Cingular/BellSouth and the..Southeastern USA Market
Written: Oct 28 '04 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Local Coverage: |
 |
|
| Plan Flexibility: |
|
|
| Customer Service: |
|
|
|
Pros: Excellent service from my phones and all service personnel has been the norm.
Cons: You may find a slightly sour service apple sometime - if so, just call back-later.
The Bottom Line: If you like receiving good care and service you will receive it here unless you become arrogant or otherwise abusive with them.
|
|
|
| alexanderaku's Full Review: Cingular Mobile Phone Service in Tampa/St. Petersb... |
First let me say my service and billing is from the Tampa, Florida offices. It changed some years back from the Atlanta offices although I still receive my internet services through what is known as the Atlanta Group as does everyone in Tampa and elsewhere in the Southeast when offered. Just why all this is, you would need to ask Cingular. Also, as I write of the coverage area I am writing of the local Tampa area as well, as I do travel there. There are a few areas of spotty coverage in the entire Southeast but Cingular's coverage maps readily point them out and they are few.
Just got my bill today - Yup! It still says Tampa, Florida as always.
Although my home area is an extensive area, Central Alabama is controlled and billed from Tampa. Note what I say about my paper bill from there in lines below. As you will read, my area also covers much of the Gulf using what is only a 4 year old local plan which is no longer available. Current plans cover the entire Southeastern area with others covering the entire US. There is no roaming anywhere in the Southeast using current plans unless you see roaming displayed on your phone and this could happen at your home using a Regional Plan if your signal is captured by certain towers. Cingular warns of this and it can easily be avoided by purchasing an inexpensive Nation Plan instead Therefore, my review is not OFF Topic as some may want to think and this is the correct topic for me. Also I will assure you I am not a Cingular engineer or connected with them, other than using their services for some six years now.
Cingular commonly routes their service calls from my home calling area in Central Alabama to Mobile, Atlanta, Tampa, Jacksonville, and California so you never know whom you will be speaking with or what area they are in unless they tell you or you ask. Some times they will re-route your cellular service call (611) to an area closer to you for better service. I always use this (611) as it is a free call from any Cingular phone and gets quicker results. Most of the time they can and will help you from wherever they are. Of course you will want to do this during normal business hours.
I have been and am a well-satisfied customer in excess of six years now. My services were started with BellSouth but changed to Cingular, as did everyone else's service when the merger took place for wireless services some years back. As the service has only improved and become better this has never been a concern. Why I say this is due to the fact my BellSouth/Cingular phones have always out performed AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, and others in most areas. Nine times out of ten my Cingular phone has worked where others did not and there have been only a very few times my Cingular phone did not work in areas where others did. How I know this, is from traveling with others using those services all over the Southeast USA.
The reasons for this are simple. Cingular has secured contracts to use more towers than anyone else throughout the US I know of. This can be seen by looking at the area coverage maps of each provider. Cingular extends these tower rights in rural areas and not just around major thoroughfares as some other services do and they are one of the leaders in satellite use although not number one in this.
If you are having problems, they can often correct them by sending an update to your phone if you tell them at the time. Here's a nice little note. If you have a call dropped for other than a low battery or a user problem while in your home calling area, they will credit the airtime that was used along with any and all charges back to your phone - if you call them and report the incident in a timely manner. This helps them to improve service. I know this because I have done it. While I'm here I will also tell you they record all service calls and this information is available to all employees at all times and they refer back to it.
I'll just bet some of you are shocked a bit now with the knowledge whatever service you use it doesn't necessarily operate through towers owned or operated by your service. This includes satellites as well since transponder time is leased also. Remember that roughly 800-900MHz. and 1800-2000MHz. range that those of you technically savvy have seen advertised? That translates to a more recognizable. 8GHz. and 2GHz. For those of you familiar with satellite transmissions that's just below normal C-band transmission and well below Ku-band.
What does this mean? Well for one, these frequencies are less affected by weather and there won't be any obstructions to those signals until you go inside some buildings or underground. What I have noticed when my phones have connected using their GSM signal is a signal level of 100% and this has been in the boonies far from any towers where signals were previously weak or non-existent. Cingular holds no monopoly here but they do have a superior program for this. As more of their customers change to the new phones with GSM and GPRS capabilities they are leasing more satellite time, which gives better coverage and signal quality for crystal clear communications. It also frees the landscape of some large towers that exist and are to be built, but some will still be needed. The benefits are many as they are also improving their service plans to reflect more air time at lower rates and increasing the home calling area size, even offering Nation wide plans at rates only home area calling plans had before. This means FREE long distance calls from anywhere in the US continent and NO ROAMING CHARGES EVER. What we may see more of will be tower operators trying to hijack signals routing them through their system so THEY can collect fees, and this has already been happening. This is a good reason to select a phone that will display if you are roaming or not and you should report when and where this occurred, when it should not have, to prevent charges.
