jeremy wrote:
> "planetx" <planetx@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1170386302.191466.99870@k78g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
>> I have been been on Verizon for several years and have always wanted
>> to move to Cingular, because everyone I know is on Cingular and I can
>> get free mobile to mobile. But I was always worried about coverage in
>> some semi-rural areas where my verizon tri-mode works. Will the new
>> at&t provide better coverage?
>>
>
> It is my understanding that VZW has restricted access to AMPS for most of
> its digital customers.

Yes, this appears to be true. If you look at the AMPS areas between
Americas Choice, and Americas Choice II, a lot of non-Verizon AMPS
roaming disappeared. Under Americas Choice, it was paid roaming, under
ACII they eliminated all paid roaming.
>
> If you require AMPS you might want to look at Sprint, as they also use CDMA
> for digital, but we can roam onto analog networks if necessary.

Possibly, but the problem with Sprint is that in areas where Sprint does
have coverage, they usually don't allow off-network roaming. For
example, in most parts of California, if Sprint has a network then you
can't roam onto Verizon, even when Sprint coverage has gaps. Of course
the converse is also true, but Verizon has much better coverage than
Sprint in almost all areas, by virtue of their 800 MHz spectrum, and
their earlier deployment before the NIMBYs started screaming about towers.

Look at Consumer Reports, and you'll see the differences in quality of
coverage, at least for the metro areas. Verizon is almost always better
than Cingular, sometimes by a little, but often by a significant amount.
Since the CR survey used an exceptionally large sample, their data is
better than anecdotal Usenet reports.