How to Access the Internet on Your Phone

If you've been blissfully unaware that your phone can probably surf the mobile Web—or if you're already maxed out simply answering calls on your confusing new phone—rest assured, accessing the Internet on your handset is far easier than it looks.

In fact, if you bought your phone anytime after 2005, I can virtually guarantee you that your handset has a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) browser installed. These WAP browsers are essentially stripped-down versions of the browser on your home PC, and they're designed to access Web sites that have been optimized for mobile phones. Many of the big Web sites we all use have pared-down WAP versions, including Yahoo!, Google, CNN, Amazon, and The New York Times, and they make it easy to perform Web searches, find nearby restaurants, check movie listings, scan neighborhood maps and even buy products.

Before you start surfing gleefully on your mobile browser, keep in mind that your friendly carrier will, of course, charge you for accessing the Net on your phone, and those charges can add up quickly unless you have the right plan. Check with your carrier to see if you have an Internet access package on your plan; if you don't, here are some of the basic Web surfing options you can get (note that these are for standard, post-paid monthly plans, as opposed to pre-paid phones, which have their own access fees and charges):

• AT&T: The $10-a-month MEdia Basic bundle gets you 400 text messages and 1MB of Internet access (you'll pay a cent for every kilobyte of Web usage over the first MB), which might be a good option if you're only planning on checking your Web browser once or twice a week; otherwise, try the $20/month Media Max 200 plan, which gives you 200 messages and unlimited Web access.
• Sprint: Get the Sprint PCS Vision Pack (or Power Vision, in the case of speedy 3G phones); for $15 a month, you'll get unlimited Web browsing.
• T-Mobile: Sign up for the carrier's Tzones plan, which delivers unlimited Web access for $6 a month—compared to the other big U.S. carriers, it's a great bargain.
• Verizon Wireless: The carrier has a $5/month Mobile Web plan that gives you access to the Internet; however, each kilobyte of surfing will cost you minutes depending on your calling plan (check with customer service for details). You can also sign up for the V Cast VPak, which offers unlimited mobile Web browsing for $15 a month.

Once you've signed up for the right plan, you're ready to start browsing. How you launch your phone's WAP browser depends on the phone and your carrier; for instance, AT&T/Cingular uses should select "MEdia Net" from the main menu, while Sprint subscribers should have a "Web" icon, and T-Mobile has a "Tzones" option. Verizon Wireless users will have to do a little digging: from the main menu, select Get It Now, then News & Info.

Got your browser fired up? Now it's time to try some mobile WAP sites. There should be a Menu option in the bottom corner of the screen; select it by tapping the appropriate soft key, and then select "Go to URL" (or something similar). Using your keypad, type in "m.yahoo.com" and select "Go." Within a few seconds, Yahoo! Mobile should load up; from the main page, you can click on a variety of options, including News, Mail, Movies, Driving Directions, and Weather. Google fanatics can type in "mobile.google.com" to check their Gmail or perform local searches, while news hounds can type "mobile.nytimes.com" for the latest headlines. (Hint: if you want to see if your favorite site has a WAP version, try typing "mobile" in the URL, as in "mobile.mypage.com"; not every site has a mobile version, but you might get lucky.)

Feeling more confident? Try some handy mobile downloads to make your browsing experience more fun. For example, software developer Opera makes a browser called Opera Mini that's considerably more robust than typical WAP browsers. Meanwhile, both Yahoo! and Google have their own downloadable apps that make it a snap to check your e-mail, read the latest headlines or check local maps (Yahoo! Go, Gmail Mobile and Google Maps). You can also check your carrier's mobile home page for links to downloadable games, applications and ring tones.

One last note: some Internet-enabled phones double as modems that you can tether to your laptop via USB, allowing you to access the Net while you're on the go. However, don't try this unless you have a "phone-as-modem" plan from your carrier, or you may rack up some jaw-dropping data charges on your next bill. Most phone-as-modem plans cost in the neighborhood or $50-80 a month; call your carrier for details.