Rather than hold with one or a few (AMPS-TDMA) system types Cingular has combined them such as they have done with the GSM and GPRS technologies. (AMPS/TDMA/GSM/GPRS) This not only gives a smoother transition for customers using older equipment but MUCH IMPROVED communications for those already using newer equipment with these capabilities.
Since the spring of 2002 Cingular has been trying to get customers to convert to Tri-Mode phones, these are phones that use analog/digital towers, and satellites such as the Nokia 6340 phone uses. Before that they were doing this with a conversion from analog only to Dual-Mode (analog and digital) They have a program offering a free upgrade to a new phone of improved technology every two years or a reduced price for a new one each year. Myself, I have bought one each year using their sale prices and I can tell you I have enjoyed, and watched first hand the service improvements with each one. These were improved battery life on each, improved tower connections, improvements for seamless speech transfer (all towers do not handle traffic well or the hand-off), and the ability to use geo-synchronous satellites with their improved footprint (the area a satellite transponder illuminates for good signals - similar to a towers coverage area).
These satellite signals will only improve the hand-off (the transfer of signal from one station to another and another as you drive or as a stations traffic increases during a call) that now occurs between analog and digital towers, and satellites. The reasons for this are not only for better communications but a means of providing cheaper rates with a growing movement toward plans with cheap long distance from any location and no roaming with extended airtime.
You may be wondering what I do with my older phones I no longer use. Well, I use one as a standby and I use one as a prepaid phone for use by a family member. If one is lost or damaged I can switch my service to the standby in minutes using it to place a 611 call to Cingular, otherwise, it will still operate in an emergency even though it is not authorized. The others have been turned back in to Cingular for charitable use in their various worthy programs for the handicapped, abused women, and those phones made available during emergencies. When they eventually dispose of them this is done in an environmentally friendly manner.
My BellSouth/Cingular equipment - past and present:
Here is a list of my phones using this BellSouth/Cingular service with some brief notes.
Nokia:
_2160I my first - had low battery performance and was bulky - had to extend the antenna during use - computer ready - analog/digital - I had a free fancy distinctive marble look case put on this one
_6161 improvement was dramatic as well as the smaller size - would fit in a pocket - extended battery life - analog/digital - extensive features and computer ready
_8260 the cutest little silver phone - it was so tiny at about 2X4x3/4 inches - but it lacked transmission power and this was a problem in rural areas - extended battery life - extensive features and computer ready - seamless voice transmission - Analog/Digital - Cingular upgraded me for free to the 7160 when it came out due to my reported problems with its poor transmission power - they first gave me a free magnetic antenna which I still have.
_7160 great transmission and reception power - improved battery life - computer ready with an internet browser - more extensive features -seamless voice transmission - infrared business card and phone book transfers - Analog/Digital
_6340 I've had two of these the 6340 and the 6340I - with greater range than all, they both have worked where the others would not work - internet browser and computer ready - infrared business card and phone book transfers - GSM/Analog/Digital - very extensive features with minor improvements in the 6340I over the 6340.
I have purchased separate protective leather cases for all of these phones directly from Nokia except for the last two. They fit one of my old lined glasses cases so well there was no need.
Computer patch cords, earphones, chargers, and other accessories have been supplied in the box from BellSouth/Cingular except for the free magnetic antenna Cingular gave me, and an automobile charger I purchased from Cingular. Other than the leather cases, every accessory has been interchangeable.
Software came with the 7160 to set up a phone and contact book that could be synchronized, or manually edited from a connected computer. For the 6340's, software for this was available at the Nokia site and also included programs for creating your own ring tones.
By computer ready, it is meant these phones could all be used as a modem for a computer using a patch cord. I do have the service and use it when necessary, it's $3 included in my monthly bill, which runs $39 monthly. The computer service has been down on occasion but no more frequent than any other and I only use the service infrequently as it uses my minutes and I seldom need it, but it pays off in a pinch when in need of directions or computer internet access. There are a lot more features using it but the two are all I use.
Every one of these phones that were returned was turned in with all the original packaging and looking new as well as performing without problem. The 6160 was the only one that was replaced due to a problem and this was done quickly at a Cingular service center at no charge before it quit working. That may say something about me and durability.
The only other problems I have ever experienced were due to minor programming errors requiring a call for a new wireless download to them. An incomplete download will also cause your phone give errors or to lose signal from some towers if an update is needed, but this has rarely occurred. These downloads take place in the background and you will probably never know when they come in unless you are given instructions to power down your phone and back on. Mine are never turned off unless required.
