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

I am with Verizon right now and am thinking about changing over next
month. I have been happy with Verizon but my sis has Cingular (CDMA
only) How is the service for both of these carriers in Texas? I live
in Waco and travel to the Austin area allot (Bastrop, Elgin, etc) I
would like to know about both TDMA/CDMA and GSM service.
Thanks so much!!
cj

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

cjw21@hot.rr.com (cjw21) wrote in message news:<99ee8b45.0405211546.1c9e6a90@posting.google.com>...

> I am with Verizon right now and am thinking about changing over next
> month. I have been happy with Verizon but my sis has Cingular (CDMA
> only) How is the service for both of these carriers in Texas? I live
> in Waco and travel to the Austin area allot (Bastrop, Elgin, etc) I
> would like to know about both TDMA/CDMA and GSM service.
> Thanks so much!!
> cj

I think Cingular has a slight edge for your purposes. Verizon has
native service throughout central TX, but it's somewhat fragile since
it's PCS only. In Waco, Killeen/Temple, and Austin, you get AT&TWS as
a free backup, but in CMA667 (Bastrop/Elgin) VZW has no free backup,
so if you're off the VZW PCS network your SOL ($$$ roaming on
Cingular).

Cingular has native cellular service in Austin and CMA667 as well as
PCS coverage in Waco and Killeen/Temple. Plus you get free cellular
backup on AT&TWS/DCEL in all of these markets, so the chance that
you'll ever lose signal is close to 0 and you'll never pay for
roaming.

Of course there are many other factors to be considered, but strictly
speaking in terms of coverage for the areas you're concerned about I'd
go with Cingular.

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

Thanks so much for your help!! Is the GSM coverage better these days?
I had one of the phones from AT&T when they first came out and
coverage lacked. I could use in Austin but not 10 miles outside of
it. From what I have seen, GSM phones are becoming more available
than CDMA. What is your take on this question? Now that I may go
with Cingular, I will need to know which is best out of these 2 (CDMA
and GSM) I have looked at the GSM map and it looks to be expanding but
I'm still unsure.
cj

xff@austin.rr.com (XFF) wrote in message news:<298d9cbf.0405212138.59609461@posting.google.com>...
> cjw21@hot.rr.com (cjw21) wrote in message news:<99ee8b45.0405211546.1c9e6a90@posting.google.com>...
>
> > I am with Verizon right now and am thinking about changing over next
> > month. I have been happy with Verizon but my sis has Cingular (CDMA
> > only) How is the service for both of these carriers in Texas? I live
> > in Waco and travel to the Austin area allot (Bastrop, Elgin, etc) I
> > would like to know about both TDMA/CDMA and GSM service.
> > Thanks so much!!
> > cj
>
> I think Cingular has a slight edge for your purposes. Verizon has
> native service throughout central TX, but it's somewhat fragile since
> it's PCS only. In Waco, Killeen/Temple, and Austin, you get AT&TWS as
> a free backup, but in CMA667 (Bastrop/Elgin) VZW has no free backup,
> so if you're off the VZW PCS network your SOL ($$$ roaming on
> Cingular).
>
> Cingular has native cellular service in Austin and CMA667 as well as
> PCS coverage in Waco and Killeen/Temple. Plus you get free cellular
> backup on AT&TWS/DCEL in all of these markets, so the chance that
> you'll ever lose signal is close to 0 and you'll never pay for
> roaming.
>
> Of course there are many other factors to be considered, but strictly
> speaking in terms of coverage for the areas you're concerned about I'd
> go with Cingular.

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

Here's a radical thought for you. Look at what works in the area you spend
most of your time in, and make most of your calls. Don't decide on a phone
by it's footprint nationwide, (do you really care if so and so works better
in podunk Iowa, but doesn't work where you live?). Look at your calling
patterns, what good is free calls to people that you never call? My
understanding is that there are 21 million+ verizon customers, but the phone
book only holds 500 entries, are you ever gonna call all 21+ million people?
Why not look at who you actually call and weight your decision in favor of
free calls to who you talk to the most? As far as CDMA vs GSM, there are a
bunch of neat devices for GSM phones and home phones/wiring etc (look at the
cellsocket www.cellsocket.com <-- I have one at both home and work and love
it! charges the phone and lets you use regular phones with a cell phone).

I actually have both. A laptop with an aircard (CDMA, lets me get on the
internet when traveling), and a GSM system for voice. Gives me the best of
both when traveling. Funny part about traveling, I live and travel in my RV,
and almost all places I go are near big cities. Either one works fine near
big cities.

If you travel in a vehicle, I would highly recommend an external antenna,
and mediumly recommend a wireless headset and car socket (Handsfree system.
I have a Jabra Freespeak ((wireless headset)) and a socket in the car that
uses the external antenna/Vehicle power/charges/etc).



