AT&T vs Cingular

I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone before
Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on the phone.
A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the model is unknown
since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it to me to replace my
lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone before Cingular and AT&T
merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the phone. This AT&T phone also
has a SIM card underneath the battery.

I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not work
on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at full
price).

Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?

Thanks,
~alan

---

› See More: AT&T vs Cingular

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

In <JgJGf.30586$%i3.22509@trnddc02> on Thu, 09 Feb 2006 15:32:57 GMT,
"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone before
>Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on the phone.
>A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the model is unknown
>since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it to me to replace my
>lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone before Cingular and AT&T
>merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the phone. This AT&T phone also
>has a SIM card underneath the battery.
>
>I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
>activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not work
>on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at full
>price).
>
>Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
>network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
>taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?

What you were told is correct. The phone is "locked" to ATTWS; ATTWS accounts
are no longer offered; and the phone won't work on Cingular accounts. If it's
a GSM (not TDMA) phone you could have it unlocked by an independent service
and then use it on a Cingular account, but the cost and hassle might not be
worth it, and it still might not work as well as a newer phone.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:JgJGf.30586$%i3.22509@trnddc02...
>I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone
>before Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on the
>phone. A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the model is
>unknown since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it to me to
>replace my lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone before
>Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the phone.
>This AT&T phone also has a SIM card underneath the battery.
>
> I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
> activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not
> work on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at
> full price).
>
> Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
> network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
> taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?
>
> Thanks,
> ~alan
>
>
No, the phone is locked to AT&T, you can have it unlocked, then it will work
on Cingular.
...
bamp

Thanks all, I just wanted to make sure.

Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on the
other network at the merger? I was under the impresstion that with the
"Raising the Bar" advertising (more bars in more places), my current phone
was working on both networks. I don't think both companies went of their
ways to increase the number of towers.

~alan


"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:JgJGf.30586$%i3.22509@trnddc02...
>I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone
>before Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on the
>phone. A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the model is
>unknown since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it to me to
>replace my lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone before
>Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the phone.
>This AT&T phone also has a SIM card underneath the battery.
>
> I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
> activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not
> work on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at
> full price).
>
> Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
> network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
> taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?
>
> Thanks,
> ~alan
>
>

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

In <STKGf.10679$In4.2357@trnddc06> on Thu, 09 Feb 2006 17:22:58 GMT,
"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on the
>other network at the merger? I was under the impresstion that with the
>"Raising the Bar" advertising (more bars in more places), my current phone
>was working on both networks.

In the case of GSM phones, each networks was enabled for free roaming on the
other network, which gives the benefit of greatly increased network coverage.
However, phones will only roam when there is no "usable" home network signal,
even when the roaming network has much better signal, and single band 1900 Mhz
phones won't get the benefit of 850 MHz coverage.

>I don't think both companies went of their
>ways to increase the number of towers.

Some redundant towers were taken out of service. New towers are being added
all the time. GSM coverage has continued to improve. D-AMPS ("TDMA")
coverage is being phased out.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

Your name, BAMP! Does that stand for Bell Atlantic Mobile Phone, as it was
called before Verizon?

thanks for your answer.
~alan

"bamp" <bampatcenturyteldotnet> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:JgJGf.30586$%i3.22509@trnddc02...
>>I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone
>>before Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on the
>>phone. A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the model is
>>unknown since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it to me to
>>replace my lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone before
>>Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the phone.
>>This AT&T phone also has a SIM card underneath the battery.
>>
>> I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
>> activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not
>> work on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at
>> full price).
>>
>> Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
>> network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
>> taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> ~alan
>>
>>
> No, the phone is locked to AT&T, you can have it unlocked, then it will
> work on Cingular.
> ..
> bamp
>

