Empathy List Archives

E

e16@telus.net

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 4:19 PM

I've been only peripherally interested in the pocket mail thread because I
don't (yet) need the system.

However, since many of you are concerned about cell phone roaming and long
distance charges, it occurs to me that some of you might be unaware of a
plan called One-Rate here in Canada. For about US$35 a month it offers 250
minutes of long distance to anywhere from anywhere in Canada. For an extra
US$15 a month the plan includes the USA and Hong Kong. No long distance or
roaming charges. I use this plan for my business, and I can attest that it
works flawlessly everywhere I've tried it including to and from Hong Kong.
There are incremental pricing steps for people who need more time.

Since One-Rate is a joint venture between Rogers - a Canadian cellular
provider - and ATT, something similar might be available in the USA.

Cheers, Garrett

I've been only peripherally interested in the pocket mail thread because I don't (yet) need the system. However, since many of you are concerned about cell phone roaming and long distance charges, it occurs to me that some of you might be unaware of a plan called One-Rate here in Canada. For about US$35 a month it offers 250 minutes of long distance to anywhere from anywhere in Canada. For an extra US$15 a month the plan includes the USA and Hong Kong. No long distance or roaming charges. I use this plan for my business, and I can attest that it works flawlessly everywhere I've tried it including to and from Hong Kong. There are incremental pricing steps for people who need more time. Since One-Rate is a joint venture between Rogers - a Canadian cellular provider - and ATT, something similar might be available in the USA. Cheers, Garrett

S

scaramouche@tvo.org

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 4:27 PM

e16@telus.net writes:

However, since many of you are concerned about cell phone roaming
and long
distance charges

I don't think that's an issue as Pocketmail provides unlimited use of
their 800 numbers. The problem as I see it is that digital cellphones
don't work with Pocketmail and analogue ones are harder and harder to
get (and don't work too well either) PocketMail works excellently
from payphones and regular landlines - at least for me.

George of Scaramouche - Ontario, Canada

e16@telus.net writes: >However, since many of you are concerned about cell phone roaming >and long >distance charges I don't think that's an issue as Pocketmail provides unlimited use of their 800 numbers. The problem as I see it is that digital cellphones don't work with Pocketmail and analogue ones are harder and harder to get (and don't work too well either) PocketMail works excellently from payphones and regular landlines - at least for me. George of Scaramouche - Ontario, Canada

F

fburrows@csi.com

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 4:57 PM

Verizon (used to be Bell Atlantic) is now requiring a tri-mode digital
phone in order to take advantage of any of their one rate plans. Since I am
not currently cruising I have turned off the one-rate. However I decided to
go ahead and bite the bullet and get a tri-mode phone now so I will be
ready for my next cruise. The Verizion store says they will upgrade my data
kit to the new phone when the data kits are available next month at no charge.

The reason I bring this up is that if any of you are planning on switching
to a one-rate plan for a upcoming cruise you need to know that your current
phone might not qualify. Apparently if you are a current one rate user you
are grand fathered in. The phones are dirt cheap (they charged $50 to
upgrade to the tri-mode) but all the extra junk you get (chargers, 12 volt
adapters, extra batteries, data kits) are expensive and never work with the
new phone. However you can find most of the accessories on e-bay a lot cheaper.

The good news is that the tri-mode phones offer incredible battery life. 5
1/2 days of standby time so extra batteries are not required. The call
quality is better and I am hoping that the data side works well. There is a
world of difference in using the digital side of the phone for data rather
than the analog side. The theory is that you will have a digital connection
most of the time with a tri-mode phone. Motorola, Qualcomm (now Kyocera)
and Audiovox all make tri-mode digital phones.

Frank Burrows fburrows@compuserve.com 1979 43' Viking MY Piney
Narrows Chesapeake Bay

Verizon (used to be Bell Atlantic) is now requiring a tri-mode digital phone in order to take advantage of any of their one rate plans. Since I am not currently cruising I have turned off the one-rate. However I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and get a tri-mode phone now so I will be ready for my next cruise. The Verizion store says they will upgrade my data kit to the new phone when the data kits are available next month at no charge. The reason I bring this up is that if any of you are planning on switching to a one-rate plan for a upcoming cruise you need to know that your current phone might not qualify. Apparently if you are a current one rate user you are grand fathered in. The phones are dirt cheap (they charged $50 to upgrade to the tri-mode) but all the extra junk you get (chargers, 12 volt adapters, extra batteries, data kits) are expensive and never work with the new phone. However you can find most of the accessories on e-bay a lot cheaper. The good news is that the tri-mode phones offer incredible battery life. 5 1/2 days of standby time so extra batteries are not required. The call quality is better and I am hoping that the data side works well. There is a world of difference in using the digital side of the phone for data rather than the analog side. The theory is that you will have a digital connection most of the time with a tri-mode phone. Motorola, Qualcomm (now Kyocera) and Audiovox all make tri-mode digital phones. Frank Burrows fburrows@compuserve.com 1979 43' Viking MY Piney Narrows Chesapeake Bay

B

Bob@Garrett-Smith.com

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 8:52 PM

Good battery life ALA you are not in an analog area...in which case those
little battery drain VERY quickly. Verizon price plans for national coverage
now start at $35/mo (150 minutes).

Additionally, in response to an earlier comment that analog phones are hard
to find, all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check
"Settings").

