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Lexi0318 · 03-26-2003, 8:43 PM

I was thinking of getting ATT services with Siemens s 46 (gsm ang tdsm) phone, when my contract is over with verizon.

my questions are....

1. how are the coverage in LA, inland empire and riverside?

2. does the phone switch between tdsm anf gsm automacally wiyhout dropping the call? Some says no, some says yes in forum.

3, What are your experience with ATT and their customer services?

4. What are your experience with Siemens s46?

5. is there rebate on this phone?

am i forgetting anything?

thanks for your help

Lexi

DCinSEA · 03-27-2003, 3:43 PM

A to Q #2 - Yes, your call will drop if you lose GSM coverage, it will not handoff GSM to TDMA. AT&T did not spend the extra money to support this. Calls will hand off GSM to GSM (such as AWS to Cingular) and TDMA to TDMA (ditto), but not between technologies.

I don't have the S46, but some people I work with do. It won't knock your socks off, but it does the job.

atheodossis · 03-28-2003, 9:46 AM

My advice is stay away from ATT, run away rather. Their service in Los Angeles is horrible, they have the most dead zones from any other carrier. If you want peace of mind get yourself Verizon, or if you really want to splurge, then get Nextel, the best of the best.

Kenster · 03-28-2003, 10:22 AM

Yes I have heard the same over in Howard's forum -- tons of people complaining about AT&T's GSM service in L.A. ... holes like swiss cheese. I think that the greater L.A. area as well as the bay area is originally comprised of 1900/800Mhz TDMA mix -- but when they only are able to overlay 1900Mhz GSM (now), they've created a swiss cheese network for GSM users.

northform · 03-28-2003, 12:23 PM

I would check out the GSM Alliance's map for ATT which can be found at http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi/imap_gsm...t&frame=middle

To clarify why only overlaying GSM1900 would cause a swiss cheese network: 800 towers transmit further than 1900 towers. ATT's towers were spaced for 800 transmissions and so they need to add towers to fill the gaps left by 1900's reduced range. ATT will be rolling out GSM800 by the end of the year (they say) and that would bring GSM coverage in line with their TDMA coverage.

The Siemens S46 doesn't handoff to TDMA because of inherent incompatabilities betweent the two network types. It isn't that ATT didn't want to spend the money. It is that the technology doesn't exist.

The S46 is free after $100 mail in rebate.

Gabriel · 03-28-2003, 1:25 PM

hey kenster, who's that girl on your picture?? looks pretty nice!!

DCinSEA · 03-28-2003, 4:27 PM

The technology does exist to do GSM to TDMA handoffs, AT&T just didn't buy it. They saw GAIT phones as a short term solution. In 5 years, GSM will be as or more abundant than TDMA ever was.

Kenster · 03-28-2003, 6:33 PM

DCinSEA, my understanding is that even with GAIT technology, you cannot do seamless handoffs between GSM and TDMA. I know that the press releases for Cingular talks about a "seamless" experience for users on either GSM or TDMA networks but I don't think they were implying about moving back and forth between GSM and TDMA while using your phone.

Clarifications anyone?

DCinSEA · 03-29-2003, 12:45 PM

Kenster- It is possible, I saw the specs. It cost several million to put the SCP in to support GSM to TDMA and TDMA to GSM in call handoffs. AT&T didn't see a justification for the cost.

bobolito · 03-30-2003, 8:32 AM

Cingular is not doing it either. Their GAIT network and handsets DO NOT support inter-network handoffs (GSM > TDMA or TDMA > GSM). Therefore, this handoff technology you mentioned has not been implemented by anyone so it hasn't been really tested to work. I have documentation with the GAIT specs and one of the things they clearly state were not implemented was handoffs between the technologies.

CommuteMan · 04-03-2003, 6:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Lexi0318
I was thinking of getting ATT services with Siemens s 46 (gsm ang tdsm) phone, when my contract is over with verizon.

my questions are....

1. how are the coverage in LA, inland empire and riverside?

Can't speak to LA, but it's great in the Bay Area...

2. does the phone switch between tdsm anf gsm automacally wiyhout dropping the call? Some says no, some says yes in forum.

Already answered by others -- no it won't switch in the middle of a call.

3, What are your experience with ATT and their customer services?

Over the last 8 years, customer service has gone up and down but is generally good. I had REAL problems with CS in the few months before the Bay Area GSM rollout (Aug-Sept 2002), but it has improved dramatically since then. The fact that I've stayed with ATT for that long should tell you something.....

4. What are your experience with Siemens s46?

It's a little quirky and "German", but as I have used more of the feature set I've come to really like it. Reception generally seems great. It's a very well thought out and functional design. Best belt-clip I've ever used....

I've recently started using it as an IR GPRS modem with my PC, and it works flawlessly.

Biggest headache: Hands free. The "ear-bud" style shipped with the phone is uncomfortable for me, and I could not find adapters to standard 2.5mm headsets. I've finally found an adapter, but the phone does not work well with my Plantronics headset (or anything else I've tried). The problem is a lack of output power (and therefore volume) from the phone -- it seems to have trouble driving an external headset.

