Cingulair use T-Mobile Resources?

I've been reading that Cingulair uses T-Mobiles GSM towers, is that true? If it is true, why is T-Mobile service available in my area but not Cingulair?

Thanks in advance [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[thisisme]

Its only in some markets that cingular uses tmobiles towers. In NYC cingular uses tmobiles towers and in california tmobile uses cingulars towers. the two companies worked out an agreement that let the two companies use each others towers in market that they are not in. so in NYC cingular didnt have a presence, instead of building one, they made a deal with tmobile that let cingular use tmobile towers. in return, tmobile got to use cingular towers in cali to establish themselves. make any sense...

[bobolito]

That's correct. To further answer the question "why isn't Cingular available in your area?" I need to clarify, that there's a distinction between roaming agreements and marketing agreements.

Marketing agreement is what Cingular and T-Mobile did in CA and NYC where Cingular could sell service using T-Mobile towers in NYC and T-Mobile can sell service in CA using Cingular towers. However, this doesn't mean that Cingular service acquired in NYC is not going to work in Boston because your Cingular phone will work in Boston using T-Mobile towers. However, Cingular is not allowed to sell GSM service in Boston because the marketing agreement is only in NYC and CA.

Roaming agreement is also another type of agreement Cingular and T-Mobile have which basically lets one company roam on each other's network in the rest of the US where they don't sell service. This is why GSM service from Cingular works anywhere in the US where T-mobile has towers and viceversa.

[emag0rad]

Originally posted by: bobolito
However, Cingular is not allowed to sell GSM service in Boston because the marketing agreement is only in NYC and CA.

Better tell Cingular to stop building out their GSM network in Boston then.

[aiwapro]

In other words, Cingular is using T-Mobile's GSM coverage in about 93% of the United States. Cingular sucks. They have hardly any GSM coverage.

[bobolito]

Yes, they suck because they barely have any GSM coverage. But a TDMA phone works in far more places than any GSM phone in the US. I don't know about you but to most people that's the primary concern.

[emag0rad]

Originally posted by: bobolito
Yes, they suck because they barely have any GSM coverage. But a TDMA phone works in far more places than any GSM phone in the US. I don't know about you but to most people that's the primary concern.

Within a year a great deal of Cingular's TDMA coverage will be matched by GSM coverage. Many of Cingular's major and minor markets will be launching GSM in this time frame.

[bobolito]

I hope so. The question is right now, do people really care about whose towers they'll be using when they sign up with Cingular GSM? All they care about is if they get a signal. It matters 2 pennies who the signal is from.

[emag0rad]

Originally posted by: bobolito
I hope so. The question is right now, do people really care about whose towers they'll be using when they sign up with Cingular GSM? All they care about is if they get a signal. It matters 2 pennies who the signal is from.

It matters to the carrier.

[thisisme]

is this turning into another TDMA vs GSM discussion again??