Basic GSM Question

Greetings,

Just some simple questions from one who has always tried not to get too deep
into cellular technology:

If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the Cingular GSM
network locally (for example a Nokia that works on Cingular's GSM 850/1900
network), can I switch my SIM card to another phone that is unlocked but
also works on the same Cingular GSM network (for examaple, an unlocked
Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900 network)?

Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
phones are from different manufacturers?

Will I lose any service quality?

If I save all of my phone numbers to the SIM card, will I still have full
access to them in a phone from a different manufacturer?

Thanks for any sage words of wisdom.

Cheers - Jonathan

---

› See More: Basic GSM Question

From:Jonathan
[email protected]

> Greetings,
>
> Just some simple questions from one who has always tried not to get
> too deep into cellular technology:
>
> If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the
> Cingular GSM network locally (for example a Nokia that works on
> Cingular's GSM 850/1900 network), can I switch my SIM card to another
> phone that is unlocked but also works on the same Cingular GSM
> network (for examaple, an unlocked Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900
> network)?

Yes.

>
> Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
> phones are from different manufacturers?

No.
>
> Will I lose any service quality?

Only if the phone isn't as good as the old one.
>
> If I save all of my phone numbers to the SIM card, will I still have
> full access to them in a phone from a different manufacturer?

Yes.
>
> Thanks for any sage words of wisdom.
>
> Cheers - Jonathan

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

In <[email protected]> on Sun, 09 Oct 2005 06:44:07
-0700, Joseph <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 03:31:29 GMT, "Jonathan"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the Cingular GSM
>>network locally (for example a Nokia that works on Cingular's GSM 850/1900
>>network), can I switch my SIM card to another phone that is unlocked but
>>also works on the same Cingular GSM network (for examaple, an unlocked
>>Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900 network)?
>
>As long as it's unlocked and is capable of the frequencies used in
>your area i.e. capable of GSM @ 850 or at 1900 all you need to do is
>take the SIM chip from one phone/device and put it in the other
>phone/device.
>
>>Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
>>phones are from different manufacturers?
>
>You will of course not lose any *network* features. Fast dial
>settings will have to be re-applied.

Caveat: If the old cellphone is ENS capable and the new cellphone is not ENS
capable, then you would of course lose the ENS feature, which allows Cingular
to Home you to either the "blue" (old ATTWS) or "orange" (old Cingular)
networks, depending on which would give you the better signal.

>>Will I lose any service quality?
>
>None at all except that perhaps one model or make of handset may
>perform better or worse than another, but it has nothing to do with
>the SIM.

Same caveat: If you lose ENS, then you'll be stuck on "orange", which could
mean poorer service if "blue" has a better signal in your area.

Bottom line: If you have an ENS (64K) SIM, then it's best to get an ENS
capable cellphone.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

In message <[email protected]>
John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

>Caveat: If the old cellphone is ENS capable and the new cellphone is not ENS
>capable, then you would of course lose the ENS feature, which allows Cingular
>to Home you to either the "blue" (old ATTWS) or "orange" (old Cingular)
>networks, depending on which would give you the better signal.

Well sure. And if your new phone isn't MMS capable then you'll lose the
ability to send MMS from your handset.

--
In Jolt We Trust

On Sun, 09 Oct 2005 03:31:29 GMT, "Jonathan"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Greetings,
>
>Just some simple questions from one who has always tried not to get too deep
>into cellular technology:
>
>If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the Cingular GSM
>network locally (for example a Nokia that works on Cingular's GSM 850/1900
>network), can I switch my SIM card to another phone that is unlocked but
>also works on the same Cingular GSM network (for examaple, an unlocked
>Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900 network)?
As long as you don't try to put a 3v sim into an antique that only
supports 5V Sim cards, your phone and your, are whever the SIM is, and
if you have a small sim, It won't in one of the older phones (like
Ancient Nokia's that use a SIM about the size of Credit card)..