Nope it stands for bamp.
...
bamp


"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:yeOGf.32599$H43.18640@trnddc08...
> Your name, BAMP! Does that stand for Bell Atlantic Mobile Phone, as it
> was called before Verizon?
>
> thanks for your answer.
> ~alan
>
> "bamp" <bampatcenturyteldotnet> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> "~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:JgJGf.30586$%i3.22509@trnddc02...
>>>I recently lost my Cingular Phone. By that I mean I bought the phone
>>>before Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the Cingular name on
>>>the phone. A co-worker has an AT&T phone that she no longer uses (the
>>>model is unknown since she has the phone back at home now) and offered it
>>>to me to replace my lost phone. By an AT&T phone, she bought the phone
>>>before Cingular and AT&T merged and the phone has the AT&T name on the
>>>phone. This AT&T phone also has a SIM card underneath the battery.
>>>
>>> I brought the AT&T phone into a local Cingular/AT&T store to have it
>>> activated and was told because it says AT&T on the phone, it would not
>>> work on the new combined network and would have to buy a new phone (at
>>> full price).
>>>
>>> Could they have simply activated the AT&T phone on the now combination
>>> network? Could they have installed a new SIM in the AT&T phone? Was I
>>> taken for a ride all in the name of some sales person's commission?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> ~alan
>>>
>>>
>> No, the phone is locked to AT&T, you can have it unlocked, then it will
>> work on Cingular.
>> ..
>> bamp
>>
>
>

"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:STKGf.10679
>
> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
> the other network at the merger?

As I understand it, Cingular is refusing to add any new customers to the
Blue network, and any of the old AT&T phones will not work on their Orange
network.

Perhaps my opinions are biased against Cingular because I was so disgruntled
(I left them today for Sprint PCS). But my impression is that Cingular and
AT&T didn't exactly "join forces," as was stated in their old advertising
campaign. Cingular appears to want to shut down AT&T Wireless customers'
service entirely and get them to merge into their Orange network. All one
reads here are complaints from ATTWS customers about how they were coerced
by Cingular into accepting more expensive plans, and having to re-up for
another two years. And, it seems that Cingular takes advantage of ATTWS'
customers in their weak moments--like when their phone is lost or
malfunctions, and when they need another phone right away. I'll bet that
lots of people re-up under duress. Cingular knows well what they are doing.

Are you certain that you really want to make Cingular your wireless carrier
of choice?

I feel like I just got out of jail, after having taken my business elsewhere
earlier this week.

"Jeremy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1hPGf.150315$7l4.59748@trnddc05...
>
> "~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:STKGf.10679
>>
>> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
>> the other network at the merger?
>
> As I understand it, Cingular is refusing to add any new customers to the
> Blue network, and any of the old AT&T phones will not work on their Orange
> network.
>
> Perhaps my opinions are biased against Cingular because I was so
> disgruntled (I left them today for Sprint PCS). But my impression is that
> Cingular and AT&T didn't exactly "join forces," as was stated in their old
> advertising campaign. Cingular appears to want to shut down AT&T Wireless
> customers' service entirely and get them to merge into their Orange
> network. All one reads here are complaints from ATTWS customers about how
> they were coerced by Cingular into accepting more expensive plans, and
> having to re-up for another two years. And, it seems that Cingular takes
> advantage of ATTWS' customers in their weak moments--like when their phone
> is lost or malfunctions, and when they need another phone right away.
> I'll bet that lots of people re-up under duress. Cingular knows well what
> they are doing.
>
> Are you certain that you really want to make Cingular your wireless
> carrier of choice?
>
> I feel like I just got out of jail, after having taken my business
> elsewhere earlier this week.
I have been pondering leaving Cingular for Verizon because of unhappiness
with Cingular phones (previously an AT&T customer), first the Motorola MPx
220 (had two of them), now the Audiovox SMT 5600, which appears to be a
model that was introduced specifically to replace the buggy MPx 220.
Audiovox doesn't even show the phone on its web site. A search for the SMT
5600 on the Audiovox site returns an "invalid model number" message. I tried
to convince Cingular to give me a new phone, but the warranty on the
Audiovox had just expired. They finally offered me $30 off the full retail
price of a new phone. Duh. I'm so tired of the dropped calls that I pondered
paying the penalty to break the contract and going with Verizon, but I'd
have to pay something for phones there as well. So I may just bite the
bullet and stay with Cingular the remaining 10 mos. of my contract. Maybe. I
need a phone when traveling out of the country and I shudder at the prospect
of dropped a calls in Europe.