You should also note that I return those old phones to Cingular business centers and not at their various kiosks or those other businesses offering Cingular service. The latter is quite different from Cingular and if you are wise you will purchase your Cingular equipment and service directly from Cingular. I will warn you about this as it is something you should know. Not making your purchase directly from Cingular will keep you from having the full Cingular service available from Cingular, as they understandably do not stand behind what they do not sell directly.
Say you visited their store and they didn't have the phone you wanted or it was too expensive? Try their internet store. Prices there are frequently lower and the selection larger. You can order over the phone using the internet price, or just order on the internet. Your phone will be delivered quickly in only a few days. If you already have an account you can have it spread out in equal payments over several billing cycles or all on one bill, your choice. Remember they also have Free phone offers with new accounts, but do pick one with added GSM/GPRS capabilities. This not only gives better performance but more plan options.
By now, you are probably noticing there are some things you should know about Cingular and I'm not finished, but I will tell you that you should know there are many things concerning all cell phone providers. Each of them has their own policies, good and bad. So don't be fooled by offers that just sound great. I've seen my friends charged exorbitant prices by other providers when they didn't explore the hidden costs and fine print before signing.
Besides the great service I have had with Cingular, it is my preference to use Cingular as I am familiar with their policies and I have found them to be preferable overall when looking at other providers. I have also never had any unexpected or large monthly charges and I use my cell phone often to the expiration of my monthly and saved roll-over airtime but I do keep up with this using my phones menus, my account at Cingular's website, and my bills as needed. Using the website I can instantly see my remaining minutes and those used.
The website:
I guess I have sprinkled and will sprinkle more than a few references to Cingular's website throughout this review. Cingular evidently thinks quite a bit about their website as they are continually upgrading and improving it. It is extensive and very feature rich, and the best way to experience it is to examine it for your self. There are always new avenues to explore, so you have to look at all the links and it's best to save the ones you like in your browser's FAVORITES folder. Those changes are a hassle at times but they leave the old pages up for a good while if you have saved those links. This gives you time to discover and learn the new changes. Go to http://www.cingular.com and see for yourself what some others would like for you not to know!
Plans:
Tampa serves my Central Alabama home area well using the plan I have and gives me free roaming throughout my state including parts of Florida and New Orleans, Mississippi, and Louisiana in the Gulf Coast areas with my current plan. I also have free long distance calling, and rollover minutes and a few free perks for having been a good customer so many years on the same Local Area calling plan. Now remember this is the same plan I upgraded to four years ago and the price has not increased so much as a dime. You can remain on the same plan as long as you like, so long as it's compatible with the phone you may have upgraded to. You can upgrade the plan at any time without increasing your contract length and with no penalty unless you have saved roll over minutes. They are also flexible, offering exchanged services and free services within the plans at times, if you ask them. Cingular advertised my plan at $29.99 with 300 text messages, roll over minutes, they added free 3-way calling, they added free call forwarding, call waiting, they added free caller ID, and basic voice mail. I added wireless internet for $3 and with taxes and normal charges my bill is $39 and some few cents per month. They have also given me an added 60 minutes free airtime each month for a year, every time I have asked them about it.
Guess what? I can now get Nation Wide Free Roaming for only about $3 more than I now pay and that is only because I would lose my 300 Free text messages and would need to purchase their text 100 for $3 as I use about 70 per month including my info alerts (6AM weather reports and daily afternoon AP news).
Those alerts are extensive in variety and nice, so you can pick what you prefer and when you want them to come in. If you can't be as economical as I am they have other plans that will suit your needs and prevent surprises on your bill. There are Nation plan such as this one only with 450 minutes and feature rich with unlimited weekends and nights, and there is Regional plan of 1000 minutes with roll over minutes without the extra features but with 5000 nights and weekend minutes and both start at $39 plus taxes and charges. Other plans will cost more but include more minutes and features. There are always new plans and there is no charge for changing plans. There is a $36 activation fee when you start initially and there can be an $18 fee when you upgrade phones later depending on the phone type.
If you hit the web and use the address http://www.cingular.com you will find access to phones offered, plans, and much more. Just type in your zip code to start looking.
Customer Service:
Now I know some of you might think you can get a phone and have them put service on it to save a few dollars, but folks - it doesn't work that way. There are specific models in every manufacturer's line designed to be compatible with the differences in each provider's service. So just get a Cingular phone if you want their service.
I've had great luck with their Nokia phones but they offer several others. If you get a lemon don't get mad just return it quickly for another brand or model. If you do this right away there will be no problem, but if you wait you may have to complain to customer service at every incident nicely to get someone to exchange it for free. They do think a lot of their customers and will bend somewhat to please if treated nicely during conversations (remember I said earlier they record everything and make it available to all their service people) - they don't ask for your cell phone number, address, name, and the last four numbers of your social security for nothing.
