[Villages Kahuna]

After more than 20 years with a Verizon cell phone, I'm thinking about getting an iPhone. I live in Mallory Square and the Verizon service is OK there. Does anyone have any experience with AT&T (Cingular) in TV, particularly south of 466? Good signal strength, or less than desired?

[JohnZ]

We live in Calument Grove near Hwy. 42. My wife and I have Cingular/AT&T. Our service all over the area, TV, Leesburg, Ocala.. has been great. I always get 4 bars on my Blackjack (cool phone btw). Service is Edge technology....no 3G here. But travel near Gainesville or Orlando and 3G kicks in. 3G is nice for web-based stuff but it is a power drain on your battery and you really don't need this for regular phone use. So, I have my BlackJack always in Edge mode.

[kar guy]

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHICH IS THE BEST SERVICE AND WHAT KIND OF PRICE DO YOU PAY FOR IT. THANKS, THE KAR GUY.

[Villages Kahuna]

I've read that one of the disadvantages of the AT&T/Cingular network is their "slow" internet technology (Edge?) compared to the faster (3G?) technology used by Verizon and some other networks. I currently use a Palm Treo 650 on Verizon, but I seldom use the device to access e-mail, surf the internet, etc. I've experimented with both and it almost "feels" like returning to the days of the 56K modem. I don't know how much of the cause is the Treo software and how much is Verizon network capability, although I'm guessing the slowness is more the fault of the Treo. I've read that the iPhone software for e-mail and internet access is superb, limited only by the speed of the AT&T network. As a lifelong Mac user, a great user interface on the iPhone wouldn't surprise me.

From all that I've been able to determine, it might be a long while--if ever--that the iPhone is available on another wireless network. AT&T has a two-year contract with Apple for the iPhone. Beyond that, Apple has a reputation of being loyal to their partners to an extreme. Nothing I've read or that I've been able to determine from Apple people I know suggests that another wireless provider is even on Apple's radar screen.

That being the case, will I be badly disappointed by the e-mail and internet performance of the iPhone on the AT&T network? Is AT&T working towards switching to a faster technology, possibly 3G?

Comments?

[JohnZ]

I had a Cingular Blackberry 8700c up till about 3 weeks ago (I now have a BlackJack). Cingular/AT&T email with Blackberry and BlackJack is ligtening fast so you iPhone should be too. You should have no problem with iPhone email here. But, web serving via Edge (the service in the TV area) is probably what you are experiencing now (slow).....3G is much faster and is not available in TV. The iPhone , like BlackJack, both use 3G if available. The iPhone, like BlackJack, will be slow surfing the web here because 3G is not available. When will 3G get here, I'd say it's at least six months out. But for must things, email, data transfer, phone....Edge technology works realy well. You only want 3G to view graphics intense web stuff.

[mnchshadow]

We aren't full timers at TV but come up freguently to stay in our home that is in the rental program. Our experience with ATT or Cingular has been horrible. I can't stay connected for more than ten minutes at a time when I am surfing the web or on e-mail. It drives me crazy when I have written a long e-mail and I have to start over because we lost the connection. We have a card since we aren't up there all the time so I don't know how the service is with the telephone service. : Has anyone else experienced this problem? Were you able to resolve it? I usually go to Mallory square rec center to go on my e-mail, but I would like to stay home and use my computer. Thanks mnchshadow

[JohnZ]

Shadow: Are you talking about Cingular Wireless?

[handieman]

Cingular/ATT has a go phone prepaid program. Reception is Forget it. Maybe the full subscription service is better. Of course they don't tell you this. BOO on cingular and ATT, they have given me nothing but lousy service. Tracfone has them all beat if you want good service and low cost provided your not a chatterbox.
Handie :joke:

[RayB]

I have AT&T prepaid and reception is just great. No problems on reception except one area in the Villages. This is on 466A between the villages at intersection with Buena Vista and the center of Wildwood. I don't live there and it is not a problem for me.

[beady]

Tracfone is awesome. Pay as you go,most of the bells and whistles, great reception on and offshore, which is important for us. I have used it all over the east coast with great success. :bigthumbsup:

[Stancoa]

I'm in the village of Duvall not too far from the entrance at Odell Circle and Buena Vista Blvd closer to 466A. My Iphone gets 4 bars outside but drops to 2-3 inside.

[LG]

I dumped Cingular ( att).. I had to stand in my front yard to even get a little reception. VERIZION is SUPER :bigthumbsup: