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Cellular forums Home > Archive > Cingular cell phone service > May 2007 > Pay As You Go
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| :-\)Liz 2007-05-24, 3:33 pm |
| I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
I have Cingular service.
Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts. of
New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the phone
for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
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| Jud Hardcastle 2007-05-24, 3:33 pm |
| In article <sIk5i.2423$C96.820@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net>,
wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com says...
> I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
>
> I have Cingular service.
>
> Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts. of
> New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
> suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
> mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the phone
> for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
>
If your old phone was TDMA/analog it could have been making calls on
*either* TDMA or analog--it might help to narrow that down. If TDMA most
likely the carrier there hasn't converted to GSM yet (or isn't going
to--some went with CDMA) but if it was using analog you're sol
w/Cingular (the reason I'm hanging onto my GAIT TDMA/GSM/AMPS phone
until they force me off the plan).
Your best bet is probably a tri-mode CDMA/AMPS phone on the Verizon
easypay plan. If CDMA doesn't work there then AMPS certainly should.
There are some tri-modes listed on that plan: the LG VX3400, Motorola
W315 just in the first few listed--look in the "phone detail" tab. To
find a list of CDMA/AMPS phones in general,
Go here: http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/finder.php?w=s
click on "show all options"
check Verizon or Sprint as "required"
check "available" as "required"
check AMPS as "required"
Search
Should give you a pretty long shopping list.
You might also make sure the phone has a physical connector for an
external antenna or booster--a good external antenna can make a world of
difference.
All bets off though as to how long AMPS will work after the sunset
date--some of the really remote towers may never get rid of it.
--
Jud
Dallas TX USA
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|
| :-)Liz wrote:
> I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
>
> I have Cingular service.
>
> Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts. of
> New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
> suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
> mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the phone
> for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
Pageplus will work, as long as the AMPS analog service remains on. But
it's also possible that those users are on CDMA, which has better
coverage than GSM in the United States, especially off the beaten path.
Pageplus uses Verizon, Alltel, and other CDMA/AMPS networks.
"http://www.pagepluscellular.com/"
You can use any phone that was on Verizon or Alltel in the past. These
are the only phones that will work (probably identical phones to the
Verizon or Alltel phones would also work). They do not have to be E-911
capable.
I often advise people with Cingular to pick up a PagePlus phone and keep
the account active in order to have coverage where Cingular is lacking.
I gave my kids Pageplus accounts as well, it's perfect for low usage,
where they should only be calling when they need a ride or something.
Don't let the poor web site scare you, they are quite good. You can pick
up an activation on eBay for about $5. Search for "page plus activation".
You have to add $10 every four months to keep your account active.
Actually they keep the account on longer, but if you don't add $10 you
lose whatever balance you had previously.
[Copied to alt.cellular.attws. Please post all alt.cellular.cingular
posts to alt.cellular.attws as well. The Cingular name has gone away,
and alt.cellular.attws is the proper venue for posts regarding AT&T's
Wireless Service.]
| |
| karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net 2007-05-24, 10:33 pm |
| On Thu, 24 May 2007 13:21:09 -0500, ":-\)Liz" <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com>
wrote:
>I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
>
>I have Cingular service.
>
You could also buy a used GAIT phone on eBay.
>Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts. of
>New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
>suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
>mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the phone
>for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
>
Instead of getting opinions here, ask someone with a working phone
what they use, next time you're in those Mountains.
| |
| Kevin Weaver 2007-05-24, 10:33 pm |
| You need to turn on extended GSM... :)
":-)Liz" <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:sIk5i.2423$C96.820@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net...
>I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
>
> I have Cingular service.
>
> Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts.
> of New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
> suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
> mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the
> phone for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
>
| |
|
| karlkrandall@sbcglob
al.net wrote:
> On Thu, 24 May 2007 13:21:09 -0500, ":-\)Liz" <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> You could also buy a used GAIT phone on eBay.
I doubt if that would do much good. Cingular is unlikely to allow the
use of the AMPS or TDMA networks for users that weren't already on a
GAIT plan.
It's very possible that the people he saw on the phone in the mountains
were on CDMA. In California, there is a lot of CDMA in areas with no GSM
or TDMA. If some of the coverage was AMPS, then a PagePlus phone would
work as well.
[Copied to alt.cellular.attws. Please post all alt.cellular.cingular
posts to alt.cellular.attws as well. The Cingular name has gone away,
and alt.cellular.attws is the proper venue for posts regarding AT&T's
Wireless Service.]
| |
| Bill Radio 2007-05-24, 10:33 pm |
| Liz,
You have several Choices, in the order of my preference:
1) Alltel "U" prepaid,
2) Page Plus prepaid
3) Tracfone (or Net 10...same company)
4) Verizon's prepaid.
They all use CDMA and, in some cases, you can still get a tri-mode phone
that will access analog as long as it is available. Alltel has stated that
they won't turn it off all at once, but on a case-by-case basis. Make sure
the phone you get from Tracfone is CDMA.
