[thejoshuatree]

Question......

For those of you who do have your hands on a T-650, does it come with some sort of holster or do we need to buy them seperately?

[bcaslis]

I used the 200k file for the data test so it is the same. My experiences have been surprising positive with Sprint for data. Most places I am only getting 1 to 3 bars on but data speeds have been 110k - 119k with only one time when it was a little slower. This is based on two months usage. Years ago I had a very negative experience with Sprint that makes my perception of them to still be negative but to be objective about it, I really can't complain about the service they have provided (both voice and data). Their data is much faster than GPRS on T-Mobile. Cingular is new to Oregon, previously it was only AT&T. My experiences with AT&T were horrible when I tried them about two years ago. The single most incompetent group of people I ever dealt with both at the local store and on the phone. Took almost a month for them to get my account just to receive a phone call correctly. I dropped them after that trial month and never looked back.

What are your speed experiences on the Sprint network? Are you using the same speed test I am? 200K file?

[heat00]

I have sprint and it works fine... what is the big deal with this "GSM" model.. I'm sorry for the newb question, what is the difference. Is the GSM able to go overseas? That's the only difference that will make all of you switch carriers? LOL

[helpermonkey]

I have sprint and it works fine... what is the big deal with this "GSM" model.. I'm sorry for the newb question, what is the difference. Is the GSM able to go overseas? That's the only difference that will make all of you switch carriers? LOL

Well we all are not on CDMA, so we are not all changing carriers. Some like their carrier and they are using GSM, others like the overseas capability and there are other reasons too. Ultimately CDMA and GSM are two technologies that alow you to do the same basic things. Pick your flavor.



To who asked if they come with a holster, the answer is no.

[helpermonkey]

I used the 200k file for the data test so it is the same. My experiences have been surprising positive with Sprint for data. Most places I am only getting 1 to 3 bars on but data speeds have been 110k - 119k with only one time when it was a little slower. This is based on two months usage. Years ago I had a very negative experience with Sprint that makes my perception of them to still be negative but to be objective about it, I really can't complain about the service they have provided (both voice and data). Their data is much faster than GPRS on T-Mobile. Cingular is new to Oregon, previously it was only AT&T. My experiences with AT&T were horrible when I tried them about two years ago. The single most incompetent group of people I ever dealt with both at the local store and on the phone. Took almost a month for them to get my account just to receive a phone call correctly. I dropped them after that trial month and never looked back.

Those speeds are good. I can't say EDGE would always be better because at lower signal levels it is not. But it can go faster than that too...

Sorry to hear about your poor ATTWS experience. There were several problems that came down from the corporate level and the local people could do nothing to help resolve the situation. Maybe this was not the case for you, I don't know.

[evildead]

evildead, just because Sprint charges less for data, does that mean everyone else should too? I think you are completely missing the picture. A company does not have to nor should they drop their prices just because someone else is cheaper. All things are not equal.

Yes, if they want to stay competitive. I mean why should it be more money? And it's not like we are talking 5 bucks here, it's a significant increase, and it doesn't seem like you are getting faster service vs. Sprint for that price. What makes cingular's data so much better that they charge that much more for it?

It's not that they would drop their price, they increased it! there are all sorts of people on this board that have treo 600's with a $19.99 data plan, I can go to amazon and buy a 600 with the $19.99 plan. So basically they are charging double for data with the new 650, why? Are we paying more for EDGE?

Sprint may be choosing to underprice their data. I know in the past their stratagy was to go after many of the lower value or credit challenged customers etc. that other carriers did not want, even if it would mean people not paying their bills etc. It seemed they just wanted to grow subscribers at any cost. That is fine, they can do what ever they want. They might even put themselves out of buisness with the wrong strategy - I am not implying they will or that what they are doing is wrong - simply that what their business plan is and what the other carrier's business plans are are different for a reason. My 2¢. When I purchase I never purchase on price alone.

Thats true, but I don't think I am being cheap, this is a $300-$600 device, this is not a low cost phone here. I could afford to pay cingulars data price but my question is why should I?

It comes down to this, I would be a first time cingular customer and buy a treo 650, I have a few friends that want to to the same thing. But neither I or they would pay the same amount as we pay for broadband at home for unlimited data on a device like this, especially since I know that the $19.99 price existed before. This = lost customers, if cingular feels they don't care about that thats fine. I think they increased the price cuz they know people will pay because they want the device.

[MisterEd]

I agree, it shouldn't be more .... but think of it this way, it might make a bit more sense: The NY Times charges $10,000 for a full page advertisement but the Newark Star Ledger charges $5,000 for the same full page ad. Why? The NY times has much much more COVERAGE (readership) then does the NEWARK paper. Maybe 20x more readers read it. All over the country and probably all over the world.

