Verizon Enables phone use as high-speed modems for laptops

[Barry]

Verizon has changed its policy and will now let subscribers use several popular phones as high-speed modems for their laptops. The shift represents a major policy change for Verizon, which has traditionally restricted this type of usage in its terms of service agreement. The new plans are available starting today. A formal announcement will be released later today or tomorrow, company representatives said.

Users of the LG VX9800, Motorola RAZR V3c, Motorola E815, and LG VX8100 phones are now able to connect their laptops to the Internet for $59.99 per month in addition to their voice plans.

They join users of the Blackberry 7130e handheld, who have been able to use their PDA/phones as modems since the 7130e came out. Users of the new Palm Treo 700w and Verizon XV6700 handhelds are still out in the cold, according to Verizon's initial device list.

All these devices will connect to Verizon's BroadbandAccess EV-DO network, which offers speeds averaging about 700 kbps/sec in most major metro areas of the US. The official announcement from Verizon mentions using a USB cable, not Bluetooth wireless technology, to connect your phone and PC. All the phones listed above can theoretically connect to PCs using Bluetooth, but Verizon disables that modem function. USB cables are available from various sources for $10-20; you can also use the cable that comes with the VX8100's V CAST Music kit.

Verizon subscribers have illicitly used their phones as modems; various Web sites have information on how to do so. But up until now, doing so has violated service contracts, leaving users open to Verizon cutting off their service or charging high per-kilobyte fees.

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