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What's The Best Cell Phone Calling Plan?
ChazeFroy asks: "I just got a new job that requires much travel throughout the United States, and this company is giving me $50 per month to put toward a cell phone bill. Although I found this discussion helpful, it didn't talk about cell phone calling plans. Things that are important to me are the company offering the plan, coverage (I will need nationwide coverage, most likely), number of minutes per month, the possibility of free incoming calls, and the price per month. What do you guys have, and what are your experiences?"Update: Wirefly offers a great tool these days to compare cell phone plans.
today we ask if people are scared of technology.
TECHNOLOGY!
The best plan that I've found meeting all of your characteristics is an offer from AT&T Digital One rate plans for 59.99 for 450 minutes. A bit pricey, considering other promotions from Sprint, etc, but from what I hear AT&T reliable, truly nationwide (even more so when they integrate Cellular One into their network), and with good customer service. If anyone has any better recommendations, please post, because I'm about to buy this plan.
60K in NYC is not good, that is almost minimum wage...
I am a recent American expatriate. I am quite familiar with the non-free incoming call snafu. Why, you ask, can't we get free incoming calls on cell phones?
Simple. We have free outgoing calls. All outgoing local calls from land-lines are free in the States.
Yes, it sucks when it comes to mobile phones. We have no infrastructure for billing the land-line for local calls to mobile phones. The phone companies have to charge someone for the call. So they bill the mobile phone user.
This same thing also is the reason why the US has lead the world with adoption of the Internet. With free local calls, internet usage is cheap. Really cheap.
We pay for it with mobile phones, though. As a result, you often see mobile phone users treating their mobile phone as a pager. They don't answer incoming calls. If they want to talk to the person, and they recognize the incoming phone number, they pick up. If they don't, they check their messages and call back. It's an inconvenience. But it's the price we pay for free local phone calls.
What astounds me is that we don't have pay-as-you-go phones. These seem to me to be a fantastic marketing gimmick. They make it acceptable, for once, to give an 8 year old a mobile phone. Or a 70 year old.
Hmmm. Now that I think about it, is that such a good thing? Do we want our children's brains fried at such an early age?
I'm looking for a new pre-paid package, since my old A1018s broke last week. The Siemens C35i offer from D2 is really interesting, but people keep telling me that the Nokia from D1 is the better choice. What do you think?
You don't care about mobile phones in a strange country far far away?
So do I!
This ain't your problem. Its the co's purchasing managers to sort this out.
Get them to sort the phone out for you. Then of you make any personal calls own up to them...
Anyway if the US is anything like the UK this whole things changes on a weekly basis as the different firms fight it out.
The only time I ever receive or send a fax is when someone misdials a number for a machinery shop three cities west of here... with email, why do we need fax machines again? :-)
* And remember, it's spelled N-e-t-s-c-a-p-e, but it's pronounced "Mozilla."
Had this been a GSM phone all you needed to do was take the GSM card out of it and buy a new phone and you would have been back on track within a day.
I was surprised to read this and realise how much phones cost in the US. I am so used to Americans banging on about their free local calls that it never occured to me that they would put up with being ripped off like this for a mobile phone. In the UK you get a free phone with charger, case, et al and 120 minutes free outgoing calls (regardless of time of day), we would not dream of paying for incoming calls, all for £18 ($27). Unused minutes roll over to the next month.
I found that too expensive and now use a pay as you go phone. I kept my L7089 and just put a different card in it. They sent me the new card with the first £5 of calls for free as I was keeping my old number.
I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
Likes: Excellent audio quality. Many people think I'm on a land line. The CDMA spec is newer than GSM, and they spec'd better codecs than older systems. Also, long battery life.
Dislikes: Customer service. They screwed up my multi-phone billing. Took forever to get it resolved. If customer service call centers are hellish jobs, it is karmic justice. If you go outside of cities and off the Interstates, the coverage sucks. This is due to PCS having lower power and shorter range than TDMA. Maybe good if you worry about nuking your brain. I use a headset anyway.
I have tried lots of types of systems, and this is how I rank audio quality:
1. CDMA (Sprint, in the U.S.)
2. PHS (Japan)
3. DoCoMo (Japan)
4. tie: GSM and TDMA
6. Nextel (U.S. only?)
7. Analog cellular
Some people I know use smaller cellular companies that operate regional networks for the big guys and have reciprocal agreements on roaming. Thse can be cheaper, but one effect I have seen is that I often get a "try again later" message, indicating the carrier's voice mail system is out of ports. That's one way to cheap out on infrastructure. Also, depending on your carrier, you might not get through to an idle phone if the carrier cheaps out on cell capacity in congested areas or peak drive time. But I have never seen any comsumer comparisons that measure the ratio of users to network capacity.
I wrote parts of this stuff
Surely the country that gave the world democracy, the internet and apple pie can get its act together and offer cheap gas to its citizens? Damnit ! I should be able to refill my car by pressing a button sitting naked at my computer. I have to agree. The thread on the US electoral process really shows how far /. has gone up its own ass.
-sjf
Most of the Ask Slashdot columns can be answered by epinions.com.
l l
Try here: http://www.epinions.com/elec-Comm-Mobileservice-A
--
Steven Webb
System Administrator II - Juneau and TECOM projects
NCAR - Research Applications Program
move to europe.
US Citizen living abroad? Register to vote!
You think that GSM is superior to CDMA and TDMA?
Could you explain why? I am curious as the GSM phones I have seen all sound horrid. My Verizon CDMA phone sounds so much like my landline phone that people ask me if I am still at home when I call them. Of course one could be better than the other in different areas. All I know is my verizon phone works most places I go. Here in Mobile, AL. New Orleans, LA. Houston, TX. Pensacola, FL. I will have to say my dual mode phone will not work in Atlanta, Memphis or Indianapolis. Though if I upgraded to a trimode phone it probably would work. My friend who uses Digiph GSM sounds all broken up if she goes traveling in any of these places. My phone still sounds clear though it occassionally echos in say houston 10% of the time. Nothing too bad though.
All I can say is I hate Verizon Wireless. I live in a smaller metropolitan area (150,000 people) in the midwest. I travel quite a bit for work purposes and used to get decent coverage and limited roaming prior to the Verizon merger (I was w/ Airtouch).
Now that Airtouch is Verizon they suck big time.
I broke my phone (do not leave phone on top of car while driving) and had to put down a $250 deposit for a CRAPPY loaner phone (a single band AudioVox that was statick-y as hell) and it took them 3 weeks to give me a replacement phone. They had my exact model in a box new in the store, um trade me.
My other huge complaint is getting violated on roaming charges. Yah I live in the midwest, but I occasionally have to travel to the coasts and such. Please don't rape me when I'm there. Last time I traveled to San Francisco I rented a pre-paid phone and used it. Saved me like $200 in a week of calls.
My last complaint is their damn rude customer service people. My damn check got lost in the mail, was like two weeks late in getting there (stamps make envelope delivery faster) and they were majorly rude about it. I stopped payment on the lost check gave them a new one and THEY RAN THE STOPPED CHECK EVEN AFTER THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT thus costing me like $125 in bank and Verizon charges, and adding the first black spot to my credit report. The Customer Service Reps were all very unhelpful and blatantly rude, accusing me of not wanting to pay. Airtouch service had always been great before Verizon got to them.
I hate Verizon and am switching to the other guy at the end of this billing cycle!
VERIZON SUCKS!
Rule of Life Number 2: Remember, it can all go to hell at any minute. --Jimmy Buffet
I've done this for my StarTAC phone:
http://www.tir.com/~sgifford/startalk/
It includes programs to write to/from the addressbook, and a detailed analysis of the protocol used to communicate with the phone.
I'd love to take a look at your script, and see how the Samsung phones are different from Motorola. Where can I find a copy?
My Web Page
I have Sprint PCS service on a Motorola StarTAC phone, and love it.
It's coverage is kinda spotty, but where it does work, I can plug it into the serial port on the back of my laptop with a cable from Motorola, and I can use it to connect to the Internet from anywhere. It's slow, but it's fine for reading email, or for downloading a document or program to work on during a delayed flight. Anybody know if other phones/services able to do this nowadays?
I also wrote a program that lets me manipulate its addressbook from my Linux machine, which keeps me from having to type letters on its terrible little keypad. (see StarTalk)
My Web Page
Dunno if this'll moderate up high enough this late in the game, but what the hell...
I have found that Get Connected has a huge database of plans, rates, calling areas, etc... Also, they index DSL, Long Distance, ISPs, cable/satellite TV, calling cards, just about any connectivity need. Pretty useful site.
Regards,
ehintz
You can compare and contrast domestic cellular plans at www.point.com. I found it to be useful when I was making a decision with who I should go with; who has tri-mode networks, largest coverage footprint, etc.
I've used both Sprint and ATT. Sprint has a longer history of No Roaming or Long Distance charges. With ATT you have to make a decision based on your calling patterns, so it is not as clear, but what you are looking for is available.
I've found that ATT phones work better in areas of high electrical interferance - like trade shows. Mine works seemlessly as I go into elevators. My boss says this is because of the cell frequency assigned to the carriers and was a factor in choosing ATT for our company.
Sprint phones have a nice benefit of setting their clocks from the local cell towers. This is nice for when you land someplace and don't know the time zone or are just disoriented from too much travel. I certainly used the feature to keep in sync with my surroundings.
You might also want to Googlize your question, there are web sites that comparison shop for you. My ex employer used one to find that yes, I had chosen well when selecting Sprint.
There's more to it than this.
The problem with pre-paid phones is that the "refill" minutes expire, usually too quickly. Some plans may let you roll over minutes when you get a new card, but usually only once for a given set of minutes.
This might not be a problem if you're fairly consistent in how you use your phone, but if your usage varies widely from month to month, you could end up paying for expired time.
Whatever you do, don't get Sprint. They are cheap in every sense of the word. They look great on paper, but in the real world of dropped calls and 3 hour customer service queues in order to be told that they "don't do that" and "can't fix that" and it "isn't their problem" they way way way beyond massively suck. I had the SC3500, and there was a fatal flaw with it as far as I was concerned. When the battery was getting low, it made a ~95dB shreik in my ear. May not sound like much, but typically I ran out of battery life in the evening 2 or 3 nights a week. Sprint is evil enough that I'm just going to get a new phone when I switch over to At&T. They may cost more, but they are the only vaguely competent telco that I have ever dealt with.
I just got a Sprint PCS phone, 'cause I mostly stay in town and the promotions were good. If I were doing a lot of driving to small towns I'd still be with Alltel.
(Ok, I still am, but it's a fill-out-the-month thing.)
Careful, though. Chicago has PCS, but not GSM. Unless someone knows differently.
----
lake effect weblog
{Network engineer in Chicago--looking for work!}
I know several people including myself who have gone with SprintPCS only to be disappointed. SprintPCS has pretty good prices and doesn't lock you into a contract, but I would recommend Verizon wireless (which costs a bit more and locks you into a contract).
I live in Boston near the Porter Square T stop. Amazingly enough the T stop is a pretty bad coverage hole. I have had my calls dropped driving along Rt. 95 & 93. Where I work 30 minutes North of Boston the coverage goes in and out. I have had people call me at 11AM and leave a message while I am at work; but I never get notified that I have voicemail until I drive 20 minutes South towards Boston. Often I'll only get the message right as I place a call (often to the friend asking why they never called).
I have friends who live outside Boston, in New York City, and Los Angeles who have similar coverage complaints.
Wait, the US Ceel Network still operates analog in some areas! Oh my God, thats almost so funny it's sad!
I thought the US was technologically advanced. From what i've read here so far, the entire US mobile phone market is a complete and utter farce. Pay for incoming calls? No pay-as-go or phone-in-a-box plans? Multiple phone standards? Analog networks? Ye Gods, it reads like the stone age of mobile technology.
Jep, you're correct.
In the Netherlands we have 5 GSM-providers with full coverage.
And of course I can call from almost everywhere in the world (with exception of the US and Canada).
GSM rules.
GSM is the most used mobile phone standard on the world.
I have a monthly subscription from BEN for Fl 30- (around $ 11,75).
I also get 100 minutes free (Fl 0,33 a minute).
Of course we only pay for outgoing call, not for incoming.
And it doesn't matter if you are calling somebody's else mobilephone or a normal telephone.
It doesn't even matter on which net the other phone is.
But well, the Netherlands was the last country where they introduced GSM.
Bulgary had a GSM half a year earlier (middle 1995).
Most eastern european country's have GSM.
So, when you're in Kharkov in the Ukrain you can use your GSM phone without any problem.
the possibility of free incoming calls since when were they not free?
It really depends on what provider you use. I know that one of them - Tracfone is completely anonymous. You don't have to give a name or any other form of ID when you sign up, and as long as you pay for your cards with cash, they are almost completely untraceable. You can even change your number every month or so if you like.
I've got some friends that work for them, and they're guessing that something like half the clientele is using it for purely criminal purposes.
He'd be commuting from Philadelphia - and that's $482/month on Amtrak. I did this for 18 months (to Newark) and it's very tiresome, especially since the trains run about once an hour. If you leave home 5 minutes late, you have to wait at the station. The morning rush stress alone is not worth it.
:)
Also, $60k/year in NYC is sort of borderline poverty.
They were low-balling you.
Blar.
I'm getting slightly peeved at all the messages going "you have to pay for incoming cell phone calls?!" I think it seems truly odd that large portions of the technologically-advanced world have to pay to make local phone calls on a landline. US$55/month for phone service (in North Texas, USA) includes extended metro service, and I can call an area of about 250 square miles.
Anyway, back on topic: VoiceStream has GSM service in good portions of the US, and their phones are capable of roaming internationally. A friend of mine just got one, and she's never going back to SWBell. The coverage where she lives is excellent, and she's out in the Middle Of Nowhere(tm).
---
I agree with a couple other comments, if you are traveling in the US, then GSM is useful only in some areas. Coverage is good in several Metro areas (near Phila, PA is good). I've flown through San Francisco and Los Angeles and had coverage for the couple hours before leaving the country. The neat thing about GSM is usage outside the US. You'll be able to use your SIM card (mentioned in another reply) all over the world as long as your provider has global roaming and you go to a GSM country. Most of Asia has GSM coverage, Japan supposedly does not, Australia does, I can't speak for the UK.
As another poster mentioned, the US has a different GSM frequency, so you either need one of the 'world phones' or you can rent a compatible phone when leaving the country. I've used both the Motorola L2000/L7089 and the Ericsson i888 World, both are good phones and work in the US and outside it (they are tri-band, supporting 900/1800/1900 Mhz). Someone mentioned a Nokia, but I think it only covers two of the bands, so I haven't looked into it very thorougly (although that should get you 90-95% of GSM countries.) If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a world phone ($200+), Omnipoint had (now Voicestream) a very reasonable rental plan for customers, about $30 for a month. Although rates went up a bit after the first month.
The question remains, travel only in the US? You probably need a analog phone at the minimum for maximum coverage. Digital is a little more expense and adds a bunch of handy features like messaging and caller id. If you don't have to travel to non-GSM cities or away from Metro areas then GSM is quite good, otherwise stick to Sprint/AT&T/Verizon.
Kevin
PS. I'm a Omnipoint/Voicestream GSM customer...
