Cingular in Chicago

I live in a western suburb of Chicago and work in one of the Northwest
suburbs. I'm wondering what current Cingular customers in the Chicaoland
area feel about the GSM coverage. How does it compare to T-Mobile?

Also, I was wondering about some of their policies.

I heard they don't have 24-hour customer service. Does that include tech
support?

What is Cingular's policy with regards to switching plans mid-contract? Is
it allowed? Does it require a contract extension? Do you get the latest
promotion or do promotions only apply to new customers? I know with
T-Mobile you can switch plans at any time without extending the contract and
sometimes you can even get the latest promotional deals.

I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm kind of
sick of waiting

Any other opinions or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
ybcre8iv

---

› See More: Cingular in Chicago

>I heard they don't have 24-hour customer service. Does that include tech
>support?

They don't have 24 hours service period. Typically to get to Tech Support you
have to go through Customer Service.

Customer service is basically business hours Monday through Friday and a few
hours on Saturday.

--
John S.
e-mail responses to - john at kiana dot net

On Thu, 13 May 2004 03:37:58 GMT, "AJ" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm kind of
>sick of waiting

My understanding is that Cingular sells their world phones unlocked;
if so, their v600 would work with T-Mobile. Maybe you could convince
someone somewhere to sell you one.



----------------------------
To email me, remove the zz.

In article <[email protected]>,
RexYBlue <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Thu, 13 May 2004 03:37:58 GMT, "AJ" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm kind of
> >sick of waiting
>
> My understanding is that Cingular sells their world phones unlocked;
> if so, their v600 would work with T-Mobile. Maybe you could convince
> someone somewhere to sell you one.

They're available on eBay and from Asia on the web unlocked at an
unsubsidized price.

I would echo everyone else and suggest that you stay with T-Mobile. You
can get an unlocked V600 on eBay and use it with T-Mobile.

I use Cingular myself because of rollover minutes. But T-Mobile has overall
lower rates so stay with them especially if you're happy with the service.

I would like to have the Samsung E715 from T-Mobile but can't because I'm on
Cingular, So I'll wait until Cingular carries the Samsung P107.


"RexYBlue" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 13 May 2004 03:37:58 GMT, "AJ" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm kind
of
> >sick of waiting
>
> My understanding is that Cingular sells their world phones unlocked;
> if so, their v600 would work with T-Mobile. Maybe you could convince
> someone somewhere to sell you one.
>
>
>
> ----------------------------
> To email me, remove the zz.

What about Cingular's GSM coverage in the Chicago area? How is it, and how
does it compare to T-Mobile?

What is Cingular's policy with regards to switching plans mid-contract? Is
it allowed? Does it require a contract extension? Do you get the latest
promotion or do promotions only apply to new customers? I know with
T-Mobile you can switch plans at any time without extending the contract and
sometimes you can even get the latest promotional deals.

Thanks,


"AJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:q4Coc.80160$kh4.4738017@attbi_s52...
> I live in a western suburb of Chicago and work in one of the Northwest
> suburbs. I'm wondering what current Cingular customers in the Chicaoland
> area feel about the GSM coverage. How does it compare to T-Mobile?
>
> Also, I was wondering about some of their policies.
>
> I heard they don't have 24-hour customer service. Does that include tech
> support?
>
> What is Cingular's policy with regards to switching plans mid-contract?
Is
> it allowed? Does it require a contract extension? Do you get the latest
> promotion or do promotions only apply to new customers? I know with
> T-Mobile you can switch plans at any time without extending the contract
and
> sometimes you can even get the latest promotional deals.
>
> I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm kind
of
> sick of waiting
>
> Any other opinions or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> ybcre8iv
>
>

"AJ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:R4Yoc.88101$Ik.6668781@attbi_s53...
> What about Cingular's GSM coverage in the Chicago area? How is it, and
how
> does it compare to T-Mobile?

I have some friends in Hyde Park, Chicago, and another one in Naperville.
They all use Cingular and I talk to them all the time thanks to free
mobile-to-mobile minutes. They never complained about their Cingular
service.

Another friend of mine is a pilot based in Chicago. He goes to Buffalo, to
NY City, to Boston, Birmingham, etc... He's pretty happy with his service.

I don't really know how the service compared to T-Mobile.

> What is Cingular's policy with regards to switching plans mid-contract?
Is
> it allowed? Does it require a contract extension?

You can change plans anytime you like. It does not affect the contract
length.
You can change in the middle of a billing cycle in which case your minutes
will be prorated; or you can change at the beginning of the next billing
cycle.

Do you get the latest
> promotion or do promotions only apply to new customers? I know with
> T-Mobile you can switch plans at any time without extending the contract
and
> sometimes you can even get the latest promotional deals.

Same with Cingular. Promotions apply to new customers or existing customer
who renew their contract.

To compare Cingular to T-Mobile, Cingular has rollover minutes, whereas
T-Mobile has lower rates. With Cingular it's best to begin with a plan with
lots of minutes then switch down to a lower priced plan that more
appropriately matches your usage.

Hope this helps.

In the Chicago area, T-Mob and Cingular have similar coverage. It's as you
drive west and south of the city that Cingular's coverage out does
T-Mobile's. T-Mob covers mainly major highways, Cingular's coverage is the
same as it was on TDMA. Cingular's customer's can also use most T-Mob and
ATTWS towers, and on the nation plans, You don't have to worry about roaming
charge screw ups.

As for contract/rate plan changes; In the first half of a contract (first 12
of a 24 or first 6 of a 12), a rate change requires no contract, including
promotional elements. In the second half, a 1 year agreement is required to
get promotional elements, but the straight rate plan still requires no
contract.

