Several Rumors from Metro Knoxville

So have they said when they will have the two networks integrated in the knoxville area (att wireless and cingular)

 

TDMA: There is nothing to integrate on the TDMA side, since there is only blue TDMA (orange was GSM-only in Knoxville from day one.)
GSM: Good question. I'm betting November or so.

-SC

 

Well, it's at least partially integrated as far as I can tell. I have a friend with a T-mobile phone that allows network selection and random network searches turns up two networks in some areas and only one network in various others. Seems about 50/50 from my experience mostly in west knox. November doesn't seem too far-fetched for them to be pretty much fully integrated.

 

Just a few comments on coverage in Knoxville and surrounding areas. I'm a Sprint customer and working in Knoxville. Service is excellent in the city and along the interstate. But get a mile or two away from a tower in outlying areas and you have almost no signal. 1900 mhz just will not cover as good as 800 mhz. Verizon and USCC are 800 mhz giving better range. I actually live in northern Hamilton County north of Chattanooga and live less than a mile from a Sprint tower. It is shadowed by a ridge, so I'm lucky to get 1 or 2 bars in my house. I can force roam to Verizon and get about 2 bars but it works much better. I've been happy with Sprint's cost and customer service, but the coverage sucks in outlying areas.

 

Problem was when i had Sprint their CS sucked big time. It was a total joke!

 

I've found a few areas where I've had to roam on Verizon around here... it's free, though so I don't really care too much.