USA service provider opinions for a new guy

[Guest MJM]

Hello,

Currently using a Pocket PC pda and a separate cell phone. National plan with Cingular so I pay no roaming, no long distance ever.

I would like to combine the two into a smartphone. I would also like to stay with Cingular since I travel quite a bit and want to get service everywhere without paying roaming fees.

I have researched the different providers but still don't know enough to form an opinion so I'm turning to the experts, you.

I would like to do the following with a new smartphone:

1) Use it as a modem for my laptop

2) Use it as a cell phone with an integrated Pocket PC(outlook, activesync, etc) that actually fits in my hand (vice a full size Pocket PC thats has an integrated phone)

3) I would also like multiple band capabilities so that I can swap sim cards when traveling overseas

The motorola seems to be the best choice right now, what is coming next?

Where do I look to get all the TRUE answers regarding service and fees (customer service at Cingular knows nothing about smartphones).

Thanks in advance.

[Guest abatis]

Does Cingular offer GSM on 1800 or 1900 band? If so than the smartphone MPX200 is fine. They do not need to know what the smartphone is - it will need to be unlocked of course.

Looks like they are 1900

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/net_usbe.shtml

[Guest actionj]

the mpx200 is not the right solution for you. In the US, it only works on the 1900 band. Cingular and AT&T (which was aquired by Cingular) now heavily use the 850 band which the mpx200 does not support. so... i would wait and get the tri-band mpx100 or mpx220 when they come out this fall.

[Guest McHale]

I've been on Cingular for about 10 years. I've also been with T-Mobile for work. I'd stick with Cingular if you have a good price plan and wait until the MPx100, MPx220, or MPx come out. If you live in a 1900 area (and not 850 like Chicago is) the MPx200 will work for you if you don't travel the US too much but you could run into trouble if you go to an 850 area like Chicago. If you travel the US only, you will definately want the 850 band...

I worked for Cingular for quite some time. What questions do you have?

-Mc

[Guest MJM]

Thanks for the info.

I travel across the US frequently so I need something that will work everywhere. I also travel overseas (Pacific Rim) so something that works over there (even if I have to buy a local sim card) would be a bonus.

Where can I find more info on 1900, 850, etc? A map would be perfect.

Where can I find info on the 100 or 220 and when they will be released?

Thanks again.

[Guest abatis]

Just for info, a T-Mobile MPX200 (mine) works great in Chicago, LA-Basin, NYC, Long Island Missoula, MT , Mammoth Lakes Ca, Houston TX, Salina, UT - lots of places. To be fair to the carrier and the people looking at that carrier, Please verify where they don't work before posting something. Speculation comes cheap. T-Mob has a nice covierage map on the web.

[Guest McHale]

remember though, T-Mobile is 1900 only. There are GSM areas that are 850 only. Also, if you're a Cingular subscriber, they sometimes don't allow you to roam. If you're using a 1900 only phone and are in an 850 Cingular area, you will have no coverage.

If you are a T-Mobile subscriber, you are obviously limited (with a 1900 phone) to 1900 only areas. With an 850/1900 phone, you have greater potential for coverage.

I'm not promoting Cingular because I worked for them. With roaming agreements, Cingular has the best US coverage map (assuming you have 850/1900)

-Mc

[Guest MJM]

I just saw in Pocket PC that the MPX 200 is tri mode. Is this correct? Wouldn't that negate all the problems people are describing above?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm interested in staying with Cingular. I can't find any information on their web site about data plans. I would like to use the phone as a modem for my laptop. Does anyone think this would be possible with an unlocked MPX-200 using Cingular?

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

1) Use it as a modem for my laptop

Yes as long as you have WIN XP or 2k on your pc as ME and 98 do not have the usb drivers

2) Use it as a cell phone with an integrated Pocket PC(outlook, activesync, etc) that actually fits in my hand (vice a full size Pocket PC thats has an integrated phone)

This is what I use my phone for all the time.

3) I would also like multiple band capabilities so that I can swap sim cards when traveling overseas

And the phone is triband in the UK but for some reason only dual band in the US :?

[Guest McHale]

I just saw in Pocket PC that the MPX 200 is tri mode.  Is this correct?  Wouldn't that negate all the problems people are describing above?

The 2 bands you need in the US are 850 and 1900. NO MPx200 has the 850 band, no matter where you buy it. If you want to stay with Cingular, the MPx200 is NOT the phone for you.

Wait for the MPx100 or the MPx220 (both are the same phone, one is candybar and the other is flip like the MPx200). Both of those will have 850/1900 plus 1800 for travel over seas.

Also, the MPx (the Motorola PocketPC phone which is slightly larger than the MPx200) is very sweet. I'm planning on getting this instead now due to the huge amount of software for PPC's. It will be 850/1900/1800 as well.

-Mc

[Guest tygar]

I was recently in your situation and decided to go ahead and purchase a mpx200 against the popular opinion of waiting for the 100, 220 or MPX. I have yet to see a firm release date for the next generation of Moto's smartphones, and I was tired of waiting. I picked one up on eBay with the intention of selling if it didn't work. I am using the phone with Cingular and I am currently having pretty good success in my home and travel areas. I notice that the phone picks up a good deal of 1900 tmobile towers both at home and when I'm traveling (central/southern us), but everything seems to work fine. I do still pack my SE T616 just in case I get into an all 850 market. If you can live with these compromises, I would say go ahead and get it as the phone far surpasses any other Cingular offerings.