Future GSM Cingular Coverage question

Hello friends,

Well, I am considering switching to Cingular from Sprint PCS. Looking
at the coverage maps in Cingular brochure, I find there are large
areas that have no service. Someone told me that GSM in the US is only
18 months old and that in the next 1 year or so almost ALL of the
country will be covered. What do you think, is this likely to be true?

Your thoughts will be highly appreciated.

Aravind

---

› See More: Future GSM Cingular Coverage question

On 13 Oct 2004 15:52:50 -0700, [email protected] (Aravind) wrote:

>Hello friends,
>
>Well, I am considering switching to Cingular from Sprint PCS. Looking
>at the coverage maps in Cingular brochure, I find there are large
>areas that have no service.

This is true, but mostly consists of rural areas. Especially bad is large
areas of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon. Well -- just look at the map here
<http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html...on_GSM_map.htm>.

GSM coverage in the most populated urban areas is pretty good, but you
will certainly get more widespread coverage with a combination of
CDMA+AMPS. However, much of the coverage issues with AMPS depends on
whether SprintPCS allows you to roam on other people's towers.

>Someone told me that GSM in the US is only 18 months old

Not true. GSM has been in the US for far longer than that, but it is not
as widespread as CDMA+AMPS nor TDMA+AMPS, although the amount of TDMA+AMPS
coverage/quality goes down each day.

>and that in the next 1 year or so almost ALL of the country will be
>covered.

That's a bunch of crap. Even AMPS doesn't cover all of the country. I
doubt if ever almost all of the country will be covered by cellular service.

If you want/need near total country coverage, your only choice is
satellite phones, such as Iridium or Globalstar.

If you can live with most of the populated urban areas of the country
coverage, the CDMA+AMPS or a GAIT phone gives you the best coverage.

Ask youself where and when you need cellular service and then look at the
coverage maps. Most people don't "need" coverage over the entire country.
From speaking to people within the cellular industry, most of the
coverage complaints are that of LOCAL COVERAGE issues (e.g., dead spot in
neighborhood) rather than they can't get coverage out in the boonies.

gsm overall in the US is much older then 18 months. T-mo before they bought
up others, one such as voicestream was gsm in the early 90's, I think it may
even be earlier then that, but unsure. As far as the country be covered,
well, that all depends on towers and who wants to put what up where, maybe
someone else has some more info then me.

Capt.

"Aravind" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello friends,
>
> Well, I am considering switching to Cingular from Sprint PCS. Looking
> at the coverage maps in Cingular brochure, I find there are large
> areas that have no service. Someone told me that GSM in the US is only
> 18 months old and that in the next 1 year or so almost ALL of the
> country will be covered. What do you think, is this likely to be true?
>
> Your thoughts will be highly appreciated.
>
> Aravind

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> This is true, but mostly consists of rural areas. Especially bad is large
> areas of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon. Well -- just look at the map here
> <http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html...on_GSM_map.htm>.

Let me add a big CAUTION here. That map, even though it has been
recently updated, is NOWHERE NEAR CORRECT. I suspect it either includes
all TDMA/AMPS roaming partners or at least those partners that have
agreed to convert from TDMA to GSM--WHETHER THEY'VE CONVERTED OR NOT.
Guess what--many if not most of the smaller carriers HAVE NOT converted
yet and many may not even have started testing.

Texas for example has HUGE gaps where that map shows existing coverage.
I'm talking about lots of patches each a hundred miles across. My guess
would be that 1/3 to 1/2 of the dark orange really should be shown light
orange for future coverage. With a few exceptions such as along major
freeways most (all?) towns under 20000 people and almost all rural areas
away from a metroplex "zone" do NOT have any GSM coverage yet. If Texas
is that incorrect I suspect other states are also.

>
> >and that in the next 1 year or so almost ALL of the country will be
> >covered.
>
> That's a bunch of crap. Even AMPS doesn't cover all of the country. I
> doubt if ever almost all of the country will be covered by cellular service.
>
> If you can live with most of the populated urban areas of the country
> coverage, the CDMA+AMPS or a GAIT phone gives you the best coverage.

