OT: Amp'd Cell Phone Service
Posted By: Shelby on 2006-08-19
In Reply to:
I am looking for a new cell phone service, preferably pay-as-you-go or something really cheap because I barely even use 100 minutes a month most months. Has anyone tried this new Amp'd broadband cell service? What'd ya think?
Thanks!
Shelby
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you can get a net service through cell phone. sm
i have altel and their plan in the south is $25/mo for unlimited use. it picks up anywhere you would get a cell signal. software was around $99 i think. it isn't as fast as DSL or cable, but would work if desperate. you plug your phone into your laptop via the software/cable and it uses your phone as the modem to dial in and connect. downfall is you can't receive phone calls while using it, calls go to voicemail. do you have to continually download voice files so that you couldn't download before you left? not sure a VPN connection would work with cell if you used that for national.
I have a pay as you go cell phone
I got one for emergencies only that I pay as I go. There are several different kinds out there, you just have to keep your eyes open and watch what you get and for what price. I got mine at Radio Shack and re-up my minutes every other month for $30. They have discontinued that particular program for new people though. You can get Trac (sp) phones at places like K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and I think you can buy a year's worth of minutes on that one for about $99. Keep an eye on commercials, too. I saw one on MSNBC yesterday that I had never seen before.
Cell phone
Tracfone. Its on the web, if you want to check the specifics. www.tracfone.com
Unless you only use your cell phone
and internet for work, you cannot take a full deduction, only a percentage.
I don't even own a cell phone..sm
I used one that belonged to a family member and they are pretty fast and reliable. But, when I called to try and get one, because of my "not so good" credit, they wanted like a $700 deposit.
Also, I am afraid if I go over the allowable amount....as I tend do a Lot of movies on my computer.
I will go with the Satellite, people in the area do not have problems with it, I will just have dial up for backup when the clouds do come in. LOL....
I am not going to worry myself over it much longer.....I tend to slowly wean away from MT once I move anyway. :)
A cell phone is not secure, so using it to
listen to dictation is not viable. I have downloaded digital files via cell phone in a pinch, like during storms when I lose land-line. If you got dictation via cell, you would have to re-record because there is no way to start/stop the dictation to transcribe live. The quality of the dictation would not be as good as a land line or digital or whatever. When you have unlimited service, it usually doesn't include unlimited data transfer so would not be feasible for downloading consistently.
Just not a good idea any way you look at it, especially if this is your primary source of obtaining work.
Tracfone cell phone
 This is a place where I value your opinions, so here goes on a non-MT question: I recently bought a Tracfone because I truly only need a cell phone for emergencies and thought prepaid was the way to go. After the first time I reloaded minutes, I got "No service" message; then 1-1/2 hours later with customer service, I was informed they would send a new SIM card. I installed the new SIM card and still no service. Next I tried calling customer service back and found out they are down for maintenance. Ditto for website. Anyone else had a similar experience? Which prepaid should I go with next time if this is not resolved? BTW, I am thinking of forming a militant branch of SHHH--the society for hand-held hushing!!
Cell Phone Laws
Here in NYS there's a law that you can't be on your cell phone unless you have a headset. The police rarely enforce the law. Every day I see someone on their cell phone. I wish they'd catch these people before they kill someone. I'm sorry your son had to go through the accident because of someone's stupidity.
can't you get her number off his cell phone?
I don't blame you for being mad but I wouldn't call the friend's wife and tell her b/c its not good to get involved in marital disputes and it is technically not your business. BUT your husband is another story! First off, why won't he give you her phone number?? And secondly, if it were me, I would most definately call her & tell her NOT to involve your husband in their affair! 
can also use your cell phone but it's rare
If you have bluetooth technology on your cell phone, you can get a cheap bluetooth plug-in for your laptop and use the cell phone as sort of a modem. Good luck trying to do it, though :*( I have Verizon and have everything I need but they have some double-knot top secret spy access phone number that they don't give out. If you can somehow get that number, you can connect anywhere you can get phone service. (and if you can get it, PUHLEEEEASE let me know it! LOL) I think that most, if not all, of the major cell phone providers have this same capability.
