Help with choosing phone

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Lance Robertson - 08 Jan 2005 02:06 GMT

I currently am a TMobile customer that is out of contract for about a 6
months now. I had previously upgraded after my first contract toa Nokia 3650
phone. My problem is now that I work up in Minneapolis and the building in
which I work for some reason is blocking my phone from receiving signal.
Others in the room use Cingular (AT&T Wireless) and they report anywhere
from 2 to full bars of signal in the same room I get nothing. They are
mostly using Motrola phones, there is a guy in there with a 3650 on Cingular
and he gets no signal either. I went to a TMobile store and the address
shows in the "great" signal area so it's not a week signal coming through to
the building. I can move to other floors and certain areas of the first and
second floor and get a signal (usually near the outer edges) but nothing
while in the middle (Sometimes I'll get a bar but it's very rare). So I went
to ask about getting a replacement to my phone and what they would
recommend. First the girl told me it's prolly not my phone but the TMobile
signal penetrating the building. I asked how Cingular was able to penetrate
so well when TMobile couldn't even though I'm in the "great" signal range. I
asked if there was a better RF reception phone that I might be able to
purchase and she recommended the Samsung E315 but it doesn't have bluetooth
and some of the other features that I like. (I've only owned Nokia's and
I've been told the Moto phones (V600 and the like) aren't the best for
reception. What would people here recommend? The 3650 was supposed to be
great with reception but I really think it is the phone as the guy with
Cingular can't get a signal either. I also tried his SIM in my phone (it's
unlocked) and couldn't get a signal either. What would be a good phone for
me to look at? I use the texting a little but not alot. Mostly it's just the
phonebook, the camera, and bluetooth/infrared.

Thanks,

Lance

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BruceR - 08 Jan 2005 02:16 GMT

I'd start by looking at the phones your coworkers are using that get
full signal. Try your SIM in their phone - maybe their's is unlocked
too. Whatever you buy make sure you can return it if you don't get a
good signal. T-Mo usually gives you 14 days to try one out.

From:Lance Robertson
lanceDONOTSPAM@robertsonland.com

> I currently am a TMobile customer that is out of contract for about a
> 6 months now. I had previously upgraded after my first contract toa
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> Lance

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John Cummings - 09 Jan 2005 05:52 GMT

> I currently am a TMobile customer that is out of contract for about a
> 6 months now. I had previously upgraded after my first contract toa
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> Lance

You've got three variables interacting here. First, the Nokia 3650 is a
triband GSM phone operating on 900/1800/1900 MHz. It's not receiving the
Cingular (former ATTWS) cellular GSM signal on 800 MHz. I don't know
whether ATTWS put up 1900 MHz GSM in MSP before it was purchased.

The other variables are whether your T-Mobile SIM gets to roam on
Cingular, and whether your coworker's Cingular SIM may roam on T-Mobile.
This would be easier to figure out in a good signal area outside, with
an unlocked dualband 800/1900 MHz handset like a Nokia 3595.

Good luck on your further investigations.

John C.

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Lance - 10 Jan 2005 17:56 GMT

> You've got three variables interacting here. First, the Nokia 3650 is a
> triband GSM phone operating on 900/1800/1900 MHz. It's not receiving the
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> John C.

Hmm ok, well my coworker has the same phone and it works on
cingular/at&t no problem. I figured it was usable. My phone is unlocked
and I have used it on AT&T before without a problem in AZ but not here
in MSP. I assumed that since his phone worked on the system, mine would
as well. I'm on Tmobile and get Tmobile inside other areas of the
building, i'm not roaming on the other network. I just switched SIMs
like I have at home with another guys' SIM card.

I figure I'll make sure i'm gonna be in a part of the building that I'm
in now or if I'll be somewhere else as it's really hard to find a
"super-rf" receiving phone out there that has any good features.
Thanks,

lance

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Mike Schumann - 16 Jan 2005 17:58 GMT

Are the people that are getting good reception getting it with a GSM phone?
If so, are they possibly using GSM 850.

If they are using GSM, try swapping SIM cards with the Motorola phones.

The reason that I'd be skeptical, is that in my experience, Nokia phones get
some of the best reception there is. Much better than the Sony Ericsson
T610 that I recently bought.

Mike Schumann

>I currently am a TMobile customer that is out of contract for about a 6
>months now. I had previously upgraded after my first contract toa Nokia
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Lance

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Lance - 19 Jan 2005 05:57 GMT

> Are the people that are getting good reception getting it with a GSM phone?
> If so, are they possibly using GSM 850.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Mike Schumann

Yes they are all GSM (Cingular) Does Cingular operate two different
GSMs in minneapolis? This last week I actually was getting a single bar
in the room I was in at times but it fluctuated. The one guy on
AT&T/Cingular has my exact phone so I would assume we would be
operating on the same frequency for at least our phones. I didn't know
a provider would run say an 850 and a 1900 in the same city but that
might be why neither of us get reception but others can.

Luckily I think we are out of that room now and moved over to another
building where I can get some reception. I still would be interested in
finding a new phone though and one that has great reception
capabilities but it's not as urgent.

Thanks all

Lance

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