I have the $5.99 T-Zone data plan and they have set my account so I can access any site. In connecting up my N800 to my Slvr, I had no success with internet2.voicestream.com. So I switched to wap.voicestream.com and used proxy 216.155.165.50. It now works, but it is too slow to use with Maemo Mapper (I get timeouts). My Slvr notes that GPRS is connected when I am connected with the N800.

I am happy just to be connected for $5.99/mo, but of course I want more! Any hints on how to get the best performance on the T-Zone plan?

You might have to just upgrade to the 19.99 plan if you want to get full access to the net.

Best I can tell the $19.99 plan will only work on a PDA/Smartphone. There is a $29.99 plan that does allow internet access, but I'm just too cheap. Of course T-Mobile and others would say you can't do what I'm currently doing. I have unrestricted internet access, but it is too slow. Or maybe I have unrealistic expectations of GPRS speed. My Slvr is unlocked so they can't use my phone to block service.

My experience with Maemo Mapper using this internet setup has been that if I use the Hybrid repository, it will time-out. Using Google Street, it works 2/3 of the time, but takes about a minute to load a map. I'll probably need to get an EDGE cell phone at some point. I don't know now if my speed is limited by GPRS, wap.voicestream.com or the http proxy. If the limiting factor is not GPRS, then getting an EDGE cell phone won't help unless I stop being so cheap and subscribe to a more expensive data plan.

Even if your SLVR phone is unlocked, T-Mobile can still block your access very easily. They will do this by simply blocking the sockets used to access the Internet. They will not need to do anything to your phone.

I know this because I too, like you do now, used Unrestricted Internet Acces for a long time with a mere $29.99 Voice Plan only ( no Data plan involved or paid for ). During all that time, I could use any of my two phones ( unlocked, unbranded Nokia 3650 and Nokia 6682 ). Even now I have an unlocked and unbranded Nokia 6682 that I use to Access internet. Then gradually T-Mobile started blocking up the sockets and such Access. So eventually I got a $ 29.99 unlimited Data Plan.

I have the $5.99 plan as well, with wap.voicestream.net and proxies set. My download is slow, too.

I believe the issue is GPRS. GPRS can be quite slow: it's speed range starts at 19.2 Kbps. You can measure your speed at http://www.dlsreports.com/mspeed. My connection gets around 100 Kbps, but I have been as slow as 30 Kbps.

-F

There is a Blackberry Data plan that is 19.99 and basically just gives you access to internet2 as well. Search howardforums for the details.

I don't know if the SLVR is GPRS or EDGE but if its GPRS only, your speed might be improved if you switch to an EDGE-enabled phone.

I am using the $5.99 plan with my Samsung T-509. I am able to download Google Street and Google Satellite maps. BTW, I was previously getting pretty good dl speed using only the basic voice plan but I guess T-Mobile shut down the ports as it stopped working. That's why I got the $5.99 plan. I was getting around 150-170 speed on the voice plan. Now, with $5.99 plan, I only get around 100 speed. Same exact settings used on my 770 with both plans. Don't understand why the $5.99 plan is slower.
Neil

Thanks for all the replies. nspeer, you info leads me to believe that the weakest link in my setup is GPRS. I'll start looking for an EDGE phone.

For a decent phone with EDGE and Bluetooth DUN I'd checkout the Nokia 6133 (flip) or Nokia 5300 (slider), both are great phones.

I've personally used the 6133 with the N800, works swell.