Un-voodoo'ing internet access via your cell phone

In a previous post about cell phones, dentures and public swimming pools, I talked about how pervasive technology became. Everybody has a cell phone and they take it everywhere.

Thing is, internet access via cell phones are still a bit voodoo to many users - so that is what this post about: un-voodoo'ing internet access via your cell phone.

The first thing to mention is that most "old" cell phones were built for voice communications only. Few if any of these phones had the ability to display web pages. Of course, back then, there were no such thing as 3G (the 3rd generation, high speed data capable cell networks) so an internet connection would require a dial up modem-like connection to the internet...and you'd be charged per second for the time you stay connected...and to add insult to injury: your connection speed would be in the order of 36 Kbps per second. (The slowest ADSL line you can install today is about 384 Kbps).

Connecting to the internet with a cell phone was s-l-o-w and very expensive.

The advent of GPRS and 3G changed all that. Without going into the technicalities, both GPRS and 3G enable cell phones to make a digital connection to the internet at high speed...and...best of all...you only pay for the data you transfer: not for the time you stay connected.

So, staying online all the time is not only feasible, it is also practical and affordable. For instance, I use a data contract from MTN which costs about R 80.00 per month for 100Mb data. More than enough to handle my mobile email needs and the occasional web search to cheat on an argument at a braai.

Email Protocols

Most of the newer (- 2 year old) cell phones have email (POP3 and SMTP) built in - contrary to what some ISPs and cell phone providers will make you want to believe. A recent radio ad advertised that with this ISP you could send and receive email with your cell phone.

Like this ISP exclusively provide the service!

Fact is, provided you can connect to the internet using your phone (depends on your cell provider and phone model) and your phone supports the standard email protocols, then you can send and receive email - the ISP does not even know that you are using a cell phone. Their ad is half true...you do need an ISP...but it can be any ISP. They offer no special advantage or technology.

As they say: half a truth is often a whole lie...and Telkom did not make little green apples.

WAP

Initially cell phones had very little computing power on board, so it was difficult and slow to interpret HTML (web) pages. Besides the interpretation, the phone screens were microscopic...and black and white.

In those days (when Table mountain was a mole hill), one had to build a web page specifically for cell phones. The standard for these pages (and protocol) was "WAP", or Wireless Access Protocol.

Basically the WAP protocol was a set of rules that required simplified (small) pages with 5 or so links, no colour, no graphics, no fonts and nothing other than 1960's style plain old text.

Fast forward four years or so, and all new ("smart") phones come quipped with larger, color screens able to support graphics, fonts, animation, sound, etc. A veritable computer with a phone strapped on. Now virtually all new phones can display normal web pages - the only practical limitation being the size of the phone's screen.

The term "WAP" is still used to generically refer to web access using a cell phone - even though, strictly speaking, the WAP protocol itself is not a technical requirement for smart phones.

Configure your phone to connect to the internet

Your phone will be GPRS / 3G / WAP compatible if you received it within a week or so after Jan van Riebeeck landed in the Cape. If not, consider an upgrade...or smoke signals.

Remember that all cell phone carriers (ie Cell C, MTN and Vodacom) will charge for data you transfer: anything from R 0.50 to R 3.00 per MB, so make sure you have a data package that suits your requirements and budget before you make use of the data (internet) services.

To set up your phone for internet (web) access dial the following:

Vodacom: *111#
MTN: *123*1#
Cell C: 140

In each case select "WAP" when asked.

Cool sites

Here are some nifty and useful sites you should bookmark on your cell phone.

SA Weather: http://dev2.weathersa.co.za/mobile.asp
This url will probably change in future, but for now it gives a 7 day forecast for most cities in South Africa. Extremely effective when used to covertly check the weather, then, at a braai, look up at the night sky, frown, lick your finger, stick it in the air and announce: "I think it's going to rain next week"...

Google mobile: http://mobile.google.co.za
The world's information at your fingertips...

Fring: Http://www.fring.com
Free software enables you to send and receive instant messages on your phone from MSN, GTALK, ICQ and others. Your boss (or wife) will never even know you are not at your desk.

News24: http://m.news24.com
When you are bored on the train, or...uhm...on the throne.

Online banking: Just about all banks have sites designed for mobile access.
Standard bank: http://sbcell.co.za
FNB: http://fnb.mobi
ABSA: http://ib.absa.co.za
Nedbank: http://nedbankmobile.co.za

Facebook: http://m.facebook.com
The village square of the 21'st century.