iStream GPRS in Chicago?

[Bri267]

Hi out there, just a quick question, is the Voicestream iStream network using GPRS in the Chicago market? My manual for the V60 says if your phone shows a "G" or "GPRS" it IS using the technology, if it's showing a logo of a phone in use, it's NOT. My phone shows neither, so what's the deal?
Thanks,
Brian

[aiwapro]

You have to call Voicestream and have GPRS activated on your account. The way that Voicestream's billing system is; It's like this, if they don't have the feature added into your account, then it's not going to work.

This once happened to me; I couldn't send text meesages on my phone, but I could receive them. I called and they checked my account and said that someone had erased the SMS-out (SMO) on my account, and that's why I could send messages.

Just call Voicestream at 1-800-937-8997 and ask them that you need to have iStream added to your account. It only takes a few seconds for them to do this. I called just last week and had them do it for me, since my Motorola P280 was suppose to be here last week.

[Bri267]

Thanks Christopher(AIwapro) I have called Voicestream and they confirmed that it IS in fact activated on my account. Pammy at Voicestream(in the data dept) told me that since I am using a V60g, it SHOULD be a GPRS connection. I told her that my manual says the phone will display a "g" or "gprs", but she said that's not the case. She then said if my phone shows a lock in the upper left of the screen, it means a gprs signal wasnt available, so it went to a csb(?) or channel switching connection. I told her that all the times I have used Istream, it's always been the lock/lightning bolt logo, does that mean I am NOT getting a gprs signal? She then said the lock could or could not be an indication of lack of gprs signal, and since the phone's new, she wasn't positive. She also said that I should see some graphics or a more than text version, which hasn't shown up. So now I am more confused than ever. Can someone give me a straight answer?
Thanks,
Brian

[aiwapro]

I got my P280 today and I am having the same problem. The manual says that is is suppose to show "G" or "GPRS" on the idle display, but I see neither. I do the the "lock" graphic thing at the top. I am confused too. I am going to call some freinds in different areas and ask them.

[Bri267]

Ok, let me know what you find out, I did, however notice today, while "surfing" the wireless web, one site came up with some fancier letters than I was accustomed to. The technician at Voicestream did say you should see some "graphics" if you are in fact GPRS. But please post what you find out.
Brian

[bobolito]

Chris, what benefits can GPRS bring to a voice connection? or is it just only to access the Internet?

[Matt]

GRPS is just a data overlay - doesn't affect voice traffic (although it can induce system overload as some of the time slots that may have been allocated to voice are now allocated to data.) However, if the network was just set up for GPRS from the start, even if it wasn't yet available, then there would be mo affect on voice traffic.

[aiwapro]

Hey Bri267, I did see the whole CNN logo. Maybe I am on GPRS. To get to CNN; Just go to News & Sports, then goto CNN.

[cryogenic]

You may wish to check with the techs and ask them if they've provisioned you properly in the switches. I have Cingular GPRS and I had some issues with that at the beginning, and eventually when they removed GPRS, re-added it, and forced provisioning, it worked fine. The way to tell on a Motorola whether or not you're using GPRS.... With CSD, your phone will, as far as I know, show the "in call" icon (the same icon you get when you make a phone call, it depends on your phone as to what and where this is), because CSD requires your phone to "dial up" to the switch to make a connection, whereas GPRS has an open connection and just accesses it through that. GPRS should also take considerably less time to connect... your phone should go quickly from the "connecting" stage to the "authenticating" stage (if your particular phone separates these steps)... Also, my motorola Timeport P7389i would show a timer after disconnection from a WAP session if I wasn't using GPRS, just like a call timer. Oh, and the graphics thing... that means jack, to be honest, my phone would download the Yahoo logo whether I was on GPRS or CSD. (this IS switchable in the menu where you select your internet access profile... I had the choice of Cingular GPRS, Cingular Home, & Cingular Roam... yours should be similar)... I'll poke around and see if I can find something else on it, but by default, I believe your phone will NOT use GPRS, you have to tell it to... go figure.

[aiwapro]

Thanks "cryogenic," now I know I'm on GPRS, because my phone doesn't show that 'phone icon'at the top (says that in the manual too, but I didn't pay any attention to it), it doesn't show a timer after the internet session (it does in a regular phone call).

I didn't have to tell my phone to go GPRS though. Maybe Voicestream did it before they sent it out. Well, they have to send me another one, because mine has a million and one glitches. I hope it is already setup for GPRS too.

Thanks alot.