Why should I switch to GSM ?

I have been reading this news group for several months now and have still
not scene anything earth shattering that would convince me to switch to an
ALL GSM solution.

I presently am on a Georgia (metro Atlanta) statewide TDMA family talk plan
with 4 Motorola V60T's .... and they work flawlessly. We use them for
voice and my daughters use text messaging....and that's about it.

I realize that some day in the next several years I'll have to swap to GSM
when Cingular bails out of TDMA...but I don't believe it will be any time
soon. The answer here in Atlanta to maintain an equal coverage footprint is
the GAIT phones....and that is an interim solution. I have many friends
that have the 6340i's and have yet to here anyone praise them. We like the
all GSM phones....but don't want to give up the coverage.

Am I missing something ? Please take a moment and enlighten me.....Thanks
!

---

› See More: Why should I switch to GSM ?

>I realize that some day in the next several years I'll have to swap to GSM
>when Cingular bails out of TDMA...but I don't believe it will be any time
>soon. The answer here in Atlanta to maintain an equal coverage footprint is
>the GAIT phones....and that is an interim solution. I have many friends
>that have the 6340i's and have yet to here anyone praise them. We like the
>all GSM phones....but don't want to give up the coverage.
>
>Am I missing something ? Please take a moment and enlighten me.....Thanks

Nope, you're right on the money.

GSM offers international roaming, gadgety phones, lots of airtime, and data.
Unfortunately that comes at the expense of coverage area.

--
Dave
Visit my New England Cell Phone Page at
http://markson.net/cell_phones.htm
(to reply take out the "remove" in my e-mail)

Batwingz wrote:

> I have been reading this news group for several months now and have still
> not scene anything earth shattering that would convince me to switch to an
> ALL GSM solution.
>
> I presently am on a Georgia (metro Atlanta) statewide TDMA family talk plan
> with 4 Motorola V60T's .... and they work flawlessly. We use them for
> voice and my daughters use text messaging....and that's about it.
>
> I realize that some day in the next several years I'll have to swap to GSM
> when Cingular bails out of TDMA...but I don't believe it will be any time
> soon. The answer here in Atlanta to maintain an equal coverage footprint is
> the GAIT phones....and that is an interim solution. I have many friends
> that have the 6340i's and have yet to here anyone praise them. We like the
> all GSM phones....but don't want to give up the coverage.
>
> Am I missing something ? Please take a moment and enlighten me.....Thanks
> !


I don't think you're missing anything, I echo Dave's posted comments.
Your explained use of the technology leaves significant doubt that
GSM would improve anything for you, while subtracting excellent
coverage you currently enjoy. Given the same, I'd stick on your TDMA
plan with a white knuckle grip.

--
jer email reply - I am not a 'ten' ICQ = 35253273
"All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of
what we know." -- Richard Wilbur

I have the same problem. I was looking to switch to cingular GSM, but when
I looked at the coverage, it was far less than TDMA. Do you think it (GSM)
will eventually grow out to the coverage that current day TDMA is?


jer <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Batwingz wrote:
>
> > I have been reading this news group for several months now and have
still
> > not scene anything earth shattering that would convince me to switch to
an
> > ALL GSM solution.
> >
> > I presently am on a Georgia (metro Atlanta) statewide TDMA family talk
plan
> > with 4 Motorola V60T's .... and they work flawlessly. We use them for
> > voice and my daughters use text messaging....and that's about it.
> >
> > I realize that some day in the next several years I'll have to swap to
GSM
> > when Cingular bails out of TDMA...but I don't believe it will be any
time
> > soon. The answer here in Atlanta to maintain an equal coverage
footprint is
> > the GAIT phones....and that is an interim solution. I have many friends
> > that have the 6340i's and have yet to here anyone praise them. We like
the
> > all GSM phones....but don't want to give up the coverage.
> >
> > Am I missing something ? Please take a moment and enlighten
me.....Thanks
> > !
>
>
> I don't think you're missing anything, I echo Dave's posted comments.
> Your explained use of the technology leaves significant doubt that
> GSM would improve anything for you, while subtracting excellent
> coverage you currently enjoy. Given the same, I'd stick on your TDMA
> plan with a white knuckle grip.
>
> --
> jer email reply - I am not a 'ten' ICQ = 35253273
> "All that we do is touched with ocean, yet we remain on the shore of
> what we know." -- Richard Wilbur
>

