Former ATT 5600 users - new ROM in my replacement

[Guest Socrates]

I just got a replacement 5600 from Cingular using my legacy ATT Lock/Line Insurance. (I had a cracked screen.)

Anyway, the new phone seems to have a slightly different ROM than my old one did. For one thing it has a red version number on the Audiovox startup screen where the old one did not have that.

The only significant difference that I've seen so far is that I no longer have ATT WIRELESS and CINGULAR listed when I click SELECT A NETWORK. Now I just have two listings for CINGULAR.

I also seem to have WAY better reception in my house than I did before. In the past I've been lucky to get 2 bars if I forced the phone to roam on Cingular, and 1 bar if I left in on ATT. Now I'm getting 3 or 4 bars no matter what I select.

Anyway, I don't know if this is just a conicidence that they maybe finally combined some towers or if it has to do with the updated ROM or what. Does anyone else with an older ATT 5600 suddenly have two Cingulars listed?

Also, this new phone is completely new, not a refurb, and in the box is a new SIM card. Does anyone know what I need to do with that? My old SIM is working just fine.

[Guest bradmatejo]

You don't need that new SIM card. You'll use that if you switch from your ATT contract (blue) to a Cingular contract (orange). Blue/orange is how the company distinguish which contract you're on and which network is set as your primary. Contrary to some of their advertising, they are actually operating two separate networks. They allow unrestricted roaming, but the old ATT network and Cingular's network are still being combined into one big network.

If you're getting better signal all of a sudden, it may be because the replacement phone has both the blue and orange networks available whereas the old phone was locked to only the blue. Lucky you, when I went from ATT to Cingular my signal at home went from mediocre to abyssmal. Never could figure out why...

[Guest Socrates]

The better reception is not just here at home. Took it out today and its better reception everywhere so far.

It could also be that the old phone had some antenna issues and I didn't realize it.

[Guest seawolf]

The better reception is not just here at home. Took it out today and its better reception everywhere so far.

It could also be that the old phone had some antenna issues and I didn't realize it.

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What are the versions in the About page? Thanks.