Cingular 1900 mhz coverage and the future

[iron999mike]

I wanted to by a phone but it only has 900/1800/1900MHz. I know that Cingular has 1900mhz and that ATT had 850mhz. I am changing to Cingular. I have tried searching the internet but have not come up with a satisfactory answer to my questions. Since Cingular bought out ATT are they moving to 850mhz, staying with 1900mhz, or both. I heard that Cingular was selling the 1900MHz range and going to stay with the 850MHz. There seem to be a lot of conflicting reports. I called Cingular and I don't think the guy knew what he was talking about. He was trying to tell me that the 900/1800/1900MHz was America and 850mhz/900/1800/1900MHz was for the rest of the world. I was under the impression that it was the other way around. Also if 1900 MHz is available from cingular, how is reception along the front range? Namely Fort Collins and Denver/Aurora. Does anybody have any opinions on the 1900MHz coverage? ATT was awesome, except for a couple miles west of Fort Collins.

[viewfly]

You have been googled with a lot of misinformation. Both ATT and Cingular had both 850 and 1900 before the merger. They use both after the merger also. In order to make use of the full service of the new Cingular, you need at a minimum a dual band phone (850/1900) or a triband phone for world service (850/1800/1900) or a quad band phone for expanded world service (850/900/1800/1900).

Some geographical markets may only use 850 or 1900, but really a 1900 only phone (like the one you mention, two bands in Europe, one band, 1900 in the usa) is not the right phone for Cingular, now or in the future.

Do not buy the phone you mentioned in your post, if you want maximum coverage with the new merged ATT/Cingular company.

[iron999mike]

Okay, that is what I thought about the coverage (both international and US). I knew I would be taking a risk if I got a 1900mhz only phone and get less coverage. Just for information, what is the plan for Cingular with regard to their frequencies. What frequencies are they going to expand in Colorado.

[iron999mike]

Also, where is wireless going? Is it going toward the 1900mhz or 850mhz? Would it be wise to get a 1900mhz only phone with a different company than Cingular?

[Matt]

I'm not sure what Cingular uses in CO, but they probably have a mix of both. Check this map for a list of areas where they have 850.

http://people.ku.edu/~cinema/wireles...s_800_850.html

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by iron999mike

Also, where is wireless going? Is it going toward the 1900mhz or 850mhz? Would it be wise to get a 1900mhz only phone with a different company than Cingular?

To increase cell phone user capacity, Cingular will continue to grow both 850 and 1900 where they have licenses for them. They would even like to add a third frequency.

As I said in my first post, it is not a progression from 850 to 1900, but rather growing both. Do not buy a 1900 only phone or one that has 2 nonUSA freq (900/1800) and only one US freq (ie 1900). You will be shooting yourself in the foot now and for the future in the US Get either a 850/1900 or a 850/1800/1900 or a quad 850/900/1800/1900 if you plan to travel outside the US.

The only exception is Tmobile that uses only 1900 in the US,and they have limited coverage compared to Cingular.

Sorry, I don't know what the majority freq is in your area.

[azcellphonejunkie]

Originally Posted by iron999mike

I wanted to by a phone but it only has 900/1800/1900MHz. I know that Cingular has 1900mhz and that ATT had 850mhz. I am changing to Cingular. I have tried searching the internet but have not come up with a satisfactory answer to my questions. Since Cingular bought out ATT are they moving to 850mhz, staying with 1900mhz, or both. I heard that Cingular was selling the 1900MHz range and going to stay with the 850MHz. There seem to be a lot of conflicting reports. I called Cingular and I don't think the guy knew what he was talking about. He was trying to tell me that the 900/1800/1900MHz was America and 850mhz/900/1800/1900MHz was for the rest of the world. I was under the impression that it was the other way around. Also if 1900 MHz is available from cingular, how is reception along the front range? Namely Fort Collins and Denver/Aurora. Does anybody have any opinions on the 1900MHz coverage? ATT was awesome, except for a couple miles west of Fort Collins.