Look at the COVERAGE maps of Sprint or T-Mobile VS Cingular. THAT'S why you pay more. You can use the DATA (and the phone) in far more places.

It might not matter for you or me but for many people it does so they are willing to pay for the premium coverage and ability to use the DATA & voice in more places. Plus they have a larger network to maintain. That costs more money. Same reason Sprint or T-Mobile have cheaper voice plans.

Bottom line, if it works for YOU that's all that matters, but I wonder how many fortune 500 companies are using Sprint or T-Mobile VS Verizon or Cingular.

For data purposes Cingulars market isn't the casual customers, it's the business customers. So they can charge more because they give more. You may not like that and I'd certainly prefer cheaper data, but this is big business. If one wants cheap data and doesn't care too much about coverage, go where the data is cheap.

You can tell even by their TV and print advertising who each company markets to ........ business or home. They want to be competitive on the voice side, but data is a different world.

Yes, if they want to stay competitive. I mean why should it be more money? And it's not like we are talking 5 bucks here, it's a significant increase, and it doesn't seem like you are getting faster service vs. Sprint for that price. What makes cingular's data so much better that they charge that much more for it?
-<clip>-
Are we paying more for EDGE? -<clip>- This = lost customers, if cingular feels they don't care about that thats fine. I think they increased the price cuz they know people will pay because they want the device.

[b0tes]

What makes cingular's data so much better that they charge that much more for it?

the data coverage for cingular/at&t in the US is almost triple what sprint can offer, as the majority of sprint's pcs network is analog. or at least that's what those illustrated coverage map would have us think

[specimen38]

Hey Joe,

I noticed the area code on your phone number. Live near Walnut Creek, can I come over and pick one up this evening?

Hi Folks :
I'm new here, but a long-time Treo600 owner on Sprint as well as a sales agent for ATT Wireless/Cingular and Sprint.

We've got tons of customers that have been waiting for the Cingular GSM Treo650 and finally received confirmation from our channel sales rep that they are in stock and will be ready to ship on February 4th. We can take orders today.

On the subject of unlimited data plans, it is definitely confusing, apparently dependent on each device and how it is categorized. For the Treos, they are considered PDAs and unlimited data costs $45 monthly, whereas you can get unlimited data for the Audiovox Windows Smartphone for $25 monthly.

Anyway, if anyone wants a Treo650 on Cingular, and can wait until February 15th for a ship date ... Cingular will be offering an additional $50 instant rebate, over and above the $499 or $449 prices (1 or 2 year service contracts)

If you are an organization with 5 or more people interested in buying 5 or more Treo650s on a corporate Sprint or Cingular account, we give you free 128MB SD memory cards for each device.

Give me a call at 925-273-2316 for more details
We cannot sell to individual consumers, you must be an organization with 5 or more users ready to buy 5 or more Treos on a corporate plan

JOE

[Thunder God]

wow...i have been gone for three days and now the 'precious' is out and i have read about ten pages of posts...amazing

[bcaslis]

Huh? PCS is not analog, it's digital as far as I know. In any case, doesn't matter if Cingular coverage is better in areas I don't go. Since Sprint if $15 and T-Mobile is $20 for unlimited data, I agree that Cingular is out of whack on their pricing.

the data coverage for cingular/at&t in the US is almost triple what sprint can offer, as the majority of sprint's pcs network is analog. or at least that's what those illustrated coverage map would have us think

[helpermonkey]

I agree, it shouldn't be more .... but think of it this way, it might make a bit more sense: The NY Times charges $10,000 for a full page advertisement but the Newark Star Ledger charges $5,000 for the same full page ad. Why? The NY times has much much more COVERAGE (readership) then does the NEWARK paper. Maybe 20x more readers read it. All over the country and probably all over the world.

Look at the COVERAGE maps of Sprint or T-Mobile VS Cingular. THAT'S why you pay more. You can use the DATA (and the phone) in far more places.

It might not matter for you or me but for many people it does so they are willing to pay for the premium coverage and ability to use the DATA & voice in more places. Plus they have a larger network to maintain. That costs more money. Same reason Sprint or T-Mobile have cheaper voice plans.

Bottom line, if it works for YOU that's all that matters, but I wonder how many fortune 500 companies are using Sprint or T-Mobile VS Verizon or Cingular.

For data purposes Cingulars market isn't the casual customers, it's the business customers. So they can charge more because they give more. You may not like that and I'd certainly prefer cheaper data, but this is big business. If one wants cheap data and doesn't care too much about coverage, go where the data is cheap.

