ATT Cell Phone
 

I understand that with AT&T, the phone automatically switches back and forth from digital to analog depending on the reception. Is this true, and if so, so you know of other carriers that do this? It seems like Digital alone doesn't cut it, especially indoors.

The issue is really not digital vs. analog, but the RF coverage. Any AMPS carrier that has both digital and analog systems, such as Bell Atlantic, should switch, given the proper handset. The default, or preferred mode for both AT&T & Bell Atl. is 1900 MHz Digital PCS, which is even better than 900 MHz digital AMPS, if you have a dual-frequency, tri-mode handset. Some other carriers might only offer 900 MHz digital & analog AMPS. HOWEVER, there is nothing wrong with choosing a true 1900 MHz Digital PCS - Only system, such as Sprint or Omnipoint (which is 1900 MHz GSM). As I said at the outset, it really depends on the RF coverage in the area (and buildings) you are going to be in. Digital PCS will work just fine in buildings if there is a cell site across the street.

[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 09-22-1999).]

Thanks for the explanation. I'm just a little unclear on one point-- that is, does a digital signal carry as far as an analog? I ask this because it seems like I can always get an analog signal with my Sprint PCS, but can only get the digital signal in certain areas. Can it be just because they do not have as many transmitters as the analog ones?

Sprint PCS is supposed to be an all-digital system. If you are getting an analog connection in some places, then I'll guess they're selling dual mode service in areas where their digital coverage is spotty. But I'm an all-AT&T customer. What is the model of your handset?

Coverage depends on distance between you and the cell, power in use on both ends (the cell automatically controls the power output of the handset), obstructions, receiver sensitivity on both ends, bandwidth, and antennas in use on both ends. The nature of digital transmission is that you either have enough signal or you don't... that is, the signal will not gradually get noisy like analog, it will just drop out. You can make them have the same coverage by varying the other variables, so I won't make a general statement about digital vs. analog coverage. In many areas, the "traditional" cell providers have more analog than digital sites, so analog might appear to have better coverage, but, as I said above, Sprint is supposed to be an all-digital system.
I'd really rather talk about AT&T. http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Not that I work for them, but I've had some problems with other Sprint services.

[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 09-22-1999).]

Yeah, sprint is supposed to be all-digital, so for the times when I'm on analog, it's considered roaming, and they charge an astronomical fee. By the way, I have a Sanyo phone, whose digital components are made by Qualcomm, so I'm actually very happy with it. I'm just not too thrilled about Sprint, and was considering switching to AT&T. What part of the country are you calling from, and do you find their digital signal well distributed?

Well, I live in New York City, but like everyone on here, I travel a lot. The coverage in NYC has problems, I'll be honest. But I can use it most of the time. It's much better elsewhere. The thing is, I find the Digital One Rate deal irresistible, and there are benefits for my home phone rates too. No roaming & no LD charges is a very good deal, and I've yet to go over the 600 minutes.

yesngo, that's the big difference between AT&T and Sprint. With the One-Rate plan from AT&T, even when you're in Roam, Extended Area, Analog, etc., there are no roam charges.

The only place I've had consistent minor problems is in the NJ Turnpike corridor, but once I get north of Exit 8 or 9, it works fine until I'm in NYC. As Rich said, it can be spotty in the city.

The problem with Sprint's advertisement of the "Nation's Largest All-Digital Network" is that it is deceptive.

True, they do in fact have the largest all-digital network that they built themselves. The problem is that you can't go off of it, onto somebody else's digital, and if you go to analog, they zap you with all sorts of fees.

Whereas, with the AT&T One Rate plan, they do have an extensive digital coverage that they built themselves, but where they don't, it will utilize a local carrier's digital network. (For example, when you are in CT, it will use SNET's digital cellular, still with no extra fees, roaming charges, or ld charges). So, in essence, you have a de-facto larger digital network than Sprint. Also, where there is no AT&T digital, no local digital, it will switch a local analog provider.

So, AT&T has the largest network usable network. Sprint's wording, although technically acurate, is extremely deceiving in any real world scenario.

