I have to second 02BlackWRX. It's by no means a scam. What is in it for them to upgrade an archaic network? The US is finally trying to get away from cdma, tdma, pcs, and all of our other concocted formats and go pure GSM coast to coast. GSM is a MUCH better protocol, better bandwidth, generally better SNR, and is much better supported globally(even though the US chose to be different yet again, and use a different band than most of the world).

If it's a scam why aren't we all still using analog phones, watching black and white TV, and listening to AM radio?

 

CDMA is still comon (VZW and Sprint) but TDMA is pretty much fading away.

CDMA sucks in my opinion, I HATE the quality on CDMA phones...therefore VZW and Sprint suck

 

GSM is the European CDMA. They were delayed in creating it a few years ago, while the US went ahead and began implimenting it's CDMA format (code division multiple access). The Europeans looked at what the US did, and made some improvments before implementation. Partly to try and lure China into GSM instead of USA CDMA.

The Europeans did it better, what often happens in second generation products. Your ID is burned into a ROM and you move that ROM from phone to phone and it contains your identity...very cool.

Call clarity though should be essentially the same between CDMA and GSM, both systems give you 1024 simultaneous calls from each single frequency. Both systems are 3rd generation digital Cell so things like data, clarity and call qality should be extremely close.

There are some compression algorithms that can be used at the vendors discretion that may affect call quality - these may be used in very densely populated areas, but compared to the old TDMA (time division multiple access) which only allowed 256 simultaneous calls per frequency, there is a lot more breathing room with CDMA.

NOTE: Sprint is 100% CDMA, Verizon is a mix of TDMA and CDMA, Cingular/AT&T are a mix of TDMA (1st and 2nd generation) and GSM. AT&T and Verizon both have some 1st gen analog cell sites (or 2nd gen mobile phone sites).

 

Refering them to a tri band phone isnt gonna enhance his signal here in the U.S tri-band means it runs of 3 frequencies and apparently we only use at&t's (850) and (Cingulars) 1900 i believe the other frequencies are 900 and 1800 which is used outside of the U.S. im not flaming im just clarifying, why? because i work for Cingular.

Also keep in mind Cingular and T mobile have roaming agreements in the U.S in cali t mobile is using Cingulars network, with the whole merge im not sure if were still leeching off t mobiles network in other parts of the U.S.

 

Honestly by the way your flaming i wouldnt blame any reps if they didnt help you just by accusing the whole thing a scam...

First off you signed a contract with at&t, yes i know we are one company but you have a 30 day trial to cancel the contract with not ETF (early termination fee), cingular/at&t is not gonna penalize you unless its past the 30 days....

Why do we tell every customer about the 30 day return because it allows you to test out the network in the primary areas you'll be using it, if it doesent work return it, not every carrier is perfect it may work for you it may not thats what the trial is for.

Can you honestly believe every single word that an at&t rep is telling you knowing that they are going out of business? i mean its been announced everywhere even in i-club about the whole merge, they work off commission and will do everything they can to get you to sign a contract before they get layed off.

I know this may not be what you want to hear but its the truth, also you might want to try out a 64k sim which will enhance the att's 850 and cingulars 1900 im not saying that itll help 100% but its worth a shot, some of my customers have noticed a difference so im going by what they say.

I work for a Cingular Corporate store so if anyone needs some questions answered pm me.


FYI: we took at&t's 850 gsm network not there tdma so honestly at&t customers arent noticing anything different just the company name and not roaming anymore, at&t customers are still fufilling whatever they signeed up with at at&t if you wanted to migrate over to a cingular plan there will be an $18 activation fee also depending on the phone you have(high end phones) there is a rebate for a trade in but again its on selected phones.