-Bill Radio
-New Mexico Cellular Reviews and News at:
http://www.mountainwireless.com
":-)Liz" <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:sIk5i.2423$C96.820@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net...
>I had to finally upgrade my phone to GSM as my analog/digital one died.
>
> I have Cingular service.
>
> Up until my old phone died... I could make and receive calls in the mts.
> of New Mexico(88317)..now with GSM ...ZIP...no service.. Anyone have a
> suggestion as to what "pay as you go" phone will work? I see folks in the
> mts. with working cell phones so I know some do work...I only need the
> phone for mt. use. Thanks! :-)Liz
>
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
| |
| :-\)Liz 2007-05-24, 10:33 pm |
| Thanks all for the info..
I checked into Page Plus as it sounded the best to fit my needs but alas
they indicate they do not have coverage for Otero County (88317) in New
Mexico...Any suggestion as to what direction I can turn to now "Bill
Radio"..I want a pay as you go phone that I can call from the 88317 to
79701 area code.. My A707 Samsung works fine once I'm out of the mts. so I
just need a cheap pay as you go system for the mts. only. Thanks. :-) Liz
"Bill Radio" < wireless@mountainwir
elessNOOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:4656443e$0$7122
$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
> Liz,
> You have several Choices, in the order of my preference:
>
> 1) Alltel "U" prepaid,
> 2) Page Plus prepaid
> 3) Tracfone (or Net 10...same company)
> 4) Verizon's prepaid.
>
> They all use CDMA and, in some cases, you can still get a tri-mode phone
> that will access analog as long as it is available. Alltel has stated
> that they won't turn it off all at once, but on a case-by-case basis.
> Make sure the phone you get from Tracfone is CDMA.
>
>
> -Bill Radio
> -New Mexico Cellular Reviews and News at:
> http://www.mountainwireless.com
>
>
>
>
> ":-)Liz" <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:sIk5i.2423$C96.820@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net...
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>
| |
| Dennis Ferguson 2007-05-25, 4:33 am |
| On 2007-05-25, :-)Liz <wldwzzy@fuzzyyahoo.com> wrote:[color=darkred
]
> Thanks all for the info..
>
> I checked into Page Plus as it sounded the best to fit my needs but alas
> they indicate they do not have coverage for Otero County (88317) in New
> Mexico...Any suggestion as to what direction I can turn to now "Bill
> Radio"..I want a pay as you go phone that I can call from the 88317 to
> 79701 area code.. My A707 Samsung works fine once I'm out of the mts. so I
> just need a cheap pay as you go system for the mts. only. Thanks. :-) Liz
>
> "Bill Radio" < wireless@mountainwir
elessNOOSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:4656443e$0$7122
$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
Alltel claims to have coverage in 88317.
Dennis Ferguson
| |
|
| Bill Radio wrote:
> Liz,
> You have several Choices, in the order of my preference:
>
> 1) Alltel "U" prepaid,
> 2) Page Plus prepaid
> 3) Tracfone (or Net 10...same company)
> 4) Verizon's prepaid.
>
> They all use CDMA and, in some cases, you can still get a tri-mode phone
> that will access analog as long as it is available. Alltel has stated that
> they won't turn it off all at once, but on a case-by-case basis. Make sure
> the phone you get from Tracfone is CDMA.
That seems to be harder and harder to do. Apparently the GSM carriers
cut Tracfone a better deal, and since they charge by the minute
regardless of the technology, it makes sense for them to take the
cheapest price per minute and forget about serving the few customers
that need rural coverage.
| |
|
| :-)Liz wrote:
> Thanks all for the info..
>
> I checked into Page Plus as it sounded the best to fit my needs but alas
> they indicate they do not have coverage for Otero County (88317) in New
> Mexico...Any suggestion as to what direction I can turn to now "Bill
> Radio"..I want a pay as you go phone that I can call from the 88317 to
> 79701 area code.. My A707 Samsung works fine once I'm out of the mts. so I
> just need a cheap pay as you go system for the mts. only. Thanks. :-) Liz
Verizon shows coverage in that zip code, whether it's on their own
network or an extended network isn't clear. If Verizon or Alltel have
coverage then it's almost a certainty that PagePlus has coverage. If you
can get an old Verizon or Alltel tri-mode phone from someone, then it's
certainly worth trying out PagePlus to see how it works, as it'll only
cost you $5 or so.
[Copied to alt.cellular.attws. Please post all alt.cellular.cingular
posts to alt.cellular.attws as well. The Cingular name has gone away,
and alt.cellular.attws is the proper venue for posts regarding AT&T's
Wireless Service.]
| |
|
| Cingular has severly wounded the coverage area of Go Phone. They chop you
out of about a third of their GSM network. Call up the contracted network
coverage map and you will find service in say Wyoming. Call up the Go Phone
covegae map and you will find they heave zero coverage in say Wyoming. They
screwed the Go Phone people. Just check it out. That could be part of your
coverage issues.
Norm
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