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Message Digest
Volume 28 : Issue 316 : "text" Format
Messages in this Issue:
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Ken Auletta: Why Oprah Needs Cable
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Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:28:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Mark Smith <marklsmith@yahoo.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <417850.58185.qm@web65707.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
Since Southern Maryland is Verizon dominated, Tracfone works very well
in most of Maryland. Western MD is iffy mostly because of hill
blockage.
Mark L. Smith http://smith.freehosting.net
______________________________
From: "ranck@vt.edu" <ranck@vt.edu>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Sent: Fri, November 20, 2009 2:55:37 PM
Subject: Re: [telecom] Straight Talk by Tracfone
Thomas H Ward <thomas.h.ward@live.com> wrote:
> Since I live in a rural area of Virginia, and my service options
> are extremely limited, this appeals to me. However, I am leery of
> purchasing this phone because I can not find a coverage map on
> their web site nor within their in-store brochures. Their
> brochures say that they are on "One of Americans best networks"..
I had one a few years ago and it pretty much worked everywhere. They
seem to have reciprocal agreements with all the big players. Mine
worked in and around Blacksburg, Va. where I live, and when a friend
and I rode our motorcycles out ot Sturgis, SD it worked everywhere
there was a signal.
> Anyone have any idea what wireless provider they are acting as an
> MVNO for?
I think they home to Verizon when there is a choice, but as I said,
mine worked pretty much anyplace that had signal.
Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:09:17 -0800 (PST)
From: Joseph Singer <joeofseattle@yahoo.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <268805.36483.qm@web52705.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:51:04 -0500 "Thomas H Ward" <thomas.h.ward@live.com> wrote:
>> I have recently come across Straight Talk by Tracfone in my
>> local Wal-Mart store. They are advertising an unlimited
>> everything rate plan for around $45.
>> Since I live in a rural area of Virginia, and my service
>> options are extremely limited, this appeals to me. However, I
>> am leery of purchasing this phone because I can not find a
>> coverage map on their web site nor within their in-store
>> brochures. Their brochures say that they are on "One of
>> Americans best networks".
It depends on what "kind" of TracFone account you got and will likely
depend on where you purchased it. TracFone uses two different
technologies depending on where you buy the service. If it uses GSM
technology it's using either the AT&T or T-Mobile networks. It will
use either network that's available (likely other smaller GSM networks
as well, but that's sort of an unknown to me.) If it uses CDMA
networks it would use the Verizon or Sprint networks. The GSM
TracFone units have a SIM (small smart card. The CDMA models
generally do not have SIM or smart media cards.) Since you do not
identify which rural area you are in it may make a difference if a
particular type of TracFone works. If it's really deeply rural it may
not work at all or if it works may only work marginally. Generally
rural areas work better with CDMA type TracFone. You likely will not
have a choice where you buy your TracFone service.
If when considering your service with TracFone you find out the models
of the phones they use and check it out on the net you should be able
to determine whether the phones are GSM or CDMA. Be aware also that
using TracFone (or it's sister company Net 10) you can only use
handsets that are meant to be used with the particular service. They
are only compatible with other phones used with the service.
If you are rural you may want to see what other people use in your
area. That will give you a clue as to what works well in your area.
Keep in mind though that cellular service can be very variable from
one location to another and what may work really well for a neighbour
may not work for you (terrain and other things factor into it.)
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:42:16 -0600
From: "GlowingBlueMist" <GlowingBlueMist@truely.invalid>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <4b0850ac$0$65833$892e0abb@auth.newsreader.octanews.com>
ranck@vt.edu wrote:
> Thomas H Ward <thomas.h.ward@live.com> wrote:
>
>> Since I live in a rural area of Virginia, and my service options are
>> extremely limited, this appeals to me. However, I am leery of
>> purchasing this phone because I can not find a coverage map on their
>> web site nor within their in-store brochures. Their brochures say
>> that they are on "One of Americans best networks"..
