beware of "hidden" charges when roaming on cingular

[sworshs]

MOD: I believe this topic belongs to the hot deal forum because it affects all ATTWS subscribers. They can potentially unknowingly run up a huge phone bill. If you don't think it belongs here, please feel free to move it.

As many have noticed, we are now able to roam on Cingular network. However, there is a hidden charge that we may not be aware of. Many ATTWS customers are enjoying unlimited mobile to mobile minutes. This unlimited M2M minutes only applies when you and the receipient are on ATTWS network. With the auto roam, your unlimited M2M minutes are no longer apply if you or the receipient is not on ATTWS network. This can be a potential problem for some ATTWS users. I signed onto the ATTWS network because 90% of my friends are with ATTWS. I love the unlimited M2M feature.

Now, my phone roams on Cingular about 60% of the time. As a result, I started to notice my anytime minutes depleting at an alarming rate.

I was also told by ATTWS rep that while roaming on cingular it will cost $0.25 per SMS.

I think Anandtech users that has ATTWS should be made aware of that.

 

[RVN]

Nothing to see here.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

you should already know better than to use cingular wireless, they are a bunch of (overpriced,over rated) crooks.

 

[Bolvangar]

he uses ATT, and has no choice but to use cingular when roaming now.

 

[Ness]

Cancer affects millions but we don't allow posting cancer warnings. Point being, hot deals forum is for hot deals. Consumer alerts belong in off-topic, brag and moan at the least.

 

[sworshs]

Originally posted by: ness1469
Cancer affects millions but we don't allow posting cancer warnings. Point being, hot deals forum is for hot deals. Consumer alerts belong in off-topic, brag and moan at the least.

If there's a product that was posted in the hot deal forum that causes cancer, and we are unaware of it, then it should be posted to warn people. Same thing goes here! There is quite a few post regarding ATTWS phone and contract deals. Some people sign up with ATTWS becuz of the phone discounts and unlimited M2M minutes. Now that since the phone automatically roam over to Cingular, the deal can turn cold. People can potentially run up a huge phone bill thinking they are depleting the M2M mintues rather than the anytime minutes.

Further more, if you don't think this belongs to the hot deal forum, you can simply leave it alone and let it die, or alert the MOD to have it deleted.

Since we are in the hot deal forum, I want to point out this can be potentially a hot deal. It may allow people get out of their contract. I tested a few phones that one can manually select network. But it switches back to Cingular after a few minutes since Cingular has a strong signal. If ATTWS doesn't provide a way to prevent auto roam, the subscriber may be able to get out of the contract because it renders M2M mintues useless (Imagine all ATTWS subscriber roams over to Cingular. They pretty much raise the price of the plan...making it more like 1000 anytime minutes and NW mintues only. M2M mintues is not longer a perk). One may also request that ATTWS should let M2M mintues include Cingular networks.

This is just a theory, it may not work. For those who knows more about this subject, feel free to comment on this subject.