I'm using Sprint PCS right now...
:)
The good: No contract, 1000 long distance anytime minutes plus 1000 off-peak/weekend minutes for $84/mo. I'm in Southern California and also use it in Maui, Hawaii with great coverage in both areas, very few dropped calls.
The bad: No free/cheap equipment. Not every city is covered, but they do make dual-band phones so you can always roam if you have to. Roaming fees aren't too bad...
The ugly: Lousey equipment line. I have a Nokia 6185 that I've had since it came out and I drop it regularly, it's hard to say how much longer it's going to last. I want a new 6260 and they don't offer it. When my phone dies so will my loyalty to Sprint PCS unless they add Nokia back to their line.
I don't know much about how their equipment works, is there any way of buying equipment from another provider and using it with Sprint PCS? From what I understand their stuff is all proprietory, which of course sucks and this proves it.
So anyways I'm happy with them, I just wish they would offer Nokia again. I e-mailed them over the weekend regarding this issue but haven't heard back yet...
--SONET
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do. --Benjamin Franklin
Hmmm...I have the Samsung SCH-8500. I guess they learned their lesson while designing it. No problem with vibrating (which I use everyday): you can individually set the ringer type (or vibrate) for each kind of alarm: missed call, normal call, alarm, or message. Also it's a pretty compact and light phone, so no problem there.
No problem either with keylock : all the keys are protected by the phone itself: it closes just like a startac...
I used a startac in europe for about a year two years ago. I've always hated it, and will never buy one again. But then again, maybe they also improved their phone...
Maan
You might want to look at http://www.point.com.
They have a pretty cool site that let's you set different options and filters out the plans that don't match with your selection.
Good luck,
Maan
http://www.point.com/default.asp
also, your needs become dramtically different if you travel overseas frequently, but there's tons of good info in here for that too.
Umm....America is bigger than all of Europe, and we started doing mobile a very long time ago. Do YOU want to pay to replace all those towers?
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
SprintPCS still offers the first incoming minute free on all but the cheapest plans.
I could have sworn that voicestream was CDMA (at least in Pgh, since they just bought Ariel) in the US, and GSM abroad - like you'd have to buy a tri-band phone.
Anyone know for sure?
RedX, thanks for the link.
AIM is a little hard to use on a phone without T9 entry - but it's still pretty cool.
Sprint just introduced this My Music thing just recently. Apparently they're providing 2GB of MP3 storage for use with a Samsung Uproar phone. I don't know how they're planning on streaming to the phone - best data rate I can get with my SCH 3500 is 14.4.
I've had a Sprint phone for almost a year. I'd agree that they make more mistakes than my last carrier (Bell Atlantic Mobile/Verizon) - but the customer service people are all very friendly and willing to help. I've yet to encounter a rude representative (or customer advocate or whatever). The morons at BAM were such asses that I couldn't believe they had customers. At least that's my experience in the Pittsburgh market.
My Sprint phone doesn't have that problem. Voicemail indicator turns on and my phone beeps immediately after someone leaves a voicemail. Every time. (Pittsburgh market)
I have Verizon's SingleRate plan, and was told that it was no roaming charges and no long-distance charges anywhere; and in fact this seems to be the case. I've made calls from a bunch of places and never got charged extra (or indeed at all) for them. Also, the phones that come with this plan (an AudioVox or a StarTac) are trimode.
That said, I'm not 100% sure whether I'd recommend Verizon. Overall I've had a fairly good experience, but out of the five or so bills I've gotten to date, two of them have been off by a few cents (80 cents in their favour one month, 13 in my favour the next), which doesn't really bode well for their accounting skills. :( On the other hand, with the error in their favour, when I called up they did fix it, so who knows. Nowadays there are a number of single-rate plans, though, so shop around.
``This, too, shall pass.'' ---Eastern proverb
Many carriers used to offer the first incoming minute free. Now I can't even get that anymore. Yes, our minutes do get used for incoming calls, as the provider's network is used. So no breaks just because you didn't call someone. That's what caller ID is for. If I don't recognize the number, I won't answer it.
They're digital, they're Nokia's and I like it. You even have an analog module option. Just stick it under the battery, and you're in business.
According to Fido's website, you pay extra for using their analog service.
"Your Fido monthly airtime package includes calls that you make or receive within Fido's PCS coverage area, any time of the day or week. When you access the analog network (not available to Fidomatic customers), your calls will be billed to your Fido account, over and above your Fido airtime. These calls are billed by the second, at only 20 per minute for airtime and 20 per minute for long- distance, if applicable, anywhere in Canada. Please note that a 30-second minimum applies to all long-distance calls, in addition to airtime charges."
Reference.
www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
As far as comparing prices/plans/features, you are much better off going to one of the cell phone comparison web sites than asking Slashdot. Point.com is the best site that I have found for that purpose.
I've got the 4000...none of the problems you're discribing.
But otherwise, I like the Sprint plan I have. If you're doing nationwide travelling, and you'll be in Metro areas, mainly, it might be something to consider. Their plans offer free nationwide long distance, and for $50 (and some change), I got 500 minutes + 500 evening weekend. Only downside is that there are still areas of the nation that don't have Sprint PCS (like the nothern half of WI). That means nasty old analog roaming.
Dirk
I keep trying to pick fights, but I can't shake this Excellent karma.
You can pick up the Audiovox 9000 (tri-mode) for $39 in the Verizon stores right now . . .
Verizon Wireless is 100% separate from the landline company. The strike did not, I repeat DID NOT affect Verizon Wireless AT ALL.
In Australia, no phone provider (mobile or otherwise) charges for incoming calls (except for voicemail). Pre-paid plans that cut out are available and all the networks offer country wide coverage.
Just so you know the samsung 3500 has different ringers for different things... thus when you leave a message on this phone it could ring if you have the setting set like this... this setting is customizable in that you CAN TURN IT OFF.. or put it on vibrate.. This means that when you put the phone ringer on vibrate then the rest of the "ringers" need changed too....I agree this is a bad design and with the newer phones this is fixed by an environment feature that changes all of the ringers.. I know the nokia 6185 and the sanyo 4500 have this feature and I believe many more models have this.... Thus it pays to read the manual before making a jerk out of yourself.
GSM is probably the best standard of communication out there, BUT (and this is a big but), it is not nation wide (yet). GSM 1900 is limited right now for the USA. VoiceStream, Powertell, Pacific Bell (aswell as many others) are some. And alot currently do not offer analog service with any calling plan, so if your traveling nationwide these are NOT for you yet! In a few years I imagine that the US will have coverage like Europe does with GSM but it hasn't come to the US right now.
:P
If you travel nationwide then you want a good digital service but I feel its important to also have analog capabilities.
Coverage on a perfect day....
Digital == 2-5 miles per tower
Analog == ~100 miles per tower
Big difference, wonder why my analog phone's batery dies so fast...
Absolute area means little. It's population density which matters. (actually customer density, but it's close enough).
After all larger area with same density means more customers.
Here in Norway we the olg analogue NMT900 net was phased out in favor of GSM during the last ten years, and this is not an easy country for cellular. Lots of mountains and hills and a population which lives rather spread out into the countryside.
At present almost all populated areas got coverage. (This is a lot more than just cities (cities what cities, norways largest city (by far) got a population of just 0.5-1M (don't you just love nested paranthesis)))
My impression is that the US situation is mostly due to standards issues. When GSM was first introduced, the US seemed to adopt a 'not invented here' position and pressed on with it's CDMA system. As we have seen later on GSM is adopted anyway and the US got two competing standards.
Meanwhile over here we are now gearing up into upgrading the GSM system to encompass GPRS (packet radio), and later on to UMTS. UMTS is designed to be a joint audio/data network which can dynamically allocate bandwith both for both fixed and varying datarates becoming a mobile equivalent to ADSL (as in offering alway-on network connectivity. Don't expect to use UMTS for high-bandwidth streaming media)
Why should I pay for someone else's convenience? They guy with te cell phone should pay for the cell phone. I have local and long distance service to pay for my phone usage. If I call someone who has a cell phone, I shouldn't have to pay a premium because he wanted the convenience of having a phone he could carry with him.
Bolie IV
Last I checked, Sprint was running a promo that had 2000 minutes for $75, long distance included, with no roaming charges as long as you stay on the digital network. (Which isn't hard, if you're in major cities.)
Cell phones are very popular in New Zealand, and local calls (from private phones)are free. Like most other places, cell phones have their own area code, and you are charged the same charge per minute where ever the cell phone user happens to be in the country.
As for having the problem of having same area - shouldn't be a problem. The only issue is that the caller needs some way of knowing they are calling a mobile. Again, in NZ there are many places with the same area code (e.g. the whole of the South Island is 03), but they still charge if yuo call someone outside your free calling area.
OK, I've never ad a problem with mine. I have it set to vibrate more often than I have the ringer on when I carry it around. And I have _NEVER_ had a problem with it ringing later indicating that I've missed a call. _YOU_ can configure it to do that, but you can also configure it to either vibrate for missed calls, or do nothing for missed calls. I know, I have one and that's the way that I have it set up.
Second, I've never had a problem with it hanging up on me and I've never had a problem with it just turning off on me.
In the year (almost I think) that I've had the phone, I've only accidently turned off the key lock once. And I generally don't have a carrying case for it, I almost always just drop it in a pocket.
Voice Dial, nice, but not really used all that much, it's just faster most of the time to use the one button speeddial (as long as you can remember the correct one...).
All in all, I would gladly get the phone again. But I've heard that the latest Samsung model (8500?) may be a better deal now, I haven't really looked into it to much though.
Do you have any proof of these claims? Where are these giant servers that log all digital calls? Last time I was working a telphone CO there was nothing of the sort.
I've seen the term "tri-mode" used a lot in this discussion, but there is no such thing as a tri-mode phone. What is usually referred to as "tri-mode" is really dual-band/dual-mode (CDMA-800/1900 and AMPS, or TDMA-800/1900 and AMPS as the case may be).
I know that it's the cellular carriers that are using this term, but that doesn't make it right.
For a phone that will work just about anywhere in the US, and service that carries no roaming or long distance charges, Verizon Wireless (formerly GTE) is probably the best bet. $55 will get you 400 minutes, $75 for 600, $100 for 900, and so on.
;)
Whatever you do, I would recommend that you avoid Sprint PCS like the plague. Their service is okay until you have a problem, then they are worse than government to deal with. I had a Motorola Timeport ($300 phone when I bought it) that quit working (it would work intermittently, usually not at all) at about 6 weeks of age. Sprint lied to me and told me that there was nothing wrong with the phone, and that they were having "network problems in my area" and that is why the phone did not work properly. I made calls and went to 2 different Sprint stores and was told the same thing. This went on for over a month. At this point, I bought a new phone and service from another carrier just to have something that worked!
Finally, talked to a friend of mine (who is the manager at a local Radio Shack) and he provided me with the phone number of someone higher up the Sprint food chain. This person finally admitted that there must be a problem with the phone itself, and we made arrangements to get a new phone overnighted to me.
Two weeks later, no phone. My Radio Shack guy called them back and raised hell about it and then they had a story to tell that they sent my new phone to the wrong address, and that they would get another one right out. Well, they did get another one to me the next day, but it was the WRONG PHONE. They shipped a Talkabout (cheapo Motorola phone), and not a Timeport. My Radio Shack guy immediately called them back and told them about this new fiasco. They promised a new Timeport would be shipped right out. They never gave instructions as to what the hell to do with the Talkabout (which they charged my account for.) Over a week later, no phone. Another call by Radio Shack to Sprint to raise hell, and finally the rep agreed to meet me in person with a new Timeport. She took the Talkabout, and we overnighted my busted Timeport back to Sprint. Before meeting to get the new phone, I had already decided to cancel my Sprint service, and sell the brand new Timeport - I just wanted them to replace my damned phone as promised. I was paying $100 per month for 1000 minutes on a $300 phone that did not work. You can see why I was furious!
The final chapter began when I tried to get Sprint to cancel my service. I spent 50 minutes on hold (I timed it), and got some asshole that hassled me for 10 minutes over wanting to disconnect my service (like giving me shit at this point is going to make me change my mind - what part of turn my service off do you not understand ?!? - seesh), and finally said that he would disconnect the phone. Well, he didn't. Eight days later, I called again, spent another 30 minutes on hold and finally got someone that had a brain. She said that she had no record of my previous order to disconnect the phone, but she would take care of it. One hour later, the phone is finally dead, and the Timeport went up for sale on Ebay. End of saga. Have you guys seen the commercials for XO Communications where they make fun of the fictional "MegaTelco"? Sprint IS MegaTelco.
Money lost on unused service: $250.00 (after taxes) Money lost on phone: $120.00 (difference between what the phone cost me new and what I sold the replacement for.) Money spent on another carrier's phone to replace the busted Sprint phone: $100.00. Sprint PCS ended up being a very expensive and frustrating mistake for me. I'm also getting rid of my wife's Sprint phone just out of principle.
If any of you guys live in Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis or Knoxville, TN, you should check out Cricket for local PCS service. (It only works in your local area.) You get a Nokia 5170 (1900 MHz CDMA) and the first month service for only $99.00, with no contract to sign! $29.99 per month gets you UNLIMITED use of the phone for local calls! Talk until you are blue in the face for only $29.99 a month - how can you argue with that? Voice mail, caller ID and call waiting are optional, but you can get everything for another $7.95. It actually works better in Nashville (where I live) than my Sprint phone did. Somebody invest some money in these guys.
Out of order? Fuck! Even in the future nothing works! - Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) "Spaceballs"
You can get triple band phones (I have one), but they're not that common.
Alternatively you can just take your SIM card and hire a phone in the US.
To bring this back to the original (drifted...) topic: in the UK you'd expect to pay about L15 (maybe $22?) a month for a contract which is either a lot of inclusive offpeak minutes (perhaps 50 a day) and rather expensive peak time, or perhaps 60 inclusive peak minutes per month and then more-reasonably priced calls the rest of the time. These typically all work for calls to landlines and other people on the same network -- off-network calls are more. Incoming calls are all free of course, and voicemail is often free too, and you get the usual stuff like fax & messaging. It;s attractive enough that my company has no fixed-line phones at all, and probably never will have.
They're kidding right? Everyone where I work
has a cell phone. Top of the line samsung and we dont pay a dime. Otherwise you'd be burdened with making weekly expense reports etc etc. Why doesnt your company just pay for the thing?
Peter
--
www.alphalinux.org
www.alphalinux.org
I have a Pacific Bell GSM phone (Nokia 5190). I recently drove across the country from Boston to San Francisco. According to PacBell's coverage map I should have had coverage in almost every city I went thru and most larger towns. Wrong. I had coverage in Boston, St. Louis, and from Reno to San Francisco.
I like GSM and am satisfied with PacBell, but the coverage sucks. Coverage around the SF Bay Area is ok and I rarely travel, so I get by.
My wife has a Sprint phone. She had coverage for most of the trip. Her coverage only dropped out when we were way out in the boonies. Her phone is dual band however and much of the time it was analog only.
If you are really concerned about nation wide coverage, get an analog (yes, I know the problems with analog) or better yet, dual-band phone.
