Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 19:46:31 EDT
Reply-To: BenTbtstr8@aol.com
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benjamin Tan <BenTbtstr8@aol.com>
Subject: Re: wireless communicationNONVANAGON???
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Hi Donna,
I drove from California to Nebraska by way of Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming just
a few months ago. Sprint PCS coverage is fine in the metropolitan areas but
not in the outskirts.
Generally speaking cell phones are the easiest people can have to you while
you are on the road. Several vendors are now offering service without
contracts as long as you have or buy your own telephone set. The contracts
are designed to help them recover the cost of the so called "FREE" phone.
Here's a few thing to keep in mind when selecting your phone service:
ANALOG phones have been around longer and will usually offer the widest area
of coverage. However, transmission is the worst. You will also get charged
for "roaming" out of your area in addition to the minutes you use. Shorter
talk time due to power consumption.
DIGITAL phones have a slightly smaller area of coverage but offers improved
transmission quality. With proper programming, you can get these guys to
"roam" to an analog system when your out of digital range. As a matter of
fact, most "digital" services offered in US cities already do this w/o
telling the customer. Pay for digital get analog most of the time. Improved
talk time. Usually offers voice mail of some kind. Phones costs more.
PCS phones are smarter digital phones. However, they do not usually share the
same network. And since this is the baby of the cellular world. coverage is
VERY spotty and only truly great in metropolitan areas. They do offer more
features. Voicemail, email, paging, etc. Usually for no extra charge. Bad
thing: they usually are not programmed to roam to analog systems. I'm not
even sure that you can program them for that. Transmission quality is equal
if not better than most digital systems. Best talk times of the group. When
you don't answer the phone, party gets voicemail which pages you once you are
in range. I signed up for one of these through Sprint. I have no fixed
contract but get 1000 minutes for $49.99. Not only that, I can call anywhere
in the US and it is considered a local call. Now most PCS carriers should
have similar plans. Keep in mind that plans can be negotiated.
Lastly, I am not affiliated with any cellular carriers or LD carriers
whatsoever. I just happen to use cell phones a lot and have experience w/
every single one of the systems I discussed. I could go on and on ... pmail
me if you need additional details.
BenT
MaBell Refugee