Cingular just spent a ton of money and time on training and setting specific
guidelines and official protocols so that everybody, at least in theory, is
working from the same page. However, there are still those in C/S that don't
get it right. That's mainly because C/S is an entry level position, and
anybody that's any good moves up or out pretty quickly.

Mark


---
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I have Cingular GSM in the NW 'burbs and find their coverage very
complete. Cingular also has roaming agreements with T-mobile & ATTWS,
so when your phone says "Cingular Extend" you are roaming onto one of
these networks (dial 611 & you will find out). Since I have a Nation
GSM plan, I do not pay roaming when the phone displays Cingular
Extend. Since all of Cingular's current GSM phones support the
Cellular 850 MHz & PCS 1900 MHz bands, you can take advanage of GSM
service in either band. T-Mobile is strickly a 1900 MHz provider, so
most of their phones are 1900 MHz only. Do not read too much into this
since I do not know how much, if any, 850 MHz GSM coverage exists in
the Chicagoland market.

Many of my co-workers use T-mobile and find it acceptable now. It
seems like they have improved their network coverage in the last year
and the addition of phones with better receiver sensitivity (e.g.
v300) have helped significantly.

In general, Cingular tends to be a more demanding customer to it's
handset & infrastructure suppliers. In the case of mobiles, you may
have noticed that phones such as the T720 & v300 have been available
at T-mobile before Cingular (v400 is similar to v300) offers the
phone. While supplier exclusive agreements do exist, this is also due
to Cingular's more demanding acceptance testing criteria. Case in
point, ask any T-mobile customer who purchased the T720 prior to it's
avialability at Cingular & they will rant about dust under the main
LCD screen! This wasn't a problem with the T720 released to Cingular
because the flaw was found & fixed.

Just a word of caution on using an unlocked phone on another network
provider. Mobiles today come customized with software/firmware that is
tailored to the requirements of the provider. While you will probably
not have difficulty with voice, you may have trouble with packet data
services (GPRS / WAP).

Bottom line (IMO), if quality is more important, go with Cingular,
otherwise T-Mobile is an acceptable alternative. Also, don't forget to
take advantage of each provider's return policy.

Good Luck!
- [email protected]

[email protected]pamfree (John S.) said:

> They don't have 24 hours service period.
> Typically to get to Tech Support you
> have to go through Customer Service.

Back when I was a Cingular customer (until about a year ago) they had a different "after hours" Tech-support number.

> Customer service is basically business
> hours Monday through Friday and a few
> hours on Saturday.

Yeah, the after-hours support was limited to fixing problems and answering questions- no ESN changes, plan changes, activations, etc.

I used to have the number, but can't find it anywhere, sorry.

Lower rates, and less coverage. That's what happens when you have higher
expenses to revenue ratios than you competitors.

"Richie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I would echo everyone else and suggest that you stay with T-Mobile. You
> can get an unlocked V600 on eBay and use it with T-Mobile.
>
> I use Cingular myself because of rollover minutes. But T-Mobile has
> overall
> lower rates so stay with them especially if you're happy with the service.
>
> I would like to have the Samsung E715 from T-Mobile but can't because I'm
> on
> Cingular, So I'll wait until Cingular carries the Samsung P107.
>
>
> "RexYBlue" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Thu, 13 May 2004 03:37:58 GMT, "AJ" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm very happy with T-Mobile, but they don't carry the V600, and I'm
>> >kind
> of
>> >sick of waiting
>>
>> My understanding is that Cingular sells their world phones unlocked;
>> if so, their v600 would work with T-Mobile. Maybe you could convince
>> someone somewhere to sell you one.
>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------
>> To email me, remove the zz.
>
>

>I used to have the number, but can't find it anywhere, sorry.

It's OK! I don't and won't use them because of this lack of support.

I know about them however as my wife and son are on a family plan with rollover
minutes. Saves me a lot of money!

--
John S.
e-mail responses to - john at kiana dot net

========================================================================
* Reply by Jack D. Russell, Sr. <[email protected]>
* Newsgroup: alt.cellular.cingular
* Reply to: All; "John S." <[email protected]>
* Date: 15 May 2004 17:25:29 GMT
* Subj: Re: Cingular in Chicago
==========================================================================

FL>> I used to have the number, but can't find it anywhere, sorry.

JS> It's OK! I don't and won't use them because of this lack of
JS> support.

JS> I know about them however as my wife and son are on a family plan
JS> with rollover minutes. Saves me a lot of money!

I have an entry in my phonebook for "Cingular after hours". I can't remember where or when I got it but it may be what you're thinking of. It's 1-866-801-3600 if you want to try it. Good luck.
--
Jack

> I have an entry in my phonebook for "Cingular after hours". I can't remember
>where or when I got it but it may be what you're thinking of. It's
>1-866-801-3600 if you want to try it. Good luck.

Thanks Jack

--
John S.
e-mail responses to - john at kiana dot net

========================================================================
* Reply by Jack D. Russell, Sr. <[email protected]>
* Newsgroup: alt.cellular.cingular
* Reply to: All; "John S." <[email protected]>
* Date: 16 May 2004 16:29:28 GMT
* Subj: Re: Cingular in Chicago
==========================================================================

FL>> I have an entry in my phonebook for "Cingular after hours". I
FL>> can't remember where or when I got it but it may be what you're
FL>> thinking of. It's 1-866-801-3600 if you want to try it. Good luck.

JS> Thanks Jack

YW.

--
Jack