GSM roaming?

I have heard conflicting reports. Will the Cingular GSM phones roam on
other carriers or do I have to be picked-up by AWS/Cingular towers to be
able to place I call? This refers to general travel throughout the US.

Thanks, Fred

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> I have heard conflicting reports. Will the Cingular GSM phones roam on
> other carriers or do I have to be picked-up by AWS/Cingular towers to be
> able to place I call? This refers to general travel throughout the US.
>
> Thanks, Fred

You CAN roam. If you are on the national plans (GSM America National or
Cingular Nation) you are guaranteed not to have roaming charges when you
use your phone. If you are on a Cingular Region or GSM America Local,
you will have roaming charges outside of your home area.

In fact, Cingular has better roaming agreements than Verizon Wireless.
With Cingular, when you roam, you have access to data. For example, you
can use data on Cingular, AT&T Wireless network (now Cingular), Suncom,
T-Mobile, CellularOne, pretty much anywhere you have voice coverage you
have data coverage.

With Verizon Wireless, you can only use data on Verizon Wireless. If
you roam on Alltell or Sprint, you may lose your caller ID, VM
notification, will not have data, may lose call waiting, et al. The
norm seems to be that with GSM all features are fully roamable, but with
CDMA, only *basic* voice is fully roamable.

TH

Is there any good source for maps showing Cingular's roaming agreements? Or
do the maps on Cingular's site for the plans include that?

For example, looking at the National 600 plan map, there are huge holes out
west, between LV and Reno up US 93 being a major one (only because I like
to travel out that way on vacation). Does this mean that Cingular does not
even have a roaming agreement for coverage out there, or is there a way to
find out if they have an agreement in place that would provide me coverage?


"Tropical Haven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> I have heard conflicting reports. Will the Cingular GSM phones roam on
>> other carriers or do I have to be picked-up by AWS/Cingular towers to be
>> able to place I call? This refers to general travel throughout the US.
>>
>> Thanks, Fred
>
> You CAN roam. If you are on the national plans (GSM America National or
> Cingular Nation) you are guaranteed not to have roaming charges when you
> use your phone. If you are on a Cingular Region or GSM America Local, you
> will have roaming charges outside of your home area.
>
> In fact, Cingular has better roaming agreements than Verizon Wireless.
> With Cingular, when you roam, you have access to data. For example, you
> can use data on Cingular, AT&T Wireless network (now Cingular), Suncom,
> T-Mobile, CellularOne, pretty much anywhere you have voice coverage you
> have data coverage.
>
> With Verizon Wireless, you can only use data on Verizon Wireless. If you
> roam on Alltell or Sprint, you may lose your caller ID, VM notification,
> will not have data, may lose call waiting, et al. The norm seems to be
> that with GSM all features are fully roamable, but with CDMA, only *basic*
> voice is fully roamable.
>
> TH
>
>

Trina,
You assumption is correct. Cingular's "Nation" map includes service
available from theirs and roaming partners' networks. There is no GSM on
that route...yet.

Bill Radio
Click for Western U.S. Wireless Reviews at:
http://www.mountainwireless.com

"Trina Adamson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is there any good source for maps showing Cingular's roaming agreements?
Or
> do the maps on Cingular's site for the plans include that?
>
> For example, looking at the National 600 plan map, there are huge holes
out
> west, between LV and Reno up US 93 being a major one (only because I like
> to travel out that way on vacation). Does this mean that Cingular does
not
> even have a roaming agreement for coverage out there, or is there a way to
> find out if they have an agreement in place that would provide me
coverage?
>
>

Bill,

Thanks. Hopefully that is a hole that will be filled soon. Probably will
be several months before I'm out that way. Otherwise, GSM only should do
fine for me.

Trina
"Bill Radio" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Trina,
> You assumption is correct. Cingular's "Nation" map includes service
> available from theirs and roaming partners' networks. There is no GSM on
> that route...yet.
>
> Bill Radio
> Click for Western U.S. Wireless Reviews at:
> http://www.mountainwireless.com
>
> "Trina Adamson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Is there any good source for maps showing Cingular's roaming agreements?
> Or
> > do the maps on Cingular's site for the plans include that?
> >
> > For example, looking at the National 600 plan map, there are huge holes
> out
> > west, between LV and Reno up US 93 being a major one (only because I
like
> > to travel out that way on vacation). Does this mean that Cingular does
> not
> > even have a roaming agreement for coverage out there, or is there a way
to
> > find out if they have an agreement in place that would provide me
> coverage?
> >
> >
>
>