Cingular Extended?
This was on my phone yesterday right before I disconnected a local call.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
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Cingular Extend means only one thing. You are on a Competitor's Tower. Either ATTWS or TMOBILE. Any other place, you will still see the Cingular alpha tag. If you are just recently seeing this in your local area, then one of two things is going on. 1. The ATTWS open roam agreement is now in your area, or 2. your Roaming software is out of date. Call customer service for a possible IRDB update.
If it's 1, the you'll just have to wait for the automatic IRDB update.
If it's 1, the you'll just have to wait for the automatic IRDB update.
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Thanks. I know I saw this once at home when I first got my phone and was downloading a ringtone or something. I inquired about it a day later and the Cingular person didn't seem to know what I was talking about. 😉
I've copied your post and will read that to them when I call. 😁
I've copied your post and will read that to them when I call. 😁
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Just so you know, Cingular Extend does NOT mean you will get roaming charges. That is determined by your geographical calling area. If you are at home and you phone says Cingular Extend, you won't have any additional charges.
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OK, that's what I thought. 😉
The call from yesterday was at a mall about 10 miles from home.
The call from yesterday was at a mall about 10 miles from home.
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In terms that make sense to everyone:
Cingular on the display, you are on a Cingular tower, everything is normal.
Cingular Extend on the display, you are on a tower that is not Cingular.
The phone will only latch on to a non-cingular tower if it's getting really lousy reception, but the other tower is good reception.
Towers are listed by the network in terms of priority, meaning that Cingular towers are priority 1, and the local T-Mobile tower is priority 2. The phone tries really hard to just use high priority towers since they are cheaper for Cingular to use. When the open roaming agreements are in place, all the ATTWS towers will jump up to priority 1 to match Cingular's towers, giving most people better reception everywhere...
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Cingular on the display, you are on a Cingular tower, everything is normal.
Cingular Extend on the display, you are on a tower that is not Cingular.
The phone will only latch on to a non-cingular tower if it's getting really lousy reception, but the other tower is good reception.
Towers are listed by the network in terms of priority, meaning that Cingular towers are priority 1, and the local T-Mobile tower is priority 2. The phone tries really hard to just use high priority towers since they are cheaper for Cingular to use. When the open roaming agreements are in place, all the ATTWS towers will jump up to priority 1 to match Cingular's towers, giving most people better reception everywhere...
(continues)
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Thanks for explaining in layperson's terms. 🙂 And I'm on the Nat'l. plan, so I shouldn't be charged for roaming (if that's what it's considered).
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Cingular Extened will be apearing in certain areas due to Cingular will be using ATT Wireless Network. This will give you a more reliable network. If your on a cingular national plan you dont have to worry about any charges. If you are on a local plan be careful you will be charged.
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