i am going to say customer will have to pay but to soon to know

Would it be a requirement to purchase one? I don't remember reading in my T&C that there may be times when I have to shell out extra money to continue to use my phone whenever Cingular decides to upgrade.

It'll likly be the same thing as our TDMA to GSM switch. When it starts you'll be able to use either phone on either plan, but as it progresses there will be plans exclusively for 3G equpiment. If you want to switch to one of those plans, you'll have to upgrade equipment (read: shell out more money), but if you dont want to then you can stay on your current plan.

thats like saying "Well my horse works just fine, now that they've invented this automobile no one ever told me I'd have to get one"

That's a dumb analogy. I'm not locked into a 2 year contract on horsefeed and no one's forcing me to drive an automobile.

Gosh, you people come up with the weirdest things.

Well you feel like its our obligation and/or responsibility to provide you with free equipment when technology takes a step ahead.

If you buy a car thats made in 1995 do you think its the dealerships responsibility to give you a 2005 model, for free?

....Noones saying that you wont be able to use your device with the older SIM cards.

It is their responsibility if the dealership says I cannot purchase another car and the dealership put up roads that requires the 2005 model to be driven on. If I can use my old SIM with my phone, I wouldn't expect a free upgrade.

You can use your old sim with your old equipment. Whether or not the new equipment will work will the old sims is another matter though. However, if you are getting new equipment, you typically will be provided with a new sim.

It's the same thing as with the existing AT&T customers. They can stay with their same plan, same equipment as long as they choose. However, if they decide they need a new plan or new equipment, they will have to migrate and purchase new equipment. It's kind of a catch 22 thing. You can stay where your at as long as you want. However, if you decide that you need to change something, you will have to upgrade, and usually pay extra too.

Ahh, well, that I can handle. I don't even know if I'll still be with Cingular then. I'm really considering going with Sprint. I know people have been singing GSM's praises, but is there a big difference between that and whatever Sprint uses? The main reason I'm going is cost, and everyone I've talked to that's using Sprint says they get pretty good service.

davidg4781 said:
Ahh, well, that I can handle. I don't even know if I'll still be with Cingular then. I'm really considering going with Sprint. I know people have been singing GSM's praises, but is there a big difference between that and whatever Sprint uses? The main reason I'm going is cost, and everyone I've talked to that's using Sprint says they get pretty good service.

Yes, there is a big difference. It is that GSM is all digital and Sprint (CDMA) has some analog areas on their coverage map.

And as far as customer service, Cingular is MUCH better than sprint. The stats don't say that, but in my experience, Cingular is pretty close to VZW in cust service and Sprint is lagging VERY far behin...
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Yeah, I've called Sprint a few times, as a prospective customer, and they were either dumb or rude. Hopefully I won't have to call much. In my area, it's mostly digital. I heard you can turn off the analog part so you won't incur any roaming charges. Everyone I've talked to says they have pretty good service around here. I guess I can always cancel within the try-out period and go back to Cingular. Hope that doesn't give me any problems.

davidg4781 said:
Yeah, I've called Sprint a few times, as a prospective customer, and they were either dumb or rude. Hopefully I won't have to call much. In my area, it's mostly digital. I heard you can turn off the analog part so you won't incur any roaming charges. Everyone I've talked to says they have pretty good service around here. I guess I can always cancel within the try-out period and go back to Cingular. Hope that doesn't give me any problems.

Just do not forget they have a much shorter try out time I think 14 days.

davidg4781 said:
Yeah, I've called Sprint a few times, as a prospective customer, and they were either dumb or rude. Hopefully I won't have to call much. In my area, it's mostly digital. I heard you can turn off the analog part so you won't incur any roaming charges. Everyone I've talked to says they have pretty good service around here. I guess I can always cancel within the try-out period and go back to Cingular. Hope that doesn't give me any problems.

The best option with sprint is not to turn off the analog roam feature. It is to pay the extra $5 per month for "Free and Clear America" which gives you no roaming anywhere within the USA.

And the better option would be to not go with them at a...
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I'm not really unhappy with Cingular, but my bill will drop dramatically if I switch to Sprint. Right now, we're paying $120/month, without taxes and ins. and the like. That's with a combined 1300 minutes (850 FT w/ 3 lines, 450 single account). If we combine and get on a new plan, we're looking at $110 for 1000 minutes and $130 for 1500 minutes. With Sprint, I'd get 1400 minutes for $120 on a Fair and Flex plan. I don' think we'd be using that many, so the bill would be lower when we don't. If I do add that $5/month roaming thing, it'd be $135 (one line is my gramp's, he uses about 3 minutes a month, just to make sure it still works 😳 ) . Oh yeah, I get a 23% discount, so that would bring the price down to $105, when we use that ma...
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I just went through all of these analyses for my sister too. She was looking for a family plan for her and her finacee. You would be surprised, but it ended up that VZW was cheaper than both Cingular and Sprint for the family plan. And I don't mean by a couple dollars. I mean that she would save $45/month over Sprint and $60/month over Cingular by going with VZW. And the coverage with VZW is just as good as sprint, if not better.

