Upgrading a Prepaid phone problem

I received an offer from Cingular to convert my old TDMA Prepaid phone
to one of the new prepaid GSM phones. (They are eliminating the old
TDMA system in 2007.) I get a new phone and can transfer my balance and
keep my old phone number as long as I buy a $25.00 recharge. To do this
I have to go to a "Corporate" Cingular store, not one of their
satellite operations. No problem so far.

The problem is, the phone is used by my father in Florida so it has a
Florida area code. I live in another state and the Corporate store
here can only give me a phone with a local phone number ( not Florida).
This is what I don't understand. It must have something to do with
the Sim card??/ But I can go to Walmart and buy a Cingular GoPhone and
activate it for any area code in the country...why can't this corporate
store do this???

As far as I can tell, the off-the-shelf GoPhones have a universal sim
card and the phones at the corporate stores have a sim card unique to
their market. I don't understand why this would be the case???

Anyone out there have any ideas as to why this is a problem?


Thanks in advance

Mako

"Mako" <mtg50@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I received an offer from Cingular to convert my old TDMA Prepaid phone
>to one of the new prepaid GSM phones. (They are eliminating the old
>TDMA system in 2007.) I get a new phone and can transfer my balance and
>keep my old phone number as long as I buy a $25.00 recharge. To do this
>I have to go to a "Corporate" Cingular store, not one of their
>satellite operations. No problem so far.
>
>The problem is, the phone is used by my father in Florida so it has a
>Florida area code. I live in another state and the Corporate store
>here can only give me a phone with a local phone number ( not Florida).
> This is what I don't understand. It must have something to do with
>the Sim card??/ But I can go to Walmart and buy a Cingular GoPhone and
>activate it for any area code in the country...why can't this corporate
>store do this???
>
>As far as I can tell, the off-the-shelf GoPhones have a universal sim
>card and the phones at the corporate stores have a sim card unique to
>their market. I don't understand why this would be the case???
>
>Anyone out there have any ideas as to why this is a problem?
>
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>Mako

I had the same issue, when going from TDMA paid to GSM paid. The phone
number was in my former home area. The local corporate store could
only deal with phones in "this" area code.

I ended up doing the whole thing via mail and over my (home) phone
with customer service.

It makes no sense, that a nation wide company restricts the
"corporate" stores in this way. There must be a reason, but surely,
customer service and convenience .. nah.

I just took advantage of that deal and had nothing but problems for 4 days.
Turns out at tech support 4 that someone entered in the wrong code (would
get calls and then I wouldn't get calls). When the tech entered in the right
codes, everything has been great for a month now.

The offer says keep the same phone number which sure as heck covers the area
code. If your cingular store can't handle that deal (I'd certainly ask for a
knowledgeable rep) then it seems your Father in Florida should be able to
transact the deal where he lives. I'd not give up! Good luck..
Dannie


"Mako" <mtg50@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1160437039.209251.106860@c28g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>I received an offer from Cingular to convert my old TDMA Prepaid phone
> to one of the new prepaid GSM phones. (They are eliminating the old
> TDMA system in 2007.) I get a new phone and can transfer my balance and
> keep my old phone number as long as I buy a $25.00 recharge. To do this
> I have to go to a "Corporate" Cingular store, not one of their
> satellite operations. No problem so far.
>
> The problem is, the phone is used by my father in Florida so it has a
> Florida area code. I live in another state and the Corporate store
> here can only give me a phone with a local phone number ( not Florida).
> This is what I don't understand. It must have something to do with
> the Sim card??/ But I can go to Walmart and buy a Cingular GoPhone and
> activate it for any area code in the country...why can't this corporate
> store do this???
>
> As far as I can tell, the off-the-shelf GoPhones have a universal sim
> card and the phones at the corporate stores have a sim card unique to
> their market. I don't understand why this would be the case???
>
> Anyone out there have any ideas as to why this is a problem?
>
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Mako
>

Exactly where in Florida is your father's number located?

Fred

"Mako" <mtg50@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1160437039.209251.106860@c28g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>I received an offer from Cingular to convert my old TDMA Prepaid phone
> to one of the new prepaid GSM phones. (They are eliminating the old
> TDMA system in 2007.) I get a new phone and can transfer my balance and
> keep my old phone number as long as I buy a $25.00 recharge. To do this
> I have to go to a "Corporate" Cingular store, not one of their
> satellite operations. No problem so far.
>
> The problem is, the phone is used by my father in Florida so it has a
> Florida area code. I live in another state and the Corporate store
> here can only give me a phone with a local phone number ( not Florida).
> This is what I don't understand. It must have something to do with
> the Sim card??/ But I can go to Walmart and buy a Cingular GoPhone and
> activate it for any area code in the country...why can't this corporate
> store do this???
>
> As far as I can tell, the off-the-shelf GoPhones have a universal sim
> card and the phones at the corporate stores have a sim card unique to
> their market. I don't understand why this would be the case???
>
> Anyone out there have any ideas as to why this is a problem?
>
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Mako
>

Fred wrote:
> Exactly where in Florida is your father's number located?
>
> Fred


Father is in the 772 area code. I'd have him do the switch there but
he is quite elderly and does not do well with all the BS you have to go
through.

Miller.. You out there??/ Do you remember who or what number you
called to do this deal on the phone?? I tried a few Customer Service
numbers and no one could help.