T-Mobile Internet on your Laptop, PocketPC, Smartphone, Blackberry, or PDA (using T-MobileWeb & T-Zones)

Friday 04th of October 2024

Using T-Mobile T-MobileWeb (TMobileWeb) / T-Zones on your PocketPC, SmartPhone, or Blackberry

If you want to share this information please link directly to this page: www.Gruups.com/tzones instead of copying it.

Also if you're looking to do this on the ipad, look at the iPad 3G on T-mobile Page instead.

About this Article
In this Article I will show you how to get T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) working on your:
Notebook/Laptop,
PocketPC,
Microsoft Smartphone,
Blackberry,
Palm PDA, or
T-mobile Android G1

Also see how to get your devices to pick up your email without paying for the T-MobileWeb Pro (the new T-Zones Pro), which is described below. T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) different Packages (yes. there's more than one)



About T-Mobile's T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones, and sometimes called TMobileWeb)
To understand T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) you must understand that (like other mobile service providers) T-Mobile offers internet to your phone.
Anyone that has one of these plans from some other provider would expect to pay between $20-$70 for this. (this is the cost of just having internet on your blackberry or TREO Smartphone)
T-Mobile realized that they couldn't get regular user (non-business) to pay an extra $20 for just simple internet (and besides how much internet would you want in a 1 inch square little screen) so they offered a "WAP" version of their internet service. (WAP is a smaller/simpler version of HTML and with content mainly suited for slow connections and tiny screens.)

You can Buy the T-Mobile FULL internet option for $20 in addition to your service and you'll get the whole internet (no restrictions) and you'll get everything from the FULL Web, to Email, to Instant messenger, to remote control of your business servers, and syncronization with exchange.

Knowing that non-business users didn't need all this, maybe just the Web, T-Mobile create T-Zones and initially charged $2.99 and limited you to WAP web pages (which limited you to a few websites and few content. Yahoo news, BBC news, and ebay. but that was the extent of it.)

As the power of Cell phones rose up T-Mobile added a Nokia HTTP->WAP Bridge server to allow people that were (by now) paying the now $4.99 price to access all the other websites they didn't have access to before.

Seeing also a demand for Email, they also added a "bridge" between your current email provider and their service.
They also added T-zones PRO which adds EXchange syncronization for contacts and calendars (not just emails) for $9.99/month

Currently T-Zones has been renamed T-MobileWeb (and charges $5.99 as of this writing)

This means now that if you just want access to every website on the internet, and access even to your email you only need to pay the current $5.99/month for T-MobileWeb.

So what's this website about for then?

Well, we're NOT showing a way to stick it to the man here. Instead we're helping T-Mobile customers (or future customers If I can help it) to get their ADVANCED phones, pocketPCs and Blackberry to use this great service without having to stay on the phone for 2 hours with T-Mobile support before they explain to you that they don't support your phone/pda/smartphone. (even though their service most definitely does.

Techie Details: The technical difference between T-Mobile Internet and T-MobileWeb with their Web access is that T-MobileWeb actually DOESN'T have port 80 & 443 (for HTTPS) open. Everything goes through the T-MobileWeb proxy which is a Nokia HTTP-To-WAP box which has to process everything before it's delivered to your phone which means surfing with T-MobileWeb is slower than the more expensive T-mobile Internet plan (but at a fourth of the price!)
This also means that things like the "Opera Browsers" and basic or old freeware might not be able to surf from your phone EVEN if it's only accessing a website through port 80. All these applications need to understand the "WAP PROXY" (on pda's and smartphones) or HTTP PROXIES (on sophistacted PDAs and notebooks)

 

 

 

Some Basic Parameters that we will use in ALL the setups:

Phone Number to dial: *99***1# {Not always required}
APN: wap.voicestream.com {Sometimes uses the line below instead}
Additional SETUP String: CGDCONT=1,"IP","wap.voicestream.com" {This is where you setup the APN if it's nowhere else, sometimes "AT+" is needed in front of the SETUP String}
Proxy: 216.155.165.50:8080 (type: HTTP, and that's 216.155.165.50 with port 8080)

If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it


 


Getting your Pocket PC To use your T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones)
Have Windows Mobile 6?

The Basics of a setup on a PocketPC (NOT a smartPhone PocketPC) is that you'll be adding a new "DIAL UP Internet CONNECTION" and you will be setting your PocketPC to use the "WORK" setup (which has the option for a PROXY)

To do this:

First you must Setup your Proxy.
In the SETTINGS, find "connections" and choose to connect to "Work" Not "The Internet"
Add the proxy 216.155.165.50 and click on advanced and choose port 8080 for all.
Click On OK As many times as you need to get back to the home page.

