How long til all GSM??

Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer until
Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I travel for
a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
Aaron Worley

Aaron Worley wrote:

> Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer until
> Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I travel for
> a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
> Aaron Worley

If you're a Cingular client, you already have the best phone for
travelers - especially if you require AMPS service. OTOH, if your
travels only include major metropolitan areas, then a GSM only phone
may already be possible for you. What you need to start doing is
looking at the display during calls, in the bottom right corner is a
soft-key label - if it shows 'Hold' you're on a GSM network, if it's
shows 'Mute' you're on a TDMA/AMPS network. After a while you'll
begin to know if a GSM-only phone will suffice for your typical travel
needs.

--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten' ICQ = 35253273
"All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of
what we know." -- Richard Wilbur

"Aaron Worley" <aworley11896@aol.comjnkbgone> wrote in message
news:20040405052953.16062.00000683@mb-m23.aol.com...
>
> Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer
until
> Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I
travel for
> a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
> Aaron Worley

Cingular is already "nearly" all GSM. The problem is that Cingular doesn't
own systems everywhere, and until the smaller carriers update to GSM, there
will be holes.

BTW, this winter some tests were done in Texas using software defined radios
that may give the smaller carriers the kick they need to start converting.
The new system uses "off the shelf" servers to control the common RF system.
The potential is there to allow for CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, TDMA, AMPS, GPRS, 1x,
EDGE...all in the same site, using common RF gear. Could be the future.

Mark
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In article <20040405052953.16062.00000683@mb-m23.aol.com>, aworley11896
@aol.comjnkbgone says...
>
> Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer until
> Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I travel for
> a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
> Aaron Worley
>

I'd plan on hanging onto that GAIT phone for some time. Someone on
Howard Forums just published a link to a map showing Cingular and ATTWS
GSM native licenses and I couldn't offhand spot any area not on the
current GSM-only map. There are a few gaps the other way--areas on the
GSM-only map where neither C or A have native coverage but are covered
by TMobile and other GSM roaming partners.

So the question should be: Does anyone know for sure if there are any
Cingular native coverage areas that HAVEN'T finished their GSM
conversion. I suspect they're done.

If you're asking how long it will be before all roaming partners have
converted and you won't need a GAIT phone to get the entire country
including cities under 20k and rural areas -- don't hold your breath --
I bet it will be a couple of years IF EVER.
--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

aworley11896@aol.comjnkbgone (Aaron Worley) wrote in message news:<20040405052953.16062.00000683@mb-m23.aol.com>...
> Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer until
> Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I travel for
> a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW

That might not be the issue- even when Cingular is all GSM, it's
likely some of the smaller companies you are capable of roaming on now
will not go GSM.

The beauty of GSM is the ability to move SIMs between phones. If you
only need TDMA/analog coverage when traveling, you could buy a
smartphone for "everyday" use, and move the SIM to the 6340 when
traveling.

> you could buy a
>smartphone for "everyday" use, and move the SIM to the 6340 when
>traveling.

hey, now that sounds pretty interesting...thanks- AW

Aaron Worley

In article <MPG.1adb482cc7f0c5c0989739@news.dallas.sbcglobal. net>,
l5i5changethistodash5rbo@xemaps.removethis.com says...
>
> I'd plan on hanging onto that GAIT phone for some time. Someone on
> Howard Forums just published a link to a map showing Cingular and ATTWS
> GSM native licenses and I couldn't offhand spot any area not on the
> current GSM-only map. There are a few gaps the other way--areas on the
> GSM-only map where neither C or A have native coverage but are covered
> by TMobile and other GSM roaming partners.

Here's the link to that map:
http://tinyurl.com/ytb4k

--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

Jud Hardcastle <l5i5changethistodash5rbo@xemaps.removethis.com> wrote in message news:<MPG.1adb482cc7f0c5c0989739@news.dallas.sbcgl obal.net>...

> So the question should be: Does anyone know for sure if there are any
> Cingular native coverage areas that HAVEN'T finished their GSM
> conversion. I suspect they're done.

All of MS/AL as well as the recently acquired US Unwired system in LA
and the MD-2 system that was acquired from Dobson Cellular System are
not yet GSM.

"Todd Allcock" <elecconnec@aol.com> wrote in message
news:de37a2e0.0404051225.c121a83@posting.google.co m...
> aworley11896@aol.comjnkbgone (Aaron Worley) wrote in message
news:<20040405052953.16062.00000683@mb-m23.aol.com>...
> > Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer
until
> > Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I
travel for
> > a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
>
> That might not be the issue- even when Cingular is all GSM, it's
> likely some of the smaller companies you are capable of roaming on now
> will not go GSM.
>
> The beauty of GSM is the ability to move SIMs between phones. If you
> only need TDMA/analog coverage when traveling, you could buy a
> smartphone for "everyday" use, and move the SIM to the 6340 when
> traveling.

For you to be able to use the SIM between GSM and GAIT phones, your service
has to be "officially" on the GAIT phone, other wise the account will not
have the ESN needed for TDMA service. In other words, you can take the SIM
from a GAIT phone and use it in a GSM phone, but not the other way around.

Mark


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Wow guys, that is a very old map at this point. The GSM build out is going quite fast. Go to the Cingular website and Clcik on the GSM Nation Map. Even if it is a combined GSM coverage map . Cingular customers still dont pay for roaming and all your feature, Rollover, night & weekends, mobile 2 mobile still apply. If you are interested to see the Verizon owned and famous in network calling you might be a little supprise. Click on the link and which is under the Verizon push 2 talk site. Then go to National Enhanced network: This is Verizons ownd network without the roaming partners. http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...ion=pushToTalk

"Todd Allcock" <elecconnec@aol.com> wrote in message
news:de37a2e0.0404051225.c121a83@posting.google.co m...
> aworley11896@aol.comjnkbgone (Aaron Worley) wrote in message
news:<20040405052953.16062.00000683@mb-m23.aol.com>...
> > Hey, does anyone know the real answer to the question: how much longer
until
> > Cingular is all GSM? I want one of those awesome smart phones, but I
travel for
> > a living and need great coverage (got Nokia 6340i now)- thanks, AW
>
> That might not be the issue- even when Cingular is all GSM, it's
> likely some of the smaller companies you are capable of roaming on now
> will not go GSM.
>
> The beauty of GSM is the ability to move SIMs between phones. If you
> only need TDMA/analog coverage when traveling, you could buy a
> smartphone for "everyday" use, and move the SIM to the 6340 when
> traveling.

Not.

The SIM only carries the GSM personality/authorization. In order for your
phone to do TDMA/Amps, it's EIN must be registered with the network. Right
now I have a loaner 6340i while mine is repaired. We moved the SIM to the
loaner phone, and everything works fine as long as I stay in the GSM signal
area. If I lose GSM for some reason and the phone falls back to TDMA,
anyone who tries to call me is told I'm not on the network, and if I try to
call out, I'm told that they don't recognize my phone as a valid number.

You would have to keep your GAIT phone as your active phone for account
purposes. I assume you can move your SIM to a GSM only phone without a
problem. That way, your GAIT phone would have it's EIN registered for
TDMA/Amps, and with the SIM back in it, it would once again be the premier
travel phone it is.