Cingular plans with former AT&T Customers

I have been a long time ATT customer that is now, obviously part of Cingular. I still carry over my AT&T plan from previous. My question is, I am now looking to upgrade my phone and Cingular reps say I MUST convert to a Cingular plan (which is not as advantageous to me) if I buy a phone through them (Customer Care). Is this a true fact that anyone knows of?

Also, if that is true and I want to keep my previous plan, will the current sim card I have work in a newer phone like an unlocked Moto Razr or SLVR or Palm Treo 650 so that I do not have to go through Customer Seervice?

thank you for any advice you can give.

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You can put your AT&T SIM card into any unlocked GSM phone and it will work fine as long as the phone has both the GSM 850mhz and 1900mhz bands. Your old AT&T phone is GSM, right? Here in Florida many of the old AT&T customers who refuse to upgrade are toting around old TDMA handsets!

One note: do you plan to use the text messaging and data features like MediaNet? If so, you *might* encounter some difficulty getting those setup on an unlocked phone. Maybe the following link will help with that: Cingular | Online Tutorials

Yes, the current phone is a Nokia 6200 which is a 3 band GSM phone. I want a couple more features like bluetooth. Features like text message and internet access is not important. I do not want to give up the old AT&T plan so going to an unlocked phone with the 4 bands should be my answer without having to mess with Cingular Customer Care

Originally Posted by IYFCalvin

I do not want to give up the old AT&T plan so going to an unlocked phone with the 4 bands should be my answer without having to mess with Cingular Customer Care

Sounds like a plan to me! But it doesn't have to be a 4-band phone unless you plan on using it outside the USA; the only 2 bands that are important in the states are 850 and 1900.

Thank you for the tip and information. I will need the 4 band phone as I will be travelling to Europe.
I appreciate the helpyou have given me!

Originally Posted by IYFCalvin

Thank you for the tip and information. I will need the 4 band phone as I will be travelling to Europe.
I appreciate the helpyou have given me!

Then getting an unlocked phone is even more advantageous. Because you can then buy a prepaid sim card, if you are going to be calling in country while you are there. Otherwise, you will need to add international roaming to your plan.
And you can buy prepaid sim cards that are international with a lower cost to call back to the u.s. than most you get with most carriers.

Shrocat...thanks for that tip too. Do you purchase the pre-paid sim card domestically or when you land in Europe? Also, from country to country there, do you have to buy separate sim cards?

There are a couple of websites that sell prepaid international sims world wide.
Seems like they have pretty good rates, but I have no idea on the reliability of the sellers.
And you can always buy a prepaid sim when you arrive.

that's good info, Thank you!

QUOTE=Shrocat]There are a couple of websites that sell prepaid international sims world wide.
Seems like they have pretty good rates, but I have no idea on the reliability of the sellers.
And you can always buy a prepaid sim when you arrive.[/QUOTE]

you are lucky you get to keep ATT. i had to go to cingular after i dropped my phone and i needed to get a new one. it sucked because i had such a great plan on ATT my minutes and texts were sooo cheap!

Well, that is part of the issue here.... Cingular Customer CAre says if I want a new phone from them, I will need to switch to a their calling plans, which I don't want to. That's why I am inquiiring into the use of an unlocked phone and not having to bother with them, thereby keeping my AT&T plan.

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Originally Posted by elleindigo

you are lucky you get to keep ATT. i had to go to cingular after i dropped my phone and i needed to get a new one. it sucked because i had such a great plan on ATT my minutes and texts were sooo cheap!

why are you so hung up on keeping your ATT service? They are gone, ditch it and come on aboard! I went through the same thing but am glad I made the switch when I did

Originally Posted by V12Kid

why are you so hung up on keeping your ATT service? They are gone, ditch it and come on aboard! I went through the same thing but am glad I made the switch when I did

There are plenty of people, regardless of who their carrier is, who get locked into a great plan and don't want to lose it. Just because AT&T is now Cingular doesn't mean everyone wants a new contract! They might really like the one they have now, but Cingular won't help them get a new phone without switching from "blue" to "orange".

Which, by the way, is identical coverage if your old AT&T phone is GSM. The only exception would be in some areas, like North Florida, where the AT&T people are still on the rusty old TDMA network, in which case they would have different towers and different coverage.

point taken Brad...but I still say come on over! My problem was they killed the plan I was on so it made sense to jump ship but I guess each person has their own circumstances

The old AT&T Plans were a little different than the current Cingular plans. I actually save money in two specific areas... nights calling starting at 7pm and the North Amerca plan is different when using AT&T.
What works for me, works for me... I am not here to appease you V12KID (no offense). Let me ask you....why should I make the transition and pay more for what I have now? btw...never make change...just to change as you are promoting. Make a change for the better.