 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General General TopicsGSMBluetoothProviders AlltelATT WirelessCingularFidoNextelSprint PCST-MobileVerizonManufacturers EricssonNokiaMotorolaCountry Specific Australian GroupUK GroupRelated Topics PocketPCPalmMore Topics ... |
Cellular Phone Forum / Providers / Cingular / May 2005Non-Cingular GSM Phones on Cingular
I get great service in Atlanta through Cingular's GSM service - it's only gotten better since I switched over about 2 years ago. That said, my contract is up in a few months and I really want a more full-featured phone, but don't want to sign another contract. After viewing the vast selection of GSM phones available (mainly at http://www.gsmarena.com) I've come to the conclusion that it's worth the premium to me not to have a new phone locked to Cingular's network. There are very few Cingular-sold phones that even interest me, the Moto Razr being one of them (reasons to avoid that phone are welcome). So, other than the constraints of operating at 1900 and GPRS, and preferably EDGE, is there any reason I can't purchase the phone of my choice from eBay or elsewhere, swap my SIM card, and then be good to go? Is there a lot of manual configuration that I'll have to do to get data service activated? Do I even need to deal with Cingular when I do something like this? Thanks, John > I get great service in Atlanta through Cingular's GSM service - it's > only gotten better since I switched over about 2 years ago. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > John Would get at least 1900/850 phone as Cingular is on 850 in a lot of places. Cool, thanks, that helps a lot. >> I get great service in Atlanta through Cingular's GSM service - it's >> only gotten better since I switched over about 2 years ago. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Would get at least 1900/850 phone as Cingular is on 850 in a lot of > places. >I get great service in Atlanta through Cingular's GSM service - it's >only gotten better since I switched over about 2 years ago. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >data service activated? Do I even need to deal with Cingular when I do >something like this? If the phone is unlocked and covers GSM850 and 1900, it certainly can be used. You will not have the transparency of phones having Cingular's ESN firmware, but that does not matter for most people. The GPRS/WAP and MMS setup cna all be done using over the air browser commands sent from the web site. According to Cingular's site the ESN is something that allows them to track my phone should it be stolen or were I to stop paying my bill. I pay my bills on time and have never lost a cell phone so I can't see why I'd care. Is there more to the ESN than that? > If the phone is unlocked and covers GSM850 and 1900, it certainly can be > used. You will not have the transparency of phones having Cingular's ESN > firmware, but that does not matter for most people. The GPRS/WAP and MMS > setup cna all be done using over the air browser commands sent from the > web site. >> If the phone is unlocked and covers GSM850 and 1900, it certainly can be >> used. You will not have the transparency of phones having Cingular's ESN [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >bills on time and have never lost a cell phone so I can't see why I'd care. >Is there more to the ESN than that? I'm sorry, my typo. I meant to type "ENS" - enhanced network selection. A measure implemented to smooth the integration of the former AT&T network. It requires an ENS-capable phone and matching SIM firmware to make everything appear to the user as the same "virtual" network. This is really helpful - I read the thread at HowardForums and I totally get ENS now. Thanks to all of this I now know I have a 32K SIM and what it means in the grand scheme of things. Let's say I'm going to buy a Motorola V3 Razr and I have the choice to get one from Cingular ($199 w/new contract/upgrade) or get one that's unlocked from somewhere else. If I buy one from somewhere besides Cingular, other than loss of ENS since there's no guarantee that a non-Cingular V3 will have it, do I lose other network benefits or Cingular features? Or, ignoring ENS, is a V3 is a V3 is a V3? Can the same be said for any other phones that support 850/1900? They may not have ENS but assuming they are also data capable will be able to take full advantage of Cingular's data features (text messaging, email, etc)? I may just break down and sign another contract but I'd rather not. If I'm asking a really obvious question then I'd love to be given a link to RTFM? Oh, and also, any ETA as to when Cingular will be one big happy network so that ENS is no longer a concern? Thanks for everyone's help, John >This is really helpful - I read the thread at HowardForums and I >totally get ENS now. Thanks to all of this I now know I have a 32K SIM [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Cingular's data features (text messaging, email, etc)? I may just >break down and sign another contract but I'd rather not. The only thing that will be guaranteed, pretty much, is your ability to make and