"Matt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have the same problem. I was looking to switch to cingular GSM, but
when
> I looked at the coverage, it was far less than TDMA. Do you think it
(GSM)
> will eventually grow out to the coverage that current day TDMA is?
>
>
Cingular have stated that they will have 90% of their covered population
overlaid with GSM by end of 2003, and that it will be 100% completed by mid
2004. That does not speak to TDMA roaming partners, but I suspect that they
will overlay with GSM at about the same pace as the TDMA roaming revenue
will be dropping quick.

--
J

"Matt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I have the same problem. I was looking to switch to cingular GSM, but when
> I looked at the coverage, it was far less than TDMA. Do you think it (GSM)
> will eventually grow out to the coverage that current day TDMA is?

Eventually, yes. Many TDMA/AMPS carriers will switch to either GSM or
CDMA at some point in time. However, for many of the smaller carriers
that point may be several years into the future. For the time being
you're well advised to hold on to TDMA+AMPS or CDMA+AMPS if you want
the best possible coverage.

The best possible coverage is with the Nokia 6340i to get 800/1900 TDMA,
850(800)/1900 GSM and 800 AMPS. As Cingular turns the TDMA tranceivers
into GSM units, the # of TDMA calls available goes down. That will
start playing havoc with TDMA-only phones.

--
Chris

Please respond on Usenet or Phonescoop.com


[email protected] (XFF) wrote in article
<[email protected]>:
> "Matt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have the same problem. I was looking to switch to cingular GSM, but when
> > I looked at the coverage, it was far less than TDMA. Do you think it (GSM)
> > will eventually grow out to the coverage that current day TDMA is?
>
> Eventually, yes. Many TDMA/AMPS carriers will switch to either GSM or
> CDMA at some point in time. However, for many of the smaller carriers
> that point may be several years into the future. For the time being
> you're well advised to hold on to TDMA+AMPS or CDMA+AMPS if you want
> the best possible coverage.

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

Batwingz wrote:
> I have been reading this news group for several months now and have still
> not scene anything earth shattering that would convince me to switch to an
> ALL GSM solution.
>
> I presently am on a Georgia (metro Atlanta) statewide TDMA family talk plan
> with 4 Motorola V60T's .... and they work flawlessly. We use them for
> voice and my daughters use text messaging....and that's about it.

If your phones work fine now, I would not recommend switching. There
will come a time in the future when Cingular will encourage their
customers to give up thier TDMA/AMPS only phones in exchange for GAIT or
GSM phones. And besides, in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana,
Nebraska, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska, most areas are still covered by
only AMPS towers. Keeping that TDMA/AMPS phone or GAIT might be a good
investment with emergency services if you travel in the midwest or
plains at all (I even know of extensive areas that still do not have
even AMPS coverage...sad)

> I realize that some day in the next several years I'll have to swap to GSM
> when Cingular bails out of TDMA...but I don't believe it will be any time
> soon. The answer here in Atlanta to maintain an equal coverage footprint is
> the GAIT phones....and that is an interim solution. I have many friends
> that have the 6340i's and have yet to here anyone praise them. We like the
> all GSM phones....but don't want to give up the coverage.

I don't think Cingular is going to bail out of TDMA that fast. While I
think they will stop expanding their TDMA calling area, and start
replacing TDMA phones with GAIT phones, they will keep TDMA up for some
time, as roaming revenue from other carriers will keep the system
functional. Only when AT&T and Cingular make the final switch will TDMA
start to disappear. Even Western Wireless (Cellular One West) has
been expanding its TDMA coverage area in recent months, as a great
portion of its revenue is from AT&T (which in some months exceeds
revenue from its own customers).


> Am I missing something ? Please take a moment and enlighten me.....Thanks
> !
>
>