My wife's Sprint calling plan gets something like 600 nation wide minutes a month for $70. Something like that. But that's digital minutes only. Analog minutes cost (lots) extra. She travels a lot and uses her phone a lot and is happy with it.
I'd look for a plan that has no roaming charges and free long distance. I'm using one from GTE (nee Verizon) that has that and uses a dual mode phone (CDMA & AMPS) to get pretty much universal coverage.
As long as I stay within the maximum number of minutes the bill is the same if I'm mostly at home that month or on the road.
PCS is just a catchall for TDMA/CDMA/GSM...
GSM is in Chicago though.
I Have AT&T One Rate and am very satisfied with it. My travels are mostly up & down the Western US and coverage is great. $40 to $100 a month for a set number of minutes (several plans), + $ .25 a minute after. No roaming, no long distance. They have never screwed up my bill, but I have gotten a couple spam calls,(not billed)trying to offer a better rate for another year contract.
I can live with that.
I got a Nokia 5 series triband phone, PCS, Digital, Analog. So if the town you're in has any cell service at all, you're good to go.
My $.02, hope it helps.
"Mind tricks don't work on me, only money."
Al Gore at the Buhddist temple
I actively encourage people to butt in when people are calling over a cellphone in bus or train. We know you're on the train, and you don't have to bloody shout it out for the world to hear. You have the bloody cellphone so you don't have to yell at eachother, so DON'T!
//rdj
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness.
--Sheikh Abd-Al-Kadir, 1587
If you will be traveling throughout the country, you will want a plan with no roaming and no long distance in the US. The least expensive I have found comes to about a dime a min. The companies that offer this type of plan are Alltel, AT&T, and Cingular. Sprint PCS also has extentsive coverage and good promotions but you may get into areas in which you will be charged expensive roaming. I have been happy with AT&T except that they would not make a bigger plan for me.
as the saying goes, "if duct tape can't fix it, it's broken!" Anyways, I used to have a Nokia 6120, loved the phone. Dropped it so many times I can't count. Eventually I got a new job that required us to have Nextels. Hey, if they were paying, I wasn't going to complain. I can direct connect with all my other friends that have nextels etc. The contract they gave me is a 600 minute national plan, unlimited incoming calls from any type of network, no roaming charges, etc. Too bad I can't direct connect while I'm outside my local area though :( As for how tough the phone is, it's the i1000+ which looks like a wimpy phone due to it being a flip open. One drunken night, I accidentally wound up popping the phone out of the holster while getting into my friends car (I don't drink and drive :) didn't notice I didn't have the phone until I got home. The next day I went back to where my friend was parked and sure enough, there was my phone. From the looks of the battery (battery was down on the cobblestone road), it was definatly run over by at least one car. Replaced the battery, to my surprise IT STILL WORKED!!!! And to think, nextel offers an "industrial" phone thats rubberized on the outside for those that work in construction type environments. Needless to say I was VERY shocked that it still worked. Still using it to :)
End Of Line
Sure it does, all these 'other' countries are small which makes it econmonical to build the GSM network. Their combined land total might be greater than the US but the GSM network was built piecemeal.
>you will), be sure to choose Powertel.
'Kay, I've had it with sprint PCS myself, and am in the process of looking for a new provider...
... and I had a look at Powertel's site. It looks like a really good deal, considering my calling and travel habits. Only problem is, they're in Georgia, and describe the southeast as their home area.
I notice, tho, from your website that *YOU* are here in California. So i was wondering if you have personal expierence with PowerTel? Do you have their 50 state service? Is it reliable in CA? Bay Area vs. SoCal? How is customer service for you, considering you're on the other side of the country?
Or was your Powertel recommendation just from web research and not expierence (I hope not, it REALLY looks good right about now)
john
Resistance is NOT futile!!!
Haiku:
I am not a drone.
Remove the collective if
Imagine all the people...
I don't know alot about the US, however, if you're taking your mobile around Europe, then you get stuck with the "Roaming" fee! I had to pay 500UK pounds last month due to the number of ppl calling me!!! I was in Munich; they were calling my UK number. I had to pay the international part of the call!
-- "To ask a question is to show ignorance; Not to ask a question means you'll remain ignorant."
Orange. Been great for me, works nationwide (My nation anyway) and worldwide, although I hear coverage is not very good in the USA as they don't use the same system as the rest of the world. Apparently they are still stuck in analogue. Strangely I'm told mobiles only work in big cities!!! How wierd is that? The places where you are most likely to find a phone box are the only places covered. I bet by the time the rest of the world goes 3G, they will only just start using proper GSM. Anyone ever seen the poor selection of phones available to the US on the Nokia or Ericsson web-sites? It's worth a laugh.
Thats pretty much what I figured... so in reality we (in the US) aren't really paying more in total, the cost just gets shifted from one person to another... now, assuming that you call as many cellphones as you get calls on your cellphone (which may not hold in a lot of cases) you end up paying about the same.
-- Point? None! Cob.
Does the originator of the call (in Australia, the rest of the world, you get the idea) pay extra because they are calling a cell phone, or are they just paying the normal charge for making any old phone call?
It does make a bit of a difference, since in the US calling a cellphone is pretty much the same as calling any phone in a given area code, the airtime charges (which I assume is what the teleco's use to pay for their network) is payed by the cellphone user, the actual charge for the phone call is payed by whoever originated it.
-- Point? None! Cob.
Do you live on the backside of the earth? Do you have to pay for recived SMS as well? Tell your phone company to stuff it where the sun does not shine and move to Europe. Charging like this is robbery.
I have 2 phones with AT&T plans. I have found that the offer a very large local calling area (at least here in PA) and overall, the phone works just about anywhere you go. I have had trouble in some secluded areas. One of my plans gets something like 250 peak minutes and 500 weekend and off-peak minutes for $30.
I got the Nokia 5160 phone with the plan. It is a fairly nice phone that works with digital and analog systems. If the digital craps out, you have the analog to back it up, not always the case with a straight PCS plan.
I work for CompUSA, and they sell sprint phones, and the employee rate is 15$ for 750 any time minutes, free nation wide calling, free long distance, and free wireless internet, only thing they get you on is roaming bleh.
i888 is a lovely phone -
website has IRDA support for NT, but apparently needs to be upgraded for W2K
has anyone seen *nix support for IrDA
-- Butlerian Jihad NOW!
powertel was recently acquired by VoiceStream.
there is GSM in chicago. but it is just experimental (ie, not reliable). VoiceStream is getting ready to launch a new market there. My personal opinion? They need to expand coverage in the markets they already have.
Voicestream is growing quickly, they acquired Aerial and Omnipoint, and then Powertel, then Deutsche Telekom acquired Voicestream, Then VoiceStream turns around and buys SOL Communications (Nice name, huh?).
If this DT merger goes through, I think you can expect some great things out of GSM.
And from the geek perspective, I can't share what it is, but you will be very impressed with what VoiceStream will have for you, in terms of wireless internet.
all bets are off when you are roaming.
The big bang theory is based around an event that happened 400 years ago, that gave birth to the United States.
"Are there actual people outside the United States?"
"Best way to extract heads from arses?"
"On combatting stupidity?"
> Also, U2's new album sucks. Possibly because
> their hearing is damaged from all of the car
> bomb explosions in Dublin
Of course, if you even had one iota of a clue, you would know that Dublin is not and has never been the target of IRA attacks.
But then you're from a country where the president only gets involved in such affairs to score votes with "Irish Americans".
But AMPS has managed to remain in rural areas for the time being I think.
CDMA is eventually going to replace it completely but GSM will still be very common in cities etc.
AussiePenguin
Melbourne, Australia
ICQ 19255837
Jeremy
Melbourne, Australia
Jabber Australia
It's simple, all mobiles, no matter where in the country start with an 04. Mobile charges are the same no matter where in the country (which is a bit of a rip off when calling from a fixed Telstra phone). And the receiver doesn't pay to receive calls. The other advantage is that the caller knows that they are calling a mobile just from seeing the number. And in the end it's cheaper, especially if the call is made from the other side of the country, since the caller only pays for the mobile call instead of them paying STD charges then you getting charged airtime on top of that.
In the end, paying for aitime might be better for bussinesses, but they can always get a 1800 number.
AussiePenguin
Melbourne, Australia
ICQ 19255837
Jeremy
Melbourne, Australia
Jabber Australia
I'm not in the US and don't know much about US calling plans, etc, but here in the UK, I'm currently going around with three numbers so I can effectively get the best of any network.
:)
The highest cost of UK mobile usage is other-network calls (roughly 7 times that of a same network or local call). So I've got myself a Nokia 7110 (unlocked with some software I grabbed of an obscure site) and three sim cards (Orange, Vodafone and Virgin). The first two mainly for making calls to others on those networks and the last so I can receive unlimited email into my phone for 10 pounds a year
What's relevant to your case is that perhaps it'd make sense to get an easily unlockable, popular phone, and a couple of SIMs, that is if the line rental is low or nonexistant.
Karma makes sense. It makes a lot more sense if you add reincarnation.
I'm sure it's been said at least 5 times already but you should ask people in your area. I have AT&T (gets paid for by work). I get shite reception in my area (NYC) (well, actually things have improved a lot lately but it used to suck. I still lose my calls anytime I cross Broadway for some reason). On the other hand, whenever I'm in LA (family) my reception is awesome. I get calls everywhere.
Talk to people who live where you live because service is all about transponder location and it changes from city to city from company to company.
As for national, I almost never end up roaming. The Digital One Rate plans are a little more priceyt han Sprints I think but otber than patchy service in NYC (which everyone except Verizon has but I'm not giving them a penny after my DSL fiasco), AT&T's been pretty good to me.
If you do decide to get a digital phone, make sure they give you an adapter or a second phone that analog so you will have nation wide coverage. In some parts of the country they don't have digital service.
I just suffered through this and did all the research. My specs started with the phone. I felt that if I was to have this phone with me 24x7, it had better be easy to live with. In reading about the different phones, I decided that I like the Nokia 8290 & 8260. The 8290 is a bit more feature rich (more colors, IR data/fax port, config and backup computer program, voice dialing), but both of them had the important 2-way text & email messaging (late-night pages are better than phone calls IMHO), reminder features, etc. The most imporant feature is that you have all of the above in an incredibly small size. It's just a bit bigger than a pager. It has great power management that keeps it alive for quite a while. The antena is built in, thus, I just carry it around in my pocket instead of having something permanently attached to my hip or something poking me in the wrong place; it's very easy to live with. I prefered the 8290 but decided on the 8260 because it featured tri-mode (analog 800, digitial TDMA 800/1900), which I suspected would give me better coverage when traveling. Most of the 8290's super cool features come from being a GSM phone. GSM is inherintly digitial and widely used in europe, however, it's not going to be installed where I travel.
Once you decided on a phone, you then see that you have a much eaiser time finding a service provider. I found shopping for this service (and phones) highly irritating. There doesn't seem to be a single store that carries more than one voice provider. This made comparison shopping highly difficult. Having just been layed off, I learned the problem of using your work cell phone for a contact. I decided I would buy the phone, but the new company pays the monthly usage. I wanted to be very conservative with the phone price, and the phones I was looking at are expensive. Being in southern california, my choices were PacBell (8290) or AT&T (8260). I may have been able to order the phone and set it up to use sprint or verizon, but either way, I wouldn't get any nifty discounts on the phone upon signing up. I decided on At&t, because I was getting a phone for my wife at the same time, and I n the needed the most discounts.
There are many hidden fees and plans. First, they want you to stay local to their antennas (so to speak). Everytime you connect using some other network, they don't make money. Because of this, they tend to offer different sorts of plans: local, regional, national, international. All of the plans give you so many minutes to start with (and the more you spend/month, the better the deals). The local is ment to be more affordable. The big money maker for them is the hidden fees. When you aren't using the local network, they call it "roaming". When you "roam" they tend to add another $.35 to your per minute charge. In addition, if you roam out of your state, they'll tack on another $.60 per minute. Oh, and if that call you're making is long distance call, they'll add $.15. If you get the cheap plan, be careful. The regional plan takes away the first roaming charge. The national plans tend to take away all the roaming charges and usally throw in long distance, but their regular per minute charges will be sightly higher (expect a minimum of $.35/min). I also checked up on pre-paid. To summarize, per-paid sucks -- it's only good if you're of horrible credit or want to be anonymous. I decided on the cheapest local plan for my wife and the "digitial one rate" national plan for my self (since work is footing that bill).
Thus, it comes down to a cheap but quality phone (because of mail-in rebates), and $60/month that my work will pay. Don't forget to search for hidden fees, like a cancelation fee or call forwarding fee. Watch out for full minute rounding. Full-minute rounding is where if you make a call lasting a minute and one second, it's billed as two minutes. Very evil, unethicial practice, that every provider except nextel uses (I actually like nextel quite a bit, but their cheapest account was unafforable for me). Also, try and go with someone like At&t that will give you a guarantee. Here's a summary of what I spent...
Nokia 8260 [grey] $200, TDMA/analog Network Activiation $ 25 Digial One Rate $ 60/month 450 minutes / month included additional minutes @ $.35/min long distance is an additional charge of $.0/min regional roaming, additional $.0/min national roaming, additional $.0/min (the ultimate domestic call would be $.35/min) 1 year term (commitment), $120/cancellation upgrade without pentalties full minute rounding It would be nice of them to through in a satisfation guarentee Features (free, but you have to ask for them): Call Forwarding $ 0 (need to find out per min charge) 3-way calling $ 0 Voicemail $ 0 2-way text messaging $ 0 Discounts: mail-in rebate for nokia 8260 purchase -$50 mail-in rebate for sign-up > $28 -$75 mail-in rebate of on-line sign-up -$50 see... http://www.attws.com/general/offers/clickfordetail s.shtml#50rebate
when I called, they said they could match it
no shipping or handling
no tax
no other hidden fees
Good Luck!!!
Democrats and Republicans only disagree about how to enslave you
According to http://www.nokiausa.com/beauty1/1,1585,47,FF.html , the 8290 does not do analog (but I really wish that it did).
Democrats and Republicans only disagree about how to enslave you
whats AIM like on the phone... I heard about that... which is why i am considering getting PCS
mov ax, 13h
int 10h
mov ax, 13h
int 10h
I can't agree more. I currently have a StarTAC via SprintPCS. While I like the small size, I admit that I miss some of the gizmos that my Nokia phone had. Worse, the stupid little antenna on the StarTAC is notorious for getting bent up to all hell through use and falling out. With a phone that small, loosing the antenna makes your phone work about as well as 2 tin cans connected with a string.
The higher, the fewer.
That's really supprising to hear that in America the analogue network is still quite common, over the past 10 years here in Australia the fed govt has sponsored the transition from analogue to digital, finnishing this year when the last remaining parts of the analogue net was completly replaced by a CDMA net..
:(
I remember my first mobile in '93 i was told by the sales man "Don't get analoge! you'll regret it in a few years!!" Well i listened, but since then i have had no less than 3 contracts! (many more actual phones!)
Network coverage was always the issuse here too, now CDMA covers all that GSM doesnt which is like 99% to 98% coverage respectivly (of the population).
