Change phone without renewing Cingular contract?

I'm not in a contract right now, it ran out in November, so I'm doing
month to month with a Cingular plan that hasn't been available for
years. In fact I got it when it was still Cellular One, before it
switched to ATT, before they switched to Cingular, before they became
ATT again and I don't want to lose it

I'm in the bay area and have heard that GSM service is not very good
here, and I'm am going to need a new phone soon. I don't know if I can
even find a "new" TDMA phone, but if I did, could I switch it with the
one I have and not have to renew a contract? If so, what do I need to
know before I buy and before I contact ATT? My current phone is a nokia
8260, if that matters.

I searched the archives but didn't find anything newer than 2003 posts
regarding the switching to GSM and sure enough, ATT has Cingular, but
has that affected the quality of GSM service here? And what is the word
about when will we be forced to switch from TDMA?
thanks

---

› See More: Change phone without renewing Cingular contract?

>>I'm in the bay area and have heard that GSM service is not very good
>>here, and I'm am going to need a new phone soon. I don't know if I can
>>even find a "new" TDMA phone, but if I did, could I switch it with the

> Your not hanging on to much. From what I heard TDMA is a dying horse.
>
> Looks like someone needs to drag you kicking and screaming into the 20th
> century with GSM GSM is the way of the future.

Er, 21st century, n'est-ce pas?

But I agree. I switched to GSM about 1.5 years ago, knowing that I would
temporarily lose some coverage in rural Georgia (near where I live). GSM is
catching up fast and I'm not having problems.

Here is their *current* GSM 1900 coverage map:
http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?cc=us&net=be

For a map that includes roaming:
http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cel...=90001&x=0&y=0

They claim to cover the San Francisco Bay Area quite solidly. What they
don't cover is the north central states, but roaming fills that in.

Thanks for the response. I was told by 3 different Cingular CSAs that I
was better off keeping my TDMA service because the GSM coverage wasn't
as good, and that was as recent as November. Has it changed much since
then? I don't use my phone for email, text messaging or web browsing,
because I can't afford it. I only pay $30/mo and have unlimited off
peak, mobile to mobile, free long distance and 650 anytime minutes and
I don't travel, so not having roaming doesn't affect me yet. Struggling
to survive up here, I really am hanging on to an inexpensive luxury. I
don't even have cable TV and there's no stations without it where I am.

But I had no idea you could rent phones, I guess I'm really behind the
times in the cellular features! I will have to Google the cell rental
business, thanks!

You could go on Ebay and find a phone to avoid having to change your
contract.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Thanks for the response. I was told by 3 different Cingular CSAs that I
> was better off keeping my TDMA service because the GSM coverage wasn't
> as good, and that was as recent as November. Has it changed much since
> then? I don't use my phone for email, text messaging or web browsing,
> because I can't afford it. I only pay $30/mo and have unlimited off
> peak, mobile to mobile, free long distance and 650 anytime minutes and
> I don't travel, so not having roaming doesn't affect me yet. Struggling
> to survive up here, I really am hanging on to an inexpensive luxury. I
> don't even have cable TV and there's no stations without it where I am.
>
> But I had no idea you could rent phones, I guess I'm really behind the
> times in the cellular features! I will have to Google the cell rental
> business, thanks!
>

>
> But I had no idea you could rent phones, I guess I'm really behind the
> times in the cellular features! I will have to Google the cell rental
> business, thanks!
>

Have you considered a pre-paid phone?

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:30:20 UTC, [email protected] wrote:

>

> Looks like someone needs to drag you kicking and screaming into the 20th
> century with GSM GSM is the way of the future.
>


Actually, TDMA is very 20th century too. And so is AMPS

Now, the upcoming 3G UTMS is more 21st century.

On Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:48:36 UTC, [email protected] wrote:

> Thanks for the response. I was told by 3 different Cingular CSAs that I
> was better off keeping my TDMA service because the GSM coverage wasn't
> as good, and that was as recent as November. Has it changed much since
> then? I don't use my phone for email, text messaging or web browsing,
> because I can't afford it. I only pay $30/mo and have unlimited off
> peak, mobile to mobile, free long distance and 650 anytime minutes and
> I don't travel, so not having roaming doesn't affect me yet. Struggling
> to survive up here, I really am hanging on to an inexpensive luxury. I
> don't even have cable TV and there's no stations without it where I am.
>
> But I had no idea you could rent phones, I guess I'm really behind the
> times in the cellular features! I will have to Google the cell rental
> business, thanks!
>

You aren't going to beat that price with GSM on Cingular. If you want
TDMA, you will probably have to go Ebay, and look for someone selling
unused phones. I've bought GSM phones before on Ebay that were
previously unused.

"Ann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:U2%Sf.628562$084.227246@attbi_s22...