You can tell even by their TV and print advertising who each company markets to ........ business or home. They want to be competitive on the voice side, but data is a different world.

Said it much better than I MisterEd...

[evildead]

It might not matter for you or me but for many people it does so they are willing to pay for the premium coverage and ability to use the DATA & voice in more places. Plus they have a larger network to maintain. That costs more money. Same reason Sprint or T-Mobile have cheaper voice plans.

I see your guy's point. But are cingular's voice plans a lot more? more than double Sprints or t-mobiles? Doesn't seem like it. I think they can get away with charging more for data simply because the common person doesn't know enough to call them on their sh*t. With voice it's different because people are used to knowing competitive prices for voice.

just imo though. Maybe I will wind up getting the cingular version. Could be all the free calls to cingular and att customers will make up for the data price

[MisterEd]

The "common person" won't be using a $600 Treo 650. They will be using a $100 NoKia or SE or LG or Moto and on those they will get (at least as of now) unlimited data for $19.99. Comparing voice and data rates are like comparing apples and oranges. That being said, the voice rates are much more competitive then the data rates.

I see your guy's point. But are cingular's voice plans a lot more? more than double Sprints or t-mobiles? Doesn't seem like it. I think they can get away with charging more for data simply because the common person doesn't know enough to call them on their sh*t. With voice it's different because people are used to knowing competitive prices for voice.

just imo though. Maybe I will wind up getting the cingular version. Could be all the free calls to cingular and att customers will make up for the data price

[b0tes]

Huh? PCS is not analog, it's digital as far as I know. In any case, doesn't matter if Cingular coverage is better in areas I don't go. Since Sprint if $15 and T-Mobile is $20 for unlimited data, I agree that Cingular is out of whack on their pricing.

pcs does both actually. sprint pcs network note the light green is off-network analog and is not capable of wireless data. now compare that to cingular's network: allover data coverage for gsm users. i agree with you when you say it doesn't matter if Bumblebeetuna, NY gets data coverage, but surely you didn't expect for such a service to pay for itself?

as for t-mobile's $20 unlimited data package, that's actually discounted when used in conjunction with a voice package. otherwise, if you go data only, then it's $30.00

at the same time, no one would use a treo and not have both voice and data, but still...i don't see cingular budging on thier pda data plans anytime soon. people activate on them with a voice package all the time in my store when they buy treos.

[thejoshuatree]

So I suppose the big release was only for business customers and a few outlets on the eastcoast. Here in LA I suppose we have to wait a few more weeks?

[helpermonkey]

Huh? PCS is not analog, it's digital as far as I know. In any case, doesn't matter if Cingular coverage is better in areas I don't go. Since Sprint if $15 and T-Mobile is $20 for unlimited data, I agree that Cingular is out of whack on their pricing.

please don't even compare unlimited GPRS prices to EDGE. They are not even the same thing from the customer side. To over exaggerate, that would be like me saying "Why is my cable model so much? I can get unlimeted dial up on NetZero for $9.95 a month" I don't think it is the same... Same will be true when UMTS comes along.

[evildead]

The "common person" won't be using a $600 Treo 650. They will be using a $100 NoKia or SE or LG or Moto and on those they will get (at least as of now) unlimited data for $19.99. Comparing voice and data rates are like comparing apples and oranges. That being said, the voice rates are much more competitive then the data rates.

Sorry, I meant common as in common for this device business user. Someone that wants the functionality but isn't all geeky, someone who doesn't stay up to date on the workings of technlogy, doesn't checks message boards, etc..

I'll stop complaining now

[MisterEd]

I disagree with that 100%. I used a Palm device for many years (and still do) without needing to surf the net or get email as I am sure many do. That could wait till I got to the office or home. What they want to do is just carry 1 device and not care about emails or internet. Sure, the rest is nice but I'm sure there are many who can and do live without carrying email intheir pocket or surfing the web on the train.


Question ... did they (Cingular not ATT) force these same data plans on the Treo 600 users? I understood they even advertised it with $19.99 mediaworks up till recently.

at the same time, no one would use a treo and not have both voice and data, .

[helpermonkey]

evildead, don't think we are teling you expensive data is better or anything. But you have to be realistic, the average Treo user IS going to be a high end customer, not just someone who stumbled into the store cause they need to get this "cellular thing" they keep hearing about and they walk out with a Treo... It's like computers too - I like high end super fast computers, but I don't buy them because the performance gains don't justify the price for my use. Still I don't go around complaining. I accept that what I can get is what I can get for my money.

Cingular is targetting a higher end customer who can afford what they are charging. There is nothing wrong with that. It just sucks for those who want super cool gear and cheap prices too.