Old fart needs help with new phone plan.

I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be discontinued
next February and in the meantime, they are going to start charging us an
additional $5 per month. We currently have two phones that we pay $9 per
month each. We make almost no calls but keep them in the cars for an
emergency. From doing research on the net, I think pay as you go would be
for us but I'm confused about services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading
terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go
phone, that won't be obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.

I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others roll
them over if you keep paying.

Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common denominator
explanation level.

Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read you can
donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other countries. Would
that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any recommendations for a good cause?

I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!

---

› See More: Old fart needs help with new phone plan.

"JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be
> discontinued next February and in the meantime, they are going to
> start charging us an additional $5 per month. We currently have two
> phones that we pay $9 per month each. We make almost no calls but
> keep them in the cars for an emergency. From doing research on the
> net, I think pay as you go would be for us but I'm confused about
> services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM
> and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go phone, that won't be
> obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>
> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
> roll them over if you keep paying.
>
> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common
> denominator explanation level.
>
> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read
> you can donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other
> countries. Would that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any
> recommendations for a good cause?
>
> I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!

I just transferred our family plan from AT&T/Cingular to Cingluar for
basically the same reason and it was a total nightmare. I must've spent
over 8 hours all told on the phone with customer "service" (I use the
term loosely) trying to straighten things out. Almost every possible
problem that could've occurred did. One of the worst experiences I've
ever had with any company.

My advice: Go to your nearest Verizon store.

Regards,
Joe

"Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be
>> discontinued next February and in the meantime, they are going to
>> start charging us an additional $5 per month. We currently have two
>> phones that we pay $9 per month each. We make almost no calls but
>> keep them in the cars for an emergency. From doing research on the
>> net, I think pay as you go would be for us but I'm confused about
>> services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM
>> and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go phone, that won't be
>> obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>>
>> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
>> roll them over if you keep paying.
>>
>> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common
>> denominator explanation level.
>>
>> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read
>> you can donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other
>> countries. Would that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any
>> recommendations for a good cause?
>>
>> I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!
>
> I just transferred our family plan from AT&T/Cingular to Cingluar for
> basically the same reason and it was a total nightmare. I must've spent
> over 8 hours all told on the phone with customer "service" (I use the
> term loosely) trying to straighten things out. Almost every possible
> problem that could've occurred did. One of the worst experiences I've
> ever had with any company.
>
> My advice: Go to your nearest Verizon store.
>
> Regards,
> Joe

I would never deal with Cingular again, but that's not the point. The
lowest plan they can offer is $59.99 per month for our two phones. I want
something in the $9 range and "pay as you go" seems to be the answer, but I
still have all the questions I stated above.

"JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be
> discontinued next February and in the meantime, they are going to
> start charging us an additional $5 per month. We currently have two
> phones that we pay $9 per month each. We make almost no calls but
> keep them in the cars for an emergency. From doing research on the
> net, I think pay as you go would be for us but I'm confused about
> services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM
> and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go phone, that won't be
> obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>
> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
> roll them over if you keep paying.
>
> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common
> denominator explanation level.
>
> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read
> you can donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other
> countries. Would that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any
> recommendations for a good cause?
>
> I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!
>
>

T-Mobil's prepaid allows you to keep your minutes for a year if you
purchase at least $100 worth. That works out to less than $9.00 per
month exclusive of any taxes that might apply.

It is unlikely that any phone you buy today will be obsolete in 3 years.
Most likely they will work fine if all you want to do is make and
receive calls.

"JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> "Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]:
>>
>>> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be
>>> discontinued next February and in the meantime, they are going to
>>> start charging us an additional $5 per month. We currently have two
>>> phones that we pay $9 per month each. We make almost no calls but
>>> keep them in the cars for an emergency. From doing research on the
>>> net, I think pay as you go would be for us but I'm confused about
>>> services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading terms like GMS, AMPS,
>>> GSM and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go phone, that
>>> won't be obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>>>
>>> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
>>> roll them over if you keep paying.
>>>
>>> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common
>>> denominator explanation level.
>>>
>>> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read
>>> you can donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other
>>> countries. Would that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any
>>> recommendations for a good cause?
>>>
>>> I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!
>>
>> I just transferred our family plan from AT&T/Cingular to Cingluar for
>> basically the same reason and it was a total nightmare. I must've
>> spent over 8 hours all told on the phone with customer "service" (I
>> use the term loosely) trying to straighten things out. Almost every
>> possible problem that could've occurred did. One of the worst
>> experiences I've ever had with any company.
>>
>> My advice: Go to your nearest Verizon store.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Joe
>
> I would never deal with Cingular again, but that's not the point. The
> lowest plan they can offer is $59.99 per month for our two phones. I
> want something in the $9 range and "pay as you go" seems to be the
> answer, but I still have all the questions I stated above.