Barring that, you can get a card from your laptop maker (i.e., Dell).
Here's a link to Sprint's mobile broadband card. Through 6/17/07, they have a promotion going and the card itself is free after a $49.99 mail-in rebate. You have to sign up for their service, which is $59.99/month if you have their voice service (i.e., you have a Sprint cell phone and calling service) or $79.99/month if you don't.
http://mobilebusiness.sprint.com/px500/?id12=SHOP_Promo3_UHP_060207_PX500
Verizon has several mobile broadband cards (you want one that is 'Rev A' compatible/capable). Here's a link to a page with all of them and their prices ($9.99-$179.99) which are 2-year contract prices.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneOverviewByDevice&deviceType=Wireless%20PC%20Cards
They have 2 plans: National Access $59.99/month & Broadband Access $79.99/month.
Hope this all helps!
BJ :D
cell phone telemarketers
This is a SCAM. It was originated by internet thieves to get our email addresses. I used to fall for these kinds of emails all the time. Now, I always check www.snopes.com before I ever forward anything to anyone. And probably 99% of them are scams. This particular hoax has been in circulation for years. Also, when I DO forward an email, I send it to everyone as a blind copy (Bcc). Most email programs have this option. If they don't, then I wouldn't forward it.
Turn off that &%*@* Cell Phone...sm
I know docs need to remain available but give us a break! When it rings, please either turn it off or turn off the dictation machine and tend to your call. I dont need their ------g phone blasting high volume in my ear, often while some inconsiderate jerk is trying to dictate over the loud ringing. I had one clown the other day who actually left his cell ringing the entire 5 to 6 minutes during his dictation. I felt almost deaf by the time he finished. 
I was told to have 2 phone lines, one can be cell. But (sm)
The one time I needed to use modem for backup, it was virtually impossible to type, so having the second line is useless. Having a second HSI connection would do the trick in the event some castrophe took place and the HSI co. went out for a day or so.
Think of WiFi as a cell phone signal.
Have you ever had a call dropped, or the signal go from 5 bars to 1? WiFi speed depends on the amount of traffic, weather, interference from construction, etc. I think it is always wise to have some form of backup available just in case. I have Earthlink cable, but I also get 20 hours of dial-up with that. I have a laptop, so if my power goes out at least I can download and continue to work with a dial-up connection.
I am wondering too. I have cell phone for back up
if cable service goes down so that is not a concern any more. Want to discontinue SBC (now AT&T) and get the cheapest possible second phone line I can.
In fact, I am considering just having a cell phone for phone service and that is it. Does anyone do this?
Thanks!
I have her on my quick dial on my cell phone
but I wouldn't share it without permission. She is Editor of one of Elsevier's MT publications so visit their web site and you may be able to find an email address for her. She still frequents another MT web site and you could put out an SOS call for her there. Good luck.
Listening to a cell phone conversation
My doc left his recorder on again. LOL
How did SHE get YOUR husband's cell phone number? nm
nm
I have had cell phone for 2 years, newbie but
yesterday had 2 text messages (I do not do those myself) from my cell carrier. Never before had I gotten the first thing like this.
He also listed his cell phone number. (no msg)
xx
Cell phone & modem reception can be very different sm
I have very iffy cell phone service with Sprint but have been using a USB modem through them for the past month with an external antenna and amplifier. I get up to 1200 kbps download speeds without the antenna being installed outside yet (it's sitting in my window until we get a lightning protector). 3gstore.com is where I bought my equipment, and they can answer any questions you have. In fact, the tech person I spoke with has actually written transcription programs, so he definitely knows what is involved.
If you don't get your wireless through cell phone signal,
I haven't heard of any other way to get wireless broadband other than through the cell phone companies.
I am wondering if there is a way to use your C-phone with Vonage phone service?
??
