Preferred Nation Rates

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About Dakota - 27 Oct 2003 08:08 GMT

I was just looking at the Cingular coverage maps, and noticed the
following statement:

"When your phone's display reads CINGULAR EXTEND, Cingular Preferred
Nation rates apply. Digital features are available when your digital
indicator is on. When your phone's display reads CINGULAR EXTEND,
Cingular Extend Roaming rates apply. You should refer to your phone's
display to determine applicable rates as Cingular Extend rates may be
charged within the Cingular Preferred Nation Area. Neither Cingular
Preferred Nation rates nor Cingular Extend rates apply to credit card or
operator-assisted calls."

Here is a link that it came from

http://onlinestore.cingular.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/html/Maps/GulfStates/F
lorida/PN_fl_m2m.htm

I think it should read, "When your phone's display reads CINGULAR,
Cingular Preferred Nation rates apply."

Any comments?

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Elmo P. Shagnasty - 27 Oct 2003 12:10 GMT

> I think it should read, "When your phone's display reads CINGULAR,
> Cingular Preferred Nation rates apply."
>
> Any comments?

I'm on Preferred Nation, and I get the Cingular Extend.

I think they put too much into that one paragraph. I think they meant,
for Preferred Nation customers, you get the terms of your Preferred
Nation account; for other customers, you get the terms of your account,
which usually mean roaming"

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Mark W. Oots - 27 Oct 2003 21:05 GMT

> I was just looking at the Cingular coverage maps, and noticed the
> following statement:
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Here is a link that it came from

http://onlinestore.cingular.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/html/Maps/GulfStates/F
lorida/PN_fl_m2m.htm

> I think it should read, "When your phone's display reads CINGULAR,
> Cingular Preferred Nation rates apply."
>
> Any comments?

It means that if your phone says "Cingular Extend" you are paying roaming
rates. When it says "Cingular" your regular rates apply. `Extend' means
roaming...

Mark

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Elmo P. Shagnasty - 28 Oct 2003 00:23 GMT

> It means that if your phone says "Cingular Extend" you are paying roaming
> rates. When it says "Cingular" your regular rates apply. `Extend' means
> roaming...

Exactly.

And if you're on a plan where there's NO ROAMING, like Preferred Nation
or Nation, then pay no attention to what your phone says. You can't get
roaming charges, therefore you won't get roaming charges. Your roaming
rates are zero.

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Mark W. Oots - 28 Oct 2003 02:02 GMT

> > It means that if your phone says "Cingular Extend" you are paying roaming
> > rates. When it says "Cingular" your regular rates apply. `Extend' means
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> roaming charges, therefore you won't get roaming charges. Your roaming
> rates are zero.

Preferred Nation does have roaming rates and they apply when your phone says
"extend". It's not the same as Nation.
Mark

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Elmo P. Shagnasty - 28 Oct 2003 02:54 GMT

> > And if you're on a plan where there's NO ROAMING, like Preferred Nation
> > or Nation, then pay no attention to what your phone says. You can't get
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Preferred Nation does have roaming rates and they apply when your phone says
> "extend". It's not the same as Nation.

I have the old plan that they came out with 18 months ago, when it was
originally offered; I thought that was the Preferred Nation.

At any rate, my plan has no roaming anywhere in the US; if there's a
signal, by definition I'm on the Cingular network. Nonetheless, my
phone *will* say Cingular Extend when I'm not on a Cingular-owned
network.

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Rodney Bryant - 29 Oct 2003 09:28 GMT

I agree with you, the two sentences seem very confusing. While I was
on the phone yesterday with a Cingular rep for another issue, I read
her the paragraph. She agreed that there is a problem with the
wording and that you are correct - CINGULAR means Preferred Nation
rates apply, CINGULAR EXTEND means you are being charge roaming rates.

>I was just looking at the Cingular coverage maps, and noticed the
>following statement:
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>Any comments?

Reply to this Message

Elmo P. Shagnasty - 29 Oct 2003 11:39 GMT

> CINGULAR means Preferred Nation
> rates apply, CINGULAR EXTEND means you are being charge roaming rates.

Cingular Extend simply means you're off the Cingular network and on to
an affiliate network. You'd be charged roaming rates IF and ONLY IF
your plan charges roaming rates.

For those of us who are never charged roaming rates, we can ignore the
Cingular Extend notice. But we get it on our phones anyway.

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About Dakota - 29 Oct 2003 16:53 GMT

>>CINGULAR means Preferred Nation
>>rates apply, CINGULAR EXTEND means you are being charge roaming rates.
>
> Cingular Extend simply means you're off the Cingular network and on to
> an affiliate network. You'd be charged roaming rates IF and ONLY IF
> your plan charges roaming rates.

My phone displays "Cingular" when I'm in North Dakots, but Cingular does
no [itself] operate in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming,
Minnesota, or Iowa. If that were true, that would have to be one hell
of a Cingular tower to reach hundreds of miles.

In the programming meny on my Moto C331t, the following alpha tags are
marked "Cingular":
Home Tag
Partner Tag
Favored Tag

Neutral Tag is marked "Cingular Extend", however, it often says
"Cingular Extend" when Preferred Nation rates apply. I know that I am
roaming on a system that has AMPS, TDMA, and CDMA all on the same SID.
TDMA comes up "Cingular" under the favored tag, but AMPS comes up as
"Cingular Extend" under the neutral tag. It must be in the IRDB that
AMPS from other carriers to be marked as raoming...

> For those of us who are never charged roaming rates, we can ignore the
> Cingular Extend notice. But we get it on our phones anyway.

However, those who did not choose the plan early on did not get such an
awesome deal that you got.

Take a look at the map.

http://onlinestore.cingular.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/html/Maps/GulfStates/F
lorida/PN_fl_m2m.htm

The areas in green marked "Cingular Extend" are roaming areas.

I also noticed that "preferred roaming" is possible in your home area.
Athough I spend most of my time away from Florida, my number is issued
in Orlando, and occasionally I get a message from AT&T Wireless Services
when I use *89 to check voicemail. I know use the backdoor number
that goes directly into voicemail.

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