| Author |
Message |
steve*a
Posts: 4
Phone Model:
Nokia 6340i
Service Provider:
Cingular |
 
Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:17 am |
Cingular customer service reps are advising existing GAIT plan customers that they can change to a GSM Nation plan (and pay less per month) while keeping all of the features of the GAIT Nation plan.
Something doesn't seem right about these claims. First, wouldn't it amount to a fraud upon their entire existing GAIT plan customer base? They would continually be paying extra monthly fees for nothing! Paging Elliot Spitzer....
Also, what happens to TDMA and AMPS coverage when the customer converts to a GSM plan? Although their tri-band GAIT handsets are able to make & receive calls on all 3 networks, wouldn't the coding on the handset SIM card or within the Cingular network be changed so that the handset would only work on the GSM network? And even if the GAIT handset continued to work on all 3 networks, what would be the billing impact of making calls onto TDMA and AMPS network towers?
Lastly, what would be the billing impact of making AMPS calls over the 80% of USA geography that continues to remain analog only.....these calls have always been carried by analog roaming partners of Cingular, which is why the GAIT plans cost more. Wouldn't the GSM Nation plan customers now be billed roaming charges for calls made over these other carriers' analog networks?
I have never seen such confusion.....does anyone have reliable info on these issues? 
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finestkind
Posts: 22
Phone Model:
Nokia 6340i
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:03 am |
I switched my 6340i from the GAIT plan to the GSM plan last month and, to the best of my knowledge, not lost any coverage.
I know for a fact that I am getting TDMA coverage where GSM is unavailable but I don't know about AMPS.
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JCMyersIV
Posts: 122
Phone Model:
V635 & BB 7290
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:18 pm |
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Steve, where did you get your 80% of the nation that isn't covered by GSM statistic? Have you looked at the coverage map on Cingular recently? Maybe, if you're including Alaska, you might be able to get to 80%, but no one lives there...
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finestkind
Posts: 22
Phone Model:
Nokia 6340i
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Tue Dec 07, 2004 3:15 pm |
| steve*a wrote: | And even if the GAIT handset continued to work on all 3 networks, what would be the billing impact of making calls onto TDMA and AMPS network towers?
Lastly, what would be the billing impact of making AMPS calls over the 80% of USA geography that continues to remain analog only.....these calls have always been carried by analog roaming partners of Cingular, which is why the GAIT plans cost more. Wouldn't the GSM Nation plan customers now be billed roaming charges for calls made over these other carriers' analog networks?
I have never seen such confusion.....does anyone have reliable info on these issues? |
Isn't TDMA analog?
The GAIT phones work on both GSM and TDMA while on the GSM billing plans.
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Skids
Posts: 4
Phone Model:
Samsung E105
Service Provider:
T-Mobile |
Tue Dec 07, 2004 4:19 pm |
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Since they merged everything is messed up my 6340i wouldn't get service anymore so after 3 weeks of dealing with tech support I gave up and switched to T-Mobile. My Gait plan was never more money to do anything, I was on roam all the time because of where I live and was never charged extra. Just my basic bill every month.
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NDogg78
Posts: 87
Phone Model:
Motorola V600
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:58 pm |
| finestkind wrote: |
Isn't TDMA analog?
The GAIT phones work on both GSM and TDMA while on the GSM billing plans. |
TDMA is digital. AMPS is analog
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finestkind
Posts: 22
Phone Model:
Nokia 6340i
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:31 am |
| ndogg78 wrote: | | finestkind wrote: |
Isn't TDMA analog?
The GAIT phones work on both GSM and TDMA while on the GSM billing plans. |
TDMA is digital. AMPS is analog |
What % of the country has ONLY AMPS service?
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JCMyersIV
Posts: 122
Phone Model:
V635 & BB 7290
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:24 am |
Look at the latest coverage map on Cingular's site. Any areas not covered have (at a minimum) AMPS; area's not included in the map may also have TDMA.
Just to clarify - AMPS = Analog
TDMA = Time Division Multiple Access
CDMA = Code Division Multiple Access
GSM = Global Standard [for] Mobile [Communication]
The three digital technologies were all rolled out in the early 90's - the history is out there for the reading.
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finestkind
Posts: 22
Phone Model:
Nokia 6340i
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:22 pm |
Since the GAIT phones, on the Cingular GSM/GAIT service plans, work in areas covered by GSM and/or TDMA the only "holes" would be in those areas ONLY served by AMPS.
How great an area is that?
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NDogg78
Posts: 87
Phone Model:
Motorola V600
Service Provider:
Cingular |
Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:46 pm |
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i doubt the area is great at all since the distance that the AMPS frequency can cover can be covered by that of TDMA and GSM.
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