Thanks for the explanations, everyone. I don't suppose AT&T will give me credit toward a trade-in of my Sprint phone...

I have read interviews and analyses where AT&T admits that if you really spend half the month roaming on non-AT&T systems they will lose money on you. However, the relatively small number of people who actually do that in a given month is more than counterbalanced by all the people whose low usage would (otherwise have) cost them much less than $89 in the same month.

Although I consider myself immune to telephone marketing hype, and routinely deconstruct and dissect all claims, to figure out what I am actually getting and its real value, I was unable to find anything significantly wrong (for me) with the Digital One Rate program. That's still true 10 months later. (And the consolidated bill is something I begged them to provide 3 years earlier.) I just wish they would fix their coverage and system problems in New York (where there has been at least one TOTAL SYSTEM OUTAGE during the past year).


[This message has been edited by RichG (edited 09-25-1999).]

RichG you are exactly right--only piece that is not quite accurate is how the phone scans. The ATT phones (along with other TDMA phones like Southwestern Bell and BellSouth) look for a broadcast bit of information and match it to a database within the phone. This is how the coverage determination is made. For instance, if you get an ATTWS phone in Tampa, ATTWS broadcasts on the 800 mhz band, so the phone "downgrades" to the 800 mhz band. If you are from Atlanta, ATTWS is on the 1900 mhz band, so the phone "upgrades". This should all be pretty seamless. Local issues always are in place (like overuse of the NYC system). Money losing is probably closer to 40% off-network usage, but that still differs depending on area roamed into. ATTWS (and all other carriers offering one rate plans) takes a real bath in certain areas, but on the whole, the plans are popular.

jl

jamiel: Doesn't the phone first look at the 1900 MHz PCS band to see if it finds an AT&T or other compatible system, and then, if not, look at the AMPS band?

I've been using the ATT digital one rate for about 15 months. I've had very few area's with coverage issues.

The no LD and no roaming is a wonderful deal.

I generally average about 850 minutes of use a month. And since I travel all over the US, it's a great deal.

The savings from pay phones and calling cards just about pays for the 1000 minute plan for me.

I highly recommend it for anyone that travels alot in the US.

RichG--I don't know specifically how AT&T has programmed their equipment. (Each carrier using tri-mode equipment can have its' equipment programmed to do a lot of different things, so you can't generalize any more---gone are the days of just A/B roaming)!

Boomer, several other companies have one-rate programs (BellSouth, GTE, Bell Atlantic). All require you to live in a service area of theirs to provide the service. Check for home service quality b/c it is the single place you'll spend the most time.

If you don't live in an AT&T service area, you can still get the digital one rate plan by furnishing an address somewhere in their coverage area. I live in a rural part of NM, where celluar rates were ridiculously high when I switched to AT&T (they've come down quite a bit since). I use an address in Oregon and have an Oregon phone number (no NM numbers are available from AT&T). This may strike my friends and clients as a bit weird, but aside from that it works great. The folks who care about paying the LD charges just page me and I call them back, since with One Rate it doesn't matter whether I originate or receive the call--it's the same price. I roam all over with this phone and am very happy with it, although NYC is a tough area, and some areas in SoCal are iffy sometimes, though they seem to have gotten better this year.

I have had occasional problems in rural areas in NM, where GTE is the biggest carrier and you CAN'T roam on their system with AT&T. Sometimes I have to pull over, turn the phone off, then power up again to register the right tower. Not a big deal once you're used to it and know what to do.

Almost every morning as I leave my building, I have to turn the phone off and on to get it registered on AT&T and off of Bell Atlantic, where James Earl Jones answers every call, no matter who I'm trying to call. http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I have been an AT&T oneRate customer for the last 5 months. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. I'm saving a hell of a lot in long distance/roaming fees when travelling. The coverage has been pretty good in the cities I travel to, as well as my home market.

The Tri-Mode phone is great, you can get coverage pretty much anywhere. Except in my office building, where nobody gets coverage from any carrier.