Does anyone use a cell phone for their long distance to transcribe? I am just
wondering if this would work since a lot of plans have free long distance now. I'm assuming there must be some kind of adapter out there to connect your cell phone to your PC or laptop. I am wondering if anyone has tried this and how it worked out. Thanks!
is there such a thing as a cell phone with pre-paid minutes,
and no monthly bill? A couple years ago i heard one was being developed, and yet, at least here in the middle of the country, have yet to see such. I would like to have a cell phone for emergencies or very occasional use, but can't go for the monthly bill...
LOL. That's funny. I like the retro cell phone headset. nm
nm
If you have a cell phone, why not use that for your LD calls and CX the LD on the land line?
.
The hospital where I work took down the no cell phone signs
last year. Apparently they aren't as much of a problem as they once were. Also, I was an inpatient last year and was allowed to use my cell phone in my room.
It seems like I was told that they have machines that block the phones from getting a signal in areas of the hospital where they may cause interference with equipment.
I transfer my calls to cell phone during work. nm
nm
Cell phone dictation in the middle of the night
First, they are inaudible, and they are so tired that they forget where they are at and backtrack or forget parts of the surgery. Then you have to figure out what they are saying when yawning and everything else. Also, I hate it when there are screaming kids or a bunch of people in the background that are louder than the dictators, and the dog is barking like crazy. Ambulances: Why do doctors dictate in front of ambulances when the siren is going?
Also got rid of our house phone because we all had cell phones and that saves me about 75.00 a month
or so.
That's an idea -- does it matter that my cell phone won't work from the house??
It rings but then cuts you off as soon as you answer. I think we are too far from a tower.
Does anyone use laptop & cell phone/Internet Card for work?
I am not real computer literate but am wondering if I couldn't get unlimited Internet with a cell phone plan and use that for my on-line job/Internet connection exclusively. I have found plans for around $70/month.
If so, I was thinking too I could possibly give up my land line phone, Callwave, my dial-up ISP (as that is all we have available where live) and actually save a little money by doing so. I don't make/receive a lot of land line calls and I have a TracFone cell phone that I don't use much now. I get excellent reception with that where I live. We have a huge tower within walking distance of where I live but we live out in the "sticks". :D I know my connection would be dependent on the reception where I live and the cell phone service I would use. I am not sure which one truly has the best coverage and/or who may be using the tower by our home but TracFone apparently does. :)
TIA.
not sure about cell phone, but you can sign up for free efax messenger. sm
you can get a free efax messenger as long as you don't care what number they assign you. then you can have them fax to that number and it will come into your email inbox and you can print from there.
c-phone from cell phone
I believe if you check with your cell phone carrier they have an adapter that you can use to plug into your cell phone from the c-phone. Not sure about this but I think I had a friend tell me she had to do this but it was a year or so ago. Hope this helps.
Anyone use/try C-phone with Medicom's phone service?
Wondering if it works?
Is anyone using the new internet phone service through
your local cable company or Vonage or something like that. How do you like it? Any troubles we should be aware of? Thanks for any info.
Vonage phone service
I have been using Vonage for about 4 months now, and I really love it. My bill has never been over 23.00 and the only drawbacks I have seen is that sometimes my voice will have an echo-like quality that is a little distracting and the other is if my internet service is out for some reason, I don't have a phone, but it is very rare for that to ever happen. The low bill more than makes up for it. My phone company bill used to be at least 75.00, and I never could figure out what half of the charges stood for. Even the people who worked at the office couldn't explain it!
RE: Is anyone using the new internet phone service through
I have internet services and digital phone service through Time-Warner, and it is great!
Has anybody tried Vonage for phone service?
Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
Phone Service help needed
Just got my new phone bill and freaked out. I'm supposed to be on a $39.95 monthly plan including unlimited long distance. My bill was $74!!!! The LD charges were $45!!! The phone company said I could get local LD and I could save a whopping $5 a month (how nice).
I'm looking for a new provider and used to go to a site where you could compare phone services but can't seem to find it now. Does anyone have that site?
I've thought about Vonage..does anyone have their service and how is it? Would it clash with my KVM switch and router?
Thanks for any help. As my name implies, in the past few years, technology has me going nuts lately and I seem to have "lost it."
