Cingular Will Carry the SMT5600

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=537366' target='_blank'>http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=537366</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/5600.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />If you follow this link to this Howard Forum thread you will find a link to a pdf file that is a rebate form from Cingular. Amongst the phones listed is the SMT5600. Is this proof Cingular will carry it? If you look at the dates the rebate is valid for (01/02/05 thru 01/31/05) my question is: Where is the phone already? On the other hand as it was an AT&amp;T phone and is very popular it would make sense that they would carry it. What do you think?

[NTzeke]

This is good news. I have the SMT5600 from ATT and it is a great phone. Only problem is my reception is pretty crappy in my apartment but Cingular gets a great signal. Any of you guys think there is a way to get the cingular signal besides unlocking it (I am afraid I will screw something up). Any chance that Cingular would trade in my ATT branded phone for a Cingular branded phone?

[Jerry Raia]

I would think you will be getting it as they merge anyway. I know I have had stronger coverage in previously weak Cingular areas and even seen the AT&amp;T Service indication on my Cingular MPx220 at times.

[NTzeke]

I would think you will be getting it as they merge anyway. I know I have had stronger coverage in previously weak Cingular areas and even seen the AT&amp;T Service indication on my Cingular MPx220 at times.

I have heard that. Seems like I have heard of "Cingular" popping up as the carrier on ATT phones as well. I hope it does happen. I wish I knew when that would happen.

[gcherian]

I have heard that. Seems like I have heard of "Cingular" popping up as the carrier on ATT phones as well. I hope it does happen. I wish I knew when that would happen.

It is not that simple - you got to have an unlocked phone to put in the cingular SIM - plus you need a ENS enabled phone and 64K SIM from cingular for optimum network selection between Cingular and ATT towers. By the way I would not wait for cingular to exchange your ATT 5600 with a cingular one..... you could be waiting really long time.

George

[NTzeke]

I have heard that. Seems like I have heard of "Cingular" popping up as the carrier on ATT phones as well. I hope it does happen. I wish I knew when that would happen.

It is not that simple - you got to have an unlocked phone to put in the cingular SIM - plus you need a ENS enabled phone and 64K SIM from cingular for optimum network selection between Cingular and ATT towers. By the way I would not wait for cingular to exchange your ATT 5600 with a cingular one..... you could be waiting really long time.

George

I have to say I am completly clueless as to the process you touched on there. Could you tell me what I would need to do to get on Cingular towers as well as the cost involoved? I hate being a noob.

[drummrsanonymous]

I saw an SMT5600 in a Cingular store in South Charleston, WV a week or so ago. It may have been the leftovers of AT&amp;T stock, I don't know. I didn't check into them because I was after the flip form factor of the MPX220.

It's strange, but understandable how Cingular is handling the merger. It's still like two seperate compaines; the only difference being that their customers can use each other's towers and are considered to be on the same network for billing purposes. Sounds like if you have an AT&amp;T phone with an old AT&amp;T contract, they'll just keep updating your contract before giving you a new phone to switch you to the Cingular side.

As far as service indicators, I had an AT&amp;T SE T616 and it started showing Cingular as the current network. This only happened where AT&amp;T didn't have service before though. Only difference from before was that I wasn't roaming.

Cheers,
Nick

[jkovacs]

I wouldn't get too excited based on a rebate form? If you recall, there was something about a a free Motorola bluetooth headset for the first "x" customers to register their AT&amp;T MPx220. The date came and went without any official word, let alone the MPx220 release.

I'm not saying Cingular won't carry it, but I wouldn't rely on the rebate form for the timeframe.

...Joe K.

[rbrome]

I can confirm that Cingular will offer the 5600.

I'm out at CES, and during my meeting with UTStarcom (Audiovox), I asked about the 5600 and a spokeswoman officially confirmed that the 5600 is in final testing with Cingular, and should be offered directly by the end of Q1 (meaning March).

[Jerry Raia]

I guess the dates on the rebate form are a bit off then :)

[Mike Temporale]

I'm out at CES, and during my meeting with UTStarcom (Audiovox), I asked about...

Ask them where our cradles are too! :bad-words: :wink:

[jfreiman]

I can confirm that Cingular will offer the 5600.

I'm out at CES, and during my meeting with UTStarcom (Audiovox), I asked about the 5600 and a spokeswoman officially confirmed that the 5600 is in final testing with Cingular, and should be offered directly by the end of Q1 (meaning March).

rbrome, while you're at it PLEASE find out if they are working with VENDORS to provide a really good stereo headset and mic for the unit. I really could use one!

[Jerry Raia]

All of you Cingular folks who are getting excited about this phone are really making us "PROUD" Cingular MPx220 owners...well...upset. :oops:

[GSMfan]

Okay, as far as the alpha-tags switching on the phones, that is just because Cingular is currently rebranding their existing AT&amp;T Wireless towers with the Cingular name. An existing AT&amp;T Wireless phone with a 32K SIM is programmed to search first for AT&amp;T Wireless towers (or Cingular towers that were originally part of AT&amp;T Wireless before the merger), and if the signal is too weak it will go to Cingular towers (Towers that were Cingular before the merger). Now when the need arises to switch from one set (Old AT&amp;T towers) to the other (Old Cingular), your call will drop. However, if you buy a phone with ENS and a 64K SIM (Only available on new Cingular phones), then your call can theoretically switch betwen the 2 systems without dropping the call. I do say theoretically for a reason.