Do Blackberry's ROAM

[goldbergs]

I have T-mobile because it is the provider my company uses. Problem is that the signal is so bad I cannot use it at home or most other places. Friends with Cingular mobile phones typically get 3-bars or more in the same locations.

QUESTION - Why won't my 7100T find the Cingular signal? When I go to Europe it finds VODAPHONE O2 and other non-T-Mobile services and connects. I am sure there is something I do not understand.

Thanks -

[Abbey]

This is not a BlackBerry issue. Try contacting T-Mobile. Roaming and roaming agreements are controlled by the wireless carriers (T-Mobile in your case). Yes, BlackBerrys do ROAM.

[NJBlackBerry]

T-Mobile BlackBerrys do not roam to Cingular unless there is no T-Mobile network in the area, like in the US Virgin Islands. It will not roam to Cingular in a weak area.

T-Mobile has international roaming agreements with multiple carriers. Those roaming agreements do not extend domestically.

Similarly, if a Cingular phone was in a weak area for Cingular, it would not roam to T-Mobile USA.

[guinda35]

"Similarly, if a Cingular phone was in a weak area for Cingular, it would not roam to T-Mobile USA."

That's a b itch!

[mas90guru]

When you speak of roaming - do you mean data or just voice? It was my impression that the BB did NOT roam for data unless you were able to unlock and pop another SIM into it...

[NJBlackBerry]

Let's not confuse domestic roaming with international roaming. If you take a North American (I was going to say US, but don't want to offend anyone) ;-) GSM/GPRS BlackBerry, it will stick to the carrier used by the SIM card and not roam around. The carriers normally do not allow you to roam in your home country. The example of the Virgin Islands is this: Cingular has an 850 MHz network there. T-Mobile has no network there. If you take a 7290 or 7100t from T-Mobile to the USVI, it will work - on Cingular - without switching the SIM card. International roaming with a GSM/GPRS BB is easy. The domestic carriers have tons of international roaming agreements, where GSM is MUCH better than in North America. So you travel and roam. Both voice and data.

[Texas_Traveler]

When you speak of roaming - do you mean data or just voice? It was my impression that the BB did NOT roam for data unless you were able to unlock and pop another SIM into it...

BlackBerry's will Roam for data too, the same way they roam for voice. Roaming is quite complicated, and the 7100g/y BlackBerry works like any other GSM phone. It depends on your carrier's roaming agreements.

[Texas_Traveler]

"Similarly, if a Cingular phone was in a weak area for Cingular, it would not roam to T-Mobile USA."



This totally depends on which part of the country you are in. Generally, if there is a Cingular signal it will use it. In some areas, it can use a T-Mobile signal if one is available.

[bjallen2880]

Let's not confuse domestic roaming with international roaming. If you take a North American (I was going to say US, but don't want to offend anyone) ;-) GSM/GPRS BlackBerry, it will stick to the carrier used by the SIM card and not roam around. The carriers normally do not allow you to roam in your home country. The example of the Virgin Islands is this: Cingular has an 850 MHz network there. T-Mobile has no network there. If you take a 7290 or 7100t from T-Mobile to the USVI, it will work - on Cingular - without switching the SIM card. International roaming with a GSM/GPRS BB is easy. The domestic carriers have tons of international roaming agreements, where GSM is MUCH better than in North America. So you travel and roam. Both voice and data.

Same is true with North and South Carolina. There's no T-Mo network there so you would be roaming on the Cingular network there. This also happens with smaller carriers that exist throughout the country

[goldbergs]

Sure would be nice if T-Mobile had decent coverage. Then this thread would not be here.

[Texas_Traveler]

Sure would be nice if T-Mobile had decent coverage. Then this thread would not be here.

Why do you think people pay more for Cingular's data services? I'd use T-Mobile if they had better coverage, but they don't -- at least in my area.

[inversed]

T-Mobile's coverage is its biggest weakness. That's why T-Mobile is transparent when it comes to their network.... They show you exactly where their coverage is and where it isn't ( http://compass.t-mobile.com ). They give you a 14 day return window and lock you into only a one year contract. The offer by far the cheaper plans and 'award winning" customer service. (To be honest, if T-Mobile is the best according to JD power, I'd can't even fathom the rest of the industry....)

My 7100t call & data roams on to Cingular whenever I visit my dad in the Souther tier of Upstate NY.