I have digital phone service through my
cable internet provider. I no longer have a C-phone account, but used it for a few months without any problems. It is truly unlimited. I tried VoIP through my ISP provider and couldn't get it to work and support is in India and less than helpful. I have read where many people use Vonage and are happy with it.
I have not heard of Comcast phone service
It sounds like a good idea. If service goes down, it is never for long. And most people also have a cell phone for back up.
How much are we talking about? Hmmm?
Does anyone use Mediacom's digital phone service? sm
It is available to me but I do not want to switch until I know more about it. I know some of you use Comcast, so if any of you have any advice for me on the digital services, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! 
Internet service without land-line phone
I recently looked into this subject myself. If you have Verizon available in your area, you can purchase a plan at about $55.00 per month with a two-year contract. You will receive a card that you can insert into your laptop, which will provide you with unlimited Internet access at the speed of DSL. As far as I know, there are no other cell service providers that have come up with this type of card yet, but I'm sure it's bound to happen in the future. Another option is to purchase a satellite telephone and phone cards as you go along, but the cards are really outrageous in price. One last thing that I would suggest is that you phone cell providers in your area to see if they have any technical gadgets you could attach to the cell phone for Internet access. Many of the satellite phone companies have separate packages you can buy, which can be attached to laptops or PDAs. I also have a TracPhone, so I know it does not come with hardware that will do the trick.
Good luck to you in setting everything up. With the way that technology is moving, I'm sure there must be a way to accomplish what you want.
If you use LecStar as your home/business phone service read this....sm
They had a judge sign a Chapter 7 bankruptcy order on 10/2 and have begun cutting off phone service to residental and business customers. I found out about this when I attempted to make a long distance call today (I had the unlimited long distance home phone plan) and got notification that I had no long distance service available. Upon calling them the representative told me that they're working on cutting phone service to everyone and at any time I could lose service. I've called the "mega" phone service for my area, BellSouth, and signed up to switch hopefully before the line is disconnected by LecStar.
Interestingly I had signed up for their service through a cooperation they had with my power company. The power company just found out yesterday about the bankruptcy and services starting to be cut off and is in the process now of calling every power company customer who had phone service with LecStar and telling them what is happening so that hopefully no one else will be caught off guard with a disconnected phone service.
Our cable company doesn't offer phone service yet, and anyway,
I don't know if I'd want everything dependent on their service for all my needs. Even my internet is not as dependable as it should be, yet there is nothing wrong according to them. I already pay for internet and TV to the tune of $147 a month and they are raising it in Jan. again.
What is the longest you have gone without service? Do they return phone calls promptly?
TIA
I think they are actually dictating to a transcription service (Baker Sten-Stel) via C-phone
then they e-mail back to the doctor's office for me to type. So maybe it will go back to them for QA. Why I don't know. This work cameto me from a temp service and they obviously did not know much. I will find out Monday morning. Thanks for your input. I will more than likely be on this site screaming for help. The AOL question was just in case I can get them to use my home office next time, because I just switched to DSL through AOL and I was hoping that would would work with Express Scribe, my footpedal and their software.
We have decided to add this to our current service not have a new service. It will be easier to sm
keep track of and will just be a different department.
It looks like we will work out details over the next 6 months, talking with community college program directors as well as a few of the distance-learning course leaders to work on the recruiting end.
We will train current staff to mentor if they would like to do so and want to work in the office.
We are still working on production requirements, goals to set, pay, benefits and other fine details but we have 6 months to get it all in place with three months to pull it together after that with a tentative start date of 09/01/06. We need to build the building as well, although that is already at the blueprint stage in a spot next to our current office.
We did not want to cause flames and bashing by listing the company name as there are always so many negative people on this site, but we are national with over 200 transcriptionists, located outside of Chicago (40 miles west) and have the best team of transcriptionists around!
We will have an "official" announcement after the first of the new year.
Thank you for all of your feedback and suggestions!
My telephone service is VOIP, but it s through my cable service, along with my cable internet. .
We have had VOIP for about a year now and I love it. I really can't tell a difference in traditional service, except the price. One of the best calls of my life was to Bellsouth to cancel our service!
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