Then in your Connections add a new "Dial up connection"
The Information you need are as follows: (simply go through the wizard until you need this information)
The Modem connection: will be Either IrDA if your connecting through a Phone, or Bluetooth, or the Cell phone (if you have a CF Cell phone card)
Phone Number to dial: *99***1#
Under "Advanced" you'll see an option for "Extra AT String".
Place this line there: CGDCONT=1,"IP","wap.voicestream.com"
(this includes the quotes and everything after the ":" in the line above)
the Username and password are all blank and make sure to say (remember password) or it'll ask you each time.

You're set....BUT... Unlike the other PDAs listed here you'll have to click on the connection icon at the top of the screen before you can use the internet. You then click on the *99***1# which will connect you to the internet. It will take a couple of seconds and you'll be ready to use the internet. You'll be online then, and can surf the internet, and pickup your email.
Also if you surf the internet before you're not connected, (or start the email program and have it pick up emails) then should try to connect or ask you which internet connection you want.

I will write more about it (and a step by step explanation) when I get my hands on an Dell Axim I have somewhere ;-)

If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it

 

 

 

Getting your Microsoft Smarphones To use your T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones)

Have Windows Mobile 6?

This is one of the easiest.
For this I'm using my experience with my Sierra Wireless Voq Mobile phone which use to retail for $500 but now can be picked up on ebay probably for around $100.

What we will be using is only the following two parameters:
APN: wap.voicestream.com
and an HTTP Proxy of: 216.155.165.50:8080 FROM the "WAP Network" to "The Internet"

You really have everything you need in those two lines.
But let's step you through it:
  • Press Start -> Settings
  • Go to "More..." and find the "Data Connections"
  • Leave everything in this screen as "automatic"
  • Click the "Menu" Button and choose "Edit Connections"
  • Choose "4 Proxy Connections"
  • Click the "Menu" Button and choose "1 Add"
  • Choose these options:
  • Connects from:
    WAP Network
    Connects to:
    The Internet
    Proxy (name:port):
    216.155.165.50:8080
    Type:
    HTTP
    User name:
     
    Password:
     
  • Click Done
  • Click Done Again
  • Choose 5 GPRS Connection
  • Click the "Menu" Button and choose "1 Add"
  • Choose these options:
  • Connects from:
    WAP Network
    Access point:
    wap.voicestream.com
    User name:
     
    Password:
     
  • Click Done
  • Click Done Again
  • And Click Done Again
  • And Click Done Again (yes...)
  • And Click Done Again (no really...)

Now you're set to go.

Go into PocketIE and surf away. (try any of the favorites)

If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it

For MMS do the Following:
    In the Media Messages Account Setup:
  • Choose Menu, then "1 Edit Connections"
  • Menu -> Add
    Description:
    T-Mobile MMS
    MMSC address:
    http://216.155.174.84/servlets/MMS (it's case sensitive)
    Data Connection:
    WAP Network
    Gateway:
    WAP 1.0 Gateway
    IP Address:
    216.155.165.50
    Port:
    9201

 

 

 


Getting your Blackberry To use your T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones)

This is the big one. Everyone would love to get away with only paying $5 for what they were paying $20 or $30 for.
The trick is you have to call T-Mobile and ask to get the "BlackBerry Feature Enabler" turned on. It's a FREE service from t-mobile.
The trick is that you have to get that service (the "BlackBerry Feature Enabler") and probably on a different call get T-MobileWeb on your account. The customer service rep will have trouble and she/he will not want, or "be able" to add both those services at once so you'll have to call back and explain you have a new RAZR that you want to switch to, or something like that, so that's why you need both the "BlackBerry Feature Enabler" package (again it's free) AND the T-MobileWeb (one to be able to send MMS on your blackberry, and the other for your RAZR to be able to surf the internet)
If you manage to get both, then all of a suddent your blackberry will be surfing for $5.99 a month.
Unfortunately I did NOT get a chance to try this. (I've been looking into this solution for a long time) but I got this information from a very good source, and it should work.
If it works for you PLEASE Email me at info @ this domain

If that doesn't work for you continue reading<
Enter the following information
APN: wap.voicestream.com
Username & Password: {Blank}
Gateway IP: 216.155.165.50:8080 {This is where the HTTP Proxy goes}

This last line is usually what's missing if your blackberry has been set (or was at one point set) to an "Enterprise Server", usually called BES, or using MDS.
These are all settings for people with blackberry's with connections to IT departments in their companies, or renting that kind of service from a Blackberry Email provider.
You need to find a way to get your Blackberry to be setup as if it's just you and not you with a corporation. Contact your provider for more details about this if you do not understand the meaning of this.

