Cingular claims GSM network integration complete
by Chris Ziegler 
posted Oct 5th 2006 at 5:08AM
Just two short years after digesting AT&T Wireless to the tune of $41 billion, Cingular has triumphantly announced that the two company's networks are now one. Of course, they'd promised all along that the integration process would take two years, so whether the announcement has basis in reality or is nothing more than a dog-and-pony show to keep the investor types happy is anybody's guess. For their part, Cingular says the "completion" (their phrasing, not ours) will allow them to devote more attention to building out their fledgling HSDPA network, presumably in an effort to narrow the coverage gap with its EV-DO competitors -- but we suspect we know a few people that would like to see a little more elbow grease put into that integration stuff first.
[Via Mobile Gadget News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Org @ Oct 5th 2006 9:08AM
Well great, glad to se they could "complete the network". Now if only they could actual repair a tower after a Tornado knocks it down. I have been without service for over a month now and all they can tell me is, "we're working on it".
Jordan @ Oct 5th 2006 10:33AM
So there is no more 380 network?
Somehow I don't believe it. We weren't integrated merely 2 months ago. Haven't checked since then (when I switched to Verizon).
The funny thing is that I switched (back) to Verizon because I had horrendous amounts of dropped calls, network busy signals and missed incoming calls even with great signal strength.
What used to happen daily hasn't happened once since I switched back to Verizon. Not trying to plug Verizon here, there are plenty of things about them that I hate as well, but the PR article just irked me as I read it.
Jordan @ Oct 5th 2006 10:39AM
Oh wow, I just researched this some on Howard Forums. People are FURIOUS, because it isn't actually finished. Check out what OldEngineer posted (a very well-respected member with over 2300 posts):
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I know quite a few engineers on the inside, all over the country. The integration is NOT complete, not by any reasonable definition. I'm sure they've got some lawyers handy to carefully parse their words and narrowly define what THEY mean by "complete" so they can't be prosecuted for FRAUD, but by any common sense, ordinary person kind of definition, their claim is a flat out lie.
This is just eyewash for Wall Street.
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ACK.
Scott @ Oct 5th 2006 10:56AM
OOOOOOHHHH. So that's why I can't connect to mMode at this moment.
Todd @ Oct 5th 2006 11:34AM
Not quite...I went from having 5 bars and no dropped calls in my neighborhood to SOS, GSM, gprs and edge (not EDGE) with 2 bars at best. Sure, I don't drop call in other places during my commute anymore but my Blackberry is nearly useless in a 3 mile radius of my house (North Shore, Long Island NY, Western Nassau County)
I've call, emailed, etc to Cingular Customer care, and changed my SIM to no avail. There answer was it will be resolved as on October 4th. Now I see why but they clearly didn't replicate the coverage. This is BS!
clay banky @ Oct 5th 2006 2:23PM
Unfortunately I believed them when they sold me on GSM a few years ago. It wasn't there for me. And now I'm not there for them!
strider_mt2k @ Oct 5th 2006 12:44PM
Yesss!
Strike Cingular down with your hatred and their network will be complete!
I'm afraid their network will be quite operational by the time your friends arrive...
Finished Law School @ Oct 5th 2006 12:05PM
I am leaving Cingular in December for Tmobile and an unlocked Nokia E50. I look forward to no longer dealing with Cingular and their stupidity...
Donald @ Oct 5th 2006 10:52PM
"but we suspect we know a few people that would like to see a little more elbow grease put into that integration stuff first."
lol, TDMA
-sun @ Oct 5th 2006 3:37PM
they are now charing a $5 network access fee to all of those loyal AT$T customers that stayed on for the long haul. I've had my service for 5 years and my plan has yet to be matched in money and minutes by any current cingular plan. They keep saying to switch to GSM but they want me to take a 400 minute a month hit and pay the same amount ..lol .. now they charge a $5 network access fee ..
i'm in the process of testing T-Mobile service with two phone Motov360 (not bad phone) and Blackberry Pearl (when it arrives) .. At&T i mean cingular will soon loose me as a customer ..
-sun
KC @ Oct 5th 2006 8:47PM
It's probably just marketing to say the network is complete to gear up for the whole NEW at&t Wireless that is going to replace Cingular when the Bell South merger is complete.
that's right folks, you had AT&T Wireless, then they were bought buy Cingular, but then at&t bought the other co-owner of Cingular and they like the at&t name better so guess what, your back on at&t Wireless (not the old one just the name) by January '07!
41 billion for AT&T Wireless
Billions more to integrate the network and market the Cingular brand
Billions more to switch Cingular over to the NEW at&t name
Corporations wasting your money: Priceless
echo @ Oct 5th 2006 10:34PM
ever since cingular made these supposed "network upgrades" i've had nothing but static and weak signals. what a way to repay loyal customers.