Cell phone bands (GSM 1900?) at Disney World

I'm going to Walt Disney World and am trying to figure out
whether my Ericsson A2218Z phone will work on the Cingular
prepaid network there. I've searched Google Groups for past
postings on the subject and found conflicting information:
one that said that Orlando and eastern Florida were all on
GSM 850; another from someone who said he used a GSM 1900
phone just fine throughout most of Disney World.

Can anyone verify whether a 1900-only phone will work at
WDW? If not, I'll upgrade to a dual-band 850/1900 phone
before I leave.

(There wouldn't be any difference in access between a 1900
phone on a monthly plan and a 1900 phone on a prepaid plan,
would there? In other words, if someone tells me that he/she
was able to use a 1900 MHz phone at WDW through a monthly
service plan, I'd be fine with prepaid, right? Or do the
cell phone companies use more restrictive coverage areas
for prepaid customers?)


Thanks!
Patty

---

› See More: Cell phone bands (GSM 1900?) at Disney World

You're going on vacation, leave that blasted thing at home!
In case of an emergency, use a public phone.


"Patty Winter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm going to Walt Disney World and am trying to figure out
> whether my Ericsson A2218Z phone will work on the Cingular
> prepaid network there. I've searched Google Groups for past
> postings on the subject and found conflicting information:
> one that said that Orlando and eastern Florida were all on
> GSM 850; another from someone who said he used a GSM 1900
> phone just fine throughout most of Disney World.
>
> Can anyone verify whether a 1900-only phone will work at
> WDW? If not, I'll upgrade to a dual-band 850/1900 phone
> before I leave.
>
> (There wouldn't be any difference in access between a 1900
> phone on a monthly plan and a 1900 phone on a prepaid plan,
> would there? In other words, if someone tells me that he/she
> was able to use a 1900 MHz phone at WDW through a monthly
> service plan, I'd be fine with prepaid, right? Or do the
> cell phone companies use more restrictive coverage areas
> for prepaid customers?)
>
>
> Thanks!
> Patty
>

On Tue, 07 Sep 2004 00:14:29 GMT, [email protected] (Patty Winter)
wrote:

>I'm going to Walt Disney World and am trying to figure out
>whether my Ericsson A2218Z phone will work on the Cingular
>prepaid network there. I've searched Google Groups for past
>postings on the subject and found conflicting information:
>one that said that Orlando and eastern Florida were all on
>GSM 850; another from someone who said he used a GSM 1900
>phone just fine throughout most of Disney World.
>
>Can anyone verify whether a 1900-only phone will work at
>WDW? If not, I'll upgrade to a dual-band 850/1900 phone
>before I leave.
>
>(There wouldn't be any difference in access between a 1900
>phone on a monthly plan and a 1900 phone on a prepaid plan,
>would there? In other words, if someone tells me that he/she
>was able to use a 1900 MHz phone at WDW through a monthly
>service plan, I'd be fine with prepaid, right? Or do the
>cell phone companies use more restrictive coverage areas
>for prepaid customers?)

Have you tried asking Cingular? I'll bet they know all the answers to
your questions.

>
>
>Thanks!
>Patty

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

In article <[email protected]>,
Dillon Pyron <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Have you tried asking Cingular?

Yes, of course. I called them earlier today. That's
how I found out that my phone might work in Florida,
which I had not previously believed.

>I'll bet they know all the answers to your questions.

They referred me to the map on their website, which shows
the entire 850/1900 coverage area for Cingular prepaid. It
does not indicate which areas are 850 MHz and which areas
are 1900 MHz.


Patty

On Tue, 07 Sep 2004, at 04:24:14 [GMT GMT] (14:24:14 Tuesday, 7 September
2004 where I live) "Patty Winter" wrote:

> They referred me to the map on their website, which shows
> the entire 850/1900 coverage area for Cingular prepaid. It
> does not indicate which areas are 850 MHz and which areas
> are 1900 MHz.

There is a Cingular news group alt.cellular.cingular which may be of more
assistance for you.

--
If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

On Tue, 07 Sep 2004 00:14:29 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> I'm going to Walt Disney World and am trying to figure out
> whether my Ericsson A2218Z phone will work on the Cingular
> prepaid network there. I've searched Google Groups for past
> postings on the subject and found conflicting information:
> one that said that Orlando and eastern Florida

Nevermind mobile-phone coverage, are you sure that Disney World is
actually still standing ? Must have taken quite a battering by that
hurricane.

--
Michael Turner
Email (ROT13)
[email protected]

[email protected] (Patty Winter) writes:
> (There wouldn't be any difference in access between a 1900
> phone on a monthly plan and a 1900 phone on a prepaid plan,
> would there? In other words, if someone tells me that he/she
> was able to use a 1900 MHz phone at WDW through a monthly
> service plan, I'd be fine with prepaid, right? Or do the
> cell phone companies use more restrictive coverage areas
> for prepaid customers?)

Yep, prepaid service areas are typically more restrictive. Many
carriers form the coverage for their postpaid plans from some
combination of their own network and the networks of other carriers
they have bulk roaming agreements with. Prepaid plans, on the other
hand, are often limited to the natively-owned network. This is the
case with Cingular GSM prepaid -- Cingular network only, no roaming.

[That isn't necessarily *entirely* true -- it seems that Cingular
prepaid can use the AT&T network in some areas. Although that is not
official, I've seen it happen at least once and tested it with calls
in both directions. (A precursor to the upcoming merger, perhaps?)
But that won't help you in Orlando, unfortunately, since both AT&T and
Cingular are 800 MHz there.]

