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unlocked phone on T-Mobile SoCal show 'Cingular' !? |
dosers
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
Maybe I have missed something, but my new T68i (never before locked), while working 100% with phone, message, SMS, WAP, GPRS and so on - shows CINGULAR as the network, not T-Mobile. My SIM is T-Mobile however, and in a T-Mobile locked phone, will say so. When searching for networks I can always find 'Cingular' and 'AT&T' but never (!) T-Mobile. Does this have to do with them using Cingular Towers here ? Should I be worried ??!
THanks,
Daniel. |
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porterg
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 45
From: North Carolina
PM |
Do you know if other T-mobile custs phones say "T-mobile"? Cingular had the original GSM 1900 license in Ca. Maybe T-mobile is leasing tower space, which means the alpha tag would say cingular. Kinda strange,though. Ask a local Cingular store. |
dosers
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
THanks for feedback!
WEll, I haven't talked to any (don't know any - which is why I was hoping for this board!) T-Mobile Customer with an UNLOCKED phone. The T-Mobile phones all say 'T-Mobile'.
I do know that T-Mobile, apparently, IS using Cingular Towers - I just would have thought, being on T-Mobile network and not Cingular (regardless of the Tower) would still make the phone display the 'correct' network.
THere is a setting on the T68i 'Preferred networks' - which I can make priority changees and deletions to - but there's no option to 'add' or 'search' (there is a seach for GMS networks of course) - does this have anything to do with it (potentially) or is this an unrelated setting ? Where does the phone get these settings from ? The SIM ?
Thanks !!!
Daniel.
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corey
Joined: Sep 15, 2002
Posts: 2
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I'm also an unlocked t68i user on T-Mobile in SoCal and it says Cingular. That is because when voicestream customers (as I was) roamed here we roamed on Cingular and T-Mobile is sharing their towers. Those of use roaming down here during the changeover never saw a change and nor do you with the phone not bought through tmobile. Probably will change eventually, but, what you are seeing is to be expected. Hope that helps! |
rj
Joined: Jul 14, 2002
Posts: 95
From: +63
PM |
unlocked phones particularly those which are not released by t-mobile are likely to display cingular.
t-mobile and cingular are sharing towers.
cingular costumers from the east coast are using t-mobile towers and t-mobile costumers from the west coast are using cingular's.
im not sure if cingular's costumers from the east coast display ···t·mobiLe though. |
porterg
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 45
From: North Carolina
PM |
T-Mobile and Cingular have a "joint" venture in Ca and nevada, where they share towers and network, so the alpha tag will probably always say Cingular in that region (unless Cingular sells out completely). |
dosers
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
Everyone,
thanks for the feedback. Glad I am not alone wondering 
CHeers,
Daniel.
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alden168
Joined: Aug 09, 2002
Posts: 18
PM |
T mobile is using the same tower as cingular. They have same frequency and options. when you go to East Coast. It will vice versa. It will show voicestream. |
Sparky72
Joined: Sep 28, 2002
Posts: 10
From: Orange County, CA
PM |
Well it sounds like you got your answer but I just thought I'd throw my two cents in too. I just bought a T68 from a Cingular user and threw my T-Mobile SIM card in. It was in a Nokia phone and showed T-Mobile on the display. When I threw it in the T68, everything came right up but the display does show Cingular.
Oh, and does anyone know if a Sony Service Center in CA will upgrade the T68 firmware to T68i? Has anyone tried it? |
jnonhoffzieg
Joined: Sep 02, 2002
Posts: 268
From: Newport Beach, California
PM |
My understanding of this matter is that the network identification code received by the phone does not contain an actual name, but rather only an alpha-numeric tag. The actual names are in a look-up table which could be located in the SIM memory or even the phone's firmware.
That would explain why Sparky72 saw a different name when he put his SIM in a different phone. Also, when I was in Germany, I saw at least one network listed in my phone which didn't exist anymore because it had been bought another operator, which was not listed.
@Sparky72: Unless something has changed since August, you won't be able to do an "official" upgrade of your phone in the US. There are a few threads on this subject in the forum if you search. 
T68m -> R2F0004 on Cingular - I want my MMS! |
Sparky72
Joined: Sep 28, 2002
Posts: 10
From: Orange County, CA
PM |
Thanks jnonhoffzieg. I think I saw in some of the other posts that service centers in the UK were upgrading firmware but I didn't see anthing about US service centers.