Thanks,
Bob

Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr.
Garrett & Smith Companies
301-229-7600

From: Frank Burrows fburrows@csi.com
Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2001 11:57:03 -0500
To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com
Subject: Re: TWL: Cell Phone Plans

The good news is that the tri-mode phones offer incredible battery life.

Good battery life ALA you are not in an analog area...in which case those little battery drain VERY quickly. Verizon price plans for national coverage now start at $35/mo (150 minutes). Additionally, in response to an earlier comment that analog phones are hard to find, all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check "Settings"). Thanks, Bob __________________________ Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr. Garrett & Smith Companies 301-229-7600 > From: Frank Burrows <fburrows@csi.com> > Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2001 11:57:03 -0500 > To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com > Subject: Re: TWL: Cell Phone Plans > > The good news is that the tri-mode phones offer incredible battery life.

T

tclem@acadia.net

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 9:11 PM

Unfortunately, not true. Using a Nokia 6162 with ATT One-Rate, you can set
the phone for analog, but it will switch automatically and without recourse
to digital before it connects you to the network.

Tom

At 03:52 PM 1/4/2001 -0500, Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr. wrote:

all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check
"Settings").

Unfortunately, not true. Using a Nokia 6162 with ATT One-Rate, you can set the phone for analog, but it will switch automatically and without recourse to digital before it connects you to the network. Tom At 03:52 PM 1/4/2001 -0500, Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr. wrote: >all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check >"Settings").

S

scaramouche@tvo.org

Thu, Jan 4, 2001 9:32 PM

The bottle-neck is the digital side which does not work with
PocketMail. Check this out and adjust your needs accordingly.
PocketMail is the only service at this time that works well for
travellers. Don't just listen to me, do your own resaerch.

George of Scaramouche, using PocketMail for about 6 months now.

The bottle-neck is the digital side which does not work with PocketMail. Check this out and adjust your needs accordingly. PocketMail is the only service at this time that works well for travellers. Don't just listen to me, do your own resaerch. George of Scaramouche, using PocketMail for about 6 months now.

A

arider@bellsouth.net

Fri, Jan 5, 2001 1:21 AM

Unfortunately, not true. Using a Nokia 6162 with ATT One-Rate, you can set
the phone for analog, but it will switch automatically and without

recourse

to digital before it connects you to the network.

Tom

At 03:52 PM 1/4/2001 -0500, Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr. wrote:

all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check
"Settings").

I have a Motorola Star Tac, dual mode phone and you can set it to analog
"all the time" by choice. When it is set on digital the automatic function
will change to analog when it leaves a digital available area. I used it on
my trip from RI to Savannah and the only time I didn't have service was in
the middle of the Delaware and Chesapeake bays...and that was for only a
short while. I have the one rate service with 2000 anytime minutes and use
it every day for business and personal calls. I have been an
AirTouch/Verizon customer for several years and the phone service and
customer service is great. Since the merger with Bell Atlantic the network
is more expansive and dependable. I think the network is the key to
dependable service when traveling and other services don't have as broad of
a network available yet.
I think that they will offer unlimited calls for one rate soon to stay ahead
of competition.
I don't use it, but I know they also have internet and e-mail available for
my phone.

Bob Clinkenbeard
Twin Screws Enterprises

To accomplish a great task you must act....and dream.

TWIN SCREWS 1964 Chris Craft Roamer 56
Photos http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=163724&a=1673119

> Unfortunately, not true. Using a Nokia 6162 with ATT One-Rate, you can set > the phone for analog, but it will switch automatically and without recourse > to digital before it connects you to the network. > > Tom > > At 03:52 PM 1/4/2001 -0500, Robert Calhoun Smith, Jr. wrote: > >all dual or tri-mode phones can be forced to use analog only (check > >"Settings"). ___________________________________________________________________________ I have a Motorola Star Tac, dual mode phone and you can set it to analog "all the time" by choice. When it is set on digital the automatic function will change to analog when it leaves a digital available area. I used it on my trip from RI to Savannah and the only time I didn't have service was in the middle of the Delaware and Chesapeake bays...and that was for only a short while. I have the one rate service with 2000 anytime minutes and use it every day for business and personal calls. I have been an AirTouch/Verizon customer for several years and the phone service and customer service is great. Since the merger with Bell Atlantic the network is more expansive and dependable. I think the network is the key to dependable service when traveling and other services don't have as broad of a network available yet. I think that they will offer unlimited calls for one rate soon to stay ahead of competition. I don't use it, but I know they also have internet and e-mail available for my phone. Bob Clinkenbeard Twin Screws Enterprises To accomplish a great task you must act....and dream. TWIN SCREWS 1964 Chris Craft Roamer 56 Photos http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=163724&a=1673119

S

scaramouche@tvo.org

Fri, Jan 5, 2001 4:13 PM

Yes, all cell phones work well as phones. But have you tried it with
the Sharp TM-20 for PocketMail? Does it work the first time and every
time?
That's what we floating people need: A cell phone that works
perfectly with PocketMail. Mine (Sony and Motorola) do NOT!!!

Yes, all cell phones work well as phones. But have you tried it with the Sharp TM-20 for PocketMail? Does it work the first time and every time? That's what we floating people need: A cell phone that works perfectly with PocketMail. Mine (Sony and Motorola) do NOT!!!

trawlers@lists.trawlering.com

TWL: Cell Phone Plans