TDMA is going away soon, and until it does Cingular will be charging an
extra $5/month to leverage the increasing costs of supporting their old
networok. You will still be able to get pay-as-you go, but if you're on
TDMA now your current phones won't work and you'll have to get new
hardware.

Regards,
Joe

At 12 Sep 2006 22:38:11 +0000 JJ wrote:
> We currently have two phones that we pay $9 per
> month each. We make almost no calls but keep them in the cars for an
> emergency. From doing research on the net, I think pay as you go would
be
> for us but I'm confused about services. I know I have TDMA, but I
reading
> terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM and I'm confused.

GSM is the current technology used by Cingular and T-Mobile. It's here
to stay, but doesn't have as much coverage as AMPS, the analog technology
that's been around since the 80's. Your TDMA phones could fallback to
analog when thee was no TDMA signal- GSM phones don't, so look at the
coverage maps on cingular.com.

CDMA is another digital technology used by Verizon, Alltel and Sprint,
and like your TDMA phone, many CDMA phones can fallback to analog. For
this reason, a Verizon or Alltel prepaid plan might be better for you if
you travel to the sticks very often.

> I want to buy a pay as you go
> phone, that won't be obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.

Nothing you buy new today will be obsolete in 3 years, thankfully.

>
> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
roll
> them over if you keep paying.

Pretty much any prepaid plan will roll over as long as you add time
before your current bucket of minutes expire- i.e if you have, say 50
minutes let that expire tomorrow, so today you add a $25 100 minute card
that is good for 90 days, you'll now have 150 minutes good for the next
90 days.
>
> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common denominator
> explanation level.

Check the prepaid coverage maps for each provider that works in your
area, to rule out those that won't work for you, then check out a couple
of good websits that compare prepaid plans- I recommend Dave Markson's
cellguru.net and Bill Radio's mountainwireless.com. Though they're both
a bit area specific, they have excellent information.
>
> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read you
can
> donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other countries.
Would
> that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any recommendations for a good
cause?

Local shelters for battered women will usually take donations of used
phones.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Going to a Verizon store is a ridiculous response as that will allow the
poster to get the same problems from a different cell provider! Thus far I
have dealt with Verizon, Sprint, and Cingular and haven't found their
in-store help to be any different.

What is relevant is coverage area, price / fee structure for PPD, cost of
phones, etc.

"Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "JJ" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be
>> discontinued next February and in the meantime, they are going to
>> start charging us an additional $5 per month. We currently have two
>> phones that we pay $9 per month each. We make almost no calls but
>> keep them in the cars for an emergency. From doing research on the
>> net, I think pay as you go would be for us but I'm confused about
>> services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM
>> and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go phone, that won't be
>> obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>>
>> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
>> roll them over if you keep paying.
>>
>> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common
>> denominator explanation level.
>>
>> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read
>> you can donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other
>> countries. Would that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any
>> recommendations for a good cause?
>>
>> I thank you in advance for any advice/help you can provide!
>
> I just transferred our family plan from AT&T/Cingular to Cingluar for
> basically the same reason and it was a total nightmare. I must've spent
> over 8 hours all told on the phone with customer "service" (I use the
> term loosely) trying to straighten things out. Almost every possible
> problem that could've occurred did. One of the worst experiences I've
> ever had with any company.
>
> My advice: Go to your nearest Verizon store.
>
> Regards,
> Joe

The links you provided are great and I added them to my favorites. Thanks.

"Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> At 12 Sep 2006 22:38:11 +0000 JJ wrote:
>> We currently have two phones that we pay $9 per
>> month each. We make almost no calls but keep them in the cars for an
>> emergency. From doing research on the net, I think pay as you go would
> be
>> for us but I'm confused about services. I know I have TDMA, but I
> reading
>> terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM and I'm confused.
>
> GSM is the current technology used by Cingular and T-Mobile. It's here
> to stay, but doesn't have as much coverage as AMPS, the analog technology
> that's been around since the 80's. Your TDMA phones could fallback to
> analog when thee was no TDMA signal- GSM phones don't, so look at the
> coverage maps on cingular.com.
>
> CDMA is another digital technology used by Verizon, Alltel and Sprint,
> and like your TDMA phone, many CDMA phones can fallback to analog. For
> this reason, a Verizon or Alltel prepaid plan might be better for you if
> you travel to the sticks very often.
>
>> I want to buy a pay as you go
>> phone, that won't be obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.
>
> Nothing you buy new today will be obsolete in 3 years, thankfully.
>
>>
>> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others
> roll
>> them over if you keep paying.
>
> Pretty much any prepaid plan will roll over as long as you add time
> before your current bucket of minutes expire- i.e if you have, say 50
> minutes let that expire tomorrow, so today you add a $25 100 minute card
> that is good for 90 days, you'll now have 150 minutes good for the next
> 90 days.
>>
>> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common denominator
>> explanation level.
>
> Check the prepaid coverage maps for each provider that works in your
> area, to rule out those that won't work for you, then check out a couple
> of good websits that compare prepaid plans- I recommend Dave Markson's
> cellguru.net and Bill Radio's mountainwireless.com. Though they're both
> a bit area specific, they have excellent information.
>>
>> Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read you
> can
>> donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other countries.
> Would
>> that apply to our TDMA phones? If so, any recommendations for a good
> cause?
>
> Local shelters for battered women will usually take donations of used
> phones.
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>