Where did you get your firmware upgraded? I've seen a few places online that are back East but I'd really like to find a place locally. Maybe someplace in downtown LA will do it? |
jnonhoffzieg
Joined: Sep 02, 2002
Posts: 268
From: Newport Beach, California
PM |
Wow, a T68 owner in Orange County! Maybe I'll be able to play bluetooth Battleship with a real person sometime! Which city are you in, Sparky72?
I went all the way to Switzerland to upgrade my phone...
I'm just passing this info along, but other users have talked about sending their phone to a guy in PA who upgraded their phones. Have heard only positive remarks, but again I haven't dealt with him myself. Try sending him an email:
Robb Weiss
2000 Technology drive suite 400
Pittsburgh,Pa 15219
412-395-1146
email: ke3ee@attbi.com
Apparently you can do it in Canada, and you might even find a place in *gulp* Tijuanna, Mexico, at least its a beautiful 2-hour drive to get there!
Good luck, and let me know how it turns out!
Jeff
T68m -> R2F0004 on Cingular - I want my MMS! |
Sparky72
Joined: Sep 28, 2002
Posts: 10
From: Orange County, CA
PM |
Hey jnonhoffzieg. I noticed you were in Newport. I'm in Orange. Yeah, I haven't seen alot of people around here with T68's.
You went all the way to Switzerland just to upgrade your phone? You must have really wanted to upgrade it!? ha ha I saw the info for this guy in PA in a couple of other posts. I think I'm going to e-mail him. There was also a website called unlockcell.com where they'll upgrade your firmware for $25 in Vermont. I do have a Nokia 3390 that I can use while the phone's being upgraded so maybe I'll just go that route. Was kinda hoping to find a local place though so I wouldn't have to be without my phone for a few days though. I think I'd rather send it someplace rather than taking a chance on TJ!
So, since you've upgraded your phone, is it worth it? Do you think I should send it across the country to get upgraded, or should I wait for someone out here on the West coast to start upgrading phones. I have to think SOMEONE out here will start upgrading them soon. |
jnonhoffzieg
Joined: Sep 02, 2002
Posts: 268
From: Newport Beach, California
PM |
Sparky72, the problem with finding a place to do the upgrade is that  doesn't provide or support any firmware upgrades in the US. They confirmed this on the phone with me but won't say why. Try calling them as well. That means that anybody who upgrades your phone here, whether in PA or VT, is doing an unofficial, unsupported upgrade which will void your warranty. That may not matter to you if you have phone insurance through your carrier, which you should. In any case, that's why I wouldn't wait for anybody out here in CA to suddenly start performing the upgrade.
I actually just happened to be travelling to Switzerland right after I got the phone so I was lucky. I got an address over there before I left. The upgrade in a cell-phone shop only took an hour. I think in your case I would do what you said and send the phone to that place in VT. At least they probably have a business license...
And yes, the upgrade is indeed worth all the hassle. It will be like having a new phone that does twice as much. Here is a partial list of the benefits:
-Picture phone book (lotsa fun)
-Store as many color pics as you have memory for (100-200 at least)
-Store pics in formats other than BMP (GIF, JPG)
-Store and view animated GIFs and use them as animated screensavers
-Download different themes with title bar pics, etc...
-Use i-melodies (like the heartbeat and walking phone) instead of only e-melodies
-WAP 2.0 browser supporting XHTML sites (much better)
-MMS (send color pics, sounds, etc..) although this is not supported by any US carrier yet
-Record BOTH sides of a conversation and even play it back during a call
-Plus whatever I am forgetting now...
Again, good luck whichever route you take! I'll let you know if I hear anything else.
T68m -> R2F0004 on Cingular - I want my MMS! |
Sparky72
Joined: Sep 28, 2002
Posts: 10
From: Orange County, CA
PM |
Well since you're a fellow Orange County person, maybe you can help me. I searched the forums but I'm still not sure on this one. I've tried to set up my phone to access the internet based on settings I found on this board but it doesn't work. I think you're on Cingular and I'm on T-Mobile. Maybe the settings are similar. Here is my question:
Did you setup your access to connect using GSM or GPRS? I tried GPRS but when I check the status of my phone it says GPRS: No network
Thanks! |
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Posted: 2002-09-14 05:02