Anyway too keep this ontopic, here in Australia the plans are allways the best to go with, i assume you have Vodafone there, from my experience here in Australia and in the UK, vodaphone is best for price / QUALITY!! Unfortunatly i was stupid and with my latest plan picked Optus (Cable & Wireless) for the very cheap calls, but it drops out at least 1 in 3 calls, whereas my old vodaphone rarely did. I also had to get a One2One prepaid when i was in London last, (Global roaming in Europe from Aus is not reasonable!) I believe one2one is a Cable&Wireless subsidery again, but that too droped out as much as my Optus does!
Ive heard Analogue here in Aus was just as bad, constant drop outs, etc. So I would ask more importantly than plan price / etc, is cost / network quality! Whats the point of a phone if you miss ever second word and lose connection constantly!
BTW, Avoid pre-paid like the plague, they are more expensive, and are 'low-priority' on the network, ie you get even WORSE quality!
-Randon.
Now, Rest Of The World readers are probably thinking, "Well, duh. But in the U.S., the default works like this: the owner of the cell phone pays for it.
This is, IMAO, one of the reasons cell phones are less widespread in the U.S. that they are in Rest Of The World. See if you can get a RotW-style calling plan; they're good, 'cos you don't have to fear people calling you up and costing you lots of money.
I use AT&T's Digital OneRate plan, and have been very satisfied with it. It provides the greatest coverage of any of the providers, and even though they have a stifling contract with Motorola (which prevents use of some of the nicer new phones), with the right phone you can make and receive calls from almost anywhere....
If you're going to be traveling into non-digital areas more than a few times a year (ie - business trips that include long drives, or trips to non-metropolitan areas), then the AT&T package is the only one that will really fill your needs. None of the other service providers (Sprint, Nextel, AllTel, etc) cover enough of BOTH analog and digital areas across the continental US, which is crucial if you're going to be out of a digital calling area. AT&T covers something like 95+% of the continental US, and you can use either analog or digital - whichever has the strongest signal!.....
The AT&T plans are generally more expensive, and the new AT&T phones are slow to come out, but overall, it's the only way to go if you're really going to do that much traveling....
*IF* you're going to be traveling to major metropolitan areas _only_, then a Sprint or Nextel phone and plan may be more appropriate....
Nathan.
Worrying works!! 99% of all the stuff I worry about never happens
Verizion has been very good so far for us. No roaming combined with Long Distance is great. We can use it just about anywhere and still get a Digital Connection. The more remote areas get analog, so check your coverage. Since we travel in metro areas, we're pretty much covered (Chicago, DC, Southern Fla).
One thing to be aware of is that the plan requires a Tri-Mode phone, and they can be quite pricey. There may still be a $50 rebate from Motorola available, and the stores run specials like 1/2 off.
Make sure you check out your service reps before buying from them. Ask around, not all Verizon stores (or authorized retailers) are the same for service. For example, ours will give us a loaner if the phone needs to go in for repairs. I've heard of some that may leave you high and dry or charge a fee for the phone. This review: http://goinside.com/00/7/verizon.html was very helpful and verified our decision.
You're missing three points. First, the US has a high population density in only a few, small widely separated areas.
Nobody cares about covering a few million people living in a vast countryside when there are a couple hundred million living in urban areas.
Second, after you install your cell phone system in the high population desity areas, the millions of people who live in the "vast countryside" become your next potential customers.
There are numerous examples of countries with less population density than the US which have managed to build a much more homogenous network infrastructure.
Third, AMPS was deployed before there was any digital standards, and CDMA and TDMA systems were being installed while GSM was still being developed. Sure, it's a no-brainer to decide which system to install now.
It's too bad you weren't around when they were installing the first cell phone systems. You could have tell them what to install and saved everyone a lot of time and money.
---You can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their back.
// TODO: fix sig
In addition, all these counties are coming online after GSM has become a world-wide standard.
---
You can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their back.
// TODO: fix sig
That may be for new "manufactured" scanners....it's REAL easy to find an old one. (just find a compulsive upgrader around and see if he has a older one). On the other hand, sometimes the manufacturer doesn't know it and some enterprising young individual find out about it when he starts hitting multiple keys. PLUS, you CAN build your own scanner. It ain't easy, but it can be done. The parts are available. If someone REALLY wants to her you arguing with your wife about the stuff your picking up at the store or the wife telling you to get some milk on the way home, they can. Just because you can't go and buy an "appliance" and cut a wire or hit keys and make it pick up those bands, doesn't mean you can't do it by building your own(complete with plans available I might add.).
Gorkman
It is a little strange that the "OK" button (when pressed and held for three seconds) disables the key lock feature and is exposed when the phone is folded, but I haven't had any problems with it. After all, you have to press and hold it for three seconds, and then, in order to get to voice mail, release the button, then press and hold it for several more seconds.
Personally, I love my 3500 and have had none of the problems mentioned above. And, to stay on-topic, I have the Free And Clear 500 plan (or whatever it is called) and haven't had any problems with it. I only travel up and down the west coast (SF, LA and Portland), so I don't know how the coverage is elsewhere...
Well duh! Of course you have to cough up to receive a call if you take your phone abroad. But there is that whole relative size issue again; it's very easy for one company to cover any European country in comparison to trying to cover all of the US. I doubt there's anywhere left in Europe that doesn't have at least one GSM network, but you have to wonder if you're being screwed if you happen to live near the border of, say, Holland and Belgium, or even worse have to commute over the border...
The conclusion of your syllogism, I said lightly, is fallacious, being based on licensed premises
Can somebody advise me on their UK experiences?
I also agree with thorsen that this posting could do an 'only read if you live in the USA' .
GSM providers are generally more localized and rarely nationwide. Some do exist. However, providers peer with others (similar to "roaming" under analogue cellular).
In CA. Pacific Bell Wireless works throughout the state and Nevada. In Chicago the phone still works, but on another carrier, which is identified by the phone when powered on.
A decent GSM phone with a decent provider will work most places nationwide. If they dont have GSM in the area, chances are you won't be sent to such a technology deficient area (or I'd sure as hell hope not!).
-aj.
I have become, comfortably numb
$50 per month???? Personally, I wouldn't use a cell phone on a regualar basis for $50,000 per month. Why anyone would willingly put a microwave transmitter next to their brain is difficult for me to understand.
Move to Australia! We have one of the best telco networks on the planet!
The US system is craziness. Who on earth would pay for incomming calls to their phone? I have a AU$95 per month with OneTel which gives me 95 dollars worth of of outbound calls to other networks, free calls to anyone on the same network, and of course free roaming between any state in Australia. I can send SMS messages to anywhere for 20 cents, I can recieve email direct to my phone for 20 cents and OF COURSE all my inbound calls are free!!! Who on earth would be stupid enough to pay to have other people call them?????
Oh, and I can happily roam to almost any country in the world also without having to setup anything!
God the US is fucked up...
Actually you don't need a scanner, there are hidden functions in the cell phones that let you do the same, I've been playing with some motorola and you just need to put a certain code... And it works for the digital as well, thats why some phoneas come with an encription option that usually the carrier doesn't support...
-- EOF
Sure, GSM is great. However, the actually coverage is very sporadic (at least in the DC metro and surrounding area). On the other hand, TDMA coverage is pretty extensive. So, I won't get myself a GSM phone until there is a bigger coverage area.
it is *outstanding*...I can not recommend it highly enough. I travel a great deal, coast to coast and mexico to canada and this plan is just outstanding. Slightly higher upfront cost, but far lower if you are likely to end up doing a considerable amount of "roaming."
There are multiple plans depending on your minute requirements but all of them cost more than $50. You can compare plans for different vendors at www.decide.com.
You'll find yourself using the phone much more than you originally thought - clients often don't have phones available for your use, you need to have private business conference calls, etc. Our people usually get the 1100 minute plan as a minimum. We have people who hit 3000 minutes on a regular basis.
You should expect your company to reimburse you for the entire cost of your business related calls and its normal in the industry for them to simply pay for the entire service without you having to highlight line items.
I wouldn't recommend Sprint for traveling simply due to their lack of coverage area. Regardless what their maps show there are numerous holes in their coverage - much more so than AT&T. I don't have experience with Powertel or Verizon though.
If you put the phone on vibrate, so that you don't disturb anyone, such as in a business meeting or movie theatre, the phone will vibrate when you get a call, but then will RING to let you know you have missed a call.
You lost me here. I have a SCH-3500 and my phone *definitely* does not ring to let me know that I missed a call. I did manually have to change the voice mail indicator from ring to vibrate, but once I did that, the phone was movie friendly.
You comment about the keylock feature was spot-on, however. What a wierd design...
Hi -
I am based in the L.A. area and have had Sprint PCS for a few months now. It is OK, but not great. They have had a variety of promotions - I got one where I pay $50 per month for 500 peak and 500 offpeak minutes, but I also had to buy one of their phones for $100. (Those are nationwide long distance minutes - it has been odd thinking it costs me the same to call three or three thousand miles away.)
I also had little interest in their web plan, so I did not price that, although my phone includes a mini-browser. I have since used the phone in Las Vegas, Boston, New Haven and New York City with no major problems, but of course, every now and then you hit a "blind" spot (the worst so far has been Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, perhaps because so many people are using up the available circuits), or else you can't make a call because the network is busy. A few comments, in descending order of importance, IMO:
1. Voice messages are delayed by c. 3 hours. Sprint denies this happens, but it happens almost every time. When someone leaves me a voice message, the little envelope icon does not appear on my phone for typically three hours after they left the message. Apparently nothing can be done about this - presumably it is caused by their internal setup.
2. Get your billing correct up front. There is at least one web site filled with Sprint billing horror stories, and indeed, I had two different problems with my bill caused simply by Sprint people setting up my account incorrectly. Apparently their terminal software at their PCS stores is very complex and they have to enter a variety of numeric codes which seems to lead to mistakes.
3. I don't hear my voice on my phone. Maybe all cel phones are like this, but when I talk I don't hear my voice, making the call more difficult.
4. Sprint "rounds" minutes up. Like almost all carriers that I have heard of, a 65 (or 61) second call will be billed as two minutes.
5. I use more offpeak minutes. Despite what some others have said here, in my usage, I tend to use more offpeak minutes, since I also use this phone for my U.S. long distance calls.
Good luck!
TWR, Torrance, CA
Yes, they can be damn irritating when you get some loud mouth blower walking around totally oblivious to everyone else.
But they have become as useful as they are irritating - in fact, for marketing type suits they are permanently stuck to thier ears and are therefore invaluable to them.
As an emergency device, it's a big bonus (provided your battery aint flat) - if your stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car, you can call for help (assuming the network is available where you are). This can work both ways tho - you can track the location of someone with a cellphone pretty easily, so if you plan to become a fugitive, a cellphone is not on your top 10 list of useful stuff.
It looks like cellphone usage is not that big in the US, or SMS messaging - in Europe it's massive.
In South Africa, despite our economical situation, even school kids have them - my work colleagues 9 year old son has one.
Even the less fortunate over here can afford a cellphone - it truly is communication for the masses. For the really impoverished people, small business / shacks have been setup where people pay a small fee to make a call on cellphone technology - now that's enterprise and is making there lives better because of it (our local landlines can't always be relied upon)
So think before you dismiss the technology like that, America is just another country in the world whether you yanks want to admit it or not !
(shhh - don't mention the election...)
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
I dunno about the states, but in Europe and here in South Africa, your dead meat without one.
I held back for 4 years or more before finally getting one as it became a matter of neccessity.
you might as well ask "Do we really need Fax Machines"
Everyone and there dog has got a cellphone over here - thanks mainly to the 'pay as you go' kinda schemes.
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
Yes I know, bright spark, but this is somewhat different - in fact, it's totally different.
Oh, I forgot, you come from that 'tech-savvy' mecca called the states where they can't even count votes properly.
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
We have Verizon's $35/mo, 150 min, no LD, no roaming charges plan and with our Tri-Band StarTac we've gotten coverage almost[1] everywhere we've travelled -- even in BFE Utah, but we tend to go to points West of Iowa not East.
[1] Basically not between mountains in the Rockies.
Shut up, be happy. The conveniences you demanded are now mandatory. -- Jello Biafra
Can we have a new slashdot poll please?
I am from -
[]North America
[]South America
[]Asia
[]Europe
[]Africa
[]Australia
[]Antartica / other
One could look at the voting poll and conclude that 24% of /. readership is non-American. Then,
one could look at the 4th of July poll and wonder if
the percentage of non-Americans is decreasing
With articles like this one, it would not be at all surprising to learn that /. is now
news for American nerds...
We are tge greatest superpower!
Well, perhaps you should dedicate some of those superpowers to typing lessons.
Find funky gifts
I'm in the market for a new cellphone and provider, too. I was pleased with GetConnected.com. It does good comparisons of USA carriers and phones, with all the gory details on dual mode phones, when peak time applies, etc.
I can't speak for them on a reliability level yet; one of my friends just switched over from Sprint PCS and has been very satisfied with VoiceStream thus far. Definitely check them out. I totally agree that using a GSM phone is key if you plan on going anywhere outside the continental US.
"He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil."
Its computers i dont like. Everyone has one now, even my mum. Why? What does she need one for?
And televisions! My, they`re selling like hot cakes, arent they? Rot your brain they will, whats wrong with radio?
Actually, I had a Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) phone for a long time. They have terrible coverage (atleast in the NY metro area, which is where I am located). The phone works great as long as you
are within the city itself, but outside of it, coverage becomes really spotty. I switched to AT&T, and that works pretty much anywhere. If Verizon can't get a good coverage going in the New York region, I don't trust it to work anywhere else.
Me, I am clueless as far as the issue goes but have been considering buying one of the damn things, which is why I was reading the topic.
And the ratio you're looking for is signal:noise.
Bloody git.
:wq
Currently I am using AT&T phone plan. And although it has not been without its problems, it has been the lesser of evils to date, especially if you need to go more than 5 miles out of any city, heaven forbid Hairball, MT [watch out for the wandering moose].
all persons, living and dead, are purely coincidental. - Kurt Vonnegut
Maybe I'll sound like a luddite saying this, but believe, that's wicked far from the truth. You should ask yourself how much you really need a cellphone if money is a problem. I've made into some interesting places in this world, but have never been far from a good ol' pay phone (even the highways have them these days), so the pain of having an additional phone should be looked at very carefully.
When I finally get out from the shadow of sharing an apartment and making some real green, I am considering getting a cellphone, but sans normal phone. The purpose of having a cellphone is conveinence, but many people I've seen with them either:
A)Leave them at home half the time
B)take them with them and then wonder why they get called at the wrong times...
I dunno, just seems like a waste if it isn't used right...
Lemure, wtf! Don't you mean Lemur?
It's just a different charging culture. Cell phones have always been treated differently (read more expensively) over here compared to land lines. Also, because we have no free local calls, the pricing scheme is fairly standard - the caller pays, in (simplified!) order of increasing charges:
Free phone
Local calls
National trunk calls
National calls
Mobile calls
International calls
So, mobiles have always been treated as just a different charge band. Also we don't have regional cell phone companies, which I understand the USA does/did have?
I think it's in quotes because some of us outside the USA think it's odd that huge sections of the population apparently aren't happy being American, but instead have to attach some other nationality - african/american, irish/american, italian/american etc. etc. Why not just American and proud of it?
