Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    SteveT
    Guest
    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?




  2. #2
    Bill Radio
    Guest

    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!
    >






  3. #3
    SteveT
    Guest

    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




  4. #4
    JoshIII
    Guest

    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.






  5. #5
    SteveT
    Guest

    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"




  6. #6
    Steve Sobol
    Guest

    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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