Currently I am enjoying my vacation at my native place in Kannur, Kerala which is 330km away from Bangalore (where I work). Internet is bread & butter for any IT professional, hence I thought of enabling GPRS before leaving Bangalore city. Now I have the internet access in my laptop which is shared via bluetooth from my Sony Ericsson handset. I had faced some issues while configuring the internet & GPRS, hence I thought of sharing my experience (through my airtel GPRS connection)

• Call 121 from your post paid Airtel phone and select the option for GPRS and talk to the customer service executive.
• You have to send an SMS to activate the GPRS. Customer service team will assist you. I have selected 140 Rs (weekly unlimted) plan.
• Airtel will send the settings required for your handset and you have to accept the settings. I couldnt receive the settings from Airtel, still I am not sure the issue. My Sony Ericson handset was not able to receive the settings sent by Airtel.
• If you are able to receive the settings, you are lucky and ready to go. Otherwise do the following configuration in your sony ericson mobile handset.
  • Goto Menu ->Serttings->Connectivity->Internet Settings->Internet Profiles->New Profile
  • Name: MobileOffice, Connect Using->New Account-> GPRS, APN: airtelgprs.com, UserName: <blank>, Password:<blank>
  • Goto Menu ->Internet Service -> Search ->Press Ok for User Name and Password. If you are getting google search page, you are connection is working fine and ready to use from your laptop.
• For connection sharing you can use USB, Bluetooth or infrared. I am using bluetooth now.  To share the connection using bluetooth, you have t0 enable the bluetooth.
  • Goto Menu->Settings->Connectivity->Bluetooth->Turn On
• Now swith on you laptop and enable the bluetooth. You can search for the nearby bluetooth devices (Control Panel -> Bluetooth configuration). You will find your mobile phone under bluetooth list.
• Now add the network connection (Control Panel -> Network connection -> Create a new connection -> Connect to internet -> Setup Manually -> Connect using dial-up ->ISP Name (Airtel) -> Phone number (*99***1#  Or *99***2#) ->  User Name and Password <Blank>
• Enjoy your browsing!!  Similar settings can be configured other mobiles like Nokia, LG , Motorola, Samsung etc.