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TDMA Unlock?

X

XiZiT

Senior member
Hey I know this is more appropriate for Howard forums but I don't have a membership there. Anyway, my uncle is an AT&T WS customer and has a TDMA phone. Everyone knows that TDMA is better then GSM on AT&T's network (in NYC) and so my uncle does not want to switch to the new system. He does, however, want a new phone. Is it possible to somehow unlock a TDMA phone or do something to a GSM phone to keep it TDMA? Basically, no phone store wants to give out TDMA phones because AT&T is paying big to convert all members to GSM (which sucks!). What are my options?

Thanks.
 
A GSM phone is incompatible with a TDMA network, so no you can't "do something" to a GSM phone to make it work on the TDMA system.
 
Originally posted by: Thegonagle
A GSM phone is incompatible with a TDMA network, so no you can't "do something" to a GSM phone to make it work on the TDMA system.
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That would be correct. He would have to buy a new phone
 
Originally posted by: XiZiTWhat are my options?
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Leave AT&T. They're horrible. I wouldn't pick Cingular, however, because if they get our of their network-sharing agreement with T-Mobile, their New York coverage will suffer significantly, and T-Mobile has the least coverage of the top 5 carriers. You'll have to decide outside those three who to choose (I'd obviously say Sprint 😉)
 
Originally posted by: Ilmater
Originally posted by: XiZiTWhat are my options?
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Leave AT&T. They're horrible. I wouldn't pick Cingular, however, because if they get our of their network-sharing agreement with T-Mobile, their New York coverage will suffer significantly, and T-Mobile has the least coverage of the top 5 carriers. You'll have to decide outside those three who to choose (I'd obviously say Sprint 😉)
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Why's it so obvious? I'm the one with it in my sig😉😛
 
I had Cingular. They sucked.
I switched to AT&T which is better then Cingular (IN MY AREA) but it's still not as good as their ole' TDMA.

Ok so on Ebay what do I do? Just purchase a TDMA AT&T/Unlocked phone and then call up AT&T and say I got a new phone and they will carry everything over from the old TDMA phone?

Thanks.
 
Hey! I have Cingular and I wouldn't go near any other carrier, except Nextel. Their coverage isn't the best, but their plans are the best. No US roaming, no long distance, no questions asked. You can't beat that. I dumped my home phone. Okay, personal opinion over. I say US roaming because I travel to Europe and need a GSM phone. GSM coverage in NYC is aweful. I had a hard time connecting because of overloaded towers last time I was up there.

I would leave AT&T wireless. The transition sucks. Happily for me, I've always been on a GSM network, so I never had to go through a transition. If you don't want GSM, I would go with Verizon. I've heard nothing but good from them. I know Verizon and Sprint use the same technology. And speaking of Sprint, I've heard nothing but bad from them. I only know one person out of dozens who stuck with Sprint. I would go with Verizon or Cingular or Nextel.


Satisfied Cingular customer since 1998 (when they were BellSouth PCS before the merger).
 
i have AT&T GSM and LOVE it! I get MUCH better coverage than i was getting with the already-great TDMA coverage, which, IMO, makes it an outstanding network. The only time i CAN'T get coverage is when i'm in the barracks on base.

-=bmacd=-
 
Ok as always on these forums, we're getting off topic. Can anyone tell me how its gonna work if I buy a TDMA phone from ebay... is AT&T gonna bug me cuz I got another phone?
 
Originally posted by: XiZiT
Ok so on Ebay what do I do? Just purchase a TDMA AT&T/Unlocked phone and then call up AT&T and say I got a new phone and they will carry everything over from the old TDMA phone?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes. Its as simple as that.
 
Originally posted by: XiZiT
I had Cingular. They sucked.
I switched to AT&T which is better then Cingular (IN MY AREA) but it's still not as good as their ole' TDMA.

Ok so on Ebay what do I do? Just purchase a TDMA AT&T/Unlocked phone and then call up AT&T and say I got a new phone and they will carry everything over from the old TDMA phone?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

That ought to work.

Ask the seller for the phone's ESN before you bid, and call AT&T to make sure it's not reported lost/stolen. Any legit seller will understand. If they don't, I'd suggest not bidding on that auction.
 
What if it is stolen ....can they track it somehow or what is the risk of buying a stolen phone?

thanks again...
 
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