JJ <[email protected]> wrote:
> I just received a notice from Cingular that my service will be discontinued
> next February and in the meantime, they are going to start charging us an
> additional $5 per month. We currently have two phones that we pay $9 per
> month each. We make almost no calls but keep them in the cars for an
> emergency. From doing research on the net, I think pay as you go would be
> for us but I'm confused about services. I know I have TDMA, but I reading
> terms like GMS, AMPS, GSM and I'm confused. I want to buy a pay as you go
> phone, that won't be obsolete in 3 years and I need advice.

> I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others roll
> them over if you keep paying.

> Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common denominator
> explanation level.

As others have mentioned, time to think about leaving Cingular.
Check out the T-Mobile coverage where you are going to be using the
phone, if it works for you, go with their pre-paid. After you've added
$100 in credit they extend the whole balance for one year, any new
topups (even $10) extend the entire balance again for another year. You
can get cheap Nokia phones to active on their pre-paid all over (even at
Wal-Mart/Target) for about $30, basic phones, but good enough if you
just want voice. It's also very quick and easy to port your numbers out
from Cingular, just don't close your account before you start the
porting if you want to keep the numbers.

Cingular's pre-paid plan value is not very good, but I'd leave
them just on the fact that have piss-poor customer service/treatment.

On Tue, 12 Sep 2006 22:38:11 GMT, "JJ" <[email protected]> wrote:


>I also see some plans have the minutes expire in 3 months and others roll
>them over if you keep paying.
>
>Any recommendations and please keep it at the lowest common denominator
>explanation level.
>
>Oh, one last question; I know batteries can be recycled, but I read you can
>donate old phones and they can be put to good use in other countries.

That's not really true, in most cases.

Most used, donated cellphones are often given to woman's shelters and
other such places where women need help, so that women can dial "911"
on a free call and have the police come running when her husband
abuses and rapes her again.

FYI, all modern cellphones are required to dial "911", by law, as long
as the battery has power.

You don't need to be signed up with a cellphone carrier or anything
and best of all, the police have no way to trace the call back to the
caller, if it is only used briefly to call "911" to report a crime in
progress, like a possible rapist or a woman-abuser.

On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:39:18 -0700, Sally Rider <[email protected]>
wrote:

>You don't need to be signed up with a cellphone carrier or anything
>and best of all, the police have no way to trace the call back to the
>caller, if it is only used briefly to call "911" to report a crime in
>progress, like a possible rapist or a woman-abuser.

FYI - Modern 911 centers can if not trace the caller, then quickly
locate where the caller is to within 75 feet, on many units even if
the phone is turned off.

In alt.cellular.cingular Dadzilla wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:39:18 -0700, Sally Rider <[email protected]>
> wrote:

> >You don't need to be signed up with a cellphone carrier or anything
> >and best of all, the police have no way to trace the call back to the
> >caller, if it is only used briefly to call "911" to report a crime in
> >progress, like a possible rapist or a woman-abuser.

> FYI - Modern 911 centers can if not trace the caller, then quickly
> locate where the caller is to within 75 feet, on many units even if
> the phone is turned off.


How do you figure? What are you defining as "turned off"? No
service or as in the phone is powered down? If the latter, that's a
neat trick, one that I don't believe possible, I'd like you to explain
how they're locating these powered down mobile phones.

Not trying to argue to support the agenda the previous poster,
Sally, seems to be trying to push here. I'm just trying to point out
that the wording of "turned off" in this is very ambiguous and the idea
that some may read into it (that they can be located by an unpowered
mobile phone) is ludicrous.

B. Wright wrote:
> In alt.cellular.cingular Dadzilla wrote:
> > On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:39:18 -0700, Sally Rider <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
>
> > >You don't need to be signed up with a cellphone carrier or anything
> > >and best of all, the police have no way to trace the call back to the
> > >caller, if it is only used briefly to call "911" to report a crime in
> > >progress, like a possible rapist or a woman-abuser.
>
> > FYI - Modern 911 centers can if not trace the caller, then quickly
> > locate where the caller is to within 75 feet, on many units even if
> > the phone is turned off.
>
>
> How do you figure? What are you defining as "turned off"? No
> service or as in the phone is powered down? If the latter, that's a
> neat trick, one that I don't believe possible, I'd like you to explain
> how they're locating these powered down mobile phones.

