AT&T GSM/GPRS availability in 3 new cities....

[Kenny]

Check out www.attws.com/mobileinternet

AT&T has now added Chicago, Indianapolis and Kansas City under their GSM/GPRS network!

[gamias]

Yes that is true!
BUT if you call customer service they have NO idea what GSM is. They tell you about the world connect system they have for travelling abroad.
Anyway after 10 times of trying to call them, I finally managed to talk with a guy that "knew" somehow that GSM exists in the company that he works for! Then the funny thing is that he couldn't understand that I only wanted a SIM card in order to use it with my Unlocked tri-band phone. He said that their sim cards can only work with the Motorola phones the sale. WRONG...their phones can work with their Sim cards because they are locked. And the Sim card has nothing to do with the phone. If you have an unlocked phone that supports the USA band (1900Mhz) can work too. I tried to convince them to send me a SIM card without buying a phone but I was wasting my time.
What I did is to go to an AT&T store and borrow one SIM card and use it with my Ericsson T68 and prove them that is works. "How did you do that?" they asked me. I am telling you that these people have no idea of what GSM is and how it works. Only Voicestream knows better because they use only GSM. I believe that AT&Ts GSM is going to be great, but for the god's sake, they have to inform the customer's representatives instead of hiring every idiot and give them a PC in order to insert keywords of your question and answer you what they read from the computer.

[aiwapro]

VOICESTREAM WIRELESS
When it comes to GSM, Voicestream is the stuff. As far as the GPRS, Voicestream already has that up and running. I'm not for sure if it is everywhere on their network yet, but it probably is. I went to the Voicestream website and checked the specific cities that you listed, and GPRS is there from Voicestream Wireless. You can check whatever other states and cities that you want, by going to the following link, and then clicking on "IStream." IStream is what Voicestream calls there GPRS data system. Their GPRS is an always on connection (something like DSL or Cabel Modem, GPRS is for mobile phones) which allows you to use it at an instant, no connecting or anything. The speed of Voicestream's GPRS is currently, 56k. This is extremely fast when you are only loading things for maybe a 1 inch screen depending on your phone.

By the way gamias, what makes you so sure that AT&T GSM will be better, you see that they barely know anything about it.
Think about it, Voicestream STARTED, and IS CURRENTLY GSM. AT&T started with the oldest network to exist (TDMA), and now they are trying to change, why, because AT&T and everyone else are finally realizing that GSM was always that best and is the best.
Why did Voicestream Wireless choose GSM to start with, simply because, IF YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO START & HAVE THE BEST (GGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM)Voicestream Wireless (click on IStream)

Christopher,

I do not totally agree with your statement "Voicestream is the best".

If you are a person who travels outside of North America frequently and when in North America, you stay around major cities, you could say Voicestream is the best.

If you are a person who travels only inside North America and sometimes travel "off the beaten path", then Voicestream is NOT the best.
The reason they are not the best in this situation is their phones/network does not support other North American standards, AMPS, TDMA, CDMA. Voicestream has little or no coverage outside of major cities or along interstate highways, they probably never will. So if you are not within range of a GSM tower, you will not be able to use your phone. With other CDMA/TDMA carriers, their phones will switch to other bands/standards.

I fall into the second situation. I travel constantly on business around North America. I need my phone to work everywhere. I use AT & T. Their phones work on TDMA 800/1900 and AMPS 800. This means the phone will work in many more places than VoiceStream.

I also have a Motorola Timeport T250 triband GSM when I travel to Europe. Luckly AT & T offers WorldConnect so I can use my GSM phone when in Europe. I have also used prepaid SIMS in Europe.

This is changing now. GSM 800 has been standardized. Mobile phone manufacturers are about to release phones/equipment that support GSM/TDMA/AMPS 800/900/1800/1900.

It should get very interesting in the next year...

HK

[rlugo74]

this is not the best time to buy a Gsm phone, check www.nokia.com/pr/200201/844677_5.html