 

I've been having the same annoying problems since last Friday. Tried calling Cingular customer service and they had no answers for me as well. I didn't cuss at them though. I haven't been able to make any out-going calls or even receive in-coming calls. Everything is either directed to my voice-mail or people have told me that they get a fast "busy" signal when they try to call my phone. I've been with Cingular for the past 4 years or so. I have NEVER had problems with them regarding service or billing until last Friday. It's annoying me cuz I can't get to voice-mails I have waiting and my phone has pretty much become a watch. My contract is about to end in less than a month. I've talked to a sales rep and they've told me my only options is either to get the 64k sim card or... just simply upgrade to a new phone. I was wondering if I'm the only one that's having these problems with my 2-year-old phone or if others have come across this as well in the last few days.

 

Is it true that phones can't be warrantied at stores anymore and they have to be done via mail?

 

They do have bad connections. =P

 

that would suck.

I've had good luck with T-Mobile, and I've been able to get my phones exchanged at the store.

 

Let me make something clear: I initiated the call as a polite, calm customer. I am in customer service myself. I am paid strictly on commission and I am one of the leading salespeople on our team, and not because I am a shark. I politely and concisely explained my difficulty to the rep. At first, he did listen to me. He admitted that he did not know what to make of my problem and offered to check with his 'help desk', which I agreed to. I waited on hold a few minutes and he came back on with absolutely NO solution except to sell me the GSM. I told him I was not interested in adding anything to my current service, that I only wanted what I was currently paying for to work as it should. If a phone cannot make a simple call, then it is NOT working as it should, is it? If you bought your Subaru new, and the front wheels didn't steer as you turned the wheel, would you not bring it up with the dealer? And if they told you, "well, you can buy these tie-rods that connect your rack and pinion to the spindles and it will work great", would you not be upset? The Cingular rep was snide and condescending and refused to give me any support, except to sell me something. After spending all day fighting problems with the phone and then getting nowhere with their tech support, yes I was hot. The word "motherf*cker" popped out after about 15 minutes of this rep not listening to the jist of my complaint. Too bad. Cingular and AT&T should be pro-active for their customers sake.

And one other point: yes I signed a contract, much longer than 30 days ago. The acute problem of not being able to make ANY outgoing calls did not start until last week.

 

Phones cant be warrantied in the store after 30 days of the purchase, yea i know it sucks but honestly the turn around time is quick its a 3 - 5 day process with no money out of your pocket if its urgent then an overnight shipping is available with an additional cost and most stores should be able to give you a loaner phone within the time waiting but with all the authorized agents that cingular has it might cause confusion.

 

If the problem occured after the 30 days and your phone has worked fine before then, then yea you have every right to be upset... a few things you might want to try

1. do you have a friend or family member that has cingular? if so take them or borrow there phone to the places your having coverage.

2. if your phone is completely not working at all try putting your sim card in a friend or family members phone and see if the problem still occurs.

3.If the problem still isnt found or resolved then your last shot is to try a 64k sim or warranty your phone.


if none of the above help at all then yes you do have the right to be pissed and i would suggest another carrier, but it doesent make sense for you to have fine service within the 30 days and all the sudden it stop working.

Customer Care sux *****!!!! theres times where id get on the phone and b*tch at them for a customer because most of them are noobs, but if you honestly feel that the customer care rep is just an **** and giving you an attitude hang up and call again im almost 100% that you will not get that same rep on the line.

Heres a # i use almost everyday it and it does not have any of the prompts and i connect to a rep in less than 2 min almost all the time, but dont quote me on the wait time as there are times when the hold tim might take longer than usual.
1866-460-6858

When i rant about CS its not just cingular, Ive worked for almost all the wireless carriers and every single one of them are noobs, and honestly i think sprint is the worst, who wants to be sent to small little hidden room in a store and forced to use there dinky red phone specifically for CS? why cant the rep in front of them call for you? actually i do know the reason but i still think they suck!!!!!

 

My coworker also has AT&T/Cingular and experiences the same problems I do at the same time in the same office.

Thank you for the advice. I am sorry if I seem impatient and agitated.

 

hmm.. how interesting. no worries about flamming... me and couple of classmates design and build your cell sites that how i found out about the information. dont you all love those palm tree shaped attennas?