Questions regarding the end of Cingular/T-Mobile network sharing:

Agreed. My house has metal roof tiles, but I have a good SprintPCS
signal all over the house. The tower signal is propagated horizontally,
not vertically.

--
John Richards


Bill Radio wrote:
> Leg,
> A metal roof would not limit your cellular signal, it comes through the
> walls and windows. But if you get no signal from Verizon, why not try any
> of the other carriers in your area? They allow you to bring a phone home to
> try it and give your money back if it doesn't work.
>
> -Bill Radio @ http://www.mountainwireless.com
>
>
>
> "Pegleg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>> I'm in a rural area in NW Washington State with Verizon and about 2
>> miles from a tower but cannot use our cell phones in our home due to a
>> metal roof.

---

› See More: Questions regarding the end of Cingular/T-Mobile network sharing:

> While TDMA still has better coverage than GSM, the Cingular GSM coverage did
>improve after the merger, at least in the western region, because AT&T had
>the more valuable 800 Mhz spectrum out here.

Does that mean what I was told by Cingular about GSM having better
coverage than TDMA (in northern CA) was not true?

When I got my first cellphone plan from AT&T in July 2003, I was told
that in my area, TDMA is better and that GSM will be getting better in
lese than a year. So I got TDMA. After a year of contract, I changed to
a lower rate AT&T plan of $29.99, but I didn't switch to GSM. I didn't
know whether GSM got better than TDMA in this area by then; I didn't
even think about buying a new phone. Because I WAS living in an old
unit, from the beginning, signal would drop, and sometimes messgaes
didn't get to my voice mail until ulater, etc. All these times, my
sister's phone of cingular service at her house, not far from where I
lived was really good in clearity.

After Cingular and AT&T merged, at a nearby cingular store, I was told
that that people with GSM (of Cingular) get better clearity than my
TDMA (now under Cingular). I held onto my cheap AT&T plan which was
just enough for me.

I was thinking to get a new service (with T-mobile which gives 1000 day
time minutes compared to 450 of Cingular for the same price) after my
current contract ends. I think I need to replace my Nokia phone which
is expensive to just buy it - may not even be available anymore. If I
get a new contract with Cingular, I would lose my current plan and must
switch GSM.

Before I decide to let go of my cheap plan, I'd like to know whether
TDMA still have better coverage than GSM in my area (northern CA). Can
anyone confirm?


My contract will end this July.

You are incorrect... RF Signals propogate based on the orientation and
polarization of antenna... a metal roof can and will effect in many
cases...

As was previously stated, ask an RF engineer...

The signal is not a beam like a laser, it is more like a truncated
oriental fan... the engineering dept decide how high the tower needs to
be, and at what angle the beam will fan out from the antenna... that is
why on some points of compass, you may have signal and at others you
may not.... On my particular commute home, there is a window of about
10 degrees (probably one antenna element) where my signal gets muddy,
and may drop, until I literally turn a corner (going into another
antenna element coverage) where it bangs back to full signal and
optimum clarity...

On Thu, 19 May 2005 23:31:43 -0700, "MS" <[email protected]> wrote:

>With T-Mobile (California) for $39.99 monthly I get 1000 anytime minutes,
>unlimited weekends, free long distance, no roaming charges, etc. Through a
>$2.99 monthly T-Zones add-on I get Internet connectivity.
>
>Could you get a rate anywhere near as good as that for that service level
>from Cingular?

Few months ago, I switched from Cingular TDMA to tMobile GSM - mostly
on that premise (i.e. 1,000 minutes/mo instead of 300).

With Cingular, I hadn't even developed the concept of zero
bars/inability to send/receive calls. Sort of like running NT 3.51
and not knowing what The Blue Screen Of Death was.

Now I'm on tMobile and I've become quite familiar with zero bars....
way too familiar.....

I'll probably switch back to Cingular when the contract's up. 1,000
minutes is nominally a good deal - and tMobile's overall customer
interface trumps Cingulars by a quantum factor.... but all that's only
good if you can use the phone some minimum percentage of the times
when you need to.

Southeastern Penna - about 23 miles west of Phila.

It's difficult to determine if GSM or TDMA has better coverage in any one
particular area, the difference being which towers are using which
technology. However, so far, the TDMA network hasn't changed, neither
better nor worse. So, if you stay with TDMA, service will be as good as
you've come to expect for at least the foreseeable future. If you need a
new TDMA phone, there are many good ones on eBay. But they will try to
discourage you from switching from one TDMA phone to another.

If you live in a real Cingular area and are not roaming, there is a very
good chance that GSM coverage is now as good as TDMA. The wild card is if
you do any roaming.

Bill Radio
Click for Western U.S. Wireless Reviews at:
http://www.mountainwireless.com




<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Before I decide to let go of my cheap plan, I'd like to know whether
> TDMA still have better coverage than GSM in my area (northern CA). Can
> anyone confirm?
>
>
> My contract will end this July.
>

"Bill Radio" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It's difficult to determine if GSM or TDMA has better coverage in any one
> particular area, the difference being which towers are using which
> technology. However, so far, the TDMA network hasn't changed, neither
> better nor worse.

Actually Bill, I have noticed a deterioration in TDMA coverage in my travels
around the country. So much so that I did away with my AT&T DOR plan and
went to a Cingular GSM plan and have not regreted it yet.

What prompted the change was a call to an airline to fix a reservation that
got screwed up. I was driving West on I-20 out of Dallas and within the
first 150 miles or so the connection was dropped several times on my TDMA
phone. This of course put me back in the beginning of the cue to talk to a
rep at the airline.

After several times, I decided to pick up my GSM only phone and give it a
try. Over the next 2 and a half hours I was On hold, and getting the problem
resolved, I was no longer dropped.

Since the change, I have been all over the country and have used the phone
in remote mountain areas in Utah as well as city locations and simlply have
not had a problem. Works and works well.