Does it use BIS or Direct TCP
From a billing point of view with my carrier, it is important that I know whether this application is using the BISB connectivity or Direct TCP.
So which is it?
In an earlier forum post, the admin wrote:
"Currently we use a direct connection method of connecting to the internet. This requires an APN setting on some providers. (Rogers in Canada for example). A lot of providers do not require any APN settings but yours sounds like it needs one. We are looking at joining the BlackBerry Developer Alliance in the near future, and if we get approved it will allow us to use the BISB connections which is how your built in browser and other applications connect to the web. Once we do this, APN settings will no longer be required."
(http://www.tetherberry.com/carrier-apn-settings)
But then in a more recent forum post, the admin wrote:
"TetherBerry uses your data plan to make connections to the internet just like any other internet based application running on your phone...Yes, the data through TetherBerry looks like requests being made by your built in browser or similar programs."
(http://www.tetherberry.com/how-does-get-past-carriers)
That second post describes BISB connectivity, which is what the native device browser uses. So which is it guys?
Currently it is still Direct TCP.
Has this changed from tcp to BIS? Any news on networks in Australia?
AFAIK, Blackberry Alliance costs 4k$ to join. And it's obligatory to join it if you want to implement BISB in your app.
However, it works anyway and nobody gives shit about it and it's wonderful.
But till Tether can use BISB without APN, it's just a clone of Desktop Manager's tethering. No big deal. :(
TetherBerry is not like Desktop Manager's tethering at all. Desktop Manager is just a friendly way of utilizing your Blackberry as a modem and is no different than manually creating a DUN entry and pointing it at your Blackberry's modem.
On the other hand, TetherBerry appears to be more of a TCP/IP proxy type of program, from what I'm seeing. As such, you aren't "tethering" in the old-fashioned sense because you're not actually connecting via the modem of your Blackberry. This is why the application works in situations where tethering is blocked.
For example, I have Virgin Mobile (Sprint) in the US. I was unable to tether using traditional methods because Sprint blocks this unless you pay extra for PAN each month. Since TetherBerry uses TCP/IP and their own hosted proxy, I am able to use it with no problem on Sprint's network.
There is no risk of a "tethering" cost since you're not tethering in the traditional sense, as I said. The only risk is if you have max bandwidth limits and you go nuts, but that's just straight bandwidth cost, not an extra "tethering" charge. I suppose the only exception would be if Spring decided to sniff all my data, analyze it, and make their own determination that I was, in fact, tethering.
Hope this helps!
David
Tether is a tcp tunnel for dial up access.