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- 05-06-2005, 09:06 AM #1SteveTGuest
I've had an AT&T Free2Go TDMA prepaid for an aging relative for a few
years, buying $10/90 days, most of which was never used. I do NOT
intend to pay Cingular's new recharge rate and want to change to a
different pre-paid TDMA provider. I have investigated Beyond Wireless
but I notice that they have no local area codes in California
whatsoever (doesn't look like they have any in the west at all).
So...does anyone have any experience using an AC that is far away from
their local AC via Beyond Wireless? In the scenario described above --
very little usage, just keeping for emergencies + the occasional short
outgoing social call + a few incoming calls -- what is the impact of
living in So. California and having a cell phone with an area code in,
like, Washington D.C. or wherever? Is this still advisable or should I
look at CallPlus?
I would appreciate any advice on if/how to proceed with this.
Thanks!
› See More: Prepaid Cell In So California?
- 05-07-2005, 10:41 PM #2Bill RadioGuest
Re: Prepaid Cell In So California?
Steve,
Since this question wasn't specifically addressed in the other free2go
thread, I mention it here. I switched an AT&T phone (I just called and
asked them to release the ESN) to CallPlus with cards from PharosInt. They
have local numbers in all markets. But when AT&T raied roaming charges on
these lines, I asked CallPlus to release the ESN and signed up w/Beyond.
This took about 5 minutes.
On the Beyond phone I have a (suburban-972) Dallas phone number and I my
Cingular Prepaid phone has a Beverly Hills (310) number, and so far there
has been no problem. Most calls are outgoing, and so far, all incoming
calls have been from other cell phones who have free LD anyway. These days,
many of my new friends keep their old cell number from another area as long
as possible and just isn't that unusual or surprising to dial an LD numer to
get their cell phone.
And there are no technical issues as long as you are on the ex-AT&T network.
Off the network you need to dial extra digits which can be programmed into
your memory, but you're doing that with an AT&T Free2go phone anyway.
Bill Radio
Click for Western U.S. Wireless Reviews at:
http://www.mountainwireless.com
"SteveT" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've had an AT&T Free2Go TDMA prepaid for an aging relative for a few
> years, buying $10/90 days, most of which was never used. I do NOT
> intend to pay Cingular's new recharge rate and want to change to a
> different pre-paid TDMA provider. I have investigated Beyond Wireless
> but I notice that they have no local area codes in California
> whatsoever (doesn't look like they have any in the west at all).
> So...does anyone have any experience using an AC that is far away from
> their local AC via Beyond Wireless? In the scenario described above --
> very little usage, just keeping for emergencies + the occasional short
> outgoing social call + a few incoming calls -- what is the impact of
> living in So. California and having a cell phone with an area code in,
> like, Washington D.C. or wherever? Is this still advisable or should I
> look at CallPlus?
> I would appreciate any advice on if/how to proceed with this.
> Thanks!
>
- 05-08-2005, 08:24 AM #3SteveTGuest
Re: Prepaid Cell In So California?
George,
Re the phone number, at least, I have determined the following: for
former customers of AT&T prepaid with TDMA phones, the number to call
at Cingular is 1-800-888-7600.
http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/contact_us
You have to navigate thru a couple of voice-mail prompts to get to a
live human. I did a dry run to verify this yesterday as I wasn't ready
to kill the phone this weekend but will go ahead and go through with it
tomorrow (Monday).
Looks like Bill had no problems but we'll see. I googled this and
found some negative experiences elsewhere, i.e., that AT&T/Cingular
specifically may take a long time to release ESN. Apparently, you may
have to be assertive, depending on who you get on the phone.
Steve
- 05-08-2005, 09:06 AM #4JoshIIIGuest
Re: Prepaid Cell In So California?
"SteveT" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> George,
> Re the phone number, at least, I have determined the following: for
> former customers of AT&T prepaid with TDMA phones, the number to call
> at Cingular is 1-800-888-7600.
> http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/contact_us
> You have to navigate thru a couple of voice-mail prompts to get to a
> live human. I did a dry run to verify this yesterday as I wasn't ready
> to kill the phone this weekend but will go ahead and go through with it
> tomorrow (Monday).
> Looks like Bill had no problems but we'll see. I googled this and
> found some negative experiences elsewhere, i.e., that AT&T/Cingular
> specifically may take a long time to release ESN. Apparently, you may
> have to be assertive, depending on who you get on the phone.
> Steve
>
Just tell AT&T/Cingular Customer Service that you are asking them to release
their ESN, so that you may use *your* phone for CallPlus, Beyond Wireless,
or whatever reseller that exclusively uses the AT&T/Cingular network
themselves anyway.
Releasing the ESN does not mean you'll be moving to another carrier.
If AT&T/Cingular Customer Service "can't handle the truth", ask them what
they suggest you should do to be able to use *your* cellphone with Beyond
Wireless, CallPlus, or PharosInt.
AT&T/Cingular is just shooting themselves in the foot if they do not allow
this.
JoshIII
[email protected]
Activating a new or refurbed TracFone soon?
Be sure to get a referral (by email) from another
TracFone user and you'll both receive 100 FREE
minutes airtime. TracFone uses Alltel, Verizon,
Cingular, AT&T, and Suncom wireless networks, just
to name a few! I've been a TracFone user for 4 years.
- 05-08-2005, 11:52 AM #5SteveTGuest
Re: Prepaid Cell In So California?
I will definitely ask - assuming I get through myself. For ex, on some
Cingular pages where it prompts you to enter your cell #, it doesn't
recognize mine. On other Cingular webpages, it does.
I posted my ESN question on Cingular's own Help Forum but got answers
all over the map -- everything from, "as soon as your minutes expire
your ESN is automatically released" to "it is impossible to release an
old AT&T ESN." Others said that there does seem to be some point at
which, if the phone is out of service (no minutes) for a long time, the
ESN will automatically be cleared on its own. But they only sweep the
database at periodic intervals to clean those out, so it could be
months.
If you have a "dirty ESN" - meaning the previous owner bailed out on
the service w/o paying the bill, or if someone reported that phone lost
or stolen, that seems to be the Catch-22 scenario which can't be
overcome. From what I understand, none of the carriers will release
"dirty ESNs"
- 05-08-2005, 12:37 PM #6Steve SobolGuest
Re: Prepaid Cell In So California?
SteveT wrote:
> If you have a "dirty ESN" - meaning the previous owner bailed out on
> the service w/o paying the bill, or if someone reported that phone lost
> or stolen, that seems to be the Catch-22 scenario which can't be
> overcome. From what I understand, none of the carriers will release
> "dirty ESNs"
Actually, Sprint did so for me, but I was able to get in touch with the
original owner, who had to authorize the release of the ESN. Of course, in this
case, that's going to be impossible -- and I'm not sure whether Cingular has
the same policy as Sprint does.
--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / [email protected] / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"
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