> You could go on Ebay and find a phone to avoid having to change your
> contract.
>


That presumes that Cingular is willing to activate the new phone. I thought
I read somewhere that no new TDMA activations would be allowed after
12/31/05. I don't know if that refers to new accounts or if it also means
that current TDMA subscribers will not be allowed to change phones and keep
their current TDMA service.

I'm so pleased with the crystal-clear calls I am now getting on Sprint
(CDMA) that I regret only that I took so long to dump Cingular. Even when
ATTWS owned the TDMA network the call quality was not as good as I now get
on CDMA. Best thing of all is no more dropped calls, and no having to wait
several minutes when the phone is turned on, before it finally locates a
signal from Cingular. They really did cut back on TDMA service here in
Philadelphia, and it is shameful that they would squeeze their ATTWS
customers that way. It was, figuratively speaking, "death by a thousand
cuts."

Everything is SO much better for me with Sprint. Smaller phones, louder
speakerphones, 5 bars of signal strength, faster access to voicemail (no
need to enter a password when calling from the PCS phone), nationwide
roaming (roams onto Verizon if there is no Sprint signal--and no extra
charge!), free activation of all 3 phone lines, free phones (gave me a
choice of 3 different models too), FREE M2M 24/7 including long distance, as
long as they are logged on to the Sprint PCS Network, 7 PM N/W, unlimited
n/w minutes (not the 5,000 free minutes that Cingular offered if I would
switch to GSM), nationwide home rate area (anywhere on the Sprint PCS
network is considered the home rate area, as opposed to ATTWS' home rate
area that went from Rhode Island to Northern Virginia, and from Jersey shore
to PA-OH border), friendly CSRs (I know about Sprint's reputation, but I've
had nothing but courteous service. They ported one of my my numbers in one
hour and they gave me a preferred area code that is hard to get anymore,
because it is nearly used up. They changed my caller ID to display the
names of the users on each of my three lines, rather than one single name on
all of the lines. And they were really nice about doing all this for me.)

And I pay $5.00 less than I did with ATTWS Digital One Rate plan!

Sprint treated me the way that Cingular SHOULD HAVE treated me, and that's
why Cingular will never get another cent from me . . . Better reliability,
cheaper price, crystal clear sound, free phones and activation. What more
could anyone ask for?

So, before the OP caves in to Cingular's arm twisting, he really ought to
have a look at the competition's offerings.

Per [email protected]:
> but if I did, could I switch it with the
>one I have and not have to renew a contract? If so, what do I need to
>know before I buy and before I contact ATT? My current phone is a nokia
>8260, if that matters.

I switched from TDMA to GSM in the Philadelphia area a little over a year ago.

My rationale was that (for various reasons..) I wanted the portability of a SIM
card and that, in the end, TDMA was probably going away.

A year later, it seems like TDMA really is going away, but if I had it to do
over again maybe I would have waited until it really did start to go away
because my experience is that GSM just isn't as reliable as TDMA. With TDMA,
zero bars was something I never even knew about because I never experienced it.
Might be the carrier I went to... but I've heard other people on other GSM
systems talk about being in "dead spots".

--
PeteCresswell

Jeremy wrote:
> I'm so pleased with the crystal-clear calls I am now getting on Sprint
> (CDMA) that I regret only that I took so long to dump Cingular.

Really haven't seen significantly better or worse calls between the two.

> Best thing of all is no more dropped calls
Over all, I'd say that Sprint wold droop me twice as often as Cingualr
now does.

> and no having to wait several minutes when the phone is turned on,
> before it finally locates a signal from Cingular.

Only take a second for my phone to lock in.

> Smaller phones, louder
> speakerphones, 5 bars of signal strength,

That Cingular Nokia is pretty darn small. Often had less than 2 bars
with Sprint.

> faster access to voicemail (no need to enter a password when calling
from the PCS phone),

You didn't know how to set up your voicemail calling number correctly. I
dont' have to enter a password.

> nationwide roaming (roams onto Verizon if there is no Sprint signal--and no extra
> charge!),

Are they not charging $5 for unlimited roaming out of your minutes
bucket? Cingualr doesn't charge anything for roaming.

> FREE M2M 24/7 including long distance, as
> long as they are logged on to the Sprint PCS Network,

Cingular does that too, and you DON'T have to worry about the network.

> 7 PM N/W,

You can get that for $5/mo (???) from Cingualr, but not worth it if you
have 1400 minute plan.

> unlimited n/w minutes

Cingular has that.

> They changed my caller ID to display the
> names of the users on each of my three lines

OK...true, Cingular won't do that.

> And I pay $5.00 less than I did with ATTWS Digital One Rate plan!

Peanuts...chump change...

All in all....I dont' see that much advantage you have. Bottom line,
Sprint might be better for YOU in your particular area, but that's not
to be taken as an over all recommendation for everyone.

