Decision Time is Near (Cingular or TMobile?)

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

As we get closer to the month of March when my last contract expires
with ATT WS, it is time to begin to figure out when I am going to do. I
now have the following services:
One ATT TDMA phone with a local plan and a local (Atlanta) area code
and number at a cost of $46
One ATT TDMA phone with a national plan and a foreign (Chicago) area
code at a cost of $35
One ATT GSM pre pay phone my son uses with a Chicago Area Code (he
resides there with his mother 9 months out of the year and here in
Atlanta in the summertime). I pay about $30 a month for this so he can
have unlimited N&W.
As you can see I am currently paying about $115 a month just for
service. Here is what I would like to do:
Get a NATIONAL family plan with about 1000 minutes to be shared between
3 GSM phones. I would like to pay less than I am paying now for the 3
phones. I also want free mobile to mobile nationwide (deal killer),
free nights and weekends (deal killer). I would prefer that my son be
able to keep his Chicago area code but I am willing to give up on that
if I have to have all the phones in the same area code( not a deal
killer). I would also prefer free incoming text messages but that is
not a deal killer either (I have that now on ATT with 10 cents to
send). I will be happy to buy my own phones BUT I will absolutely NOT
sign anything over 1 year.
Where do you think my best deal is to be found?

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

with t-mobile for $80 you get 3 lines/1000 minutes, for $110 you can
get 3 lines with 1600 minutes, mobile to mobile, unlimited nights and
weekends.

SMS is $.05 in and out (Cingular is .10 in and out)

All the Cingular plans require 2 year activation, but a very similar in
price.

Any particular reason you're not simply going to the websites yourself
to find this stuff out?

s


In article <1109268197.884104.95310@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, Kev
<KevinXKitchen@aol.com> wrote:

> As we get closer to the month of March when my last contract expires
> with ATT WS, it is time to begin to figure out when I am going to do. I
> now have the following services:
> One ATT TDMA phone with a local plan and a local (Atlanta) area code
> and number at a cost of $46
> One ATT TDMA phone with a national plan and a foreign (Chicago) area
> code at a cost of $35
> One ATT GSM pre pay phone my son uses with a Chicago Area Code (he
> resides there with his mother 9 months out of the year and here in
> Atlanta in the summertime). I pay about $30 a month for this so he can
> have unlimited N&W.
> As you can see I am currently paying about $115 a month just for
> service. Here is what I would like to do:
> Get a NATIONAL family plan with about 1000 minutes to be shared between
> 3 GSM phones. I would like to pay less than I am paying now for the 3
> phones. I also want free mobile to mobile nationwide (deal killer),
> free nights and weekends (deal killer). I would prefer that my son be
> able to keep his Chicago area code but I am willing to give up on that
> if I have to have all the phones in the same area code( not a deal
> killer). I would also prefer free incoming text messages but that is
> not a deal killer either (I have that now on ATT with 10 cents to
> send). I will be happy to buy my own phones BUT I will absolutely NOT
> sign anything over 1 year.
> Where do you think my best deal is to be found?
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

In article <1109295556.406456.132290@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>, Kev
<KevinXKitchen@aol.com> wrote:

> I went to both websites but they are confusing as hell. For example,
> the Cingular site touts its $69 for 1100 minutes "family" plan but does
> not make clear whether that $69.99 is for only the 1st line or for the
> first 2 lines. It would seem that a "family" plan would start with 2
> lines but I was told by a dealer that the price is only for a single
> line whereas the same amount on T-Mobile will get you 2 lines of
> service. Then, if you look at mobile to mobile minutes, you see this
> little line: " Mobile to Mobile Minutes: Mobile to Mobile Minutes may
> be used when directly dialing or receiving calls from any other
> Cingular phone number from within your calling area". So what the hell
> does that mean? If I have a M2M conversation with somebody in Kansas
> City and I am in Atlanta, is it free or not free?

It's not that complicated, Kev. If you have a national plan then your
calling area is where ever that plan is valid.

