Locking Data Access

[umtombs]

Hi everyone, I have a question that ATT was unable to answer for me. 

+ Is there any way to lock the badwidth usage once a threshold has been met? For example, I have 40 trucks with 40 treo 680's driving around town... One of the drivers decides to listen to streaming radio and then leaves the pda running the stream for days on end. yada yada yada I now have a bill for $1500 bucks for that phone alone.

Are there any applications where I can limit the use of the data connection to a set threshold? i.e. set it at 5MB a month or whatever and then have the data connection lock once this threshold has been met?

ATT tells me they can not put a lock on my phones so therefore I am at risk... I do not like risk, and I also do not trust the drivers to adhere to my requests to not use the cellular internet connection for anything except sync'ing the data.

Anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding this? I am surprised I was not able to find anything.

RT

[dmcduck]

I've never heard of an application that would do this.  If your carrier can't do it, probably your best bet would be to have each driver sign an agreement that they will be responsible for any charges over $X amount...

[umtombs]

I have thought about that, but trying to collect from these guys would be nearly impossible. Although an agreement would be binding, I have nightmares just thinking about collecting from these guys. I don't know how to put this... but ... uh maybe I will leave it at that.

i also have the option of going back to paper and pen, but the ultimate client is very happy with the current set-up.

During the next contract negotiation I may try and hammer something out with the client since the drivers are a separate subcontractor... but I think it would be pretty slick to have a system that monitors data usage and provide a locking mechanism that would help keep the drivers in-line.

thanks

RT

[dmcduck]

I figured the collection would be a nightmare. 

Maybe one of the developers here will see this and come up with something....ya never know.  Best of luck.

[umtombs]

Does Windows CE have something like this? I am still a little surprised that this hasn't been a need for mobile workforce deployments using PamlOS devices.   

[Alli]

If you're paying for it all, why not just switch everyone to Sprint where the data is cheap and not worry about it? You could probably get individual SERO accounts for everyone and pay less than you are on Cingular at business costs!

The reason there are no apps that will limit the data useage is that a hard reset will allow anyone to use the data again. All an individual would have to do is hard reset...stream away...restore.

[umtombs]

Half of my drivers are in Canada, so Sprint is not an option. Also, no offence to our drivers, but they wouldn't know a hard reset if it drove through a nitro glycerin plant. My feeling is that most novice users would not know how or would not have the inkling to research a hard reset just to navigate the web. If they are hard resetting to get around the app then they I would likely hard reset them to the unemployment line 

Also, if they hard reset the PDA, they would have no way to send the data to the SQL server… which is their number one priority anyway.

[BagOfLeaves]

Have them sign an agreement not to use the data for anything but what you need for the business (uploading data, etc.) and any extra that they use per month that the company is charged for is docked from their pay.  Then you won't be trying to get them to pay you and that'll also scare 'em into not using the data.