Good luck to you, and let us know how it works out. We Brits have been trying to abolish the metric system since the damn French invented it. Unfortunately our European allies don't seem to agree with us on this point (along with almost everything else...).
In the UK cell phone calls cost more than normal. But then, we've just standardised cell phone numbers, so they all start with a 7, so it should be obvious you are calling one. It was fairly obvious before anyway, but now it's more so.
PS I'm a limey, so don't think we're all arseholes (that's assholes I believe in American English).
Don't know, but Hull has it's own Telecom company, and as a result has always been more advanced than those sections of the country who were under BT's enlightened services...
tcd004
(n/t)
--
"No se rinde el gallo rojo, sólo cuando ya está muerto."
$HOME is where the
-- silver_p
I'm not going to bitch about this being an americanized topic - it's obviousit is. What I'd like to ask is:
Are there any fellow geeks who can point me to some site that compares prices/coverage for celulars in Sweden??
--
"No se rinde el gallo rojo, sólo cuando ya está muerto."
$HOME is where the
-- silver_p
Again, apologies. The link in this post is correct.
---
I use the Sprint PCS network, but get my service through an associate of Sprint, US Unwired. Which means that I get raped when it comes to cost. However, the PCS network is wonderfull for cross contry travel. I have travelled all over Lousiana, and between La, NYC, Chicago, and Houston and rarely am I not in some kind of coverage. And while I due have to pay roaming chargers; I always keep my calls short, and never have to pay to much. The main seller for me was, I don't have to pay long distance, so calling home from NYC or from the barraks cost me the same. --Cam
All jocks think about is sports. All nerds think about is sex.
With most nationwide providers (Sprint, MCI, Verizon), for $50 you can get about 200-300 minutes per month, 1000 weekend/night minutes, free long distance (no add'l charges), and local service from within your home state. If you find yourself using the phone for more than this on business purposes, I'm almost positive the company will cover almost all of the difference.
Good luck.
I've written it here on /. once, I'll write it twice.
Once you've used your prepaid card once, it is no longer anonimous. I've used to contract in one company like that, and the programmer there had a couple of letters with a grateful words from the US Marshals.
Poor schmucks were making a call with a card, and Feds were later learning who paid for this call. They were contacting the company, and company was determining what particular card was used. As soon as this card was used again, Feds were notified and given the originating phone number.
After that the criminals were quickly caught.
So, the only solution is to use this pre-paid card only ONCE. And you can't buy a bunch of them at one place, since they might be able to trace the purchase transaction and know the numbers (it is true not for all brands of cards though; some of them require activation, some don't).
Tigers respect lions, elephants and hippos. Maggots respect no one. (C) S. Dovlatov
I live in a metro area, that includes a relatively small city in a neighbouring state. Calling there requires a code dial and costs money.
People who live and work in different states just buy themselves cell phones in their own state with free forwarding, and forward it to the work or home phone in different state.
So, callers just dial local cell phone number and the call is free for them, and since the cell phone owners have their phone forwarded, they don't pay air time.
It works only for receiving calls though.
Tigers respect lions, elephants and hippos. Maggots respect no one. (C) S. Dovlatov
I don't think you'll be able to find a calling plan that offers you nationwide one-rate (no roaming charges) for $50 a month, but I use AT&T Digital One Rate. My plan is $79 a month and includes 650 minutes of calling (no roaming, no long distance charges). Get a dual-band phone (Motorola Startac or Nokia 8260 is nice) so that you can make phone calls when you're in some backwoods town that only has an analog network. Even more important, AT&T will give you a phone in any area code you choose so that you can be a local call away from those that call you the most. I've found that AT&T might be a little more expensive than competitors, but their network is definitely superior to a lot of others out there. My friends use Voicestream and they have major coverage problems where they get no signal. I get signal almost everywhere there is a paved road, and a lot of places there isn't. Also, if mobile email is important to you, get the Nokia 8260 phone. AT&T now supports SMS on their network, with 250 messages per month included in every plan.
"When the president does it, that means it's not illegal." - Richard M. Nixon
I've got the $49.95 / month plan with Sprint PCS.
Of course, what they don't tell you is that you should expect to spend another ten bucks on taxes.
Freedom of $peech - My A$$ !!!
I think the problem you'll find is that you livein too large a country. Move to europe, with it's higher population density and greater mobile phone penetration (about 60-70% in UK) coverage is much much better (the silly analogue systems are being switched off soon). All incoming calls are free (caller pays a higher rate to phone you). Move to a country with proper amenities ;-)
Laurence
this is pretty common in germany (and the rest of europe, as well AFAIK) here they call it "pre-paid" cards pre-paid: no monthly charges higher per minute charges you have to "recharge" your account contract: monthly charges lower per minute contract binding usually for 24 months more services and features
I have a SCH-3500 (3500.SI11/3500.08Q).
To turn this off, hit menu, 4 (sounds), 1 (ring volume), 2 (messages), and set to VIBRATE or NONE. I just tested that by calling from the land line in my office and I know it works. It took twenty seconds to figure out and I don't have my manual with me.
Now, this isn't targeted at you particularly, since I'm aware of the possibility that stories such as yours prompted them to include this option in a software upgrade (I bought mine fairly recently -- April, I think). However, I've noticed that most of the people who complain about this particular phone either can't figure out how to use it or can't hold on to it. If you RTFM (or can figure out three levels of menus on your own) and don't go off using it as a hammer to drive nails into concrete or as a prop in your juggling act, it's a pretty nice little phone. Admittedly, the defaults suck and the reception drops out a little too easily on the highway, which doesn't bother me much since I don't use it in the car (and since I shut off the warning beeps for when it goes out of reception, I don't notice anymore). That the service inside large buildings can be spotty is a little more annoying, but there's not much you can do about that if you're going PCS. I hear the earpieces do occasionally fail, and if mine does, I'll change my tune. It's been a good phone for me so far, though, especially for the money.
Many. All good troll know dat one!
Worst Ask Slashdot, Ever!
Make sure if you go digital you don't need to use it in rural areas. I am sure this will get better in the next couple of years but right now many rural areas are not covered by digital.
As for ISDN: It's not about the speed (64kbit/s per channel, but you'll get DSL for data-connections), but for the two channels, the better speech quality, connection speed (i.e. time to connect) and the whole bunch of features it has (blocking, rerouting, callback, 10 numbers, caller id, 3-way conferencing,
It's true that we still have to pay for speech calls, but it's really not too much.
Err..., what was the original topic again? (It's kind of funny, that every discussion about telecommunications comes up with this US-Europe baits, but I couldn't resist...)
first of all, why cellphones and not digital or satellite phones? i have been told they have a little more coverage and such...
second of all, my experience with cellphones is not a happy one. We have a huge cell phone tower on the mountain across from us, which is great if you are in a 2 mile radius of the tower. If you happen to go behind a mountain from it, or go in a different valley, nothing works. So, if you are planning on doing a lot of travel in Trout Run PA, then your best bet is to get something other than a cellphone. Smoke signals work great if the wind is right.
The anti-salmon
And yes I am aware that there are few places in the US where caller pays is available. But so far it isn't most.
No, the only reason we do not have caller pays is because the big phone companies don't want to foot the bill for the system required to do it. Period. It has nothing to do with regulations, consumer demand, or anything else. Just greed and laziness.
To mail me, remove the 'mailno' from my email addy.
To mail me, remove the 'mailno' from my email addy.
"Yeah. It smells, too..."
They use stolen alien technology from the Roswell crash. All of the servers fit on the boardroom table at the trilateral commission's HQ.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
That is simply wrong.
I have used my sprint phone in the albany/saratoga area, all the way down to florida and west to chicago with no problems.
It works in analog mode in places like rural Vermont, the Adirondacks and the southern tier of NY.
My only complaint about sprint is that the analog roaming is a big ripoff
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
I dont think it was inveted in South africa.
Nontheless, we do have that in canada.
All the wireless companies have it : Bell canada, Rogers/AT&T, Clearnet and Fido.
But none of them offer free incomming calls.
The only company Ive seen that offers decent servie through this method is Bell canada.
You can still have services like weekends and nights for 1 cents a minute, 200 minutes of internet per month for 5 $ etc...
They just take it of the vouchers money once a month. Good for ppl with bad or no credit. But a plan is still better, will always cost lest per call.
Get away from the cellular nightmare which is the USA. Go somewhere with GSM. Where I am I spend about $30/month and it covers all of my needs. I also have the ability to receive phone calls when I am travelling in Asia, Europe, almost every part of the world.
:(
Except the USA
The possibility of free incoming calls? You mean people actually pay for incoming calls? Is anyone interested in this bridge I have for sale?!?
Don't know about Nova Scotia I live on the other side of the country. Here in Calgary Radio Shack stores are not as plentyful as they used to be. Used to be able to find stand-alone Radio Shacks easily. The only ones left in the city now are located exclusivly in the shopping malls.
These mall stores suck now. Their selection of parts has all but disappeared. Seems their focus now is selling computers, stereos, phones etc. Lord help you if you want to ask a radio shack employee a question. "You got questions...We've got blank stares".
Back in the good old days of the stand-alone Radio Shack there were quite a few hobbiests around. Does not seem to be the same these days.
-- Spammers: My E-mail server is in California. Consider yourself warned.
Recently got a new contract. Part of it requires that I have to visit every remote location for this company (that's the only thing interesting about this job BTW).
As I am a contractor they won't give me voice mail at home office or even a phone that can dial an outside line. I decided to get a pay-as-you-go phone (I can deduct this as a business expense IANATA [1]).
Fo my use, prepaid cellular is working out great. $25 canadian for 75 minutes of airtime or 90 days whichever comes first. Prepaid is great if you don't use it much, like me. If your worried that 75 minutes is not enough you can buy in $50 increments. $50 gives you 175 minutes IIRC.
The only drawback to my prepaid is that the phone will only work in Alberta or British Columbia. But I do not have to travel outside Alberta for my job.
1. I am not a tax accountant. Will be deducting the phone anyway.
-- Spammers: My E-mail server is in California. Consider yourself warned.
Ok .. I am from Europe but should not a cell-phone
you need at work be handed to you at no charge?
My cell-phone (GSM) is free for me. The employer says I need one and he gives me one for free. The only thing I have to pay are my private calls.
I really HAD another userid
It's funny, this might not be the most technical or enlightening Ask Slashdot but it has gotten a ton of posts and people are still asking questions and getting answers. Maybe this is a post for the more common of people who aren't all certified nerds? And who says that you have to read it ? I find it interesting b/c my service has been shit, and I want to find one that isn't.
I have had Sprint PCS for about a year now. I purchased the Nokia 6185 phone and have been nothing but disappointed with their service. I live in southern Ohio and find that I experience about 5 dropped calls a week. I lose my signal anytime I walk through a door and my voicemail takes about 3 hours for notification. There are times when I think that I have a strong signal and then it will go to nothing. The clarity of the phone is very questionable, when I do have a good signal, conversation is still a difficult task. I have considered buying a new phone and wonder if that will help even though problem seems to be the service. Does anyone have any experiences in southern Ohio with Sprint? Any suggestions for a new service or phone? I have called Sprint a number of times and their answer always seems to be the same "Sorry, we didn't gaurantee good coverage...I don't know why that happens, sorry." And they never offer any compensation for their crappy service.
GET A REAL JOB NOT SOME CHEAP BULLSHIT ONE THAT WOn't pay for your cell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just got an Audiovox CDM-9000 from Verizon. Don't forget features. While it has web/email access, the feature I really love is text paging via email. It beeps when I receive a text page.
.forward file to send all my email to my cellphone as a text page. I only get 120 characters, but that is enough.
I can edit my
Charged for SMS? They'd be lucky to have a network that supports SMS, let alone have the luxury of choosing price plans for it.
In Australia there are 2 ways I guess mob phones work:
Contract or Prepaid.
Prepaid is for infrequent users and has these stupid recharge cards u must buy (a hastle).
If u get a contract here are the issues:
- Pricing for calls is often quoted per minute, but carriers charge for either per 1 sec or per 30 sec block. It makes a huge bill difference.
I don't reccomend going for contracts that outlive your warranty. I've seen 24 month contracts, and I would hate to be stuck with a broken phone that I might not have the $$$ to replace, but I must keep paying.
Every time I go on a train, or a bus, my ears are constantly attacked by bad beepy renditions of the most annoying tunes ever. What do they say? "I'm on the bus. 10 minutes"
Nobody needs one. This is just a techy brain frying device. Anyone who has one deserves to have their brain fried.
Of course you don't need one. What, just because everyone else has one you need one too? They're about as useful as cigarettes, and they're much more annoying to others. And they're probably about as healthy.
If you care abou people listening in, STOP SHOUTING DOWN YOUR PHONE IN PUBLIC PLACES.
The turned my phone off Sunday morning without warning. Why, because the bill was ~70 overdue they said (after I discovred my dead phone and contacted them). How is that possible? Reminiding them of my recent (2 weeks ago) vist to the Sprint store in which I paid my ballance in full. They did and do discover that they recived and cashed my check as I claimed
What the fu*k did my phone get disconnected for, I ask. The over due amount that you have becaue we (Sprint) told you an incorrect amount due when you came to the Sprint store on Market in SF to pay you phone bill.
My first indication of their mistake was a disruption of service. They get the bill wrong, freely admit it, and turn my phone off with any notice or phone call.
I'm at a loss to belive that people can be that stupid and not accidently kill themselves while young. To Sprint PCS staff at all levels, bite me.
>>>Also, watch out for the silver Motorola "Timeport" that Sprint sells through Office Depot and other stores. It is missing 800 MHz digital mode, which the black, non-Sprint version of the same Motorola "StarTAC" digital phone has enabled. So, on the black phone you have the option to do digital roaming and switch to a digital 800 MHz primary carrier, on the silver one you only get analog roaming.
That explains (most) of the strange beep and flashes into "Analog mode", GD-POS. This is the fourth style of phone I've had with Sprint and being the most expensive it sucks the worst.
Shit reception to the point where I can not relaiably accept or make a call from inside my apartment. Walk out side and it's fine, different style phone, no problem, different carrier, no problem, fully charged in my apartment. DOA.
No matter what they give you for phone compensation, you shoule be able to write off the balance of your bills from your tax return. The shortcoming is that you'd lose the money in the short term, but get it later, with no interest.
On the other hand, get the 1 cent special, and use the phone yourself. Keep it turned off unless you want to make a call, or refuse to carry it if your company doesn't pay for the expense.
Hmmm. Q: How many countries could push buttons and nuke the States? A: Quite a few.
Hello,
As I am fortune enough not to live in the States but rather in a country that has good and decent cell-coverage nationwide I'd think it would be useful for you to hear how we have it here in Finland, the home of Nokia.
We in Europe are using a 900/1800MHz frequencies (GSM), with 1800MHz being "dual" 2x 900MHz. These two have different prices, with the 1800MHz being the cheaper one. We have a per second based fee system, one minute can range from 10 cents to 40 cents depending on when you are calling and what kinda contract you have. SMS messages cost about 10-20cents. Our providers have deals all over Europe and Asia, which will allow us to use our phones there also; prices are higher of course there.
