GAIT vs. GSM NATION?

I'm currently on the GAIT Plan (out of KC MO) so that I have coverage
in SW Wisconsin (Baraboo, Reedsburg, Mauston,) where we travel frequently to
visit relatives.

The current GSM Nation map shows no coverage in this area. Currently I
believe Cingular is using Alltel's towers in this area, but I see nothing
about GSM in Alltels future.

Anybody know if this area is going to be included in Cingulars GSM
coverage area in the near future?

If I was to jump to GSM Nation now for a lower price and more minutes,
will I have to upgrade as they expand their coverage, or will I be
grandfathered and always have coverage anywhere in future GSM coverage
areas? I would need to move quickly, as the $10 second line goes away on
June 20, 2004.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.


--
MICHAEL J. MacMAHON
Captain (ret.) KCPD

Remember, Golf is not a matter of Life or Death;
it is MUCH more important than that.


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› See More: GAIT vs. GSM NATION?

My advise would be to stay where you are. Until you can confirm that GSM
is functional where you want to go, stay on the GAIT plan. Here in the
D/FW area, once a customer leaves a GAIT plan they can't get back on it,
and they are stuck with GSM only. However thats not too much of a
problem here in Texas. Cingular is trying to get all customers off of
TDMA and over to GSM.

Michael MacMahon wrote:
> I'm currently on the GAIT Plan (out of KC MO) so that I have coverage
> in SW Wisconsin (Baraboo, Reedsburg, Mauston,) where we travel frequently to
> visit relatives.
>
> The current GSM Nation map shows no coverage in this area. Currently I
> believe Cingular is using Alltel's towers in this area, but I see nothing
> about GSM in Alltels future.
>
> Anybody know if this area is going to be included in Cingulars GSM
> coverage area in the near future?
>
> If I was to jump to GSM Nation now for a lower price and more minutes,
> will I have to upgrade as they expand their coverage, or will I be
> grandfathered and always have coverage anywhere in future GSM coverage
> areas? I would need to move quickly, as the $10 second line goes away on
> June 20, 2004.
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
>
>
>

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> My advise would be to stay where you are. Until you can confirm that GSM
> is functional where you want to go, stay on the GAIT plan. Here in the
> D/FW area, once a customer leaves a GAIT plan they can't get back on it,
> and they are stuck with GSM only. However thats not too much of a
> problem here in Texas. Cingular is trying to get all customers off of
> TDMA and over to GSM.
>

"once a customer leaves a GAIT plan they can't get back on it"

Didn't realize that--I assume you mean a GAIT regional plan since there
is still a GAIT national plan available.

"stuck with GSM only. However thats not too much of a problem here in
Texas."

Oh? Only if you never leave the big cities or the freeway system. Lots
of the smaller carriers haven't converted yet--some probably haven't
even started. Over the last month I've done quite a bit of traveling in
Central and East Texas and the number of times I got a GSM signal I can
count on one hand and then only in moderate-sized cities. There are
still HUGE areas where GSM is not available and won't be for some time.

One nasty surprise last week was an area in eastern Texas (near Mount
Pleasant) where the 6340i insisted on locking onto a GSM signal from
Western Wireless but was denied access. I thought WW was CDMA in that
area but they must be testing GSM. In any case Cingular apparently
doesn't have a roaming agreement with them--probably never needed it
before. The phone flatly refused to budge off that signal until the next
day when it was back on Cingular One TDMA. In the mean time had to
resort to PAY phones--yech. Oh for an option to force the phone to
another carrier...

--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

Jud Hardcastle wrote:

>>
>
>
> "once a customer leaves a GAIT plan they can't get back on it"
>
> Didn't realize that--I assume you mean a GAIT regional plan since there
> is still a GAIT national plan available.

I have friends who are on a National GAIT plan. They want to add the new
"media works" package. However this package can only be added to a GSM
only account. Moreover, they where also told that if they did move to a
GSM only plan, they couldn't not get back on ANY GAIT plan. As for new
customers, this might be different.