Tim: >> A 4G/5G usb-stick is essentially a mobile phone modem in the USB >> stick. So, similar to connecting your computer to your phone and >> using your phone as a modem. stan > Is that what is called 'tethering'? Tethering refers to networking through your phone, essentially your phone is a modem between your computer and the internet through the phone service. It could be USB cable to your phone or the phone could act as a wireless access point. Accessing files stored on your phone is another thing. Depending on your phone, it could appear to the computer like you've just plugged in a USB hard drive, and you can access files you've saved on the phone (photos, downloads, etc), or maybe nearly everything stored on the phone (SMSs, program settings, etc). But some phones give you a very filtered access to files through a handler, a bit like FTP. As far as SIM-less use, that's going to depend on your service provider and the phone (or other device). If they don't require a SIM card inserted in the device, then they're using other identifying details supplied from your phone to authorise that device (essentially an emulated SIM card). SIM cards were an easy way for you to connect any phone to your account, you could just swap the card when you buy a new phone. Emulated ones are built into the phone, you'd have to get the new phone authorised through their helpdesk when you swap phones. >> Asterisk is a full blown computerised version of an office PABX, you >> may find yourself in a configuration minefield if all you wanted was >> voice calling. Though it may be your best option if you simply want >> to be able to call any other phone as if you were using a phone. > I can't be the only one who would want to use it in minimal mode. > Maybe, since my use case is so simple, I could just use the default > configuration, and ignore all the other bells and whistles. For asterisk to work, it has to know quite a bit of configuration data to access the phone network. All of that is pertinent to the particular phone service, so out of the box it wouldn't be doing anything, unless there's some free limited services provider out there that it comes pre-configured for. All typical service providers want to be paid, so there's authentication to set up and addresses of servers to use. >> Thankfully, here, we've finally got to the stage where mobile phones >> don't cost you an arm and a leg to speak to someone in call and >> monthly charges. It's put landlines and payphones to death, now it's >> virtually only organisations with staff still using landlines. > Same thing happening here, the POTS providers see a steady erosion in > their land line user base over time. I think I've only had one genuine call on the landline in the last couple of years, everything else has been some kind of nuisance call or scam. I have one major reason for keeping the landline, in an emergency call they know the exact address you're calling from. If you flake out in the middle of calling for help, they know where to send it. Plus with a cabled traditional phone, it's not hiding down the back of the sofa nor has a flat battery. -- uname -rsvp Linux 3.10.0-1160.99.1.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Wed Sep 13 14:19:20 UTC 2023 x86_64 Boilerplate: All unexpected mail to my mailbox is automatically deleted. I will only get to see the messages that are posted to the mailing list. _______________________________________________ users mailing list -- users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe send an email to users-leave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fedora Code of Conduct: https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/code-of-conduct/ List Guidelines: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines List Archives: https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Do not reply to spam, report it: https://pagure.io/fedora-infrastructure/new_issue