One of the Beauties of GSM is your phone is whatever phone your SIM is
in. Only thing to watch out for is you may have things stored in the
phone memory as opposed to the SIM memory, and those don't travel with
the SIM, although many phones allows you to copy the phone memory into
the SIM, and back out of the SIM into the phone memory.
>
>Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
>phones are from different manufacturers?
NO
>
>Will I lose any service quality?
Depends upon the phone. It is a crummy phone, you'll get crummy
service quality....
>
>If I save all of my phone numbers to the SIM card, will I still have full
>access to them in a phone from a different manufacturer?
>
>Thanks for any sage words of wisdom.
>
>Cheers - Jonathan
>

Jonathan wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> Just some simple questions from one who has always tried not to get too deep
> into cellular technology:
>
> If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the Cingular GSM
> network locally (for example a Nokia that works on Cingular's GSM 850/1900
> network), can I switch my SIM card to another phone that is unlocked but
> also works on the same Cingular GSM network (for examaple, an unlocked
> Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900 network)?
>
> Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
> phones are from different manufacturers?
>
> Will I lose any service quality?
>
> If I save all of my phone numbers to the SIM card, will I still have full
> access to them in a phone from a different manufacturer?
>
> Thanks for any sage words of wisdom.
>
> Cheers - Jonathan
>
>
You may lose some of the data network settings if the phone is not a
"Cingular Branded" phone. This might cause web browsing and MMS
features to not work until the correct settings are entered. Otherwise
you should be OK. And if you are simply swapping one Cingular branded
phone for another, this should be transparent since the settings are
loaded by the manufacturer.

If you saved photos, ringtones, email addresses, etc in your old phone,
those do not transfer with the SIM. But the basic, SIM-based address
book will.

So where would he find a listing of the needed settings to modify??

"cledus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:kMi2f.197$q%[email protected]...
> Jonathan wrote:
>> Greetings,
>>
>> Just some simple questions from one who has always tried not to get too
>> deep into cellular technology:
>>
>> If I have a cellphone from one manufacturer that works on the Cingular
>> GSM network locally (for example a Nokia that works on Cingular's GSM
>> 850/1900 network), can I switch my SIM card to another phone that is
>> unlocked but also works on the same Cingular GSM network (for examaple,
>> an unlocked Sony-Ericson on the same 850/1900 network)?
>>
>> Will I lose or have to reset any features (like voicemail) because the
>> phones are from different manufacturers?
>>
>> Will I lose any service quality?
>>
>> If I save all of my phone numbers to the SIM card, will I still have full
>> access to them in a phone from a different manufacturer?
>>
>> Thanks for any sage words of wisdom.
>>
>> Cheers - Jonathan
> You may lose some of the data network settings if the phone is not a
> "Cingular Branded" phone. This might cause web browsing and MMS features
> to not work until the correct settings are entered. Otherwise you should
> be OK. And if you are simply swapping one Cingular branded phone for
> another, this should be transparent since the settings are loaded by the
> manufacturer.
>
> If you saved photos, ringtones, email addresses, etc in your old phone,
> those do not transfer with the SIM. But the basic, SIM-based address book
> will.
>

Somewhere around Sun, 09 Oct 2005 14:47:58 -0600, while reading
alt.cellular.cingular, I think I thought I saw this post from DevilsPGD
<[email protected]>:

>In message <[email protected]>
>John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Caveat: If the old cellphone is ENS capable and the new cellphone is not ENS
>>capable, then you would of course lose the ENS feature, which allows Cingular
>>to Home you to either the "blue" (old ATTWS) or "orange" (old Cingular)
>>networks, depending on which would give you the better signal.
>
>Well sure. And if your new phone isn't MMS capable then you'll lose the
>ability to send MMS from your handset.

And don't forget to mention, if the new phone is broken, you'll lose the
ability to make or receive calls.
--
Marty - public.forums (at) gmail (dot) com
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them...
well, I have others." - Groucho Marx

John said ..."the ENS feature, which allows Cingular
to Home you to either the "blue" (old ATTWS) or "orange" (old Cingular)
networks,..."

Thanks John, I was unaware of that distinction between phone
capabilities.

Do newer GSM phones typically have the ENS feature?

Dave

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

In <[email protected]> on 11 Oct 2005
04:48:59 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>John said ..."the ENS feature, which allows Cingular
>to Home you to either the "blue" (old ATTWS) or "orange" (old Cingular)
>networks,..."
>
>Thanks John, I was unaware of that distinction between phone
>capabilities.
>
>Do newer GSM phones typically have the ENS feature?

My understanding is that all those sold by Cingular in 2005 have ENS
capability.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>