Finally, updated AT&T GSM/GPRS maps for CA!!Edge Wireless GSM shown!!

[ILUVSOCAL]

They finally updated the maps for the local GSM plan for CA, and it shows Edge Wireless's coverage, which by the way, is included if you are on a local plan as I had previously stated. It is listed as "additional service area" on that map, GPRS data usage will still be charged extra on Edge though, at the roaming rate listed on your plan, which for me is not much, 1 cent per Kilobyte.

[larry]

Now if only Sprint would update their maps. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[ILUVSOCAL]

lol yeah, usually Sprint is a lot quicker than AT&T in updating their maps, I know Sprints maps are sure a lot easier to read. Sometimes I think the color challenged come up with AT&T's maps [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[larry]

Sprint's latest maps are largely unchanged since January 03. They need to update them and a better looking national map would also be nice.

[TKR]

Yeah- I still prefer Sprint's old maps (until summer 2001) with Yellow/orange areas on a gray or brown background. They were easerier to read and had more detail.


For really bad map colors, try Cingular....Yikes! USCellular leaves a lot to be desired as well.

[Tony E!]

nice, now if they would only update/improved their signal to go with their new map it would be even nicer[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[larry]

[quote]
Originally posted by: TKR
Yeah- I still prefer Sprint's old maps (until summer 2001) with Yellow/orange areas on a gray or brown background. They were easerier to read and had more detail.q]

I agree except everyone complained about those so they changed them to green. Go figure.

[Prunner]

So, if I'm reading the map correctly, I should have GSM service all the way from Sac to Arcata except between Williams and Ukiah. Hard to believe that I will have a signal all the way along 101. I'll know more next week after I go up for the start of school.

Yes, many of you have been a big help to me especially ILUVSOCAL. Thanks to all.

[ILUVSOCAL]

Pretty Close, but there are some dead spots. There is no GSM(or any service for that matter)from Williams to Clearlake Oaks on 20 and to just before Clearlake on 53, then the signal will stay pretty solid on 29 from Clearlake to just before the 20/29 junction near Upper Lake except around Kelseyville where the signal is in and out, then it will be dead from the 20/29 jct. to just before you get to Lake Mendocino, you'll have a solid GSM signal from there all the way to just north of Willits on 101, then it will be dead until Laytonville, then it will die just outside of Laytonville and will not come back in until the Rio Dell area where you'll have a soild GSM signal to HSU, and even all the way north to McKinleyville and Trinidad. I can verify all of that coverage firsthand, as I just drove from my home in Redwood Valley to Burney, where I am right now in the hotel. Last week, I drove to McKinleyville and spent a night, so I can verify that coverage as well. I don't know what the service is like from Clearlake Oaks along the north shore through Lucerne and Upper lake as I rarely go that way anymore when going back and forth to the valley. Glad I could help out, let me know what else I can do [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Prunner]

Then is this the same coverage of AT&T TDMA service or does it cover the dead spots?

[ILUVSOCAL]

It mirrors Edge Wireless's TDMA coverage exactly, but there is no coverage in those dead spots with a GSM phone(unlike TDMA phones, where you would roam on US Cellular where Edge didn't have coverage), unless you have a mulitband phone like the S46 or T62U that does TDMA and GSM. Oh, I came back today from Burney via the north shore of the Lake on 20, and there was fair to excellent GSM coverage from Clearlake Oaks to Upper Lake. Here's the coverage in summary:

1. Sacramento to just west of Williams where Hwy.20 enters Salt Creek Canyon(where you start to climb out of the valley)-Good GSM coverage

2. Hwy.20 from the beginning of Salt Creek Canyon to Clearlake Oaks- No service, this includes all cellular, not just GSM

3. Hwy.20 from Clearlake Oaks to Upper Lake, fair to good GSM coverage, or if taking Hwy.53 to 29 and then 29 to 20, good GSM coverage from Clearlake to just before the jct.of hwy.29 and 20, though there is a spot or two where the signal gets very low on 29.

4. Hwy.20 from Upper Lake to inlet of East Fork of the Russian River (where 20 crosses over) into Lake Mendocino-No GSM service

5. Lake Mendocino to just north of Willits-Good GSM coverage

6. Just north of Willits to just before Laytonville-No GSM coverage

7. Laytonville to just north of Laytonville-good GSM coverage

8. Just north of Laytonville to just south of Scotia-No GSM coverage

9. Scotia to Mckinleyville, including Eureka and Arcata-Good GSM coverage

[ILUVSOCAL]

Bump Oh, wave to me when you pass Redwood Valley, and my sisters and their families, in Willits and Laytonville [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Prunner]

I think I understand this. With a AT&T TDMA phone I'll have more extensive service because I'll roam on other providers if AT&T/Edge doesn't have coverage. With GSM you won't roam because no provider has GSM service in that particular area and you won't have any service at all. If I want the most extensive coverage on my replacement phone I should go with TDMA? I think GSM is shortly going to be the best way to go, but not sure if I'm premature with the decision. My dad has GSM service and can't pick up a signal in areas where I get one no problem. I've read a lot about the combo GSM/TDMA phones that concerns me about making them a choice. With them all wanting 1 or 2 year contracts picking out a phone isn't an easy choice.

[ILUVSOCAL]

You are correct. However, if you rarely venture into areas without GSM coverage, it might not be a big deal. I would think you being in school in Arcata will probably spend most of your time in the Eureka area, or maybe down in Ukiah or Santa Rosa, and in those areas you'll be fine. I stay in this area mostly, and when I do go on trips over to Red Bluff, Redding, Burney and the Shasta County area on business I have a TDMA phone with Edge with like 20 minutes, so if I had to make a call, I could with that, not to mention my dad is always with me and he has an Edge phone too. The multiband phones actually are very good, and will use either GSM or TDMA, depending on what there is in the area, and will use Edge's GSM or TDMA when available, and US Cellular's TDMA or AMPS when it isn't. The multiband phones give you the features of GSM, and the extensive coverage of AMPS and TDMA.