The Cloud. Then you are connecting through the hotspot provider, not your service provider.

[black_suede]

Ah, makes sense. Thanks :)

Though with a handheld PC I've been led to believe there probably won't be a CD drive... how would I then go about obtaining an ISP?

Apologies but I'm very new to wireless connections :)

[ll_billym]

Ring an ISP on your phone up and it will happen CD or no CD.

[CarlJenners]

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