5. is there rebate on this phone?

am i forgetting anything?

thanks for your help

Lexi

ahbroody · 05-24-2003, 2:45 PM

so how can someone force there s46 into tdma mode. What is the button sequence

03-26-2003, 8:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lexi0318 Fresh Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 I was thinking of getting ATT services with Siemens s 46 (gsm ang tdsm) phone, when my contract is over with verizon. my questions are.... 1. how are the coverage in LA, inland empire and riverside? 2. does the phone switch between tdsm anf gsm automacally wiyhout dropping the call? Some says no, some says yes in forum. 3, What are your experience with ATT and their customer services? 4. What are your experience with Siemens s46? 5. is there rebate on this phone? am i forgetting anything? thanks for your help Lexi

03-27-2003, 3:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
DCinSEA Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 137 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 A to Q #2 - Yes, your call will drop if you lose GSM coverage, it will not handoff GSM to TDMA. AT&T did not spend the extra money to support this. Calls will hand off GSM to GSM (such as AWS to Cingular) and TDMA to TDMA (ditto), but not between technologies. I don't have the S46, but some people I work with do. It won't knock your socks off, but it does the job.

03-28-2003, 9:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
atheodossis Fresh Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 My advice is stay away from ATT, run away rather. Their service in Los Angeles is horrible, they have the most dead zones from any other carrier. If you want peace of mind get yourself Verizon, or if you really want to splurge, then get Nextel, the best of the best.

03-28-2003, 10:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
Kenster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 421 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 Yes I have heard the same over in Howard's forum -- tons of people complaining about AT&T's GSM service in L.A. ... holes like swiss cheese. I think that the greater L.A. area as well as the bay area is originally comprised of 1900/800Mhz TDMA mix -- but when they only are able to overlay 1900Mhz GSM (now), they've created a swiss cheese network for GSM users.

03-28-2003, 12:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
northform Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 891 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 I would check out the GSM Alliance's map for ATT which can be found at http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi/imap_gsm...t&frame=middle To clarify why only overlaying GSM1900 would cause a swiss cheese network: 800 towers transmit further than 1900 towers. ATT's towers were spaced for 800 transmissions and so they need to add towers to fill the gaps left by 1900's reduced range. ATT will be rolling out GSM800 by the end of the year (they say) and that would bring GSM coverage in line with their TDMA coverage. The Siemens S46 doesn't handoff to TDMA because of inherent incompatabilities betweent the two network types. It isn't that ATT didn't want to spend the money. It is that the technology doesn't exist. The S46 is free after $100 mail in rebate.

03-28-2003, 1:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Gabriel TICUS AD MORTEM Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: California Posts: 355 Phone(s): Motorola v551, Nokia 6610, Nokia 3390 Provider(s): Cingular Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 hey kenster, who's that girl on your picture?? looks pretty nice!! __________________ Remember: 1- GSM 900/1800mhz is used not only in Europe, but also in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania 2- GSM 850/1900Mhz is not only used in USA, but also in Canada and Latin America

03-28-2003, 4:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
DCinSEA Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 137 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 The technology does exist to do GSM to TDMA handoffs, AT&T just didn't buy it. They saw GAIT phones as a short term solution. In 5 years, GSM will be as or more abundant than TDMA ever was.

03-28-2003, 6:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kenster Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 421 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 DCinSEA, my understanding is that even with GAIT technology, you cannot do seamless handoffs between GSM and TDMA. I know that the press releases for Cingular talks about a "seamless" experience for users on either GSM or TDMA networks but I don't think they were implying about moving back and forth between GSM and TDMA while using your phone. Clarifications anyone?

03-29-2003, 12:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
DCinSEA Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 137 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 Kenster- It is possible, I saw the specs. It cost several million to put the SCP in to support GSM to TDMA and TDMA to GSM in call handoffs. AT&T didn't see a justification for the cost.

03-30-2003, 8:32 AM	#10 (permalink)
bobolito iPhone 3G 16GB (White) Join Date: May 2002 Location: New Sanfrakota Posts: 12,398 Phone(s): iPhone 3G, RAZR V9, Sierra 875 3G Aircard, HP iPaq Classic 110 Provider(s): AT&T Mobility Devices: WiFi cards/Access points Thanks: 3 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts Images: 50 My Auctions	ATT siemens s46 Cingular is not doing it either. Their GAIT network and handsets DO NOT support inter-network handoffs (GSM > TDMA or TDMA > GSM). Therefore, this handoff technology you mentioned has not been implemented by anyone so it hasn't been really tested to work. I have documentation with the GAIT specs and one of the things they clearly state were not implemented was handoffs between the technologies. __________________

05-24-2003, 2:45 PM	#12 (permalink)
ahbroody I have arrived! Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	ATT siemens s46 so how can someone force there s46 into tdma mode. What is the button sequence

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