Re: 3 questions - lock/unlock - roam/no roam - contract/no contract

I hate that whole PRL kludge that Verizon uses. With GSM, roaming is
controlled by the network and I'm pretty sure that if you are able to
access AT&T or T-Mobile to make a call, then you are not roaming.

Ignore the roaming indicator. I have two foreign RAZRs and the
triangle is a setting that can be turned on or off with software. All
it does is tell you if you are on a different network which is true
for now when crossing between Cingular/AT&T.

If you don't have a branded RAZR, you will have to do all the browser
settings manually. Not a problem according to your message.

One other big difference is that the Cingular branded RAZRs have ENS
which is supposed to enhance network handling. I haven't found it to
be a problem without it and I am in a patchwork of sites with all
three networks.

Since phones tend to hang on to home systems over others you may
experience handoff problems. If you do, you can't really call them to
complain since ENS should help prevent that when trying to hand off
from a crap Cingular site to a stronger T-Mobile site.


>"JohnK" <johnkpa@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:7e6dnYkCpf0800ffRVn-hw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Hello. I very recently opened a personal Cingular Nationwide
>> plan/account. (I?m still in my 30 day ?trial period?). I have an
>> unlocked, unbranded Razr V3 that I?m happy with overall. Making a
>> long story short, when I went to the Cingular store to sign up, the
>> sales folks kept insisting I should have the Cingular branded and locked
>> model of the phone. Seeing this as an obvious sales and marketing push
>> and having already found and purchased the unlocked phone, I declined to
>> buy their phone, which caused quite a flurry of comments and veiled
>> warnings from the sales staff.
>>
>> I have three questions.
>>
>> 1.) Given that I?m on a national plan, does anyone know of any danger
>> of being hit with true ?roaming? fees? They did assure me that being
>> charged with roaming fees is impossible due to the terms of the contract
>> and I tend to believe that. However, in the area I live, I?m catching a
>> Cell. One tower and the roaming indicator does activate on my phone
>> (being that it is unlocked and unbranded). These are supposed to be
>> shared within the GSM network but coming over from many years of
>> experience with Bell Atlantic/Verizon regional plans, I?m still quite
>> sensitized to roaming charges. I?ve also had no experience with
>> Cingular customer service in terms of their willingness to assist with
>> such situations.
>>
>> 2.) Does anyone know of any ?REAL?, specific advantages of using a
>> Cingular branded and locked phone vs. the unlocked phone, say in terms
>> of ?roaming databases?, better signal strength while traveling, etc?
>>
>> I?m not using web, text, or video features. Those are not a concern.
>> I just want to be as certain as possible I have the best possible
>> phone features, signal, and can be comfortable with the knowledge that
>> I?m not running up roaming fees. I am only asking here because I need
>> to make a final decision before my 30 day trial period is up and my
>> contract locks in.
>>
>> 3.) When I purchased the unlocked phone (eBay ? new) I was told that if
>> I provided my own phone, I would not have to go under contract. (About
>> Feb. or March or this year.) Due to illness and a death in the family,
>> I didn?t make it into the store until June. I was told I had to take at
>> least a 1 year contract. However, the computer also showed an option
>> for an 11 month ?contract? but the sales person wouldn?t try it and
>> claimed to not know what that was. Does anyone know if I?m being given
>> the run around on this issue? As with most everyone, I?m not a fan of
>> contracts.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any advice, comments, and assistance.
>>
>> John
>>

.

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  • Re: 3 questions - lock/unlock - roam/no roam - contract/no contract
    ... that you did not need a contract. ... I very recently opened a personal Cingular Nationwide ... Seeing this as an obvious sales and marketing push ... > charged with roaming fees is impossible due to the terms of the contract ...
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  • Re: 3 questions - lock/unlock - roam/no roam - contract/no contract
    ... PRL and GSM roaming are fairly similar. ... >One other big difference is that the Cingular branded RAZRs have ENS ... >>> charged with roaming fees is impossible due to the terms of the contract ...
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