In the last couple of years of roaming the northern half of Texas I bet
I could count the number of times I had NO signal at all on one hand--
always low lying valleys where the big towers weren't reaching. Nor
have I seen AMPS that much--what used to be AMPS is now solid TDMA. The
small carriers have really done an excellent job of covering the rural
areas.

If I hadn't gotten a GAIT phone I'd have been forced to Verizon by now
and having to make do with AMPS in most of the rural areas. Problem now
is that new customers probably cannot get a GAIT plan. The lack of a
GAIT plan has to be losing them some customers who KNOW they need
maximum coverage but I guess it will speed the transition for the
remainder.

--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

Nomen Nescio <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> On 13 Oct 2004 15:52:50 -0700, [email protected] (Aravind) wrote:
>

>
> This is true, but mostly consists of rural areas. Especially bad is large
> areas of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon. Well -- just look at the map here
> <http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html...on_GSM_map.htm>.


Thanks for replying (Capn too). Well, I don't travel much, may be once
a year. My concern is due to my having to move elsewhere shortly (am
looking for a new job) and I don't want to end up in MT, NV etc, not
even Seattle if I get Cingular though all these places may have
potential job options, I guess.


> CDMA+AMPS. However, much of the coverage issues with AMPS depends on
> whether SprintPCS allows you to roam on other people's towers.


> Not true. GSM has been in the US for far longer than that, but it is not
> as widespread as CDMA+AMPS nor TDMA+AMPS, although the amount of TDMA+AMPS
> coverage/quality goes down each day.


I wonder which of the two sprint uses, CDMA+AMPS or TDMA+AMPS? Why
does the quality/coverage of the latter go down progressively?


> If you can live with most of the populated urban areas of the country
> coverage, the CDMA+AMPS or a GAIT phone gives you the best coverage.
>

If you don't mind, can you please tell me what is a GAIT phone and who
carries them, service-wise?

Thanks again.

Aravind

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 14 Oct 2004 09:17:33
-0700, [email protected] (Aravind) wrote:

>Nomen Nescio <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

>> Not true. GSM has been in the US for far longer than that, but it is not
>> as widespread as CDMA+AMPS nor TDMA+AMPS, although the amount of TDMA+AMPS
>> coverage/quality goes down each day.
>
>I wonder which of the two sprint uses, CDMA+AMPS or TDMA+AMPS?

CDMA+AMPS.

>Why
>does the quality/coverage of the latter go down progressively?

TDMA is being converted to GSM.

>> If you can live with most of the populated urban areas of the country
>> coverage, the CDMA+AMPS or a GAIT phone gives you the best coverage.
>
>If you don't mind, can you please tell me what is a GAIT phone and who
>carries them, service-wise?

GAIT phones (on GAIT plans) support GSM+TDMA+AMPS. They aren't being actively
marketed, but can be found on the Internet (e.g., eBay) and then activated on
ATTWS or Cingular.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

John Navas <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> >If you don't mind, can you please tell me what is a GAIT phone and who
> >carries them, service-wise?
>
> GAIT phones (on GAIT plans) support GSM+TDMA+AMPS. They aren't being actively
> marketed, but can be found on the Internet (e.g., eBay) and then activated on
> ATTWS or Cingular.

I wonder why people don't get these phones much if this is the case.
They are more expensive? I guess in order to get more coverage one has
to have dual plans from two different providers (ATTWS AND Cingular?)
operating concurrently. It would be more expensive, I think, but still
useful. Am I wrong?