"cjw21" <cjw21@hot.rr.com> wrote in message
news:99ee8b45.0405220247.fd7e249@posting.google.com
> Thanks so much for your help!! Is the GSM coverage better these days?
> I had one of the phones from AT&T when they first came out and
> coverage lacked. I could use in Austin but not 10 miles outside of
> it. From what I have seen, GSM phones are becoming more available
> than CDMA. What is your take on this question? Now that I may go
> with Cingular, I will need to know which is best out of these 2 (CDMA
> and GSM) I have looked at the GSM map and it looks to be expanding but
> I'm still unsure.
> cj
>
> xff@austin.rr.com (XFF) wrote in message
> news:<298d9cbf.0405212138.59609461@posting.google.com>...
>> cjw21@hot.rr.com (cjw21) wrote in message
>> news:<99ee8b45.0405211546.1c9e6a90@posting.google.com>...
>>
>>> I am with Verizon right now and am thinking about changing over next
>>> month. I have been happy with Verizon but my sis has Cingular (CDMA
>>> only) How is the service for both of these carriers in Texas? I
>>> live in Waco and travel to the Austin area allot (Bastrop, Elgin,
>>> etc) I would like to know about both TDMA/CDMA and GSM service.
>>> Thanks so much!!
>>> cj
>>
>> I think Cingular has a slight edge for your purposes. Verizon has
>> native service throughout central TX, but it's somewhat fragile since
>> it's PCS only. In Waco, Killeen/Temple, and Austin, you get AT&TWS
>> as
>> a free backup, but in CMA667 (Bastrop/Elgin) VZW has no free backup,
>> so if you're off the VZW PCS network your SOL ($$$ roaming on
>> Cingular).
>>
>> Cingular has native cellular service in Austin and CMA667 as well as
>> PCS coverage in Waco and Killeen/Temple. Plus you get free cellular
>> backup on AT&TWS/DCEL in all of these markets, so the chance that
>> you'll ever lose signal is close to 0 and you'll never pay for
>> roaming.
>>
>> Of course there are many other factors to be considered, but strictly
>> speaking in terms of coverage for the areas you're concerned about
>> I'd
>> go with Cingular.

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

cjw21@hot.rr.com (cjw21) wrote in message news:<99ee8b45.0405220247.fd7e249@posting.google.com>...
> Thanks so much for your help!! Is the GSM coverage better these days?
> I had one of the phones from AT&T when they first came out and
> coverage lacked. I could use in Austin but not 10 miles outside of
> it. From what I have seen, GSM phones are becoming more available
> than CDMA. What is your take on this question? Now that I may go
> with Cingular, I will need to know which is best out of these 2 (CDMA
> and GSM) I have looked at the GSM map and it looks to be expanding but
> I'm still unsure.
> cj


Verizon=CDMA
Cingular=TDMA/GSM
AT&T Wireless=TDMA/GSM

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

cjw21@hot.rr.com (cjw21) wrote in message news:<99ee8b45.0405220247.fd7e249@posting.google.com>...

> Thanks so much for your help!! Is the GSM coverage better these days?
> I had one of the phones from AT&T when they first came out and
> coverage lacked. I could use in Austin but not 10 miles outside of
> it. From what I have seen, GSM phones are becoming more available
> than CDMA. What is your take on this question? Now that I may go
> with Cingular, I will need to know which is best out of these 2 (CDMA
> and GSM) I have looked at the GSM map and it looks to be expanding but
> I'm still unsure.
> cj

I think you got something backwards. Cingular does not offer CDMA
service, Verizon Wireless does. Cingular offers GSM, TDMA, and AMPS
service, but for new subscribers (such as yourself) only GSM plans are
available (aside from the more pricy GAIT plans). Cingular has
completed its GSM overlay (except MS and AL which will be complete
shortly), so wherever Cingular has TDMA/AMPS service it also has GSM
service. In addition, there are some areas where Cingular offers GSM
service only, no TDMA/AMPS, but you don't need to concern yourself
with those as they're all outside of TX. Bottom line, for all
practical purposes, all of Cingular is GSM now. Now Cingular's
roaming partners is another story. AT&TWS has also completely
overlaid GSM as of last month, but DCEL, WWCA, RCCC, and CYCL are
still in the process of doing so and will probably take into next year
to complete their overlays. However, for the markets you're concerned
about this is a non-issue as you would strictly deal with Cingular and
AT&TWS, both of which have complete GSM overlays. For central TX,
Cingular GSM is the perfect choice.

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

"cjw21" <cjw21@hot.rr.com> wrote in message
news:99ee8b45.0405211546.1c9e6a90@posting.google.com...
> I am with Verizon right now and am thinking about changing over next
> month. I have been happy with Verizon but my sis has Cingular (CDMA
> only) How is the service for both of these carriers in Texas? I live
> in Waco and travel to the Austin area allot (Bastrop, Elgin, etc) I
> would like to know about both TDMA/CDMA and GSM service.
> Thanks so much!!
> cj

I don't have either Verizon or Cingular, but I live in Killeen (within city
limits) and my roommate has the Slider phone with Cingular. His reception
is spotty in our house. He drops calls quite a bit at home, but he says the
coverage and clarity is fine around town, and hasn't complained about lack
of service between Waco and Austin on I-35. Prior to owning the Slider, he
had the Sony-Ericsson T226 and he also had the same reception and clarity
problems in the house, but was fine everywhere else. Could be that both
lack external attennas. I personally will be wary of getting Cingular
service until I see a different phone operate properly within our house.

Mark L.