>
> I had one a few years ago and it pretty much worked everywhere. They
> seem to have reciprocal agreements with all the big players. Mine
> worked in and around Blacksburg, Va. where I live, and when a friend
> and I rode our motorcycles out ot Sturgis, SD it worked everywhere
> there was a signal.
>
>> Anyone have any idea what wireless provider they are acting as an
>> MVNO for?
>
> I think they home to Verizon when there is a choice, but as I said,
> mine worked pretty much anyplace that had signal.
>
> Bill Ranck
> Blacksburg, Va.
Mine has worked in just about any place I've tried it so far, rural as well
as in major cities.
I recently heard a radio advertisement from I believe a Dollar General store
that had a TracFone, model unknown by me, that included double minutes for
life of the phone with a starting price of $10. At that price I'm thinking
of buying one as a backup and activating it only if my present one drops
into something wet unexpectedly...
They will transfer an existing TracFone number to a new phone provided you
call the service desk before you even try to activate the new phone
yourself.
Date: 21 Nov 2009 14:34:37 -0000
From: John Levine <johnl@iecc.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <20091121143437.55895.qmail@simone.iecc.com>
>> Anyone have any idea what wireless provider they are acting as an MVNO for?
The network they use varies from one part of the country to another.
If you can look inside the back of the phone, it's probably AT&T if
there's a SIM chip, and Verizon if not.
Note that GSM phones do not work on CDMA networks and vice versa, so
your phone will use the network it's built for no matter where in
the country you go.
R's,
John
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:29:58 +0000 (UTC)
From: David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <he8th6$69j$1@reader1.panix.com>
ranck@vt.edu writes:
[Tracfone service area]
Tracfone is a reseller; they buy into various networks, depending on
where you are. That is reflected in which flavor phone is sold in your
area.
--
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:16:36 -0500
From: Diamond Dave <dmine45.NOSPAM@yahoo.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Re: Straight Talk by Tracfone
Message-ID: <v4tgg59rj4jdr985fn8qvi96pm9bjg7sik@4ax.com>
On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:51:04 -0500, "Thomas H Ward"
<thomas.h.ward@live.com> wrote:
>Anyone have any idea what wireless provider they are acting as an MVNO for?
Last time I played around with TracFone they wre a MVNO for AT&T
Mobility (formerly Cingular Wireless). This may have changed in recent
history, but as of a few months ago, my Motorola C155 was GSM on AT&T.
Dave
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:39:02 -0600
From: Neal McLain <nmclain@annsgarden.com>
To: redacted@invalid.telecom.csail.mit.edu
Subject: Ken Auletta: Why Oprah Needs Cable
Message-ID: <4B094D06.3060009@annsgarden.com>
From Ken Auletta's blog on The New Yorker website:
> November 20, 2009
> Why Oprah Needs Cable
> Posted by Ken Auletta
>
> Why is Oprah Winfrey jumping from broadcasting to cable?
> For the same reason that the largest cable company,
> Comcast, is bidding to buy NBC/Universal. Cable networks
> are one of the few traditional media enterprises that are
> growing. The audience for broadcast television is
> shrinking. Cable generates two income streams,
> advertising and subscriptions; broadcasting relies solely
> on ads. Oprah is jumping off the listing ship and onto
> the rocket.
Continued at http://tinyurl.com/yg9ga7h
Auletta misses a crucial point: broadcast stations also have two
income streams: advertising and retransmission-consent fees.
The Cable Act of 1992 allowed broadcast station licensees to demand
financial payments from cable TV and satellite TV retailers. For
several years after 1992, cable TV operators successfully refused to
pay these fees. But in recent years, broadcasters have been
increasingly successful in extracting fees, some of which now approach
$1.00 per station per subscriber per month.
That's a lot of money; so much, in fact, that the broadcast networks
are now trying to get a cut. http://tinyurl.com/y8b5gsf
Maybe Auletta (along with John Mayson, Bill Horne, and John David
Galt) are right: broadcast television is dying.
But I think Auletta underestimates the power of the NAB.
Neal McLain
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End of The Telecom digest (7 messages)
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