Just switched from Cingular to Verizon, good choice?

ok a few issues that will help you clear things up...
1. TDMA is currently an inferior technology with respect to cdma and gsm...(2G)
1. GSM is bieng implement by cingular...(2.5g with gprs and/or edge)
2. CDMA is bieng implemented by verizon...(2.5g)
3. The debate about which technolog is better whether is GSM or CDMA has long been debated...and i don't think it will serve any purpose into going into that debate just look up previous threads on this deabte..
4. will verizon switch to wcdma..defintely not...BUT...it will be offering speeds and functionality at the same speed(more or less) then wcdma...verizon will be using CDMA 2000 1x and CDMA EV-DO...this technology is considered (3G)...the next gen technology (4G) is suppose to bring all the dirrent technologies together under one standard...(2007)
5. about international roaming...only gsm providers will be able to offer international raoming...now the gsm provider has to have agreements with countries abroad to provide international roaming...in any case the roaming is very expensive i've tried it my self it comes to somewhere between $1-$2 per minute...the thing is if you roamin with a gsm provider that has a agreemnt with another company abroad...you get to keep your number when your abroad..what is often cheaper and more efective is going to an international company and just changing you sim chip(very easily done) and using prepaid internationally...when using prepaid internationall its FAR cheaper to make phone calls and you get superior coverage...the bad part is u can't use the cell phone number that you have been using...you have to use the cell phone number that the gsm provider abroad gives you...
6. my perosnal take on it...i have verizon at home and when i go abroad i have a cheap dual band(don't get american dual band get offshore dual band from ebay) GSM nokia($60)..and i just use prepaid sim card in the country i am in...since most countries won't allow you to roam in other countries it works well for me..i get cheap phone rates and great coverage...cingular probably has roaming agreements with a few european countries but i doubt it goes futher than that...corerct me if i'm wrong...having that cheap nokia also saves me the headache of worrying if i loose my phone....

my 2 cents....

 

definitly verizon......i was a dihard cingular addict till i explored verizon.....neone that knows my posts on the forum will agree.....verizon was definitly a good choice !

 

the article was writen in June 11, 2001 alot has changes since then...

basically they really don't need to update to wcdma nor would they want to because its much cheaper for them to upgrade to cdma 2000 ev-do than to wCDMA...even with just 1x you get high data speeds(144 kbs - 60kb average) which is better than GSM and equivalent to EDGE(like cdma 2000 1x for GSM)....

the 1x does not affect you voice calls at all..basically it means u can use high speed internet in this area...most people with laptops and pdas really benefit from this..since 1x is widely deployed in most cities..

in the coutrnies i've visited i have never seen a provider offer free incoming...and if your comapny (cingular for example) has a roaming agreement with that coampny i still doubt u would be able to get free incoming...incoming was always les than making the call but it was never free for me...the only benefit i think is u MIGHT(not sure about this) be able to keep your cell phone number...but i don't know how thier agreements would work or what not...i've had friend travel abraod using ATT gsm phones and they were told they need to get a new phone number...this was a while ago...

GSM is more widespread than CDMA but CDMA is growing at a faster rate than GSM or any other standard...other countries have recently started adopting CDMA such as japan(kddi second largest there)...korea(ktf largest mobile company there)...india(reliance infocomm).....china(china unicomm)...russia...thailand..and most of the americas

http://www.forbes.com/technology/newswire/2003/03/19/rtr911921.html

thats verizon's future...currently i think verizon is the only one who COMERCIALLY offers speeds upto 2.4 mbs....average 600kb

Its really hard to predict whats going to happen in five years...but here is what is think is happening
the NEW GSM provider are playing catch to thier TDMA ...T-mobile who already has a large gsm coverage will
convert to EDGE. THEN probably end of next year all the coampnies will start converting to wCDMA...ATT HAS to have wCDMA in atleast 4 cities...


For CDMA providers they will continue upgrade all the analog towers and thier own system to 1x probably by the end of the year...at the same time they'll start deploying ev-do in more cities this year....

there have been talks about phones that can hangle gsm and cdma...and 4G is suppose to unite all standards...i think in five years 4G will be deployed..
Verizon has the largest market share(more users than any other company)...i doubt its going to disppear or fade anytime soon...i'm sure tehy will stay competive...

 

Your answer is in your 2nd post - you have noticed a positive difference with Verizon. I switched from USCC and I can't believe how much better VZ is. USCC wasn't bad but VZ connects me in places that USCC couldn't. The best carrier is whatever one works best for you.

Suliman

 

You'll probably be better off in the long run with Verizon.

Verizon strategically positions itself as the quality leader, pricing a bit higher, but offering better call reliability and customer service.

Cingular has been trying to be more of a value company, cheaper plans with a lower quality service. Cellular One used to be one of the quality-minded (business-user focused) cellco's in Boston, but since the Cingular merger they have been slowly switiching to more of a discount model. Various postings will attest to the signigicant drop in quality that you are experiencing.

-MVL

 

It does seem true that cheap people choose Cingular. They get the cheap home plans (which aren't a value on TDMA anyway) and a free cheap nokia. What gets me is, they sign 2 year contracts, when in the long run it's better to do that with Verizon, at least you get something for it.

 

When you lack spectrum you cannot afford to make the transition from TDMA to GSM without disrupting existing customers. That's the reason for the quality drop in Cingular's TDMA networks. The same is happening to AT&T wherever they are installing GSM in existing TDMA towers. Once this transition nightmare is over, service will be much better than what TDMA is today.

 

bobolito u think you would switch to verizon after your contract is up and you found that after using ur trial period u like it better...or are u diehard cingular?

 

interesting question...im kind of curious myself

 

I am definatyely curious about this too. So Bobolito, your answer?

 

LOL. I think someone asked me the same question a couple of months ago and I will give the same answer...

If I had any problems that would make me believe my service is not reliable, then I would dump Cingular in a heartbeat. However, this is not the case. It would not be worth my time and energy to spend money on a new phone, giving up my totally national plan, and engage in the task of giving my new number to everyone when I am not having any problems that will justify a switch. There are a few sporadic hiccups in the TDMA network here and there in the past few weeks as a result of the GSM overlays. However, it is not often and nothing to justify a complaint. As long as I can use my phone where I need it (indoor or outdoor) that's all I care about and Cingular TDMA has been providing that so far. I don't have to keep running outside or getting close to a window and pray so that my signal doesn't fade, unlike many people with PCS services around here. Therefore, I consider my service worth keeping.

By the way, I am not even under contract anymore, so there's nothing attaching me to them. But like they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

Wow, that was a very political correct answer!

Let me translate and paraphrase what was said above:

"Although I do have some issues with Cingular's tdma service, it has gotten to the point where it is bothering me somewhat. I am not in a contract and do not wish to sign up for one with Cingular. The company has not done anything to entice me to stay with them in terms of spicing up the plans. I better see some improvements over the course of the next few months, otherwise, I am just hopefully waiting to take advantage of the number portability deal later this year."

I hope my translation and paraphrase was dead on correct.

 

LOL....That translation was more like a joke representing what you wanted to hear