I used a Samsung E105 900/1900 from T-Mobile with a Cingular SIM card and had TERRIBLE service in and around Fourt Collins during a trip up there in December. In Colorado, they have a mix of both 850 and 1900. You will need a phone with both or will be very dissapointed with your coverage.

By the way, as soon as I used a 850/1800/1900 phone, I had great coverage in that area!

[Charlyee]

I believe you have got some great explainations so far. I just wanted to add that T-Mobile uses only the 1900 Mhz., (although they are opening up 850 in some areas)so basically it would be the same for you as if you were using T-Mobile service. This ofcourse would limit your coverage as everybody has explained, although if you area has predominantly 1900 it is not going to make any difference. "AZ" did say that that was not the case though so 1900 is a bad choice for you.

I have a V66 which is 900/1800/1900 and it gives me very limited coverage in the US when compared to the 6230 which is 850/1800/1900.

I am curious to know what you decide, let us know.

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by iron999mike

What frequencies are they going to expand in Colorado.

Cingular had no sprectrum in Colorado. AT&T Wireless previously had only an 850 MHz network. When they added GSM, they did so in Colorado ONLY at 1900 MHz, and ONLY from their existing 850 MHz sites. That is not an optimum situation and 1900 MHz GSM service suffered, or sucked in some areas.

AT&T slowly added GSM to 850 MHz which was accelerated with the Cingular takeover and may be completed by now.

Therefore, Colorado has a working (ex-AT&T) 1900 MHz network, but it did not have acceptable coverage for me to consider switching. There were countless 'holes', in the city and in the mountains. As of this spring, they have not added any new 1900 Mhz sites, but adding GSM to 850 has made it better...now there are just a few holes.

So, you could survive w/1900 MHz-only along the Front Range, however, most of Cingular's roaming partners in the mountains and the plains are 850 MHz-only.

The other side of the coin is that if you stay on the interstates, Cingular's coverage is all at 1900 MHz and is superior to most others'.

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by BillRadio

Cingular had no sprectrum in Colorado. AT&T Wireless previously had only an 850 MHz network. When they added GSM, they did so in Colorado ONLY at 1900 MHz, and ONLY from their existing 850 MHz sites. That is not an optimum situation and 1900 MHz GSM service suffered, or sucked in some areas.

AT&T slowly added GSM to 850 MHz which was accelerated with the Cingular takeover and may be completed by now.

Therefore, Colorado has a working (ex-AT&T) 1900 MHz network, but it did not have acceptable coverage for me to consider switching. There were countless 'holes', in the city and in the mountains. As of this spring, they have not added any new 1900 Mhz sites, but adding GSM to 850 has made it better...now there are just a few holes.

So, you could survive w/1900 MHz-only along the Front Range, however, most of Cingular's roaming partners in the mountains and the plains are 850 MHz-only.

The other side of the coin is that if you stay on the interstates, Cingular's coverage is all at 1900 MHz and is superior to most others'.

In summary: Get a dual band phone (850/1900) as a minimum for Cingular

[azcellphonejunkie]

Originally Posted by BillRadio

Cingular had no sprectrum in Colorado. AT&T Wireless previously had only an 850 MHz network. When they added GSM, they did so in Colorado ONLY at 1900 MHz, and ONLY from their existing 850 MHz sites. That is not an optimum situation and 1900 MHz GSM service suffered, or sucked in some areas.

AT&T slowly added GSM to 850 MHz which was accelerated with the Cingular takeover and may be completed by now.

Therefore, Colorado has a working (ex-AT&T) 1900 MHz network, but it did not have acceptable coverage for me to consider switching. There were countless 'holes', in the city and in the mountains. As of this spring, they have not added any new 1900 Mhz sites, but adding GSM to 850 has made it better...now there are just a few holes.

So, you could survive w/1900 MHz-only along the Front Range, however, most of Cingular's roaming partners in the mountains and the plains are 850 MHz-only.

The other side of the coin is that if you stay on the interstates, Cingular's coverage is all at 1900 MHz and is superior to most others'.

But not in Fort Collins where he needs it...