When we buy a phone we get the phone number for free with $20-50 free call time, usually this is divided into two and given every 3rd or 6th month. No retailer makes money by selling phones, only buy giving numbers. The phone companies pay them of course for each number they give. You do not have to take a new number when you buy a new phone if you do not want to.
What more... hmm, we have some sort of WAP tools/news systems, but they are way too expensive for regular people, i.e. ranging from $1-$2.
Someone can continue as this is all I can think of right now.
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
Slashdot does not ignore your posts of news. It just so happend that this particular time someone from the U.S. was asking a question. If you had posted the same question first it would have been about your country. And I personally, wouldn't have even thought about trolling about this topic not being fair because it's not my country. It seems so incredibly ridiculous to me that anyone would start a flame because it wasn't their country. And I'm sure I speak for the majority of American /.ers.. I'm sorry to those of you who didn't troll, but I just can't stand flaming like this. Can't we all just hit a bong...I mean get along?....
All of the major wireless carriers got to be as big as they are by buying small carriers, except Sprint. The idea that a company can buy Bob's Pretty Good Cellphone Service(TM) in Bohunk, Idakota, and then quickly, seamlessly integrate that service into a national billing, service system - this is not true. Verizon, Nextel, AT&T all have gone through downright terrible growing pains. AT&T started earlier, and can now be estimated to really have a national program. Verizon and Nextel are not there yet. Verizon and Nextel should be viewed as loosely aligned federations of little nickel-and-dime carriers, pretending to fly one flag. Sprint makes you pay for roaming. If you KNOW that you'll stay within their digital per-city footprint, then go with Sprint. Otherwise, you'll be burning through your $50 in less than a week. Voicestream is the largest GSM carrier in the US. They just bought most of Powertel in order to consolidate the Southeast. They want very much to be your national solution. Give them a year or two. Right now, their coverage footprints and roaming charges (can you say 69/min?) are even more restrictive than Sprint. GSM promises to have the best near-term wireless bitrates (or so they promise . . . ) but the coverage factor is going to be a deal-killer for most anyone who travels a lot. Verizon is very solid on the east coast (Bell Atlantic Mobile before the merger with GTE). Their customer service is still, as I said, stuck in the balkanized stage of development. You can spend twenty minutes on the phone with Verizon Customer Service, to finally be told, "We can't help you. Try a different 800 number." Delightful. AT&T has the best coverage, on average, throughout the US. Every city has a different winner in the coverage war. You want coverage in Washington DC? Use Verizon. You want wide coverage in Salt Lake City? Use AT&T. From a wide perspective of who-can-I-trust-when-my-phone-breaks, AT&T is the best answer. Their lowest National Plan Rate is $59.99 for 450 minutes. Every carrier has a comparable No-Roaming No-Long-Distance plan. But beware of Sprint, where they don't REALLY mean no-roaming. With AT&T and Verizon, the claim is for real. Nextel is an Account's Payable Clerk's worst nightmare. The guy who originally designed their billing system has been fired. Flat out. The corporate reps for Nextel spend a lot of time apologizing for their billing system, and promising that "next year" things will be streamlined and on-track. That said, if you've just got your one cellphone, how many billing problems can you run into? There's really just one way to find out . . . buy Nextel. Nokia makes good phones, and their 24-hour Fedex repair/replace program in the US (for the first year of the Nokia's life) is killer. Just call 877-746-9244 and they'll hook you up pronto with a replacement phone. All of this is pure opinion. I don't want to bore anyone with a catalog of data to back up my claims. Here's my credentials: I manage a 900 cellphone fleet for a corporation. I am, essentially, a professional cellphone customer. Before this job, I traveled through the country (every week a new city) for two years, constantly using cellphones. I've seen first-hand the downtown coverage patterns of about the 90 largest cities in the United States. I like AT&T.
-- Soruk
They did? Not according to my Orange (roaming) bill....
-- Soruk
The fact that the US were early adopters of cellular technology does not have anything to do with the current market situation. In fact, those countries that were the first to launch commercial cellular networks were also among the first to adopt the GSM standard. Today they are among (if not THE) most advanced markets in the world as far as technology goes as well as services offered. Of course I am talking about Scandinavia. The NMT network was commercially launched already in 1981. The UK is similar to Scandinavia in this respect, although they have tended to lag behind by a year or two. The size of the country is completely irrelevant. In order to get a good idea of how easy it is to cover a certain area one has to look at the demographics as well as topography. The US is large yes, BUT a good majority of the people and businesses are located in urban areas. This makes it easy to cover a lot of customers with a small footprint. In contrast to this the Scandinavian countries are less densely populated and requires a more expensive radio access network to cover a majority of the customers. In addition to this the landscape is rugged which again increases the problems of building a network with good coverage. How can it be that Scandinavia with all its problems and disadvantages have managed to excel in building networks with good coverage and a rich selection of services while a country like the US with all its benefits has failed so miserably? The answer lies in the role of the government. In Scandinavia the governments have had an active role in deciding on standards and dictating coverage goals for the operators since the days of early analogue cellphones. As a result we have a market with high penetration in the population and common standards that allow real competition between the operators. This drives the development of better services for the public. In the US the government has been less avtive. No common standards have been established and there is little real nationwide competition. As a result the market is fragmented and there is a lack of complex end-user services. In summary: To claim that the reason that the US market is less advanced than European counterparts because the country has inherent demographical, geographical or topographical disadvantages is absolute horse sh*t!! Get your head out of the sand and take look around you! The real reason lies in the US government's reluctance to take a stand and establish a nationwide standard. Not everything can be left for the free market to decide.
You could not be more wrong. The US has a high population density. This makes it cheap to cover a lot of customers with a small footprint. Thus a lot of revenues with minimal expenses on infrastructure.
Nobody cares about covering a few million people living in a vast countryside when there are a couple hundred million living in urban areas.
There are numerous examples of countries with less population density than the US which have managed to build a much more homogenous network infrastructure.
But the majority of the customers reside in these densely populated areas. Therefore it should not be a problem to build profitable networks on a common standard within these areas.
Third, AMPS was deployed before there was any digital standards, and CDMA and TDMA systems were being installed while GSM was still being developed. Sure, it's a no-brainer to decide which system to install now.
It's too bad you weren't around when they were installing the first cell phone systems. You could have tell them what to install and saved everyone a lot of time and money.
It's a shame that you do not know more about the history of mobile phone technology. The US is not the only country that had an analogue cellular network installed in the pre digital days. (They were not even the first.) The NMT and TACS were in widespread use in European countries throughout the 1980's and that fact has not hindered but rather promoted the adoption of GSM as a national and international standard.
Blaming the problems of the shortcomings of digital networks in the US on the legacy from AMPS is just not on.
The 8890 is shaky. It has a much higher BER (bit error rate) signal threshhold than even a lot of cheepies. As a result, it has a really hard time maintaining a digital connection in even moderate signal level coverage areas. The variation from phone to phone is pretty high as well, probably due to the same fabrication processes they use on many of their other small profile phones. Don't get me wrong- the larger Nokias are built to last. The small ones are really fragile. If you want a phone that will survive more than a year or two without the shelter of a purse, I suggest a more robust phone, like Nokia's legacy products.
http://www.point.com - great place to look for plan and/or phone
Personal experience:
Verizon: terrible customer service ("if you have a problem, we can subscribe you for a new year contract, give you a new phone and your problems might get resolved...")
VoiceStream: small coverage, and roaming, roaming, roaming charges
Nextel: seems to be good for business, no personal experience though
AT&T: so far so good...
phones: yeah Nokia. check out 82xx (if you go with AT&T or VoiceStream)-- that is something. it not just fits in my pocket. it lays in the bottom of my pocket...
Not true. When I switched to the Washington, DC market I was told by the person that switched my plan that none of their plans were offering first incoming minute free anymore. And I can assure you that I don't have the cheapest plan.
I don't know if this is because of my market or a mistake by the person who switched me over, but I truly miss that first incoming minute free feature.
Hint: whatever plan or service provider you go with, make sure you get free nationwide long distance!!
Get any cell phone plan you want. Get any phone you want, preferably an Ericsson. Write off the phone bill and when you develop brain tumors, it's lawsuit time baby!
voicestream may not have a center in every city in the country, but with the exception of a lot of rural areas that don't have digital coverage (southern oregon being one that hurts for me), voicestream has agreements with lots of other carriers. If you get their north america neighborhood plan, it includes no roaming charges and no long distance charges. Even though they don't have service in california, i've used my phone without problem in LA, san francisco and oakland. currently, i'm paying $90/month for 900 minutes, which includes all the roaming and long distance i can poke a stick at.
If possible I'd wait for the first ADSL-provider.
Since I'm not an American, I'm not aware of the current status of an ADSL-network in the US, but I asume they're working on it. Maybe someone else can give more insight on the topic.
Mark
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
- if you love something, set it free; if it doesn't come back, hunt it down and kill it
Very nice, standing behind the Anonymous Coward label. What did I say that you take issue with? I'm sorry, were the British about to stomp Nazi aggression prior to America's involvement? Have you not experienced gas (I'm sorry: petrol) problems? I am sure you are right, your response was well thought out and intellectual on it's own. You are like the fat kid everyone picks on that responds to his antagonizers by telling them to shut up, or what are you going to sit on me? are you going to tell my mom? How very typical on an AC.
I have got to get myself one of these:
http://www.orange.co.uk/phones/videophone/
"If it's broke, don't fix it"
Why am I wrong? I will leave out he "grotesquely ugly" part because I didn't post enough of myself to, in my opinion at least, form a judgement on that, and that seems irrelevant to any above topics. But I enjoy discussing technology issues and would possibly enjoy hearing from you why you think I am wrong, if not here then email me since I did not post AC (which is fine, and seems to me a way that technology let's you express yourself anonymously if that enables your expression), and even so it's just a Hotmail account so if you become a pest that's Microsoft's problem :-)
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Thanks blane... actually, if you were inside the USA you would find that it's a bit hard being "just American" because so many forces want to divide the country for their own cause. As an individual, it's hard not to feel this, and denying it can be, unfortunately, quite fatal, so you learn to keep a constant awareness about you regarding these issues which I am sure seem quite unnecessary to anyone who has never been here and feels it is the "melting pot" utopia... an idea that is probably pushed on those in other countries by American officials when they want to extend their arms overseas, or on the American citizenry during civil unrest... however, diversity and division are equally used here when it can separate out groups along demographic lines to an advantage, say at election time.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Why is Irish Americans in quotations? I was just wondering if that is a slam. I am of Irish descent and not long ago had a manager say that he was surprised in my performance at work and that I was "pretty smart for a Mick." I was not terribly shocked because it was hardly the first time I had received such comments at work or socially - one recent evening I sat across the dinner table from a woman talking about how horrible it was in Boston these days because of all the Irish immigrants. Anyway, didn't mean to wear out my welcome with ranting, but in case you are interested, even though my ancestors came to the States well over a hundred years ago as indentured servants, I still have enough red in my hair to be identified as Irish by some, apparently not enough to be noticed by others, and anything prejudiced or hateful feels... well, you figure it out. Oh well, who cares, I get that extra appreciation of Dennis Leary's and Colin Quinn's stand-up humor, and Guinness makes everything just fine! Oh Danny Boy....
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Hey hey, you just reminded me of something that I would think some on Slashdot would appreciate. I was driving along the coast in Nova Scotia six years ago (btw, Digby scallops rule!) and noticed that every few miles (or km, didn't mean to be insulting) there would be a Radio Shack store, right out by itself in the middle of nowhere. It seemed funny at first, but the pattern continued everywhere... tons of Radio Shacks. Sure, it's pretty sparse there, but are people in Nova Scotia really into electronics, or do they really get into do-it-yourself communications systems? If so, they must kick ass at electronics and/or just really like talking to people. Seriously, I'd like a techno-Canadian perspective, because when I asked locals there about it, they didn't seem to get my question, but it has always been dogged me, because in the U.S. you don't see a lot of Radio Shacks in the middle of nowhere, they are mostly in the cities, and people make fun of them for being geeky hangouts.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
No No No... sorry, I don't think in nationalistic terms so that possibility was not anywhere on my mind. I mean us, humans, citizens, whatever, as long as it's not an oppressive government that wants to control it. I love the WWW for its ability to bring us together to communicate without regard to nationality.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
I'm glad somebody else got my joke on how irrelevant Slashdot has become. This weekend I tried to get a discussion going on networks, but there are more posts on grits and Battlefield Earth than anything else. Then today it's cell phone rates. What's next, the price of gasoline?
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
I have to agree... most people I know at firms with jobs that involve travel get a cell plan with as much as 600 minutes a month that they can use any way they want, ie. no need to turn in reimbursements unless they go over that 600 minute limit (so if they have a light month they use the excess minutes for personal use, no problem). BTW, is this unusual? I was wondering because some of the firms are a bit tight, it's just that overall doing this is cheaper than counting every last penny and filling out lots of forms to get admin people involved, etc.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Technology rules Mr. AC, as far as I am concerned. Why do you ask? Is it because Computer Security Day is this month? Or is there something else significant about today? You bring up an interesting point because I wonder if technology would have improved the U.S. presidential election (eg. web voting) controversy that has resulted.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Get a headset. Yes, some physicians are claiming that this doesn't help because the phone is still compensating to pull the signal so you are baking a body part, but at least it's not next to your skull. And who knows, maybe you are working on the great cure for cancer with the person at the other end of the line! Plus, it's great fun to freak out people who don't see the earpiece and think you are walking along talking to yourself.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Do you have any links regarding this? I (a Yank) can't really just up and come to South Africa and subscribe to cellular service and conduct my day-to-day life without a major disruption in, well, my day-to-day life, which I enjoy. But your comment interests me and I wish to learn more through OUR great World Wide Web without leaving my humble abode, and I hate it when someone calls me with a WRONG NUMBER and asks about someone I know nothing about (because apparently our telco operators do not have enough numbers to go around or something) multiple times thus EATING UP MY minutes. I have wished immensely that we in the States of America (United or Otherwise) did not have to pay for receiving calls. So please ILLUMINATE me because I believe in what you have to say so far and would enjoy seeing your propogation of resources to educate us all on the ways of the FUTURE. Because let me tell you, my South African brother (and we are brothers because you know and I know that we come from common roots no matter what even if you are in South Africa and I am in Chicago in the early morning, an Irish American with a Vodka buzz able to type because I code when I am not sleeping, we came from the same glob of ooz, and if not, then what is the likelihood some aliens created us out of different strands of DNA) that we will all be connected through cellular BRAIN IMPLANTS eventually, and I'll be goddamn if I want my brainwaves fucked up by the collections department at some store looking for some dumbass who had my cellphone number three months ago.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
BTW, what are the Cranberries doing these days? I like them much more than U2.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Um, actually, until I was almost twenty years old and got called a mick for the first time, I thought I was as Irish as Ghandi. I didn't know that I was anything but American. Anyway, I don't have a "fucking clue" about wherever you are from, and it seems you don't have one about the U.S. By the way, I don't donate cash to the IRA, so if one of their bombs blew off your leg (doubtless, that has not happened you chickenshit) don't blame my freckled ass you pasty-faced limey bastard who needed my uncles to come over and bail you out of your goddamn wars.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
Wow, you guys over there have still got analog. It was shut off 6 months ago down here (Australia), now we only got GSM. And what's this about free incomming calls?? all incomming calls are free arn't they? I ment, your not calling them, so why should you pay?