I've read this all from you before, at least once a week. You really
miss Cingular (at least to bash) don't you

Jeremy wrote:
> "Ann" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:U2%Sf.628562$084.227246@attbi_s22...
>
>> You could go on Ebay and find a phone to avoid having to change your
>> contract.
>>
>
>
> That presumes that Cingular is willing to activate the new phone. I thought
> I read somewhere that no new TDMA activations would be allowed after
> 12/31/05. I don't know if that refers to new accounts or if it also means
> that current TDMA subscribers will not be allowed to change phones and keep
> their current TDMA service.
>
> I'm so pleased with the crystal-clear calls I am now getting on Sprint
> (CDMA) that I regret only that I took so long to dump Cingular. Even when
> ATTWS owned the TDMA network the call quality was not as good as I now get
> on CDMA. Best thing of all is no more dropped calls, and no having to wait
> several minutes when the phone is turned on, before it finally locates a
> signal from Cingular. They really did cut back on TDMA service here in
> Philadelphia, and it is shameful that they would squeeze their ATTWS
> customers that way. It was, figuratively speaking, "death by a thousand
> cuts."
>
> Everything is SO much better for me with Sprint. Smaller phones, louder
> speakerphones, 5 bars of signal strength, faster access to voicemail (no
> need to enter a password when calling from the PCS phone), nationwide
> roaming (roams onto Verizon if there is no Sprint signal--and no extra
> charge!), free activation of all 3 phone lines, free phones (gave me a
> choice of 3 different models too), FREE M2M 24/7 including long distance, as
> long as they are logged on to the Sprint PCS Network, 7 PM N/W, unlimited
> n/w minutes (not the 5,000 free minutes that Cingular offered if I would
> switch to GSM), nationwide home rate area (anywhere on the Sprint PCS
> network is considered the home rate area, as opposed to ATTWS' home rate
> area that went from Rhode Island to Northern Virginia, and from Jersey shore
> to PA-OH border), friendly CSRs (I know about Sprint's reputation, but I've
> had nothing but courteous service. They ported one of my my numbers in one
> hour and they gave me a preferred area code that is hard to get anymore,
> because it is nearly used up. They changed my caller ID to display the
> names of the users on each of my three lines, rather than one single name on
> all of the lines. And they were really nice about doing all this for me.)
>
> And I pay $5.00 less than I did with ATTWS Digital One Rate plan!
>
> Sprint treated me the way that Cingular SHOULD HAVE treated me, and that's
> why Cingular will never get another cent from me . . . Better reliability,
> cheaper price, crystal clear sound, free phones and activation. What more
> could anyone ask for?
>
> So, before the OP caves in to Cingular's arm twisting, he really ought to
> have a look at the competition's offerings.
>
>

Jeremy wrote:
> unlimited
> n/w minutes (not the 5,000 free minutes that Cingular offered if I would
> switch to GSM),

That part's a pyrrhic victory. There are 45 hours of nights and 48
hours of weekend each week, and 93 times 4-1/3 is 403 possible N/W
hours per month. 5,000 per YEAR would cover that.

Now, why Cingular can't say "unlimited" instead of [bigsoundingnumber]
is beyond me.

--
All relevant people are pertinent.
All rude people are impertinent.
Therefore, no rude people are relevant.
-- Solomon W. Golomb

DecaturTxCowboy wrote:
> Over all, I'd say that Sprint wold droop me twice as often as Cingualr
> now does.

Seems to vary around the country. Some Sprint users in other cities
are extremely pleased with the service. But here in Chicago, a
friend who had Sprint couldn't get through five minutes of talking
before his phone dropped him; an hour conversation with him was
invariably a comedy of unending call drops.

--
All relevant people are pertinent.
All rude people are impertinent.
Therefore, no rude people are relevant.
-- Solomon W. Golomb

"clifto" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jeremy wrote:
>> unlimited
>> n/w minutes (not the 5,000 free minutes that Cingular offered if I would
>> switch to GSM),
>
> That part's a pyrrhic victory. There are 45 hours of nights and 48
> hours of weekend each week, and 93 times 4-1/3 is 403 possible N/W
> hours per month. 5,000 per YEAR would cover that.
>
> Now, why Cingular can't say "unlimited" instead of [bigsoundingnumber]
> is beyond me.
>

5000 minutes per month is 83 hours per month. I think you are comparing
"minutes per month" to "hours per month."

clifto wrote:
> DecaturTxCowboy wrote:
>> Over all, I'd say that Sprint wold droop me twice as often as Cingualr
>> now does.
>
> Seems to vary around the country. Some Sprint users in other cities
> are extremely pleased with the service. But here in Chicago, a
> friend who had Sprint couldn't get through five minutes of talking
> before his phone dropped him; an hour conversation with him was
> invariably a comedy of unending call drops.
>

Of course it would be fair point out that the place I used the Sprint
phone the MOST was about 5 miles from nearest tower.