I have been experimenting with my Blackberry 7280 which unfortunately was originally setup with BES and I have not been able to reset it.
Installing a new firmware has not changed this, and "blanking out the security policy" has not helped.
If you find that you DO have the Gateway IP: in your "TCP" option then you are ready to go.
If you can't find your web Browser in your list of applications CLick on the ALT key, then press the BACK botton on the side of the device. It will be in that list, if not upgrade yourself to a 4.xxx firmware from any provider
Please feel free to contact me with your experience with this, just email info at this domain name


If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it

 

 

 


Getting your T-mobile Android G1 to use the $5.99 T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones)

There are various reasons why you'd do this, and with t-mobile letting you get it without a contract you might want to try to make it work with T-mobileWeb for only $5.99

First here are the basic settings:
Menu->Settings->Wireless Controls->Mobile Networks->Access Point Names->T-Mobile US
I input the following settings:
Name: T-Mobile US
APN: wap.voicestream.com
proxy: 216.155.165.050
port: 8080
Username: Not set
Password: Not set
Server: Not set
MMSC: unchanged from original (http://mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc)
MMS Proxy: 216.155.165.050
MMS Port: 8080
MMC: unchanged (for me it was 310, I believe it is based on your location)
MNC: unchanged (for me it was 260, I believe it is based on your location)
APN type: Not set

Here are the comments from the original commenter about what WORKS, and what doesn't.
- 3G should work
- Gmail push will not work
- POP3 and IMAP will work (so gmail will work through that way)
- Google maps doesn't work
- And Android Market DOES NOT seem to work.

FOr the apps that don't work you can usually use them when you're in the wifi network (well not maps, but you get the idea)



Getting your Palm Smartphone To use your T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones)

You might feel that I'm ONLY talking about the TREO here, but I'm not.
These steps will work on the TREO Palm Smartphones, and on regular palm or Palm compatible PDA with PalmOS 5.0 or later with the help of a Cell phone with IrDA (Infrared Connection)

For this experiment I will be using my wife's Sony SL-10 connecting to my T-Mobile Phone (which has an IrDA port)

What we will be using is only the following two parameters:
APN: wap.voicestream.com
and an HTTP Proxy of: 216.155.165.50:8080 FROM the "WAP Network" to "The Internet"


This is assuming we can do this, but the two lines above will help you get your TREO or other less complicated solutions with PDA working.

This information is not very detailed I know, but I can tell you that you can set this information simply in the Settings section, then it's just a matter of finding a good browser.
I have been told that Blazer no longer works with T-Zones, and I believe it's because Blazer uses it's own Proxy which requires that you NOT need a proxy to connect to the internet (and you do) besides any browser that "requires a proxy" requires one because the web pages are going through a server somewhere which probably means it's MUCH slower, and may require a fee
Please feel free to contact me with your experience with this, just email info at this domain name


If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it

 

Getting T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) working on your Notebook Computer.
Sony Ericsson GC89 PC Card (T-Mobile)

Getting T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) on your laptop/notebook or even desktop computer is really about getting your PC Card, or Phone to provide you with the connection first.
This is usually pretty simple and easy to find on google.(the getting your SPECIFIC phone to connect as a "USB MODEM" to your computer, because that's the simple part)
If you have a nokia, go to "MENU->Services->Start Connection"
On the MS smartphones there's options for a Usb Modem.

There's not much setting up to do with your phone, because all the setup is really done in your laptop once your laptop has detected your phone, and once you've pretty much told your phone "CONNECT TO MY LAPTOP".
This is a little different for the PC Cards because they'll have the APN setup through their on software so if you if you're reading this and you have a PC Card just skip down to the section called "USING YOUR CONNECTION" where I talk about how to setup your browser.

Once you've connected your phone we'll be creating a new "Dial-Up connection"
To start setting up this dial-up connection you go to your control panel, then Phones & Modem Options
Choose the Modem that is for your phone (you must have it connected for it to show up) and choose Properties.
Then go to the "Advanced" Tab and add this line into the "Extra Initialaization commands":
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","wap.voicestream.com"
Clicking OK to all the windows that were open and you're almost done.

Go to your Control Panel and to the "Network Connections"
create a new connection: (Manual connection - Dial-Up Modem)
Phone #: *99***1#
Username & Password: {leave these blank but put a check mark on all options at the bottom)
You now have the connection needed to connect to your wireless connection. (don't stop here. you're not done)

USING YOUR CONNECTION
I've found that quite a number of programs can use "HTTP PROXY's" to connect to the internet and "DO WHAT THEY DO" All Firefox based browsers (firefox, netscape or flock) seem to work perfectly (and pretty fast) with the HTTP proxy correctly.
You can set this up under the general settings, in "Connection Settings" you can set a "Manual HTTP proxy" of 216.155.165.50 with a port of 8080

I thought in the past that Internet explorer did NOT work. It does.
Under Tools -> Internet Options, choose the connection tab. Then the "LAN Settings..." button.
You MUST have "Automatically detect settings" with a checkmark (here is where I went wrong before)
Put a checkmark at the bottom at the "Use a proxy server for your LAN" and put the "Address:" of 216.155.165.50 and the Port of 8080.
You can press OK until you return to Internet explorer, and you'll be able to surf the internet for small T-MobileWeb fee

Like I said it's not just WEB Browsers that work with this proxy. (Email programs work without it and are in the next section)
But what really surprised me is that programs that one doesn't think as "using HTTP" or WWW ports also seem to be able to use the HTTP proxy.
Most modern Instant Messenger's and any RSS Readers will be able to.
Usually go to the "connection" section and you'll find a section for the "HTTP PROXY" there. Simply put 216.155.165.50 and port 8080 and even things like SKYPE will work through your wonderful T-MobileWeb connection (but don't try voice. Only chat typing...this connection are TOO SLOW for voip, plus I'm sure voip can't function through the proxy)

 

 

 

I was sent these instructions in the comment section (thanks f_v_man), so here they are. And it should work.

T-Mobile Data>Manage existing connections>New...>
Name Connection>Select 'Cellular Line (GPRS)' from drop down
Access point name: wap.voicestream.com
Finish
Return to T-Mobile Data screen
Select 'Proxy Settings' tab
Check both boxes>Click 'Advanced...' box
Tap on 'HTTP' under the 'Type' heading
Server: 216.155.165.50:8080 (or put the ip and put the 8080 on the "Port") Tap or click on 'ok' button
Tap or click on 'ok' button
Tap or click on 'ok' button (basically until you're back in the front)

Try now your internet explorer which should work.
I'll go to a t-mobile store soon and confirm these settings and add the options to get your Exchange and POP3/IMAP settings.

 

 

 


Getting your Email (without having to pay for the PRO account)
You actually get to choose T-MobileWeb or T-MobileWeb PRO (which adds access to email servers as well as websites) but what most people DON'T know is that you don't need to upgrade to T-MobileWeb PRO (only a $5 more a month) to get access to their emails without having to use webmail.

There is nothing tricky to this part, there's no setting up that you wouldn't do normally. It's just not as clear as it could be.

The basic idea is that UNLIKE the "T-MobileWeb Pro" plan you need to access T-Mobile's email server instead of your regular one. This is where it get's confusing... Because you'll be saying to me that you don't want a You@T-Mobile.com or any kind of email, and there is where the trick is.

You will be pointing your email program on your SmartPhone, PocketPC, Palm or blackberry, or laptop's version of your email program to their email server which will act as a BRIDGE to your own email server.

If you have three email addresses you want to check, you WILL setup 3 email addresses, but you will set them up in a way that will seem strange, because all of them will be using the same t-mobile email server.

T-Mobile will actually help you with this (kind of) by simply going to the My.T-Mobile page (it's login is in the front page of www.T-Mobile.com) and click on the "Communication Tools" link at the top of the page. Then find the "Access My E-mail" link at the bottom.

Setting up any email is easy from there (well kind of)...
You'll be able to setup a link to your AOL email, your work email, and even your free emails (although they need a "POP3" or "IMAP" interface, for which some webmail services like Hotmail charge $20/year for, but Gmail has it for free)

The only thing I'll tell you that you might not realized (after you've setup your particular email account is that there'll be a "POP Settings" that you won't get to through their setup wizard.

This is the "magical" page that you will need to connect the email accounts you've already setup to get to your phone (without any additional fees)

This will provide you the basic 4 settings that you will need to put in what ever email program you have on your phone.
So After you've stepped through telling t-mobile what your email address is and your password on that email service is, you'll have to look for the page called "POP Settings" which will give you information about what you setup on YOUR PHONE, now that t-Mobile can pick up the email from your email provider.

E-mail Address: {this will be your REAL email address, sometime like myname@aol.com}
Mail Server (POP3): myemail.t-mobile.com {Will never change}
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): myemail.t-mobile.com {Will never change}
User ID: {This will be your phone number followed by a :1 or :2 etc}
Password: {This will not show, but it's your password on your REAL email server}




What are all the different T-MobileWeb (the new T-Zones) Plans.

T-Zones (free) - Shouldn't be called T-Zones. Just gives you access to an e-commerce store to buy ringtones, wallpapers and games from t-mobile. Nothing else, and is the reason why the service I've writting about is now called T-MobileWeb and not T-Zones any more

T-MobileWeb ($5.99/Month) What we are talking about in this article. It gives you access to Every website on the internet (even secure ones through HTTPS), Also gives you access to your POP3 Email (this is also shown in this article)

T-MobileWeb Pro ($9.99) - Same as the "unlimited" plan but ads access to Emails servers without having to go through the myemail.t-mobile.com gateway (maybe even Exchange synchronization)





If you've found this advice useful please link to this page or forward this page to anyone you know that could use it



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