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[MPD352]

Here's the latest. When you roam to a cingular tower, and you want to call a local number - you have to enter the entire 10 digit number, even if you are calling home, and standing in the driveway.

I called customer care. Oh so sorry - that's the way it is - sacrifices must be made for the privilege of being able to send us your money. After all, our motto is: “AT&T; In business for our convenience - the ^*&& with the customer.”

We ought to hold a contest to select the most accurate motto possible for AT&T

“AT&T; Finding more ways to screw you every day”
“AT&T; We got the elevator – the customer gets the shaft.”
“AT&T; Setting new lows in customer service.”

Come on, let’s see what we can come up with!

[GrYph0n]

Not sure where you are at, but that is becomming the way of life in major metro areas. Even from a landline I have to dial all ten digits even if I am calling next door. It has been that way pretty much everywhere I have lived over the past five years.

I don't disagree with you in the least, I am just throwing this out as something to think about...

[MPD352]

gryph0n;

You're probably correct. I live in a rural area, however, and it's just one more irritant out of AT&T, who lately seems to specialize in irritating its customers. I fully expect the next irritant is their refusal to upgrade SP2002 to SP2003.

I'm planning on waiting for the MPX300 anyway. There are some other minor irritants that I don't think will ever be resolved on the MPX200.

- There are times when I want to pull off to the side of the road or am out of the office and need to send a long email via the phone. An external QWERTY keyboard hidden in the truck's center console would be nice. That kinda functionality is not built in to SP2002, so no aftermarket vendors are developing that hardware. I understand it is with SP2003, but i spect' AT&T won't let us upgrade.

-I'd like Bluetooth.

-I want a true factory car kit, not something cobbled from "Universal" bits and pieces. I had the factory HF kit for my last three Nokia's, and miss it. I'm hoping the 300 will have one, and if not it has Bluetooth, which lets it use a generic one without more cables. I tried the Jabra BT earpiece with the plug in adapter for the 200. PITA. One more gizmo you had to keep charged up, and you had to plug it in to the phone, with was an addtional PITA because the plugs on the 200 tend to interfer with the aforementioned generic hands free cradles.

[Tom]

Anyone else having problems roaming on Cingular? I live in the Los Angeles Area and I have not been able to roam on Cingular for the past three days. AWS seems unable to give me an answer as to what is happening. (what else is new)

[theninthcloud]

Anyone else having problems roaming on Cingular? I live in the Los Angeles Area and I have not been able to roam on Cingular for the past three days. AWS seems unable to give me an answer as to what is happening. (what else is new)

ME ME ME.

I'm in Orange County and the school I go to has a Cingular tower on one of the bldgs so there is perfect reception all around campus...and yet I have not once been able to access it as an ATT subscriber. I have, however, switched to Cingular *once* on the highway (405).

I called AWS and (20 min later) asked them point blank, their response was that they were merging the networks "bit by bit"... and that the entire merger would take a year or so. At least, that's what that CSR told me.

Since I split my time 70/30 between southern and northern california I've always entered in the full 1+10digit#s into my phonebook... so I guess this doesn't really affect me.

On a semi-related note: I am thinking of switching. T-Mobile supposedly shares a network with Cingular...does anybody know if this means that T-M's network will expand as well when the ATT/Cingular merger is complete?

[GrYph0n]

On a semi-related note: I am thinking of switching. T-Mobile supposedly shares a network with Cingular...does anybody know if this means that T-M's network will expand as well when the ATT/Cingular merger is complete?

That is a good question.

I spoke with a T-Mobile to confirm my theory on that matter. The "partnership" with Cingular is only in select areas. T-Mobile also has roaming agreements with AT&T in select areas as well. I am not too sure what these select areas are with each, but you can check their coverage map for the expanded "roaming" coverage. Where ever you see coverage, you know that you will have signal through someone, where there is no "highlights" you will have no signal. Check Here to see all of T-Mobile's US roaming agreements...

[nskgti]

Holy shiz... This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You don't put the 10 digit phone number in the phone when you store your numbers? You have to be kidding me. I store the whole phone number (w/ international dialing codes just to be safe) in my phone book. I'm sorry you think the world belongs to you, but I hate to say your wrong. Honestly grow up, deal with dialing 10 digits and move into the modern world. Most cities you have to dial 10 digits no matter what area code or location you dial from.

But then again, everyone should be getting free phones and service because this is America... And everyting is free. (IMG:http://www.mobilegadgetnews.com/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[GrYph0n]

nskgti, I think that issue has been well addressed and there is no need for the hostility. Where is the love?

[theninthcloud]

On a semi-related note: I am thinking of switching. T-Mobile supposedly shares a network with Cingular...does anybody know if this means that T-M's network will expand as well when the ATT/Cingular merger is complete?

That is a good question.

I spoke with a T-Mobile to confirm my theory on that matter. The "partnership" with Cingular is only in select areas. T-Mobile also has roaming agreements with AT&T in select areas as well. I am not too sure what these select areas are with each, but you can check their coverage map for the expanded "roaming" coverage. Where ever you see coverage, you know that you will have signal through someone, where there is no "highlights" you will have no signal. Check Here to see all of T-Mobile's US roaming agreements...

Thanks gryph0n for the links and the confirmation from T-M. (How's their CS support?) While I have looked at coverage maps for all three major GSM providers (ATT, Cingular, and T-Mobile)...it's all still kind of fuzzy in my mind because the maps are so large-scale, lol. And the fact that they have "selective" roaming makes things all the more complicated. :shock:

I suppose I will have to take a massive poll or try out some "pay as you go" plans. Wireless providers really need to start selling pay-as-you-go SIM cards...rather than making you buy a phone each time. Such a waste.

[theninthcloud]

Actually, I just noticed that T-M allows you to just get a SIM if you have a T-M phone. So I will now change my rant to: I wish operators would sell unlocked GSM phones, rather than making users search for 3rd party options or purchasing new phones each time they switch.

p.s. I hear TM unlocks phones upon request. ... though maybe this would fit better in the T-M forum. hehe.

[GrYph0n]

theninthcloud, If you unlock your phone then you can use it on T-Mobile, even if it is pre-paid. That is how I started, just to test their coverage for my area, which was about the same if not better than AT&T in the D.C. area. In my own personal opinion T-Mobiles CS is unmatched. I have never been on hold for more than 2 minutes, and just as an example I informed them this evening that I have noticed a decline in signal at my house, after informing them that I tested it on two seperate phones, so the CSR put in a trouble ticket to get the tower checked out because there are no known issues.

As far as the "selective" roaming, I feel that I may need to clear it up. It really isn't "selective" at all. It is a matter of having service/signal and not. If you are on a national plan and in an area where your phone says something other than T-Mobile you will not be charged roaming for voice. You will never be charged roaming, if you are in an area where they don't have roaming agreements then you simply will not have service. Hope that clears that up a little.

I recommend getting a pre-paid (from eBay or somewhere) before you decide to switch to anyone, just to make sure that you will have adiquate coverage in your area for the provider you are interested in. You will have to get your phone unlocked first though, I recommend surfing the unlocking forum for more info on that one.

T-Mobile has been known to unlock phones, but you have to be with them for several months before they will even entertain the thought. Even then I belive that it has to be a supported phone (i.e., one that they sell) before they will unlock it, but that is just what I have gathered. I think that you would be better off getting it unlocked yourself then doing whatever you feel is best from that point.

Heh, wow, I just may need to move these last few posts to the T-Mobile forum.

Well I hope that this clears things up a little bit better for you...