Re: prepaid cell phone plans WITHOUT expiration date

> > "The Real Bev" <bashley@myrealbox.com> wrote in message
> >
> > Let me rephrase my question: When TDMA (AT&T and
> > whoever else) is gone, will
> > there be cheap prepaid GSM or CDMA services?
> >
> > In the 2 years I've had callplus I may have made 20
> > calls aside from the obligatory 1-per-month keep-alive
> > call. $3.33/month is fine. All gone when TDMA dies?
>

> JoshIII wrote:
> *Partial* list for prepaid GSM or CDMA:
>
> www.tracfone.com (Cingular, Verizon, Alltel, T-Mobile, etc.- CDMA, GSM,
> TDMA)
> http://www.virgin.com/mobile/ (Sprint - CDMA)
> http://www.simplefreedom.net/SimpleFreedom/Home.htm (Alltel - CDMA)
> www.cingular.com (GoPhone 10 cents a minute, Cingular - GSM)
> www.net10wireless.com (Cingular/T-Mobile 10 cents a minute - GSM)
> www.verizonwireless.com ("inpulse" in network unlimited 99 cents/day,
> Verizon -CDMA)
> http://www.alltel.com/personal/wirel...s/prepaid.html ($30/month
> Alltel -CDMA)
>
>
> For emergencies only users like myself, Virgin Mobile and
> TracFone are the
> least expense CDMA/GSM prepaid that I know of. They can each be had for
> less than $10 per month (minimum).
>
> With TracFone's promotion system, you can keep one activated for free if
> you refer at least 6 others to them per year. I get about
> 18 referrals per year, which allows me to keep two TracFone(s) and
> one for my Sis, all for about $0/year. Getting referrals isn't exactly
> easy because you send out 2 or 3 times more than ever get used.
>
> Any other GSM or CDMA prepaid plans less expensive than
> $10/month please post here!


My question is what is going to happen to all the regional exclusively TDMA
networks like Suncom and others? Will they switch to CDMA or GSM?
Probably GSM since TDMA is a class of GSM.

JoshIII
upstate south carolina
josh3i@hotmail.com
Activating a new or refurbished TracFone soon?
Be sure to get a referral (by email) from a
TracFone user *before* you activate and you'll
both receive 100 FREE minutes airtime! Check
out the refurbished Nokia 2285/1221/1100 or
Motorola v120 *free phone* specials at:
www.tracfone.com
TracFone uses Alltel, Verizon, Cingular, and
T-Mobile wireless networks, just to name a few.
I've been a satisfied TracFone user 4 years.

> My question is what is going to happen to all the regional exclusively
TDMA
> networks like Suncom and others? Will they switch to CDMA or GSM?
> Probably GSM since TDMA is a class of GSM.
>
I think the choice of CDMA or GSM will depend on how much they could make on
roaming. If a CDMA carrier is weak in their coverage area and they have an
agreement for roaming that could generate income. The same could be true for
GSM. The smaller carrier will do best in a niche not served by a large
carrier.

JoshIII wrote:
> >> My question is what is going to happen to all the regional exclusively
> >TDMA
> >> networks like Suncom and others? Will they switch to CDMA or GSM?
> >> Probably GSM since TDMA is a class of GSM.
> >>
> <nospam_stanley_reynolds@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >I think the choice of CDMA or GSM will depend on how much they could make
on
> >roaming. If a CDMA carrier is weak in their coverage area and they have
an
> >agreement for roaming that could generate income. The same could be true
for
> >GSM. The smaller carrier will do best in a niche not served by a large
> >carrier.
>
"Joseph" <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> Perhaps so, but historically since AT&T Wireless and cingular
> overlayed GSM over their TDMA systems. That's not always the path
> that's taken, but it's frequently the one that is. Not only in North
> America. Cellcom in Israel which is a TDMA system overlayed GSM on
> their system (now an 1800 carrier.)


Suncom, now currently 800 MHz TDMA and *HAD* a cooperative agreement with
AT&T for 800 MHz TDMA coverage in SC. Namely, there was no AT&T 800MHz TDMA
coverage in SC, so AT&T customers roamed on Suncom here. To activate a
TDMA phone here in the state, it had to be with Suncom. Now since AT&T
(TDMA) is now Cingular and TDMA is diminishing everywhere in favor of GSM,
Suncom's role and future outlook has also diminished.

No way will Suncom switch to 800MHz CDMA in South Carolina, else it would be
suicide for them. Verizon or Alltel, both 800CDMA, are strong here in SC,
and would not form coop agreements with Suncom for sharing and roaming
800MHZ CDMA.

What would happen with Suncom customers when they traveled outside the
state, then have to roam on Verizon or Alltel networks? Suncom native
coverage is only here in SC and maybe parts of NC and GA.

From what I read in these cellular newsgroups, even Alltel and Verizon have
fewer and fewer cooperative roaming agreements with each other.

The only way Suncom will switch to CDMA here will be in the PCS portion of
the cell phone band (1900MHZ), and possibly form cooperative agreements with
Sprint/Nextel there.

Other wise Suncom will switch to 900MHz GSM or 1900 MHz GSM and compete with
Cingular's 1900MHz GSM coverage here in the state (SC).

With this perspective, I would look for Sprint/Nextel to acquire Suncom in
the near term and convert the Suncom TDMA 800 network to CDMA 1900 (PCS).

Might be a good time to buy stock in Suncom if its cheap.

JoshIII
upstate south carolina
josh3i@hotmail.com
Activating a new or refurbished TracFone soon?
Be sure to get a referral (by email) from a
TracFone user *before* you activate and you'll
both receive 100 FREE minutes airtime! Check
out the refurbished Nokia 2285/1221/1100 or
Motorola v120 *free phone* specials at:
www.tracfone.com
TracFone uses Alltel, Verizon, Cingular, and
T-Mobile wireless networks, just to name a few.
I've been a satisfied TracFone user 4 years.

Rather 850-900MHZ for GSM.
Picky picky.


"Joseph" <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:jej8i15ocsgo5lqet8e05cc31otnlnum5a@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 23:42:57 -0400, "JoshIII"
> <josh3iREMOVE@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Other wise Suncom will switch to 900MHz GSM or 1900 MHz GSM and compete
with
> >Cingular's 1900MHz GSM coverage here in the state (SC).
>
> It absolutely could not be 900 Mhz GSM since 900 Mhz GSM does not
> exist in the US on a commercial basis.
>
> - -
>

Try 800-850.


"JoshIII" <josh3iREMOVE@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dg1mje$pa1$1@domitilla.aioe.org...
> Rather 850-900MHZ for GSM.
> Picky picky.
>
>
> "Joseph" <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:jej8i15ocsgo5lqet8e05cc31otnlnum5a@4ax.com...
> > On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 23:42:57 -0400, "JoshIII"
> > <josh3iREMOVE@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > >Other wise Suncom will switch to 900MHz GSM or 1900 MHz GSM and compete
> with
> > >Cingular's 1900MHz GSM coverage here in the state (SC).
> >
> > It absolutely could not be 900 Mhz GSM since 900 Mhz GSM does not
> > exist in the US on a commercial basis.
> >
> > - -
> >
>
>