There was an article last summer inthe paper about a cab driver who couldn't come up with the best plan, so he carried 4 different cell phones. He said he was always able to place a call that way too, as one companies dead spot was another's strong point.
Next time I shop for a cell phone, I'm going to ask for a phone from each company to carry around for a week to try out, and the one that works best for me wins!
YES, there is a McDonald's in Hanoi Square.
www.verizonreallysucks.com
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I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
I've had countless problems like this with Sprint. The only reason I still have a Sprint phone is that I've handed out hundreds of business cards with my mobile number on them. *GRR!*
At one point, I got a text message from Sprint at 4:00 in the morning saying that I'd reached my "spending limit" and that my phone was disconnected. Talk about annoying -- not only had their billing system screwed up and wrongfully cut off my service, but they woke me up to tell me about it. I didn't have to sit on hold for half an hour to talk to someone about it, though, because at 4:00 in the morning, there's no wait. At one point in the conversation I asked why they couldn't wait until a more reasonable hour to send me that text message. The rep actually told me (can you believe this?) that I should have shut my phone off before I went to sleep if I didn't want it to wake me up.
Sprint's customer service SUCKS, and if you live in Southeast Michigan/Northwest Ohio, you know that they oversold their service here -- 75% of my incoming calls are met with "All Circuits Busy".
I'm happy with the SCH-8500, though, FWIW.
For anyone who is having trouble with Sprint's customer service center: If you think you're right, and that the person you're talking to is smoking tainted crack on his breaks, ask to speak to a supervisor. If you get the impression that his supervisor is smoking the same crack, ask to speak to another supervisor. If you get the same response, do this:
Call 913-624-3000, Sprint's corporate HQ in Kansas City. Ask the switchboard operator to transfer you to "Executive Services for PCS". Exec Services is an office of about 25 people that handles customer service requests referred by upper management. If you write a letter to a VP complaining about how horrible their call center is, they'll have you call these guys. The people I've talked to in the Executive Services office were actually intelligent, and resolved my complaints to my satisfaction with no hold-time and no stressful arguments with poorly trained monkeys.
Unfortunately, Sprint doesn't have the resources to train all of its call center reps to behave like the Exec Services office reps. If you're having problems, go through the *2 call center first -- don't call Executive Services until after you've already told their 'customer care' center to suck your balls. I know it's tempting to want to talk to someone with a brain right off the bat, but this system will only continue to work as long as it isn't abused.
Long story short: Don't go with Sprint PCS unless you like jumping through hoops and can tolerate poor performance.
I'm not expert on phone calling plans, but my advice is to get a Nokia 8890 and Voicestream GSM service. The 8890 operates on North American GSM, European GSM, and analog frequencies. Weighs 4 ounces, gets a 5 day battery life, IRDA for laptop cellular communications, voice dialing, and is quite the miracle of modern technology. Voicestream's GSM coverage is good and getting better every day. Don't even think about Nextel, the Motorola i1000plus my old work gave me had a horrid interface and it only operated on the iDEN network. No analog backup for those times when you're stuck at an airport in Hairball, Montana.
Can I assume from the use of dollars and the mention of the states that this is a yank question?
Tarifs etc. for cellphones vary wildly from country to country, I could understand asking slashdot if you were gonna use it internationally, but slashdot has an international readership who might not be interested in US phone tarifs.
Come on you guys, I for one want quality on this site, not quantity.
You are fast being eclipsed by the register for quality geek articles and sound/noise ration.
More voicedial info:
Although I haven't had any problems with the vibrate or keylock feature (like one of the other readers I simply turn the whole phone off in meeting/movies), there's a major problem with the voicedial. Instead of setting up voicedial in the phonebook menu, there is a seperate menu just for voicedial. That's OK, just a poor menu design choice. But what really ruins it is that you cannot strongly tie a voicedial entry to a phonebook entry! When you create a new voicedial entry you are asked for the number the new entry should dial, then asked to speak the name, twice. If the number you enter matches a number from the phonebook, it will show up with the alphanumeric name you gave that phonebook entry.. but if you change the phonebook entry, the voicedial entry doesent change! And no, you can't just enter the phonebook entry ID into the voicedial prompt, since it will actually dial the ID, instead of trying to look it up in the phonebook.
This isn't too big a deal on its own, but be warned.. if you want to voice dial to an extension, you need to program in a few seconds of pause for before dialing the extension. You can do this in the phonebook entry prompt, but not the voicedial entry prompt! Only about half of the people I call have direct lines, so nearly half of my contacts are completely innaccesable by voicedial.
Overall though, I'm very happy with the Sprint service, I've travelled to a number of mid-west cities since I've got my phone (about 4 months ago), and have had very good success both at airports, on interstates, and around town. I just wish the damn voicedial would work better!
"BeOS is a great operating system" -Doug Miller, Microsoft
Get another job, I had the "celluar" allowance and went through an entire bucket of Crisco fighting over celluar bills. If they want you to have a phone get them to pay for it, otherwise checkout computerjobs.com or some other head hunter site.
From an employees point of view i can understand the other members opinions on the company ability to reimburse the cost of the phone bill. From an employers point of view i can say that will pay for all business related phone calls and personal calls made to 1 or 2 other phone numbers such as your home number and, if married, your spouses job number.
.25 per min for calls. Unlike other services AT&T does round up calls to the nearest minute...meaning five 20sec calls will cost you 5 min....even when your call drops. Other companies dont charge you unless you go past that first minute. As for the cellular phone you would have to research that and find one that best suits your connectivity needs. PCS phones are great because you can receive email on them, also some Internet companies have services which will send you text information such as stock quotes, horoscopes, the latest news and scores of your favorite team...
As for cellular service goes....my hometown is New York City and i travel alot. Its been to my experience that all calling plans differ from state to state..Being that i am from NY during my last visit...July...After days of research AT&T had the calling plan that best fit my needs...they offer the "One-Rate Plan" which lets you make calls from anywhere in the continental US to anywhere in the continental US. There is NO ROAMING fees and NO LONG DISTANCE fees. 600 min free per month with and additional 200 as a signup bonus a total of 800 mins. When your time is up you pay
Checkout NEXTEL I hear this company has the best world wide service, unfortunately before i signed my contract with AT&T, NEXTEL wasnt available in my area but if my service provider doesnt offer me a better plan when my contract is up... NEXTEL will have a new customer!!!
There are 3 types of people in this world... Those who saw what happened Those who heard what happened And people lik
Take a look at http://www.GetConnected.com the site helps compare and buy communication services and products. They have a comprehensive wireless section where you can find answers to all of your questions, and also have a rebate of a $100 off wireless. I think this site will basically take care of this entire discussion thread! I purchased my cell phone through them and have nothing but praise for the site. I was able to find the best plan for the money and also the phone I wanted. I ended up going with Verison and have had zero problems with their service.
However, a few tips:
DO NOT GET SPRINT NOR VERISON'S SERVICE. Sprint is unresponsive with it's Internet service, which drags down everyplace else. Just don't get it. Period. Verison Wireless is still a hotbed since the Bell Alantic/GTE merger and the strike that followed. I don't know if you will be delayed a month to get service to your phone.
Other than that, AT&T and Cellular One are very competitive for individual users. Nextel is geared towards businesses.
--
WolfSkunks for a better Linux Kernel
$Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.keenspace.com";
--
# Canmephians for a better Linux Kernel
$Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.net";
You have to do your own research. I had verizon, and hated it, but not for any obvious reason. They worked okay, except I lived on the edge of a digital/analog zone. My phone always went to the weak digital tower in the next town, and then didn't receive calls due to the weak signal. When in analog mode it would recive calls from the strong signal.
If you travel the nation, then no raoming is the way to go, but if you rarely travel the lack of minutes on those plans could be a problem. With voicestream I get 600 minutes, a similear priced national plan would give me about 300. (good luck finding that plan though, prices are always different between providers to make it harder to compare!) If you rarely travel, then it might be worth while to pay high roaming fees and hold your calls down when in those areas. My current phone covers 5 states (yeah, slivers into 3 of them), but most of my friends have the same plan, and we have discovered that while we travel right to the edge of the area regularly we rarely cross the line. (It just happens our favorite camping spot has service only on one side of camp, but that is good enough)
Every provider has a different plan, different in every way they can make it. They don't want to saying "X gives me 500 minutes for $35, while you chrage $40" They want you confused, maybe the $40 plan above has voice mail, and a better covereage area so it is worth it. Verizon and Att both have local, regional and national plans, with different pricing in each. Sprint has national only (but a poor coiverage area IMHO). Many local providors exist with local and regional plans. You might find an out state providor who gives you a better deal, and is local in your city even though your phone says roaming! (But you have to decide if giving your friends a long distance number to your cell phone is good or bad)
don't foget other featues. CallerID seems to be the norm with cell phones (in area!), but voice mail isn't even though it should be, at $10/month you might decide on a different plan anyway. Will you use wireless web? some people might, I'`ve never tried it. I have an option to get news clippings to my phone, I never tried it, but that might be important to you.
Bottom line: plans are intentionally confusing. Talk to people where you often travel to find out about local problems (and how long, since towers are upgraded everywhere but not all at once). Decide if you are going to travel enough that a national or regonal plan makes sense. (Too bad there are currently no international plans) Figgure out how much you use the phone, remembering to factor in the increased convience of having it. Only after doing the above should you look at plans.
Also, watch out for the silver Motorola "Timeport" that Sprint sells through Office Depot and other stores. It is missing 800 MHz digital mode, which the black, non-Sprint version of the same Motorola "StarTAC" digital phone has enabled. So, on the black phone you have the option to do digital roaming and switch to a digital 800 MHz primary carrier, on the silver one you only get analog roaming.
Thanks
Bruce
Bruce Perens.
And that applies to Sprint. See my other comment about them.
Bruce
Bruce Perens.
I've been a Verizon Wireless customer for about 4 years or so (well, actually I was a Nynex Mobile customer before mergers, but I digress...). Now that they have a nationwide company, I suggest using their SingleRate plan - about $50/month gets you 500 minutes with no separate long distance (all calls are included regardless of destination), and no roaming anywhere in the US.
They offer a Motorola Startac phone that's tri-band - it operates on 800MHz AMPS, 800MHz CDMA, and 1900MHz CDMA, which are all the various frequency bands they use nationwide (Verizon was formed from Bell Atlantic, GTE, PrimeCo, and AirTouch). The phone works quite well, and they have cheaper dual-band phones also.
Sprint PCS isn't bad if you're in a Sprint-served area, but you get brutally violated with huge roaming charges if you step outside their calling area. And the Sprint footprint is relatively small.
- -Josh Turiel
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
-Eric
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There a few critical questions:
Do you live and or plan to travel in a major metro area? Many calling plans are great until you get out of a large area then its mom-n-pop all the way. For example most cellular (or digital, for the purposes of this discussio we'll call everything cellular) build up are in major metro areas and along major interstate highways so if you live not near those you will have degraded service. The work around for that can be in some areas to prepurchase analog minutes instead of having to essentially roam at that time. One thing to remember though is that a dual band or even tri band phone will suck batteries as it attempts to switch in an out of digital and analog zones if you're in a marginal area that crosses both systems. Next, find out exactly what the up front charges are if you want any additional services. Have you noticed that you haven't heard much about mobile net from the carriers recently? That's because a) it doesn't work and b) they charge some obscene up front setup like $300 plus $5/minute. At least they do here in the Raleigh NC area. Next find out about bundled billing. If you want 2 phone numbers to share the minutes pool you will have 2 basic choices a) No and b) a large block of initial minutes with the corresponding large monthly nut. Sprint will do that for a 500 minute/month plan or higher. Next find out what kind of billing detail they can provide incase you have to provide that to your employer. Next what kind of phone rebate if any are they offering or is the really really great calling plan only available if you purchase a $400 phone. Is the phone replaceable per the contract or is it upgradeable? If the answer is yes probe deeper and find out what they mean by that. Some providers mean yes to mean that you can do whatever you want if you want to buy another phone and then pay some multi-hundred dollar switch over fee to move your phone number to another phone.And make sure that your phone is not Nextel because that is a closed system different from all others and you have to use a Nextel phone in a Nextel area which is why they appear to be offering such great deals. Next of course the usual carry over minutes, plan change options should be reviewed. Oh - yeah, check the online vs. calling a telemarketer rates and plan options, they are usually different and they almost never know about one another. Next check phone insurance and compare it to what you can get ANYWHERE else including your existing homeowners'. Carrier provided phone insurance is close to loan shark rates. Find out if battery replacement canbe included in the maintainance contract - a very few do this. Do you need prepurchased minutes. Some providers have flat rate prepurchased service that shuts off when you reach it. A good thing to have if you're using the phone only for business and the employer won't pay for overages. Can the service be combined with ANI, CallerID, Paging, voicemail and the like which actually are pretty good to have with a business phone. Do they support inbound and outbound faxing? Is that even important to you? Does the service have automatic firmware updates for the phones a-la Startac or do they expect you bring them the phone 6 times a year to upgrade the microcode. Will they give you a loaner if yours breaks. What is their fraud protection?
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Yep, that's exactly what I said. I'll spend all the money on trainfare and/or rent, I'll burn out from the 13-hour work days (if you include travel), and I'll be left with pretty much nothing. The only reason I considered taking it for $60K is because I could then get something better half a year later. But half a year is a really long time...
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And don't even get me started on these flimsy condoms that are put out today... 'Course it give you more feel when tha goddamn thing's busted right when'sya puts it on!
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I suspect that for someone doing a lot of traveling, something like AT&T's Digital One-Rate would be a good idea. All calls, whether local or long-distance, are charged at the same per-minute rate. Basically it no longer matters where you're calling.
For receiving calls, that's basically a freebie that some places like Cellular One give you for calls to/from other Cellular One network phones. You'd have to find out who you'd be calling a lot and get on the same network as them.
You could also skip the long-distance carrier and use phone cards. My phone can auto-dial a card number for long-distance calls.
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lake effect weblog
{Network engineer in Chicago--looking for work!}
Well, here in the Philadelphia area, it's not uncommon to live in South Jersey and commute to the other side of Philly, Valley Forge/King of Prussia/Wayne/Malvern/etc. Those destinations are much closer in mileage, but take 60-90 minutes to drive to. No reasonable mass transit, and only one or two roads that go there. I'll take 30 min easy drive + 90 min of relaxing train ride over a frustrating 60-90 min drive.
I do agree, however, that $60k in NYC is terrible. If you're any good at your coding, you should be at least getting $80k+. Also, the better companies in the city will gladly pick up the tab for public transit.
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The unsig!
50 bucks last me about a week and a half. And that's strictly business.
What I can recommend is Fido (with the US equivalent being Omnis I think. At least that's what my Fido registers on when I cross the border.)
They're digital, they're Nokia's and I like it. You even have an analog module option. Just stick it under the battery, and you're in business. Other important thing: No roaming fee, and all your outgoing calls are local to the area you're in. You got an Alaskian phone, you're in NYC, dial an NYC number, and it's local.