> Look at how clear the
> T Mobile web site is on the subject: "Mobile-to-mobile minutes are
> directly dialed calls between T-Mobile phones in the T-Mobile USA
> digital coverage area." That is quite clear to me. I would actually
> prefer Cingular for their superior coverage but I can live with T
> Mobile's coverage if the price is alot better.
>

T-mobile's been great for me, I came from ATT. I have no complaints.

s

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

"Kev" <KevinXKitchen@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1109268197.884104.95310@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> As we get closer to the month of March when my last contract expires
> with ATT WS, it is time to begin to figure out when I am going to do. I
> now have the following services:

I'm curious why you think you need to do anything? Not being in a contract
sounds like the best option to me. I want the option to bolt if I don't like
something new or a better offer comes up somewhere else. Why do you feel you
need to be under a contract? The contract only benefits the service
provider.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

In article <1109424327.341137.136930@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
dmartin@newarts.com says...
> However, Cingular's rural coverage is much more extensive. T-mobile's
> great features are not much value when you are out of coverage.
>
>
Much? Meaning larger footprints around cities and more coverage along
freeways? True rural coverage on both C and TM comes from roaming on
third party carriers and both should be similar unless you have a Gait
phone on Cingular. Equally non-existent--most of the smaller rural
carriers are still TDMA and AMPS. In fact the ONLY non-Cingular GSM
carrier I've found in central TX is TM!
--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

Jud Hardcastle wrote:
> In article <1109424327.341137.136930@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
> dmartin@newarts.com says...
>
>>However, Cingular's rural coverage is much more extensive. T-mobile's
>>great features are not much value when you are out of coverage.
>>
>>
>
> Much? Meaning larger footprints around cities and more coverage along
> freeways? True rural coverage on both C and TM comes from roaming on
> third party carriers and both should be similar unless you have a Gait
> phone on Cingular. Equally non-existent--most of the smaller rural
> carriers are still TDMA and AMPS. In fact the ONLY non-Cingular GSM
> carrier I've found in central TX is TM!
> --
> Jud
> Dallas TX USA

Western Wireless, AFAIK has a GSM network in *Texas*, which could be
850, 1900, or a combination of the two. In many markets, however,
Cingular has rural GSM coverage in the 850 mHz band, in which T-Mobile
customers cannot roam. Cingular also has many roaming partners that
operate in the 850 mHz band of GSM, in which T-Mobile customers cannot roam.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

I already have the phones I wish to use and they are all unlocked and
can be used for either ATT, Cingular or T Mobile. That is why I have
limited my choice to those carriers. I cannot use Sprint, Verizon, US
Cell or Metro with GMS phones.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

The coverage thing is the only advanatage Cingular has for me. When I
go to Grand Lake some summer weeks, Cingular works there. ATT WS works
there. I doubt T Mobile does.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

First off, you dont have to wait untill your contract with att is up. You
can do what is called a migration. It will cost you a $18.00 actavatiom fee
per line. Now that said. You could get on Cingulars Nation GSM Family talk,
1100 anytime mins, unlited nights and weekends, and free mobile to mobile.
No roaming or long distence fees. The plan is $69.99 for the primary and
just 9.99 for each add a line. that would cost you 89.99 before taxes. You
would prob be paying around the same but you would be getting alot more. And
you can port all of your numbers into one account, even your ATT GO PHONE
prepaid account.
"Kev" <KevinXKitchen@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1109268197.884104.95310@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> As we get closer to the month of March when my last contract expires
> with ATT WS, it is time to begin to figure out when I am going to do. I
> now have the following services:
> One ATT TDMA phone with a local plan and a local (Atlanta) area code
> and number at a cost of $46
> One ATT TDMA phone with a national plan and a foreign (Chicago) area
> code at a cost of $35
> One ATT GSM pre pay phone my son uses with a Chicago Area Code (he
> resides there with his mother 9 months out of the year and here in
> Atlanta in the summertime). I pay about $30 a month for this so he can
> have unlimited N&W.
> As you can see I am currently paying about $115 a month just for
> service. Here is what I would like to do:
> Get a NATIONAL family plan with about 1000 minutes to be shared between
> 3 GSM phones. I would like to pay less than I am paying now for the 3
> phones. I also want free mobile to mobile nationwide (deal killer),
> free nights and weekends (deal killer). I would prefer that my son be
> able to keep his Chicago area code but I am willing to give up on that
> if I have to have all the phones in the same area code( not a deal
> killer). I would also prefer free incoming text messages but that is
> not a deal killer either (I have that now on ATT with 10 cents to
> send). I will be happy to buy my own phones BUT I will absolutely NOT
> sign anything over 1 year.
> Where do you think my best deal is to be found?
>