ATT National Network Plan

Can anyone explain this? ( I entered the zipcode 19701, since mine (19977) isnt in their PCS area.)
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Cingular Wireless... But according to AT&T I would be charged for my phone reading as "Extended Area."

 

They are hit with roaming charges EVEN THOUGH they show it as their network (just not PCS). This is why I HATE ATT. Stop suckering in people and build out the damn coverage.
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Some people on Usenet have stated there are no roamer charges realized for using Cingular Towers within the orange areas. However, AT&T customer care says otherwise. Eitherway, I'm not prepared to experiment and find out the reality. I prefer the digital advantage plans.

 

In over a year of widespread use I have never been charged roaming while calling from "Extended Area" (Cingular's network). The only way you will get charged roaming is if it reads "Roaming". I've also been on the Regional Advantage AND Digital Advantage (I switched a couple months back) and still no extra charges for being on Cingular's network. AT&T and Cingular are buddies , That's part of the reason I like AT&T's serivce, it's almost like having your choice of 2 networks whenever you want.

 

I am not impressed with the AT&T network plan - it would be my 3rd choice. I would recommend Verizon AC or Cingular National over it . I

 

It's ATT 800 MHz TDMA; which they said will not be taken down and will be used for voice for long time. The GSM 1900 will be used for GPRS only.

 

There are a few selected markets where your phone will read "EXTENDED AREA" and you WILL NOT be charged roaming on the AT&T National Network Plan. This is because of AT&Ts limited coverage, and the need to be competitive...these areas are:

1.) Atlanta/ North Georgia....the Extended Area includes Rome, Gainesville, and the North Georgia Mountains. Phone will roam on Cingular in this area.

2.) Connecticut...Entire State....if you are off AT&T and on Cingular, you will still not pay roaming.

3.) Chicago...The suburban areas covered by Cingular are on the National Network.

4.) Philadelphia/Wilmington

5.) Florida Keys. This area used to be part of AT&T's Miami system but was sold...they only had 4000 regular subscribers and the costs to maintain the switch was being far outweighed by the revenue. Cheaper to pay Cingular for the minutes used.

You can trust the AT&T maps...they are accurate.

 

The anon poster who says ATT will use 1900 only for GPRS is ****. It will be used for both data and voice. I don't know what these people dream of and why they write such crap from their dreams.



No cursing please...thanks.

 

There are a few selected markets where your phone will read "EXTENDED AREA" and you WILL NOT be charged roaming on the AT&T National Network Plan. This is because of AT&Ts limited coverage, and the need to be competitive...these areas are:
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Thanks for the info, but could we get a statement from AT&T??

 

Not that this has to do with AT&T, but... I no longer recommend Verizon AC under any circumstances because of the way they have pulled preferred roaming partner coverage and left customers stuck paying roaming charges in some areas (i.e., Middlesboro KY and the Shenandoah Valley of VA incl. Winchester)... I'm glad to see AT&T isn't doing that (Keys, etc.)

I'm not surprised about Atlanta; their coverage here is both ridiculously small and ridiculously bad (even Sprint PCS is better!)

-SC

 

This is what happened in the Keys:

http://www.commnetwireless.com/Coverage%20Page.htm

-SC

 

Then you did not listen to the ATT Wireless Webcast lately. These were the statement of ATT Wireless president.

 

Any idea why my map shows home area in Southern Jersey but the phone says roam?

 

Roamer1 - I agree that 0a good thing about thier extended Atalanta coverage being free because their own system Atlanta coverage is really bad .

 

Question for Roamer1:

In those ares, like Winchester, VA: Is there ANY signal at all? Or has the deletion of SPC SIDs left you with NO SERVICE?

In my experience, if a romaing charge hits my bill in an area where I;m supposed to have home rates, they have ALWAYS given me full roaming credit. This happens every time you go into NYC via Metro North commuter rail. The tunnels under Grand Central do not have Verizon repeaters. You will end up on AT&T analog roam.

My bill shows 0.69 per minute, incoming or outgoing from that SID (#25), and the credit 100% of the charges every time.

What's the situation in the arease you mentioned, and do they REFUSE to give credit when asked?

 

I guess that proves what I always say: AT&T's TDMA network is not as big as people think it is. Cingular does a lot of the coverage in their National Network plans plus they need their affiliates (Suncom, Triton, etc.) to cover a great deal. That's why their National Network plans in-network coverage area is so miserable when compared to Verizon AC or even Sprint.

 

bobolito, don't go by that AT&T national network map that we have all seen. It's deceiving both I noticed there is more coverage in Virginia then it shows, and Cryogenic noticed there is more coverage in Tennessee then the coverage map shows. Their could be other places to which has coverage and the map shows they don't. That AT&T Network coverage map hasn't been updated in forever.

 

Well, when you go outside their network you always get a signal the same way you get it with any other plan. The question is don't you get charged for roaming in those places where you mentioned not depicted in the map?

 

You have to dig a little bit to get reasonably accurate coverage maps. For instance, if you enter 30301 - an Atlanta zip code, you will get the big/old/not-updated national map...then to the right of it is the Detailed North GA map that shows National Network coverage including Rome, Cartersville, etc.... Do the same thing with a Philly or Connecticut zip and you will get the details in the NE.

If you do get charged, AT&T is generally pretty good about crediting the $.69/min charges.

 

Hehe, sounds to me like the same deal with Verizon AC.

 

yep

Jack

 

With Verizon, with the SPCS SIDs being pulled there's still coverage, it's either on different preferred carriers (US Cellular in Hagerstown, Price in middle GA) and thus still part of AC, or it's on non-preferred carriers (Cingular and Shentel in Winchester, Cingular and Ramcell in Middlesboro) not part of AC and thus incurs roaming charges.

I have no idea if Verizon will credit roaming when asked; I'm on SR Canada and thus don't have to deal with the AC billing zoo.

-SC