Up here, you get 400 minutes for 40$ CDN, and if you dont use it all, it rolls over to the next month. They have pay-as-you-go, and also 200,300,400,600,700,800,1000 minutes plan.
'nuff said.
Marriage is considered capital punishment for the theft of a goat in some third world countries...
Just recently, I needed a mobile phone that would allow me to not get reemed on long distance/roaming charges in the Midwest. My mobile service is now through Verizon. Yes, I know verizon sucks but they had the best deal for my needs. :P
I used the website www.point.com to get educated on the current state of mobile phone technology and to price out plans/phones for North America. I recommend this website for getting an idea of what is out there.
Speak truth to power.
Here in Finland the prepaid cards are not as popular however.. it costs about 3 times more than in a normal contract (42 vs 14 cents, respectively) and I haven't seen a *real* person with such a card for lo-ong time now.
Not to mention that roaming in Europe is something you don't even need to know about - it just works. (don't go roaming to Russia, though - the prices are astronomic, I hear. One of the most expensive networks in the world, they say).
There is still one analog network in Scandinavia (NMT450) which is used mostly in less-populated areas (such as Lapland) due to its vast coverage (it's safe to say that you can still make a call from any point in Finland, however remote it is) but the analog network is being replaced by digital one. It's just as well 'cause it covers all the cities and roads and where else could you be? Analog cell phones are rare, expensive and hard to come by, there's really no reason to buy one, unless you're a hunter or something of a type.
Oh, that sure helped to answer the original question? Good. :-)
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God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ --1Thes5:9
I don't know where you people get the idea that we don't have this. There's several really cheap phone-in-a-box plans -- I saw one for sale in a video rental store, $20 for the phone, I forget how much for minutes. Of course, the coverage area is pretty bad. I went with the AT&T Prepaid plan, which has nationwide coverage, and a Nokia (6100?) phone, works with both digital and analog, and the prepaid plan is nationwide -- no roaming charges. I think it works out to around 45c/minute.
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"I personal[ly] think Unix is "superior" because on LSD it tastes like Blue." -- jbarnett
I seriously doubt you'll see AMPS die off in the US for another 20 years. The thing that will eventually kill AMPS will be the lack of data services on IS-54, and that won't become important to the masses for another 10 years.
www.eFax.com are spammers
My time is more valuable to me than spending 2 hours getting to work (and 2 hours back), and $300/mo for the privilege. I can make $60k in a decent sized city, live 1 mile from work (or 20-45 mins to the burbs), free parking... and then spend my vacations in NYC if I really really wanted to.
Watch out for that (Verizon) SingleRate. It says "no roaming" but in the fine print you find that this means no roaming charges WITHIN THEIR NETWORK. Furthermore, to get no-roaming, you need to buy a tri-mode phone.
The only good weather is bad weather.
You DO pay for incoming calls in Europe if you are abroad. Example:
- You have, say, a Dutch phone and contract
- You go to, say, Belgium
- You receive a call from Holland.
You pay for the communication from Holland to Belgium.
I'll do it for cheesy poofs.
Personally, I just turn my cell off (I have a StarTac, too) when I'm in a meeting, or at the movies, and then I turn it on when I'm done. I figure if I'm not even going to answer the call, or pop open the phone to see who it's from, I don't even need to know that I am getting a call, or at least not at that moment.
Do domain names matter?
Yeah, but I wouldn't talk about ANYTHING that should be secure over a cellphone. EVEN digtal cellphones supposed securty can be comprimised. One other bad thing about digital phones is that some people's voices just plain don't go over the digital ones well. The digital phones are nice, but they need a few more bits of data to make it useful to me. Right now they are just on the edge. This comes from a digital phone user (NEXTEL.....I reccomend these for business's big time....if you can get them to go this way, convince them it can replace pagers too. Plus it has wireless internet (ok, I know it's MSN but it's still cool!)). So far as this imaging problem you are talking about this is called harmonics. Almost everything that produces rf will produce a harmonic, but this isn't what you have to worry about. Scanners may hvae the cell frequencies blocked when you buy them from a store, but this can be easily undone and you can scan around MUCH easier then trying to hit a harmonic.
Gorkman
From the site that used to bring you News For Nerds, we can soon expect the following:
"What's the most energy efficient washing machine?"
"How do I stop my meringues from flopping?"
"Which is car suffers the least in depreciation costs?"
"Who gives the most flexible mortgage?"
"Why is that man in the ski mask trying to break down my door?"
Find funky gifts
What, me worry?
Dosn't Hull have free local calls?
My story: I used to pay, and expense, roaming charges for business. Now I have national roaming, and though I haven't figured out how to expense a single call, nonetheless my net expense is much less.
sulli
RTFJ.
Then the second phone had a bad habit of answering calls on its own, and then hanging up on people.
That's the reason I took the first phone back. It kept hanging up on me. Eventually, it kept turning off unexpectedly. It was completely annoying. After my second phone, I told them I didn't want the same model. I guess the salesperson could see in my eyes, that I was out for blood. She immediately got her manager. He of course, gave me the StarTac. So far, I have no problems with it.
You might try taking it back, next time it hoses out, and telling them you want another model. If they say they won't give you one (a highly unlikely scenerio), just tell them you'll cancel their service. They're the ones pooching the deal by not giving you a decent phone.
Cell phone service here can be useful for me because some have their local calling area extended from North East PA to State college, so I don't end up paying the big roaming charge fee when I'm making calls from there. However, outside of NEPA and State college, the roaming fees pile up very quickly. Your $50 will vanish :(
Who's the black private dick, who's a sex machine for all the chicks?
Nokia cell phones are great. I have two that have been abused all to Hell. The one has been glue-jobbed all over multiple times because the poor baby gets dropped on concrete a lot. Growing up my dear old dad was the "take care of stuff" kind of guy who would wash and wax his cars, even lawn mowers, and was big into taking care of stuff. I thought that "stuff" was around for us, so if it couldn't handle our abuse, tough. Thus, I am really hard on anything (that I own... I do respect other peoples' stuff), no mercy, and I don't mind if that results in glue globs and duct tape. For example, I had an old Audi sedan that was broken into twice and busted up, I drove it through snow banks once to refill my step-sister's snowmobile with gas, etc., and I had even drilled holes in the driver's door because the opening mechanism was shot so I had to use a coat hanger to jigger the door open... but the damn thing kept going and I loved that car(don't even ask about the '76 Chevy pickup with five different colors of paint I had in college)! And I have to say my Nokias are just like that. I beat them up and they still work fine. Don't think that isn't worth something, because if you are on the road and drop one of those wimpy phones with little fragile parts sticking out of them, you are out of luck, and that fancy little feature that sold you isn't worth squat.
"My mother works for Microsoft now. A whole other cult."
You'd be surprised... Lots of people commute daily from Philly to NYC. If you're just coding, chances are your employer would likely be agreeable to telecommuting 2 or 3 days a week.
I live in South Jersey (Burlington County), and from August, 1998 - December, 1998 (as part of a contract) I commuted daily from my home to NYC (2 WTC). My days went something like this:
The reverse trip was easy too. Back on the PATH about 5:00, catch the 5:30ish train from Newark back to Trenton. Home before 7 every night.
Oh, by the way, the 50 minute train rides make for great naps. There are also AC outlets if you need to get work done.
Cost? Work was picking up the tab, but here's what it ran me:
The NJT weekly && monthly passes permit you to ride the Amtrak unreserved trains between certain hours at no extra charge. Nicer trains, more comfy seats too.
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The unsig!
You're close.
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The unsig!
A large portion (square miles wise) of the country is only reachable on 800 AMPS analog service. If you stick to cities all the time, no problem. But if you're driving between Phoenix and Las Vegas and need to make a call, you'll be real grateful for that analog signal you have.
So when you see an advertisement for "all digital" what they are saying is "no analog" and in my mind, that's a real problem.
Personally, I'm with Verizon Wireless and with their national plan, the tri-band phones update themselves with current roaming tables so they always pick the correct band or if on analog, the correct side (A or B) and there are no extra charges for calls all over the country. You get CDMA digital calls where available and if not, you'll calls will be delivered or sent over an analog network. Analog is better than nothing...
In South Africa, we have what's called a 'pay as you go' system.
:-
For about $20 you get a starter kit that gets installed in your cellphone at the shop you buy it from and comes with your PIN number and your Cell Number.
After that, you buy 'recharge' vouchers of several different denominations - i.e. call time.
These vouchers have a serial number which you reveal in the same manner as a scratch card - you then simply dial a number and punch in the serial - viola, more call time !
All incoming calls are free.
IOW, you call the shots on how much bucks you want to spend.
This system is only useful if you receive more incoming calls than you make outgoing.
I can't believe there's nothing like that in the states ? -
Hmm, come to think of it, I think it was invented in South Africa - check it out
http://www.vodacom.co.za
http://www.mtn.co.za
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
"The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
If you decide to go with the Sprint plan, here's some things you'll need to know.
Don't get the Samsung SCH-3500 model. No matter how hard they try to sell you. I've had two of these models quit on me. I finally traded it in for a StarTac and not only can you hear better on them, but they have better glow in the dark readout. And, by the way, are more compact.
If you put the phone on vibrate, so that you don't disturb anyone, such as in a business meeting or movie theatre, the phone will vibrate when you get a call, but then will RING to let you know you have missed a call. When I called Sprint about this poor design they said there is nothing they can do about it. Samsung designed the software and the hardware. When I called Samsung, they said there was nothing they could do. I would have loved to be in the design phase meetings when they made this phone.
The phone also has a keylock function. When this feature is activated, the keys won't respond, until you turn it off. This is in case you have the phone in your pocket, or where ever and you don't want to accidently dial people. The problem is, all the keys are locked behind the hard flip-top cover. All they keys, except for two. One of these non-protected keys is the OK key. Guess what it does. It turns off the key-protect feature. Guess what the other one does. It dials your voice mail (for which you get dinged for minutes). Oh, did I mention the keys on the side of the phone? They are a quick-features key. One of these gets you to the main menu where you can do all kinds of dialing damage - again, getting dinged for cell-phone minutes. Just another example of ingenuity in action.
On the plus side, the voice activated dial worked really well. The only problem is, I used it more to impress chicks, than I did for its functionality. The problems with the phone far outweigh this one little plus.
My rating: 1 out of 4 stars.
So far, AT&T and TRACFONE have tried this; AT&T recently shut down their program. Sprint is just starting theirs; endcap displays have arrived at many stores already (including my CompUSA).
Just a caveat: when purchasing a cell phone, get a bill. For an idea of what it's like to run out of cell phone time, type this into your Q3 console:
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
This might be useful for you: http://www.wirelessdimension.com
go to the consumer section then click on "Service Plan Locator". They cover a few good SPs.
The prices differ a bit, but you should have a rough idea on how much you will use your cell phone...a good start is to check you current/past cell phone bill and work it out from there.
Good luck.
My own story: Some company in NYC offered me a job for PHP/MySQL/misc. programming. After pulling the price back and forth for a while, we ended up at $60K with some benefits, with them starting at 50, and me starting at 80; A compromise which definitely ended on their side of the line. I live in Philadelphia, so traveling is not really an option. I would have to relocate. I explained this difficulty to the recruiter. He offered to lend me $5K for moving expenses, which would then be deducted from my salary.
I'm not one to kill someone for a few dollars, but if a company declined to even offer me moving expenses, I doubt that they will be very kind in the future. For better or for worse, I declined.
Posted with a recent Mozilla nightly, BTW. Just get the UI bugs out, and I'll use it guys. :)
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So.. you're getting a job which requires that you travel a lot, and in return you get a 50 buck voucher for making your calls ? I'd rather look for a new company that just refunds all business calls, no questions asked, instead of a new plan :)
Effectively cellphones are little more than pocket radios, and despite US radio scanners having the cell frequencies "blocked" (IE, the scanners skip the bands assigned to cellphones), you can still pick them up on blocked scanners due to "imaging" (Check Strong Signals and check their glossary about imaging.)
So if you want to be entirely secure, and what good Slashdotter doesn't, avoid analogue phones like the plague, or if you have no choice, at least treat them as being as secure as shouting across a crowded room.
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- Are the minutes you get useable at the times you'll be using the phone? Ignore the free minutes if they're off-peak. What are the chances you'll be doing work stuff at night.
- Are the free minutes useable to networks you'll be phoning most? Some talk plans don't include free time to other mobile networks, premium rate lines (eg tech support.. or pr0n if you have a weird job 8)).
- Is the phone billed per-second? I've heard nasty thing about some US telcos rounding a 65second call up to 2 mintues..
- Whats the coverage like? Is it going to work where you are going to be..
- What are the toys like? Are the options for things like WAP, email to the phone etc..
- Whats the phone itself like? Theres nothing worse than having a chunky, poor quality, poor interfaced phone that you need to use quickly and easily everyday.
I've heard some pretty good stories about Bell Atlantic's SingleRate tarrif, its a good network with coast to coast coverage. A couple of American consulatants I've spoken to are with the network. That said though, I'm fortunate enough to live and work in the uk, our 4 mobile operators are pretty much equal.http://twitter.com/onion2k
The *G*lobal *S*tandard for *M*obile communications is the phone standard that most of the world uses. Thankfully, it is available in the USA (although strangely on a frequency that no other continent uses for GSM). The GSM system is by far the best implementation of a cellular network, and I highly recommend that you go with it. Some highlights:
1) First of all, it's a world standard, and you know how we love standards here at Slashdot. Nonstandard networks include AT&T or Verizon (a bizzare TDMA hack) and Sprint PCS, which is a new system entirely (although they get kudos for doing something new, CDMA). In fact, there is no central corporation with GSM, only an alliance of providers and manufacturers which decide on the standards.
2) GSM isn't a just digital radio transmission protocol like TDMA or CDMA. It's quite unfair to compare "the big three" as GSM, TDMA, and CDMA. That makes no sense at all. Heck, GSM uses TDMA for its radio transmission. In reality, GSM is an entire cellular phone system, from the phones you use, to the radio towers, the whole bit. Everything about it is part of the standard.
3) GSM was built with wireless data in mind, which is why it has always supported voice, data, and SMS (short messaging service, two way paging) in its network. Every other USA service is just now catching up (read: hacking it in).
4) GSM separates owner and phone by utilizing a SIM card, which identifies you and your provider. This means that you don't even have to notify your provider when you buy a new phone. Just pop in the chip and off you go. I have several GSM phones, and I just stick the chip in the one I wish to use that day. Hmm, do I want the sweet Nokia 8890? Or the terminal-in-my-pocket Nokia 9000?
By the way, amidst the fragmented USA cellular phone market as it is, 1900MHz was assigned as the GSM frequency. This means that for a GSM phone to work here, it must support that frequency. However, some phones do both. The Nokia 8890 or the Ericsson i888 work just about everywhere in the world. And they both have IR ports for your laptops/Psions/Palms. Fun stuff indeed.
When you decide to go with GSM (and I'm sure you will), be sure to choose Powertel. From my research, they have the best value for data minutes in the USA. 600 minutes of voice (or data, no extra charge) anywhere in the USA to anywhere in the USA for $65/mo. Not bad! =)
-Justin