Thanks

Aravind

Jud Hardcastle <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
> >
> > This is true, but mostly consists of rural areas. Especially bad is large
> > areas of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon. Well -- just look at the map here
> > <http://onlinestore.cingular.com/html...on_GSM_map.htm>.
>
> Let me add a big CAUTION here. That map, even though it has been
> recently updated, is NOWHERE NEAR CORRECT. I suspect it either includes
> all TDMA/AMPS roaming partners or at least those partners that have
> agreed to convert from TDMA to GSM--WHETHER THEY'VE CONVERTED OR NOT.
> Guess what--many if not most of the smaller carriers HAVE NOT converted
> yet and many may not even have started testing.
>
> Texas for example has HUGE gaps where that map shows existing coverage.
> I'm talking about lots of patches each a hundred miles across. My guess
> would be that 1/3 to 1/2 of the dark orange really should be shown light
> orange for future coverage. With a few exceptions such as along major
> freeways most (all?) towns under 20000 people and almost all rural areas
> away from a metroplex "zone" do NOT have any GSM coverage yet. If Texas
> is that incorrect I suspect other states are also.
>
> >

I guess, you are right, Jud. May be the maps are a little exagerated
(*****ing?) and takes into account future coverage. I wonder whether
that is due to GSM being relatively new in the US (18 months?); if
that is the case, at the rate at which it is going coverage-wise, at
least according to the map, I guess it has potential to almost
(subjective, with some pockets still with no coverage, mountain tops,
etc, at least, I guess) cover the country in a couple of years,
hopefully. I wonder though.

Thanks again.

Aravind

On 16 Oct 2004 08:43:33 -0700, [email protected] (Aravind) wrote:

>John Navas <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>>
>> >If you don't mind, can you please tell me what is a GAIT phone and who
>> >carries them, service-wise?
>>
>> GAIT phones (on GAIT plans) support GSM+TDMA+AMPS. They aren't being
actively
>> marketed, but can be found on the Internet (e.g., eBay) and then
activated on
>> ATTWS or Cingular.
>
>I wonder why people don't get these phones much if this is the case.

A few reasons:

1. There are only TWO GAIT phones, AFAIK. The Nokia 6340/6340i and the
SE T62u (there is a Siemens phone that goes GSM/TDMA, but not AMPS) and
they are not really feature rich for 2004. And the SE T62u was a really
ugly phone that didn't work all that well. A lot of people want the
"cool" phones now, with color screens, cameras, MP3 ringtones, etc.
2. Most people (NOT ALL) don't care much about getting coverage "in the
boonies". The biggest complaint about coverage to carriers is about their
cellphone not working in a certain spot around their neighborhood/where
they live, not that they couldn't get coverage hundreds of miles away from
where they lived.
3. They weren't heavily promoted and the plans cost most than the GSM or
TDMA/AMPS ones. MOST people would prefer to have a lot more minutes for
use that you get with the GSM or TDMA plans than wider coverage area.

>They are more expensive?

No. The GAIT phones are pretty inexpensive.

>I guess in order to get more coverage one has to have dual plans from
>two different providers (ATTWS AND Cingular?)

One could. A less expensive way would be to go with Verizon and a
tri-band phone (CDMA 850/1900 + AMPS) if you need the widest possible
coverage. I have a GSM-only phone/plan right now, and I hardly ever am at
a spot where I don't have a signal all year long.

>operating concurrently. It would be more expensive, I think, but still
>useful. Am I wrong?

Its usefulness depends on where you are/go and how badly you want/need
cellular service there.

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 16 Oct 2004 08:43:33
-0700, [email protected] (Aravind) wrote:

>John Navas <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>>
>> >If you don't mind, can you please tell me what is a GAIT phone and who
>> >carries them, service-wise?
>>
>> GAIT phones (on GAIT plans) support GSM+TDMA+AMPS. They aren't being actively
>> marketed, but can be found on the Internet (e.g., eBay) and then activated on
>> ATTWS or Cingular.
>
>I wonder why people don't get these phones much if this is the case.
>They are more expensive? I guess in order to get more coverage one has
>to have dual plans from two different providers (ATTWS AND Cingular?)
>operating concurrently. It would be more expensive, I think, but still
>useful. Am I wrong?

Yes -- ATTWS subscribers may not roam freely on Cingular.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>