Using Cingular service

Q: I have family in South America, and they mentioned that they could buy an unlocked Sony Ericsson S700i and send it with a cousin who's traveling to the United States. Will that phone work with my current Cingular Wireless account?
--Alex

A: Since the Sony Ericsson S700i uses GSM, it will work with Cingular. Yet there's one point you need to consider. The S700i operates on the GSM 900/1800/1900 bands, while Cingular primarily uses the GSM 850 band in the United States; the 900 and 1800 bands are used in Europe. Although Cingular also has some coverage in the 1900 band that it gained from the AT&T Wireless merger, Cingular's emphasis is on the 850 band. That means your coverage may be spotty in some places.

For the best Cingular coverage, I would get a phone that uses the GSM 850 band. You might consider the Sony Ericsson S710a. Like the S700i, the S710 operates on the 850/1800/1900 bands, and you can even buy it directly from Cingular with service rebates. If you have your heart set on the S700i, just know that while making and receiving calls on Cingular's network is possible, it's not an "official" Cingular phone. Or you could switch to T-Mobile if you're off your Cingular contract, as T-Mobile concentrates on the GSM 1900 band, rather than the 850 band.

Push-to-talk between carriers?

Q: I am a Verizon Wireless customer and have always admired Nextel's Direct Connect push-to-talk (PTT) feature. When I saw Verizon introduce its PTT feature a year or so ago, I was pretty excited, but it seems like Verizon seems isn't marketing it very aggressively. Any idea why the lack of enthusiasm over the carrier's PTT? Also, is there any chance that the Verizon and Nextel PTT features will ever be able to work with each other? (I know they use different wireless technologies.)
--Brian

A: You're correct, Brian, in that Verizon's push-to-talk network does seem like an afterthought. The launch of the service was quiet, and Verizon hasn't pushed it much since then. Nextel, on the other hand, has defined itself with its Direct Connect service for most of its existence, and Sprint and even Alltel rolled out PTT networks to more fanfare. I'm not sure why Verizon has kept things so low key, but it's evident even in its cell phone lineup. So far, the carrier has just three humdrum PTT phones, the latest being the LG VX4700.

In regard to your second question, the Verizon and Nextel PTT networks are incompatible at present. Like you said, the carriers use two different networks: Verizon uses CDMA, while Nextel uses iDEN. You can make regular calls between the two carriers, of course, but PTT calls are not possible. With the Sprint and Nextel merger, we will see some future interoperability between their PTT networks, but Verizon--and Alltel, for that matter--will be left out for some time.

Tracfone troubles

Q: I decided to buy my first cell phone earlier this summer. Since I plan to use it only for emergencies and didn't want to sign a contract, I decided the best option was to go with Tracfone's prepaid service. I bought a Motorola V60i from Wal-Mart, but when I got home, I couldn't get it to activate properly. Tracfone suggested I take it back to the store, but Wal-Mart said it couldn't help me beyond giving my money back. Who should help me with this? Do I even have Tracfone service in my area (De Pere, Wisconsin)?
--Penny

A: Tracfone is definitely responsible for helping you with activation. Wal-Mart acts only as the retailer in this case, so there's not much it can do besides sell you the phone. According to Tracfone's Web site, there is coverage in your area, but there aren't any Tracfone-operated stores. So in your case, you're going to have to contact the company over the phone or request online technical support. Alternatively, you might also check if a Tracfone representative ever visits your Wal-Mart. If so, they would be able to help you. But if you still can't get assistance to your satisfaction, I would return the phone and switch to another prepaid carrier. As you said, you didn't sign a contract, so there's nothing to stop you from moving on. You can evaluate several options in CNET's quick guide to prepaid phones.

Cellular signals
Q: What kind of information can be transmitted in a cellular signal? I know the signals transmit the caller's number, but can they also transmit information to the phone that requires it to perform a certain action, such as a ring as a vibration? If so, why don't cell phone companies offer this feature to call people who you know are in a meeting or at a movie?
--Christopher

A: You're a bit ahead of your time, Christopher. While the recipient of your call can always set their phone to vibrate or play a certain ring tone when you phone them, it's not a feature you can request as the caller. Of course, there are ways to contact someone discreetly with a cell phone. Besides a simple text message, some cell phones, such as the Nokia 6101, allow you to send a voice message to contacts without having their phone ring. Then again, if you know someone's in a meeting or at a movie, I hope you limit your calls to emergencies only. And if they're at a movie, I hope they just turn their cell phone off.