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On 2007-12-02, Grant <emailgrant@×××××.com> wrote: |
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> What I'm trying to determine is, if AT&T or T-Mobile have the |
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> type of service you're describing: |
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> |
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> 1. will it work in both "analog" and "digital" service areas |
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> 2. does the phone need to support anything in particular to use it |
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AT&T and T-Mobile are both GSM (digital) only. They don't have |
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any AMPS service. AFAIK, only the older CDMA carriers |
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(Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, etc.) have AMPS service -- and not |
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all of their phones will fall back to AMPS even if there is |
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AMPS service available). Most/all of the AMPS service is going |
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away soon anyway. |
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I think that pretty much all GSM phones support data calls (I |
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could be wrong). Whether or not the network will allow them |
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without paying extra for a data plan is the question. |
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> I don't think I'll have any luck finding a cell phone with an |
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> analog modem jack. Were you using an analog modem plugged |
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> into your cell phone with the service you were first |
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> describing? |
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No. The "free" low-speed service offered by Verizon (and |
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apparently by Sprint) is all-digital. You just need a phone |
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and a data-cable. NB: it's possible that not all phones are |
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data-call capable or that the carrier has disabled that feature |
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in some phones. The tough part is that at least Verizon's |
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support for minutes-only data-calls is strictly unofficial. If |
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you stop at a store, they will claim (probably truthfully) to |
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know nothing about it. If you call Verizon support, the 1st |
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line support staff will also know nothing about it. If you can |
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work your way up a few layers, you can probably find somebody |
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who does know about it, but even they might not be allowed to |
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talk to you about it. |
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> I've got to go with GSM. If both Sprint and Verizon offer it, |
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> there is probably a good chance that AT&T and/or T-Mobile do |
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> too. |
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Could be. If you find out, let us know. :) |
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What I do is use Verizon CDMA (far better coverage than any of |
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the GSM networks) in the US and I have a GSM phone that I use |
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internationally. You can get good used unlocked tri and |
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quad-band GSM phones for $20 and up. You can get brand new |
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ones for $30 and up. I got nearly new used Noka candy-bar |
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phone that's US-only for $18 off craig's list and a brand-new |
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quad-band Motorola V190 off ebay for $40. Just for giggles I |
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have a AT&T pre-paid SIM for my GSM phones so I can use them as |
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backups in the US. |
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|
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-- |
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The other Grant |
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-- |
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gentoo-user@g.o mailing list |
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