Cingular MPX220 status??

[windmiller]

I am serious need of a smartphone/pda phone for business. Because of this I am thinking on switching from Cingular to AT&T so I that I can get the Audiovox SMT 5600. The problem is that I have two other lines for my mom and girlfriend on this account and if I got to AT&T I cannot share minutes with them and a smartphone because of AT& T rules. So I would have to get my own account and get them to share an account. This will cost me about 20.00 more a month.

So what I am trying to find out is if anyone has heard of when Cingular is going to sell the MPX220 through there stores. And if the newer phones have an updated ROM without the volume issues

Or if anyone has successfully unlocked the SMT5600 so I could use it on the Cingular network.

Any info or ideas would be much appreciated!

[Mike Temporale]

Best Buy had a 30 day "exclusive", so it won't be available elsewhere for another couple weeks.

As for unlocking, check out this post (http://www.SmartphoneThoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6667&highlight=) Seems to be a popular question today. :wink: :)

[Beowulf]

I still personally think the whole volume thing is overblown. If your really anixous to get the phone (like I was) goto best buy and try one out for a week. I think you will be happy with it. You can always flash or exchange it if they "fix" the volume problem. If it turns out you have more hearing problems than the average person you can always use a headset (Many people prefer that anyway).

[PPCMD]

I would wait the two weeks until the MPX220 is out at the Cingular stores. I visited the former ATTWS store across from my office. They said the new Cingular sign will be up as soon as possible. That on November 15th is when ATTWS stops adding customers to ATTWS. November 15th is the big day and from what I can tell the ATTWS stores will sell out the stock they have phone wise and add newer phones with the Cingular logo. The MPX220 demo was at the store, dummy phone and it didn't have the any logo just the MPX220 logo. Hoping this is what they are getting.

[mindspin]

I got news from a Cingular corporate rep that the MPX220 that is sold at Best Buy is missing something. From what I got it was not hardware realted. It was something that Cingualr is putting into their phones described only as "new technology" and that the phone would essentially be cut off from the network in 18 months.

I am interested to see if there is any truth in this. I will most likely get a new phone in 18 months anyway, but for $300 I better have the option to use it longer then that if I want.

[windmiller]

Issue solved. I bought the SMT 5600 at Amazon.com then unlocked the phone.

SMT5600 running smooth on Cingular account. Man is it nice to finally have a good phone..I have been using a beta XDA for about 3 years now and it is beat all to hell.

[Jerry Raia]

I got news from a Cingular corporate rep that the MPX220 that is sold at Best Buy is missing something. From what I got it was not hardware realted. It was something that Cingualr is putting into their phones described only as "new technology" and that the phone would essentially be cut off from the network in 18 months.

I am interested to see if there is any truth in this. I will most likely get a new phone in 18 months anyway, but for $300 I better have the option to use it longer then that if I want.

18 months is an eternity in this arena. I will have gone through 2 phones by then!! :grinning devil:

[mindspin]

Oh, I am sure I will have something new in the next 12 months. It's just the principal of the matter :)

If someone buys a phone with a 2 year contract and that phone is going to be phased off of the cellular network in 18 months.... that just does not add up to good business.

[Jerry Raia]

I agree but I'm inclined to not believe that something like cutting a phone off of the network is going to happen.

[mindspin]

I though so too, but the company I currently working with has a corporate contract with Cingular. They tried to get a MPX220 for testing and the rep told them that they had to wait because the phone was missing something.(what I talked about 2 posts ago). Just passing along what I have heard, the rep could be wrong.

[cortez]

so what is/was missing? a carrier lock?

[james840a]

Oh so cingular is missing something from the MPx220?
Is best buy and/or cingular going to recall the models sold at best buy after they fix whats missing, for a replacement? If not, im smelling law suit. because im keeping mine longer then 18months.

[PPCMD]

Whats missing is the ROM fix for the volume. Cingular is simply playing CYA game so they can claim the BB phones are not good or right.

[cortez]

CYA??? :roll: as far as i'm concerned, the phone has Cingular's name on it so Cingular/Motorola are at fault...

[james840a]

i agree with cortez, cingular can not claim that BB phones are not good, becuase cingulars name is attached to the phone its self.

Cingular would have to give free of charge a rom update or a replacement phone. They simple cant brush it aside or blaim someone else

[PPCMD]

I doubt we will see them ignore the BB phones but I don't see the update being made available at launch either. The CYA was more tongue and cheek than anything else.

The issue for Cingular is that the phones do have their name on them and the volume issues that each person either has or doesn't have still hurts cingular in the short term and possibly the long term.