Last Thursday when I was on leave, I went over to BLUE CUBE, the outlet for the Celcom telco. I had 2 intentions; one to change my mailing address and two, to get them to tinkle with my notebook and Palm Treo 680 so that I can use the latter as a modem to surf the net.

Ever since I changed from Digi to a Celcom data card, I have been unable to use the Palm Treo as a modem which gets me really frustrated especially when I am stuck in places that do not have internet access or places that do but charge an arm and a leg for it!

I’ve tried calling their help line many times, once even sitting through the entire half hour session on the phone with one of their technician (and my phone bill went through the roof!) but it was in vain.

My notebook stubbornly refuse to go on the internet despite being able to connect to the PDA via bluetooth.

I was hoping to buy a USB modem for under RM 400 but found out that those sold at Blue Cube costs RM 699 each!

One helpful lady suggested that I bring my notebook for them to ‘take a look and see’.

And that’s what I did, that afternoon (sacrificing my swimming time).

It took forever for my number to be called. And when my number finally came, I was attended to by a friendly but totally clueless lady. It took me about 15 minutes, in various languages, to make her understand what my problem was.

And hence started what I long suspected:

No one actually has a clue to what is going on. Among the things that went on during that 2 hour session were:

1. They immediately said the Palm Treo 680 cannot be used as a modem. When I pointed to them that I have actually used it before with my Digi data card, they switched tactic and said…
2. That my data card is probably not in order. When I pointed to them that I can perfectly surf the net with my data card, they then..
3. Pointed out that my notebook is to be blamed. They then went through a step by step process with the ‘Internet Connection Wizard’ and still nothing happened. Then…
4. She called another lady to take a look who promptly produced a piece of paper that contains ‘all the instructions needed to go on the internet with bluetooth’, not knowing that I just went through that very piece of paper with the first lady half an hour earlier. Then…
5. She asked another man who then mumbled something lame and walked away. Then…
6. She tried to push me to another counter! I wouldn’t budge. Then…
7. She called another guy who has barely passed his puberty to take a look and he said…
8. I can only connect to internet using the USB cable. When I explained that the Palm Treo can only connect to internet via Bluetooth, he said…
9. “I actually never used Bluetooth before, but let me try and see..”

To which I replied, “Never mind, I want to go home already” (I didn’t want my Palm Treo 680 to be handled by a novice who just want to ‘try try’. I have too many precious programs inside.

And that’s the status quo now. No internet via the Palm Treo as a modem. When I need to go on the internet, I have to go through these horribly tedious processes:

1. Remove back cover of Palm
2. Take out battery (which will of course inactivate the palm)
3. Take out the Celcom data card.
4. Remove back cover of my SE 3G phone.
5. Take out the battery (as the SIM card can only be accessed after the battery is removed).
6. Insert Celcom data card into phone.
7. Restart phone.
8. Plug in USB cable to phone and connect to notebook and surf the net.
9. Meanwhile, I place the other SIM card into the Palm Treo.
10. Replace Palm Treo battery and cover, which will then start the Palm, a process which takes on an average several life times. (I have to do this in case some one sms or calls me on the phone!)
11. Reverse all the steps when I am done surfing.

Getting on the internet is such a tedious business. Sigh.

Tues, 091008 @ 0700