receive phone calls. WAP and MMS can be restored manually, or using over the air settings, as long as the provider of your V3 has not disabled the menus that allow such changed to be entered, and also that there are blank "slots" left in the Web Sessions list to be customized. Any other carrier specific features, such as AOL Instant Messenger, are a crap shoot. >Oh, and also, any ETA as to when Cingular will be one big happy network >so that ENS is no longer a concern? People have pointed out that _prior_ to their acquisition of AT&T, the elements comprising "Cingular" last year had still not been fully integrated. So I'd take any such estimates with healthy skepticism. >This is really helpful - I read the thread at HowardForums and I >totally get ENS now. Thanks to all of this I now know I have a 32K SIM [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >John I have a French RAZR and black RAZR that came from Switzerland (wife uses one). The network switching seems to work pretty well. Do you have that link anout ENS? I think there is a SEEM edit to enable it. It's pretty easy if you have a cable anyway. >I have a French RAZR and black RAZR that came from Switzerland (wife >uses one). The network switching seems to work pretty well. > >Do you have that link anout ENS? I think there is a SEEM edit to >enable it. It's pretty easy if you have a cable anyway. As I understand it, ENS requires additional code in the firmware. If it isn't there, I can't see how a seem edit can enable a feature that isn't supported by the phone's firmware. There are seem edits to enable manual network selection (disabled by Cingular SIMs when operating on domestic network) and to display the actual tower assignment (actually the reverse of what ENS tries to do). Can you provide a link to this? I am using a V3 bought unlocked in UK with a new Cingular SIM card. Onl problem is that the phone continually displays the roaming symbol, an seems to be on the AT&T network. When I search for available networks it only finds T-Mobile and AT&T. Not sure if this will have an implications on my billing. Anyway, as a result, I am having limite other functionality right now It sounds to me like the best bet is to get the Cingular RAZR (but I want a black one!) and then just pay someone who really knows how to unlock the thing so that I can use other networks when I want to (overseas mainly). I have heard that some Cingular markets are getting black RAZR's, and T-Mobile may be offering them as contract phones soon. That should boost domestic supplies and I might even be able to get an unlocked but Cingular branded black RAZR and that would be the best of both worlds. > I am using a V3 bought unlocked in UK with a new Cingular SIM card. Only > problem is that the phone continually displays the roaming symbol, and > seems to be on the AT&T network. When I search for available networks, > it only finds T-Mobile and AT&T. Not sure if this will have any > implications on my billing. Anyway, as a result, I am having limited > other functionality right now. >I am using a V3 bought unlocked in UK with a new Cingular SIM card. Only >problem is that the phone continually displays the roaming symbol, and >seems to be on the AT&T network. When I search for available networks, >it only finds T-Mobile and AT&T. Not sure if this will have any >implications on my billing. Anyway, as a result, I am having limited >other functionality right now. One RAZR displays Cingular, AT&T and T-Mobile. I forget if the roaming indicator displays for T-M but it does NOT display with AT&T. The other phone displays Cingular or Cingular with the roaming indicator on (which means AT&T). I'm wondering if you are in an area with nothing but AT&T towers. You will not have a billing problem and the SIM is what controls what towers you can connect to. I can turn my roaming indicator off but I don't mind it. >>I have a French RAZR and black RAZR that came from Switzerland (wife >>uses one). The network switching seems to work pretty well. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >network) and to display the actual tower assignment (actually the reverse >of what ENS tries to do). Can you provide a link to this? That makes sense. It will probably require a FLEX to get that. I'll look into it when I get a chance and post back. I found this stuff in the motorola section of howardforums but the details are really on www.motomodders.net and www.motox.us. >According to Cingular's site the ESN is something that allows them to track >my phone should it be stolen or were I to stop paying my bill. I pay my >bills on time and have never lost a cell phone so I can't see why I'd care. >Is there more to the ESN than that? First of all ESN is for TDMA (IS-136) and CDMA phones. The equivalent is IMEI for GSM phones. IMEI will change if you take your SIM out of one phone and put it in another phone (which will have a different IMEI.) As far as protecting them if you stop paying your bill that can't be right at all since if they're just looking at the IMEI all you'd have to do is use another phone. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.