Re: What is America Roaming Network?

"Shiva" <shiva@universe.cosmos> wrote in message
news:vTC9e.11415$lP1.872@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> A weird thing happened earlier today.
>
> An associate had purchased a used Nokia 3588i (earlier service
terminated,
> ESN clear) and was showing it around before taking it over to a
cellular
> provider's retail store for activation. Someone happened to notice
that the
> display showed there was a signal present - so the chap just dialed
out a
> number to see what happened.
>
> He got connected to the "America Roaming Network" which (as the
announcement
> said) was going to charge $2.99 a call and $1.99 a minute. You can
be sure
> that he put down the phone like it was a hot brick!
>
> What is the America Roaming Network? Did my associate get charged
for the
> call? If so, how? Was it a scam by the seller? He was too confused
to take
> the phone over for activation after that - and I was quite surprised
at what
> happened.
>
> Any info would be welcome! Just out of curiosity.
>
> Regards and thanks.
>
> Shiva

I used to get connected to them occasionally in the outlying areas
east of Pittsburgh, PA and in rural New Mexico. I traveled all over
the country and they were only 2 places that I encountered them. I had
AT&T TDMA One Rate plan.

Another poster indicated that he thought it was a "good deal" for
someone without service. Let's see, a 10 minute call would cost $2.99
+ $19.90, that's $22.89! Hey I have some nice bridgefront property if
he's interested!

I got slammed that way by AT&T Long Distance calling from a motel
using my AT&T Calling Card. $100+ for 4 phone calls lasting for a
total of less than 10 minutes. They said " Oh, you should have dialed
our special 800 number" (in small print on the backside of my calling
card). They issued me credit after I pitched a *****. AT&T dropped
that program after a short period of time.

Chas.

quote refered to: " low use this is the cheapest way to use a cell phone"

> Another poster indicated that he thought it was a "good deal" for
> someone without service. Let's see, a 10 minute call would cost $2.99
> + $19.90, that's $22.89! Hey I have some nice bridgefront property if
> he's interested!

Very interested in your property but you missed the low use part, for me low
use is one call of 1 min per year 2.99+1.99= $4.98 per year. And if I didn't
need it having it to use cost nothing. 911 is free and 611 works most places
for testing, just ask the person who answers 611 where the nearest store is.
If you wish to set up a phone it works better if the number in the phone is
programed as (123)456-7890 this number will indicate the phone is
unactivated.