Posted by tranquil
Sony Ericsson GPRS PC Card Modem
After having lost connection and being cut off a few times too many, and not being able to receive calls whilst using
connection when using my phone as a modem, I decided to try something else; the 
GC75e.
Purchased at my favourite GSM shop ID-GSM in Oslo.
Cost: Roughly £65 on contract.
The full kit contains, apart from the card modem, a SW CD and a nice aluminium case for storage of the card. (I forgot the CD and the box at work…)
A separate SIM-card with a data/GPRS subscription is needed so, unless you allready have one, you’ll need to open a new account with your network provider.
You are paying for the amount you download as for normal GPRS usage on your mobile phone.
Inserting the SIM is a bit tricky and once in it is just about impossible to get it out again (Not that you should need to remove the SIM but…).
Installing the SW is self explaining: Put in the CD and follow the instructions.
When that is done: put in the card and you are up and running. “Plug and play” the way it is ment to be.
I now have two new icons on my desk top:
Activation Guide
When the card is inserted the network suppliers SW are guiding you through the activation process.
Use of PIN code is optional.
Connected and…
…up and running.
Data Accelerator
The Data Accelerator gives you options of setup to save GPRS cost and increase speed. This is included in the CD.
Choice of picture quality to lower the cost of GPRS usage:
Blocking off various automatic downloads:
“Please configure the servers who’s services you wish to increase transmition speed”:
List of connection options:
I have not altered on any of these pre set settings since I find them to be very satisfactory.
User Friendlyness
I’ve been using my lap top in various locations to test the signal strength and find it to picking up signals better than my mobile phone. I can log on and “surf” basically wherever I am as long as there is a little bit of GPRS coverage. Signal strength does not effect the speed noticebly.
Using the settings from the Data Accelerator, as shown above, gives me the speed I need for my kind of every day use even though 53.6 kbps is not exactly something to brag about.
End of session, diconnect:
Size
Now, size matters. Next to my LAN PC Card the
GPRS card looks like it’s little brother.
The difference makes it possible to leave the
card in the lap top when I put it in my computer bag.
The only thing that actually sticks out from the lap top is the aerial which is flexible.
whilst my LAN card sticks 2,7 centimetres out:
Specs
Supported Operating Systems:
Compatible with Windows® 98SE/Me/2000/NT4/XP operating systems and Pocket PC 2002
Networks:
E-GSM 900 (2W)
GSM 1800 (1W)
GSM 1900 (1W)
Data:
TCP/IP version 4
Error Correction:
End to End MNP 2-4
LAPM (V.42) & RLP
Compression:
MNP 5 & V.42bis
Compression over HSCSD and GPRS
GSM/ ISDN:
According to V.110 and V.120
SMS:
Supports concatencated SMS (long SMS)
Supports SMS over GPRS MO and MT
Supports Unicode character set
Power Consumption:
20 mW (standby)
800 mA (full power)
2W / 3 Volt (full power)
Powered via laptop
General:
PC Card (PCMCIA) 16 bit interface
Type II non-extended - fits completely in your laptop's PC Card slot
Detachable antenna, 360 degrees swivel, 50 Ohm
My impression
My over all impression of the
GC75e is very good.
I don’t have to worry about missing a call or loosing connection just because I change the possission I’m sitting in.
It definitely covers my need to get on line where ever I am at any time.
Recomended if you are a keen lap top user who brings it with you "all the time" like I do.
_________________
Tranquil
The proud owner of a black P800!
Esato Shop
[ This Message was edited by: tranquil on 2004-07-11 20:24 ]
Posted by masseur
nice review and actually the card is cheaper than I expected.
I'd use one if I could get a sim card on my same primary number, and hence at the same gprs rate, but while vodafone support two sims for one number you cannot use GPRS on both. So I'll stick with bluetooth and I guess anyway, I rarely want to be using gprs at the same time I am talking on the phone.
I am interested in the new vodafone 3g/gprs data card but still waiting for them to tell me about roaming prices!
Posted by batesie
great review @tranquil! would be easier with english screenshots but i got most of it
how much is it in GBP £ ?
Posted by tranquil
Thanks.
The reason the screen shots are in Norwegian is quite simple: There is no language selection option in NetCom's software to the unit.
I've been looking for it to use in this review but avail.
_________________
Tranquil
The proud owner of a black P800!
Esato Shop
[ This Message was edited by: tranquil on 2004-07-12 08:20 ]
Posted by batesie
thats cool i picked up on the basics. how much is it sim free?
This message was posted from a P900
[ This Message was edited by: batesie on 2004-07-12 08:05 ]
Posted by tranquil
I did a quick search on the web to add a link in the review but couldn't find any sites selling it. I'm not by my computer right now but; I paid in Norwegian Kroner 750,- and I believe NetCom sponsors 1200,- these days when signing up for a contract. That leaves us with 1950 Norwegian Kroner (mind you, Norway is an expensive country so it might be cheaper elsewhere). Anybody have a currency converter around here?
This message was posted from a WAP device
[ This Message was edited by: tranquil on 2004-07-12 08:23 ]
Posted by bart
finaly somebody made a review about it, its been out for such a long time, but hasn't got the attention it diserved.
thx mate, great work!
Posted by tranquil
Thanks again.
I did a search on the net again and found a coupple of sites who sell it.
PC-shopdirect charge Euro279,90/ £186
High Tech-store charge Euro 349/ £233
First time I visit those sites so I don't know anything about them but it looks looks like my guess wasn't too bad?