GSM service/providers in the US?

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gaikokujinkyofusho@gmail.com - 25 Jun 2006 11:45 GMT

Hi, I'm kinda new to cellular phones in the US but i do know i want GSM
(so i can just switch out my sim card when i travel instead of having a
CDMA phone in the US and a GSM phone for abroad). Can anyone recommend
a provider? At the moment i am just looking for regular voice service
but i would like to upgrade to a data service in the future. Any help,
suggestions, horror stories, etc would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

-Gaiko

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Donald Newcomb - 25 Jun 2006 12:12 GMT

> Hi, I'm kinda new to cellular phones in the US but i do know i want GSM
> (so i can just switch out my sim card when i travel instead of having a
> CDMA phone in the US and a GSM phone for abroad). Can anyone recommend
> a provider? At the moment i am just looking for regular voice service
> but i would like to upgrade to a data service in the future. Any help,
> suggestions, horror stories, etc would be greatly appreciated!

The two major GSM carriers are T-Mobile & Cingular, but there are dozens of
smaller GSM carriers. The US has a regional licensing scheme so it is
possible to find a carrier with a license for only a few rural counties out
in Kansas or Oklahoma.

I would suggest that you ignore the technology, to some extent, and solve
the US problem separately from the rest of the world. In the US, select the
carrier that gives you the service and coverage that best fit your needs and
use what ever phone they give you. Also, you do know that GSM in the US is
on 850 & 1900 MHz while most of the rest of the world is 900 & 1800 MHz? If
your GSM phone does not have 850 & 1900 MHz you may need to get a new phone.
Virtually all GSM phones provided by the carriers in the US are SIM locked.

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Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net

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natureboy@gmail.com - 27 Jun 2006 19:58 GMT

> > Hi, I'm kinda new to cellular phones in the US but i do know i want GSM
> > (so i can just switch out my sim card when i travel instead of having a
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> use what ever phone they give you. Also, you do know that GSM in the US is
> on 850 & 1900 MHz while most of the rest of the world is 900 & 1800 MHz?

yes.

> If
> your GSM phone does not have 850 & 1900 MHz you may need to get a new phone.
> Virtually all GSM phones provided by the carriers in the US are SIM locked.

yep, i am aware of the locked issue too (irksome after having lived in
Europe's consumer friendly environment).

I am looking to get Fujitsu/Semins (sp?) Pocket Loox T830, this is not
a small dollar item (for me) so i would like to just get one phone and
leave it at that (its quad band). I don't think it has come out in
the US (or at all?) yet but if i can not find an unlocked version i
will probably order it from Europe or get it when i am over there next.

thanks for the input!

Cheers

-Gaiko

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Mike Schumann - 03 Jul 2006 05:25 GMT

T-Mobile has great rate plans (currently 1,500 anytime minutes for $39.99).
You can get a Samsung t-509 phone for $59.99 after rebate. This is a great
quad band GSM phone. T-Mobile is very good about unlocking your phone after
you have been a customer for a relatively brief time (90 days?).

Mike Schumann

>> > Hi, I'm kinda new to cellular phones in the US but i do know i want GSM
>> > (so i can just switch out my sim card when i travel instead of having a
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
>
> -Gaiko

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Geoffrey S. Mendelson - 03 Jul 2006 08:21 GMT

> T-Mobile has great rate plans (currently 1,500 anytime minutes for $39.99).
> You can get a Samsung t-509 phone for $59.99 after rebate. This is a great
> quad band GSM phone. T-Mobile is very good about unlocking your phone after
> you have been a customer for a relatively brief time (90 days?).

Since I am not in the U.S. I get my information from various sources, some
reliable some not. On the Jay Leno show just after the latest American Idol
was chosen, he asked:

"How many of you voted for (whomever came in second place)?" (some applause).
"How many of you voted for Taylor Hicks (the winner)?" (more applause).
"How many of you have Cingular and could not get a dial-tone?" (almost the
whole audience appluaded).

Was this a joke? Is there any truth to it?

Geoff.

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Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

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Richard J. Wyble - 03 Jul 2006 13:31 GMT

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: gsm@mendelson.com (Geoffrey S. Mendelson)
> Sent: 07/03/2006 3:21 AM -0400
> Subject: GSM service/providers in the US?

>> T-Mobile has great rate plans (currently 1,500 anytime minutes for $39.99).
>> You can get a Samsung t-509 phone for $59.99 after rebate. This is a great
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Geoff.

It was a sarcastic joke, making light of Cingular having
been recently criticized for their media advertisement
claiming the fewest dropped calls of any cellular carrier in
the U.S. When asked by critics to back up their claim with
hard data, Cingular demurred; the media then set about great
tongue-clucking and finger pointing. Leno was obliquely
referencing that media controversy.

Signature

RJW

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Andy Ball - 03 Jul 2006 05:10 GMT

Hello Gaiko,

G> Can anyone recommend a provider? ...Any help, suggestions, horror
> stories, etc would be greatly appreciated!

A lot probably depends on where you are. In my experience T-Mobile
offer poor coverage around Illinois and Indiana and some of the phones
that they endorse/sell have bugs that may be significant depending on
your individual needs. The staff in T-Mobile stores often lack proper
training, but that may be true for all providers in the U.S.

I hope that this helps,
- Andy Ball

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