I guess by now you can see I have good relationship with Cingular's customer service and have spoken with them on more than a few occasions. Actually, a few more times than I would prefer, but the wireless phone industry is new and in a constant state of change to keep up with new developments. The only problems I've had in billing, started with someone at Shell depositing several hundred dollars in my Cingular account in an error. I was told by some to forget about it, but I'm no thief and NOT clearing up the problem would only have caused trouble later and given me a bad rep. with Cingular. It took three months of my making payments for my service at a customer service desk before accounting got the error straight. After that there have been times when my services were acting up due to ongoing equipment changes at the company. None of them serious and not often. Another small problem has been my paper bill. At times it has come very late from Tampa (still before due date) and that is a little aggravating, as I like to pay by check using the supplied statement and envelope and have never paid my bills late. I do take pride in that fact and remind them of it occasionally.
They have never issued an incorrect statement except when service changes have been made and incorrectly applied and this has been easily corrected and was of no large amount. I have found them to be most trust worthy and reliable. I have been told some things in error by them, but people are human and do make errors - so do computers - and none of those mistakes was serious. Cingular has always worked them out in my favor, so I have no reason to dislike them.
I also call them when I experience problems in an area and they have promptly made repairs, at times calling me back to be sure the issue has been resolved. These calls have been few and I seldom find any problem areas now. If I do, I will report them. On most of my calls, I have spoken with what could only be described as darling women and at times they have been so nice I would have kissed them if they had been in reach.
I doubt it's taught much anymore, but phone etiquette is taught at the phone company to their employees. You could still catch someone on a bad day, but remember to just be polite and get away from him or her. You can always call back a little later and speak with someone else. That's why there is more than one of them, but don't expect any of them to be a whipping post for a tongue-lashing. They are trained to just hang up, but they will not purposely do this if spoken to properly.
If you haven't gotten the idea by now from me - Most anyone I have ever spoken with at Cingular - on the phone or in person - has been friendly, helpful, and professional.
Those last two paragraphs also apply to any Cingular brick and mortar store in the US. If someone at one is ever a problem, reporting them is just a quick phone call away. I guarantee Cingular will not allow poor representatives to remain in their employ. They cleaned house just after the merger with BellSouth Wireless and do not play around about this.
In conclusion:
As you can tell, I conduct business with a positive attitude and those I have spoken with at Cingular have had a positive attitude and demeanor befitting the professional service offered by what is a great company. I look forward to many more years of service from them and I am certain I belong to the majority and not the minority in my feelings. I will add this; Before you purchase anyone's service, always examine their service area maps for the service plan you have in mind, their policies, and look for any hidden charges. It could save a lot of frustration and hard feelings. At Cingular the only thing that was hidden to me were the taxes and small fees that were to appear and vary slightly each month that could not be predicted. They average about $6-$7 - never higher and I'm not complaining with a bill that has always stayed at $39. On a personal note my brother-in-law is a research scientist in chemical engineering - specializing in fiber research, with government and private industry contracts, and in his spare time he is an esteemed college professor. He lives in North Carolina and travels frequently and extensively. He had AT&T service and had tried others with poor reception at home and almost everywhere he traveled, even here in my neck of the woods. He and my sister had no trouble seeing a large improvement using Cingular's services once they switched. Cingular had only recently become available in their area when they switched. As you can imagine his phones see heavy use. He also uses a Nokia GSM Tri-Mode phone as I suggested.
UPDATE 10/29/04
Cingular has a third new plan available, the GAIT PLAN, it runs a few dollars higher but if you look at the coverage map you will quickly notice it offers a solid blanket of area coverage and is also nation wide with free roaming and free long distance. Also, Cingular's new plan offerings change so often many of their employees are unaware of them all. So visit a Cingular service center and use the website entering a zip code from different areas as all do not reflect current available plans. Use a Birmingham zip code such as 35213 to take a look on the website and see the GAIT PLAN with its coverage map.
UPDATE 10/5/05
I continue to receive the same excellent treatment from Cingular as I always have in the past. I'm still using the same plan I started 5-6 years ago and have had zero troubles. They recently gave me free updated features on this plan that compliment the great new Motorola RAZR V3 phone I upgraded to earlier this year and I am, of course, well pleased. I continue to look forward to my relationship with Cingular well past the almost 8 years I have now been with them.
The GAIT plan is no longer offered but with plans starting at 450 minutes with 5000 free nights and weekends, free mobile to mobile with other Cingular customers, per use internet and media or optional features for heavy users - the same offered for text messaging, no roaming charges and free long distance from anywhere in the US continent, everyone can find and customize their plan to suit their needs. All this and the most reliable cellphone service starting at $39 per month is still well under $50 a month with Federal and State taxes plus additional fees such as E911. Just check out their website at: http://www.cingular.com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $39 mo.avg.
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.