HH

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

In <1hPGf.150315$7l4.59748@trnddc05> on Thu, 09 Feb 2006 22:22:53 GMT,
"Jeremy" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:STKGf.10679
>>
>> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
>> the other network at the merger?
>
>As I understand it, Cingular is refusing to add any new customers to the
>Blue network, and any of the old AT&T phones will not work on their Orange
>network.

Locked ATTWS (not AT&T) phones won't work on any other network.

>Perhaps my opinions are biased against Cingular because I was so disgruntled
>(I left them today for Sprint PCS).

I'd say more than "perhaps".

>But my impression is that Cingular and
>AT&T didn't exactly "join forces," as was stated in their old advertising
>campaign. Cingular appears to want to shut down AT&T Wireless customers'
>service entirely and get them to merge into their Orange network.

Nope. Cingular is shutting down D-AMPS, just as ATTWS was, but ATTWS GSM will
continue. Your problem was due to D-AMPS.

>All one
>reads here are complaints from ATTWS customers about how they were coerced
>by Cingular into accepting more expensive plans, and having to re-up for
>another two years.

That's not all one reads here.

>And, it seems that Cingular takes advantage of ATTWS'
>customers in their weak moments--like when their phone is lost or
>malfunctions, and when they need another phone right away. I'll bet that
>lots of people re-up under duress. Cingular knows well what they are doing.

Nonsense.

>Are you certain that you really want to make Cingular your wireless carrier
>of choice?

Yes. It fits my needs better than any other carrier (and I've tried them
all).

>I feel like I just got out of jail, after having taken my business elsewhere
>earlier this week.

I think you're letting your emotions run away with you.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:STKGf.10679$In4.2357@trnddc06...
> Thanks all, I just wanted to make sure.
>
> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
the
> other network at the merger? I was under the impresstion that with the
> "Raising the Bar" advertising (more bars in more places), my current phone
> was working on both networks. I don't think both companies went of their
> ways to increase the number of towers.
>
> ~alan

don't think of it as what network the phone was using, they were and are
using only ONE network. now owned by CINGULAR..

the problem is your AT&T phone ONLY accepts AT&T sim cards.. this is of
course unless you get it unlocked..

Cingular no longer sells AT&T sim cards.. so they wont and cant do anything
with old AT&T phones.. mistakenly they just say it wont work.

you can get your phone unlocked, it will and should work just fine being
that AT&T phones used the same frequencies that Cingular now uses.
(850/1900)

the only problems is, if its a very old NOKIA or SAMSUNG phone, they don't
like the new 64k sim cards Cingular uses now.
if your sim card is the solid white 32k one then your ok.

the other minor problem that in most every case can be easily solved is an
AT&T or any other unlocked phone wont work with MMS and WAP unless they are
reprogrammed. if the unlocker you take the phone to is worth anything he can
do this for you.

I unlock phones and so far I haven't had a phone yet I couldn't reprogram to
work flawlessly with the company the owner was using.

do you know the model of the phone?

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

In <[email protected]> on Thu, 9 Feb 2006 23:36:05 -0800,
"Aaron" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:STKGf.10679$In4.2357@trnddc06...
>>
>> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on the
>> other network at the merger? I was under the impresstion that with the
>> "Raising the Bar" advertising (more bars in more places), my current phone
>> was working on both networks. I don't think both companies went of their
>> ways to increase the number of towers.

>don't think of it as what network the phone was using, they were and are
>using only ONE network. now owned by CINGULAR..

