Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Which do you recommend?  I have found some rural areas in my state that get  
no coverage on my old phone (TDMA, Cingular).  I admit to not understanding  
what TDMA means, but since my phone sometimes shows a "D" and sometimes not  
I assume that it able to pick up analog signals.
 
However, it is time for a new phone, and I fell in love with the LG8000,  
which is all digital.  Since it is being discontinued, I assume that I'll be  
able to get a good deal on one sometime soon.  My second choice is the  
Motorola 815 which is ALSO all digital, and has bluetooth, and the volume is  
good and strong, (indicator goes to 7 whereas the other phones only go to 5)  
and I need that.
 
But I'm worried about signal in rural areas.  I often go to Vermont and  
rural Mass and have a tough time with signal there.  How will I do with an  
all digital phone?
 
Is there anywhere to check, like some kind of maps, where "dead" zones are?
 
TIA, Betsy

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

TDMA means time division multiple access and in reality is somewhat
a technical description about how phones take their turn accessing the
carriers. Verizon uses CDMA a different technology. Cingular/ATTWS uses
GSM and TDMA and in some cases can provide some older analog. In general
if you have Cingular/ATTWS technology your phone will not work on say
Verizon/Sprint/Alltel and other CDMA digital carriers. Verizon and Alltel  
also
provide some analog of which you can connect to (roam) if you have a  
tri-mode
phone.If you have an all digital phone you cannot roam on a different  
digital
technology. Luck

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

As a floating on the coat tails of Betsy, where are the digital dead spots  
in Northern Virginia?
 
TIA
-gg-
 
> Which do you recommend?  I have found some rural areas in my state
> that get no coverage on my old phone (TDMA, Cingular).  I admit to not
> understanding what TDMA means, but since my phone sometimes shows a
> "D" and sometimes not I assume that it able to pick up analog signals.
>  
> However, it is time for a new phone, and I fell in love with the
> LG8000, which is all digital.  Since it is being discontinued, I
> assume that I'll be able to get a good deal on one sometime soon.  My
> second choice is the Motorola 815 which is ALSO all digital, and has
> bluetooth, and the volume is good and strong, (indicator goes to 7
> whereas the other phones only go to 5) and I need that.
>  
> But I'm worried about signal in rural areas.  I often go to Vermont
> and rural Mass and have a tough time with signal there.  How will I do
> with an all digital phone?
>  
> Is there anywhere to check, like some kind of maps, where "dead" zones
> are?
>  
> TIA, Betsy
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 21:22:57 -0400, "Betsy" <n0spam@n0spam.net> wrote:
 
>Which do you recommend?  I have found some rural areas in my state that get  
>no coverage on my old phone (TDMA, Cingular).  I admit to not understanding  
>what TDMA means, but since my phone sometimes shows a "D" and sometimes not  
>I assume that it able to pick up analog signals.
>
>However, it is time for a new phone, and I fell in love with the LG8000,  
>which is all digital.  Since it is being discontinued, I assume that I'll be  
>able to get a good deal on one sometime soon.  My second choice is the  
>Motorola 815 which is ALSO all digital, and has bluetooth, and the volume is  
>good and strong, (indicator goes to 7 whereas the other phones only go to 5)  
>and I need that.
>
>But I'm worried about signal in rural areas.  I often go to Vermont and  
>rural Mass and have a tough time with signal there.  How will I do with an  
>all digital phone?
>
>Is there anywhere to check, like some kind of maps, where "dead" zones are?
>
>TIA, Betsy  
 
if it were me i'd definitely go for a tri-mode phone.  there are lots
of places in the country where analog is alive and well.  the verizon
network, for instance, may be all digital but that doesn't mean that
all of their partner systems (extended networks) are all digital.
 
73,
rich, n9dko

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Verizon tri-mode works almost anywhere in the nation. Certainly a V710
seems to work better in fringe areas; however, Verizonwiress.com does
have an accurate coverage locator by state and zip. Coverage under
PLANS on their website or currently
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c [...] NEWREQUEST
 
You could then determine if a Verizon CDMA (digital only) phone would
work in the rural areas you are interested in. For  example, my Verizon
phone and internet card have always worked in rural AL, GA, NC, OH,
 
>From experience I can tell you Cingular does not offer anything but GSM
in some regions. They turned off TDMS and AMPS in the GA/NC area in
dec04. My 6340 GSM/TDMS/AMPS would stop working in NC and even parts of
metro Atlanta. I would not get calls.  After Cingular tech would try to
fix my account callers would get "disconnected" messages. Then by
Cingular 2nd tier tech support direction had to drive to another state
to set my voice mail back up.