The only carrier with 1900 MHz GSM in Orlando is, apparently,
T-Mobile. It is very unlikely that Cingular prepaid will use that at
all, but a lot less unlikely that Cingular and T-Mobile have an
agreement to let postpaid customers use it. (T-Mobile probably fills
a number of holes in Cingular's coverage in other parts of the
country.)

Unfortunately, you're probably stuck with one of three options: get a
dual-band phone, make alternate service arrangements, or do without.
For the first option, something like a Nokia 3595 should be cheap on
eBay (make sure it's unlocked, locked to Cingular, or can be unlocked
easily over the web). For the second, company-owned T-Mobile stores
should be able to sell you a prepaid SIM that will work in your
existing phone. (Of course in that case you'd be using a different
number while at DisneyWorld... but at least you'll still be using your
own phone.)

Good luck,
--Rob

>> are you sure that Disney World is actually still standing ? <<

It is standing, had very little damage from Frances, and is back to
normal operating hours today.

--
Bob Richmond
Remove "SPAMBEGONE" to reply by EMail.

"... well uh, this is MY dream!" - Mickey Mouse in Fantasmic!

"Patty Winter" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
> I'm going to Walt Disney World and am trying to figure out
> whether my Ericsson A2218Z phone will work on the Cingular
> prepaid network there. I've searched Google Groups for past
> postings on the subject and found conflicting information:
> one that said that Orlando and eastern Florida were all on
> GSM 850; another from someone who said he used a GSM 1900
> phone just fine throughout most of Disney World.
>

Look at:

http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi/ni_map.p...6&cc=us&net=be

Ive been there 2 years ago and as far as I remember Cingular was available.
I had coverage but I am not sure if it was cingular.

Oliver

"Patty Winter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> Can anyone verify whether a 1900-only phone will work at
> WDW? If not, I'll upgrade to a dual-band 850/1900 phone
> before I leave.

I can confirm that in the Orlando area the two 1900mhz GSM operators are
T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless. I roamed with both fine.

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 13:42:30 GMT, "Loz" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Patty Winter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>>
>> Can anyone verify whether a 1900-only phone will work at
>> WDW? If not, I'll upgrade to a dual-band 850/1900 phone
>> before I leave.
>
>I can confirm that in the Orlando area the two 1900mhz GSM operators are
>T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless. I roamed with both fine.

But that's not what was asked! It was asked whether cingular GSM
would work with a 1900 phone. It won't since cingular has no 1900 in
Orlando. T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless do, but that won't help with a
cingular prepaid since they use 850 there.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 14:28:08 GMT, "Loz" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Joseph" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>> >I can confirm that in the Orlando area the two 1900mhz GSM operators are
>> >T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless. I roamed with both fine.
>>
>> But that's not what was asked! It was asked whether cingular GSM
>> would work with a 1900 phone. It won't since cingular has no 1900 in
>> Orlando. T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless do, but that won't help with a
>> cingular prepaid since they use 850 there.
>
>Therefore as I pointed out T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless exist in the Orlando
>area.
>Cingular do not - at least not on 1900mhz. They are all existant on Marco
>Island though, but that's not Orlando ;P

Which *still* doesn't help the poster since the poster wanted to know
if cingular at 1900 would work there. It won't. cingular prepaid
cannot roam on either AT&T Wireless or T-Mobile. So what really is
your point other than to point out that there are services that the
poster cannot use?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In article <a%D%[email protected]>,
Loz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>I can confirm that in the Orlando area the two 1900mhz GSM operators are
>T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless. I roamed with both fine.

Okay, but as Joseph pointed out, I can't roam with a prepaid account.
Unless Cingular has its own 1900 coverage in Orlando (and the map on
GSM World indicates that it does, although Joseph and others have
said that it doesn't), then my only hope is if Cingular has an agreement
with T-Mobile to make T-Mobile's network part of the basic coverage area
of Cingular prepaid customers in Orlando. I.e., basic, not roaming.

I'm going to try calling Cingular again and see whether I can get
bumped up to a tech support person...


Patty

[email protected] (Patty Winter) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Okay, but as Joseph pointed out, I can't roam with a prepaid account.

Correct.

> Unless Cingular has its own 1900 coverage in Orlando (and the map on
> GSM World indicates that it does, although Joseph and others have
> said that it doesn't)

They don't. Cingular is 800MHz in Orlando. They'll acquire AT&T's
1900 when the merger happens later this year, but for now you'll need
either an 800 (aka 850)/1900 phone, or a T-Mobile prepaid SIM
(available on eBay pretty cheap) assuming your phone is unlocked (or
can be).

> then my only hope is if Cingular has an agreement
> with T-Mobile to make T-Mobile's network part of the basic coverage area
> of Cingular prepaid customers in Orlando. I.e., basic, not roaming.

I would be stunned if they did- there'd be no economic incentive for
them to do that.

I think I've finally gotten a definitive answer to my question.
I called Cingular customer service again and got the rep to
transfer me to tech support. The guy there said that Cingular's
network in Florida is both 850 and 1900 MHz GSM, so my phone will
be fine.

Here is the apparent source of the confusion: Until June, Cingular
only had an 850 MHz analog TDMA network. Then it was switched to
850/1900 GSM digital. So anyone who hadn't heard about the very
recent change would naturally think that Cingular was still only
850 in that area.

Because I have Cingular prepaid, my current account only works in
California and parts of Nevada and Washington. So I will have to
purchase a new SIM when I arrive in Orlando, but that won't cost
too much.

Thanks to everyone for your help in sorting this out. I'll post
a report in a few months after I return from Florida!


Patty