ATT/Cingular Merger Service Area Question

[awflwaffle]

Hey guys. I go to school in Los Angeles in an area where Cingular is really the only good service provider. I really want to get an SMT5600 but the AT&T service at my school is pretty crappy. My question is do you know if the networks will eventually overlap after the merger do that I can get Cingular coverage on an ATT plan? I know this is kind of vague but my goal is to basically have an SMT5600 on Cingular's service area. I know that this could be done now via unlocking and such but I dont want to have to deal with the hassle of switching my plan over to cingular right after i got one with ATT.

[Mike Temporale]

I think they already have. I can't say for sure. You should check with your local AT&T outlet. If anyone knows the answer, they should. :)

[joeonsunset]

This has been the case already for awhile. If you have an AT&T phone and the phone can't find an AT&T signal it'll just go with a Cingular signal. The only problem here is when the AT&T signal is there but weak and you have a strong Cingular signal... the phone won't go with Cingular automatically.

To solve this problem, change the preferred network order in your phone to choose Cingular towers first, then AT&T. Then network selection will operate just as above but with the networks swapped, favoring Cingular.

The new Cingular SIMs will (do?) choose either an AT&T or Cingular tower based on which signal is stronger, which is something you can't achieve with an AT&T SIM.