What he is the ones that RF triggers in them
they don't tell you there. Sorta like the neo-con passports


> Not trying to argue to support the agenda the previous poster,
> Sally, seems to be trying to push here. I'm just trying to point out
> that the wording of "turned off" in this is very ambiguous and the idea
> that some may read into it (that they can be located by an unpowered
> mobile phone) is ludicrous.

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 05:07:31 +0000 (UTC), "B. Wright"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In alt.cellular.cingular Dadzilla wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:39:18 -0700, Sally Rider <[email protected]>
>> wrote:

>> FYI - Modern 911 centers can if not trace the caller, then quickly
>> locate where the caller is to within 75 feet, on many units even if
>> the phone is turned off.

> How do you figure? What are you defining as "turned off"? No
>service or as in the phone is powered down? If the latter, that's a
>neat trick, one that I don't believe possible, I'd like you to explain
>how they're locating these powered down mobile phones.

I'm wandering way off topic... but since you asked.

As cell phones have progressed they have been embeded with a number of
features. Almost all new phones now have GPS capabilitys, even if that
feature is not activated by the owner. Kind of like a low-buck Onstar
if you will.

Below is a snip from a site on cell phones:

==========================================================

Are there other privacy risks of cell phone use?

Some cell phone models can be turned into microphones and used to
eavesdrop on conversations in the vicinity. This is why some
businesses and government agencies prohibit cell phones in areas where
sensitive discussions are held.

And don't forget (although many cell phone users do): Your side of the
conversation can be heard when you talk on your cell phone in crowded
public places like restaurants, airports, malls, public
transportation, and busy city streets. If you don't want others to
listen to your personal conversations, be discreet and speak softly.
Better yet, move out of earshot of others or save those conversations
for the privacy of your home or office.

What are the privacy implications of location-tracking features?

By 2005 the Federal Communications Commission has mandated that the
majority of wireless providers be able to locate 911 calls within
about 100 feet of the originating cellular phone so that emergency
services can find the callers. This feature is called E-911.
(www.fcc.gov/911/enhanced) Carriers can either provide the location
information that resides in the cellular network (triangulation of
location based on the distance of the cell phone's signal to nearby
cellular towers), or they can rely on satellite data from global
positioning system (GPS) chips embedded in the handsets of their
customers.

The requirement that cell phones be embedded with location-tracking
technology has spawned a new industry – location-based services such
as targeted advertising. Here's how it is expected to work. As your
car approaches a freeway exit where a restaurant features your
favorite food, you could receive a text message on your phone or
handheld device with a special offer. Or as you walk past a coffee
house, your phone could receive an ad offering you a discount on a
double latte'.

While some might welcome this form of advertising, others are
concerned about the privacy implications of location-based
advertising. After all, in order to send you such ads, the service
must know something about your interests as well as your specific
location. If location records were kept over time, an in-depth profile
could be compiled for both marketing and surveillance purposes.

Currently, companies appear to be staying away from direct marketing
through location-based tracking. Recognizing that customers may be
turned off by such efforts, companies are expected to first market
their services to parents. These services would allow parents to
monitor their child's location by tracking their cell phone. A parent
would be able to turn on their computer and locate their child and
even watch as the child travels from place to place. In addition to
tracking the location, these monitoring services could send text
messages to children who travel too far from parent-approved
locations. Text messages may also be used to alert parents if a
stranger or hacker attempts to use the service to locate their child.

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs2-wire.htm#3

Another URL to read

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,11...1/article.html

====================================================
>
> Not trying to argue to support the agenda the previous poster,
>Sally, seems to be trying to push here. I'm just trying to point out
>that the wording of "turned off" in this is very ambiguous and the idea
>that some may read into it (that they can be located by an unpowered
>mobile phone) is ludicrous.

If the battery is removed the unit is dead, but simply switching the
phone to off dosn't stop the GPS from being activated on most units or
triangulation from being measured if you use the phone.

>>>>> "DZ" == Dadzilla <Dadzilla> writes:

DZ> If the battery is removed the unit is dead, but simply
DZ> switching the phone to off dosn't stop the GPS from being
DZ> activated on most units or triangulation from being measured
DZ> if you use the phone.

If you use the phone it's not "off", is it?

Switching a phone off stops a phone's reception of cell tower signals,
any GPS receiver it may have, and most importantly its periodic
pinging (transmission) to nearby cell tower antennas.

And how did we pick up all those odd groups? This reply directed to
only a.cellular.cingular.
--
Politics is applesauce.
Will Rogers