Nope. There will eventually be one network, but now there are still TWO
networks, blue (old ATTWS) and orange (old Cingular). GSM subscribers on
either network can freely roam on the other.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

"Jeremy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1hPGf.150315$7l4.59748@trnddc05...
>
> "~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:STKGf.10679
>>
>> Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
>> the other network at the merger?
>
> As I understand it, Cingular is refusing to add any new customers to the
> Blue network, and any of the old AT&T phones will not work on their Orange
> network.
>
> Perhaps my opinions are biased against Cingular because I was so
> disgruntled (I left them today for Sprint PCS). But my impression is that
> Cingular and AT&T didn't exactly "join forces," as was stated in their old
> advertising campaign. Cingular appears to want to shut down AT&T Wireless
> customers' service entirely and get them to merge into their Orange
> network. All one reads here are complaints from ATTWS customers about how
> they were coerced by Cingular into accepting more expensive plans, and
> having to re-up for another two years. And, it seems that Cingular takes
> advantage of ATTWS' customers in their weak moments--like when their phone
> is lost or malfunctions, and when they need another phone right away.
> I'll bet that lots of people re-up under duress. Cingular knows well what
> they are doing.
>
> Are you certain that you really want to make Cingular your wireless
> carrier of choice?
>
I used to be a verizon (BA at the time) customer and I definatly will go
back. They may not offer Free nights and weekends beginning a 7:00 p.m. and
they may not be an all digital network and they may not be this and they may
not be that, but when I need a signal, it's there! What good are all of the
whistles and bells if I can not connect to them?


> I feel like I just got out of jail, after having taken my business
> elsewhere earlier this week.
>

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

In <dA2Hf.37$_D1.10@trnddc03> on Fri, 10 Feb 2006 15:47:21 GMT, "~~Alan~~"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I used to be a verizon (BA at the time) customer and I definatly will go
>back. They may not offer Free nights and weekends beginning a 7:00 p.m. and
>they may not be an all digital network and they may not be this and they may
>not be that, but when I need a signal, it's there! What good are all of the
>whistles and bells if I can not connect to them?

True, but how is this related to your original post about replacing your lost
Cingular phone with an old ATTWS phone? A newer Cingular GSM 850/1900 phone
with ENS will get excellent coverage, arguably better overall than any other
digital service, although that may of course vary by specific location. You
could probably get a pretty good deal on one from Cingular, or buy one on eBay
for less.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

Jeremy wrote:

>"~~Alan~~" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:STKGf.10679
>
>
>>Quick question though, how did ATT and Cingular phones start working on
>>the other network at the merger?
>>
>>
>
>As I understand it, Cingular is refusing to add any new customers to the
>Blue network, and any of the old AT&T phones will not work on their Orange
>network.
>
>
>
It's not that the phones won't work on the network, it's that the phones
won't work with your account. Verizon won't activate CommNet Cellular
phones...even if they're CDMA. Heck, Verizon won't activate a lot of
Verizon branded phones anymore because of the E911 thing.

>Perhaps my opinions are biased against Cingular because I was so disgruntled
>(I left them today for Sprint PCS). But my impression is that Cingular and
>AT&T didn't exactly "join forces," as was stated in their old advertising
>campaign. Cingular appears to want to shut down AT&T Wireless customers'
>service entirely and get them to merge into their Orange network.
>

The cold hard truth is that AT&T Wireless couldn't stay in business.
They weren't making it. I think it's a pretty safe bet that Cingular
didn't want to adopt practices that would make it bankrupt and end up on
the auction block itself...

>All one
>reads here are complaints from ATTWS customers about how they were coerced
>by Cingular into accepting more expensive plans, and having to re-up for
>another two years. And, it seems that Cingular takes advantage of ATTWS'
>customers in their weak moments--like when their phone is lost or
>malfunctions, and when they need another phone right away. I'll bet that
>lots of people re-up under duress. Cingular knows well what they are doing.
>
>Are you certain that you really want to make Cingular your wireless carrier
>of choice?
>
>I feel like I just got out of jail, after having taken my business elsewhere
>earlier this week.
>
>

No matter what, *you* need to choose the wireless service that fits
*your* needs and wants best.