PS. She got the same 23% discount with Sprint, and it ended up she got a 15% discount with VZW.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I am just trying to convey how horrible my experience was with the CS through sprint.

Hope this helps.

I tried calling VZW to ask if I get a discount, but couldn't find a number online. Although, I didn't really look hard enough since I was running a bit late for work, just as I am now. The pricings in my minute range are the same as Cingular, except VZW has $10/line, while Cingular has $15. There's really not that much of a difference. Maybe the plans will be different next year, so I'm really not worrying about it right now.

there is NEVER a time where you cant purchase a new phone. You can always purchase a phone. If you wanted a discount on said phone, thats when you may be restricted based on whatever contract terms.
as a whole, if you've purchased your phone before 2001, you've got nothing to worry about. Individuals with 16K SIM cards and higher have the capacity and capability to utilize the [slowly integrated] network.

I know that I can buy a new phone. What I'm saying is I don't want to be put in a position where I HAVE to purchase a new phone so that I can continue using the service just becuase Cingular upgraded. If I can use my old equipment, that's fine by me.

Totally, I agree. But, the one thing I've noticed as a customer as well as a customer care representative is that by buying a wireless device and getting into technology, you have to be prepared to move with the fast pace. You're not buying the phone for life. Im positive theres quite a few of our analog customers slightly upset ;)

Yeah, but more than likely, if they're on analog, they can upgrade to a free phone, only paying the $18 upgrade fee. That I can handle. I'd be upset when they change it, tell me I have to buy a new phone, won't let me leave without paying an ETF and won't give me a discount. I'm sure though there could be some legal ramifications in such a deal.

Definitely.
We've got training every other day. I asked to see if theres some sort of breach in the contract [Im on the customers side by the way] and they had some long drawn out explanation as to why it wasnt. It wasnt legitimate, it was wishy-washy.

Why wouldn't it be a breach? Do you have the Reader's Digest version?

As it was explained, we dont ensure quality of service nor do we guarantee selling the equipment to use said services.

http://www.cingular.com/legalcontracts/pdfs/cda/CDAG ... »


Take a look at Service, section 1.2. Gives you a better idea of what they're screwing you for. Ha.

Well, that's interesting. It doesn't say that service would be interrupted by upgrading of equipment, which is the excuse they've given me. Maybe I missed it. Either way...

Cingular may not ensure quality of service or guarantee selling the equipment, but just because that's in the T&C, they would not be able to take down all the towers and still force everyone to keep their contract. I understand that when they upgrade, I will still be able to use my equipment until my contract has expired. That's fine by me, because everything will stay the same until both parties have fulfilled their duties under the terms of the contract. If I am forced to purchase new equipment to continue service, that would be a breach of contract, unless tha...
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Just based on the T&C, theres bits about removing towers that can result in lack of service, which is apparently not their fault. *shrugs* Whatever, Im glad I live in Canada 😁

I personally don't think that would hold up in court. Think how much that would suck for the consumer? I go out, sign a 2 year contract with Cingular, and 3 months later, they take down the towers in my area, but force me to stay under contract. My reception is materially reduced and to leave I have to pay a $200 ETF.

Not many people know this, but just because it's in the T&C, or there's a sign in a parking lot, doesn't mean that that's the end of the story. For instance, let's say you take your car to a mechanic and he has a sign reading "Not Responsible for Theft or Damage." Well, if they leave your car outside and unlocked, they're negligent will be responsible for any loss incurred because of it. Had they locked the car or put ...
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Oh no, Im not disagreeing. I think its ridiculous that they assume that they have the power or authority to degrade a customers service but they do, thats the funny part. Its capitalism, period. They've got the money for the attorneys. Average Joe will lose. Plain and simple.
In your example, you're right, its negligence. Whereas with the whole Cingular BS its not like they're not providing you with "options", blah blah blah, Buy a new phone, blah blah blah, new GSM, blah blah blah....

Well, no matter how much money they have (unless they're paying off the judge), an honest judge will make his decision based on who is right.

you don't have to buy a new phone until you want to...

No one will force you to move to 3G, we still have people on TDMA, we don't force them to switch the GSM,if you want better stuff, you have to pay for it.

honestly its to early to know exactly how that would work KUDOS on reading the T&C u woulndnt have to upgrade i wouldnt think i think u just wouldnt be able to have data speeds as quick but i dont know forsure

woot