I have used ATT DOR plan for last 6 months... I have always experienced some problems that I have associated to areas that I travel to. This was until recently when calling technical support for a problem while in Mobile, AL.
Support said that the prefix number I was assigned was the reason I recieved no service in Mobile. Amswer was to change my cellular number... (Didn't make sense as to why this would make a difference...)
Well, I was able to make / receive calls in Mobile. Unfortunately now the phone ALWAYS dials via analog. I am getting a digial signal (D on face...) and am within an ATT area (AT&T on face). But every call switches to analog on connection...
I am taking the phone in for service to AT&T in Colorado Springs tomorrow for them to check the programming, etc...
Very frustrating because most of I-70 through Kansas only has Digital towers, so now (unlike before) I get no signal...
We'll see if they can figure this out.

Just to add a quick note here...

I've was in Houston for the past 6 days and my AT&T phone was on Extended Area the entire trip. Checked with some of my colleagues and they had the same on their phones.

But, I used the phone all week and had no signal problems or outages the entire time (even in the Conv. Center & my hotel room).

Don't know how relevant this is for AT&T (maybe mostly Nokia phones) - but I have some challenges with GTE in CA and the digital/analog coverage patterns.

I have a really long commute with some zones being strong analog, others strong digital. If you know you are in one of these zones and you have a Motorola digital StarTac, you can force the phone to use analog or digital by pressing (FCN)2. This will toggle between the two modes until you end the next call.

Other dual-mode phones may have similar features, as well.

[This message has been edited by greg99 (edited 10-20-1999).]

greg, usually with the Nokia & Ericsson phones and AT&T one-rate, the phone automatically switches between digital & analog.

I did notice when I was travelling I-5 South, between LA & SD there were some dead spots near the Marine base. Thought that was probably due to military aircraft interference.

Can clear up a bunch of these things:

Issue in Mobile where the prefix was not allowed: Each area code/exchange in cellular "stands alone" and is individually announced to the carriers all over the country. It is very common to have an update with a specific area code/exchange missed. Your home carrier contacts the serving carrier (roaming partner) to get them to enter the area code/exchange in their system to allow roaming.

Issue in Houston--AT&T doesn't offer service in Houston, but was formerly a 1/2 owner with BellSouth in Houston Cellular. Same situation in Los Angeles with LA Cellular. BellSouth and AT&T split the two markets, with AT&T getting Los Angeles and BellSouth getting Houston. Part of the deal was that both AT&T and BellSouth could continue to offer preferential rates to each other's D-O-R customers in either area. Service should be pretty transparent in Houston--as AT&T was earlier involved the systems work together well.

D-O-R phones generally have very limited ability for the user to change digital to analog or to change carriers. The appropriate carriers (particularly for AT&T) are loaded into the handset and can't be changed. This is to keep you from (in)advertently costing them money by changing to a non-preferred program.

When I said earlier that GTE was offering a single-rate plan for the entire United States, it extends to only those customers whose home GTE market (San Francisco/Tampa/Cleveland, for instance) is a digital market. In rural New Mexico, they probably have not converted to digital and so aren't offering the D-O-R plans.

I've been in this business for the last 7 years (cellular roaming services) and had an interesting thing happen--I know the business inside out but I had never had a phone before with an unlimited roaming package, but got one 2 weeks ago with Powertel in Atlanta (they offer unlimited roaming for $30/month, 120 minutes which is unusually low). Took a trip to Miami, (served by Omnipoint) and really noticed a difference in my behavior--I didn't think about bypassing the hotel phone with the cellular--it came very naturally.

jl

thanks for the 'tech stuff', jamie...

The service WAS transparent in Houston, even though on Ext. Range. No noticeable difference in clarity, sound, connect time, etc. than regular AT&T 'home' area.

jamiel: Can't it also be said that keeping the customers from switching to analog at will is part of the marketing strategy of Digital One Rate? I.E. they really need, except when absolutely necessary, to keep you on a digital system, where their subscriber capacity is much greater.

richg--absolutely right. Occasionally a carrier will offer lower roaming rates to digital subscribers than analog subscribers (either carrier-to-carrier or retail). D-O-R limit your choices of carriers to roam on which can be good or bad, depending on your view.