My new toy!

BTOWN4RUNNER · 11-22-2002, 06:32 AM

I got a call from my cell phone company on Tuesday and they told me that my bonus minutes are running out at the end of the month. Apparantly, when I signed the contract a year ago with Conestoga Wireless , I was given 80 anytime minutes and 120 bonus night and weekend minutes. And apparantly, these 120 n&w minutes only are good for 1 year! Little did I know. So I decided to shop around. I know a bunch of people that have Nextel phones, and they seem to like them. I decided to see what they have to offer.

So I went over to the local mall and got some info. The plan I ended up getting is $29.99. I get 100 anytime cell minutes, 100 Direct Connect minutes and 2000 night and weekend minutes. I get caller ID and voice mail. It is a great plan for me because I really don't use my phone alot and this works out great. Plus, because I am a firefighter, I get 10% off of the plan and 27% off of any equipment. Very cool. The phone I got is the i60c ]i60c[/url] . I really like it alot so far, although I have only had it for 12 hours! LOL.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone out there in Yotatechland has or does deal with Nextel and what you think. Are there any things that I should look out for or are they a pretty good company? Also, anyone have this phone, because I do have a few questions for them? Thanks! :fireman:

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BTOWN4RUNNER · 11-22-2002, 06:37 AM

Sorry, here is the link for the phone. i60c . :fireman:

mark from uk · 11-22-2002, 07:14 AM

do you have pay as you go mobiles in the us?
over here we can get a phone and just pay for the calls you make.

CLin9383 · 11-22-2002, 07:18 AM

you can do that uk..but mostly, you get a certain amount of minutes and if you go over you pay extra....i know in other parts of the world, you are only charged for making calls...incoming calls are free right??

**UKMyers** · 11-22-2002, 01:40 PM

Yup Vodaphone Pay as you Go rocks here in the UK. You get a credit card looking thing and you take it to ANY gas station and say I want 10 pounds added to my card. You pay, they swipe your card 5 minutes later it's on your phone. When your credit runs out your done making calls but incoming calls are free. 999(UK's 911) will work even if you have no credit. Best of all there's no contracts whatsoever with this. My name and my cell # are not related in any way with each other. IMO the UK is way ahead of the states in mobile networks. Granted the UK is much smaller but it doesn't matter where I go calls cost the same to make, no roaming/long distance to speak of.

Krash · 11-22-2002, 02:45 PM

I actually miss my Nextel I had. Back where I used to live in florida everyone had one so I got one with unlimited direct connect and that was it. I used it more than my sprint phone I have now. But thats cause everyone had the direct connect like I did. It was always fun having someone talking out the speaker through direct connect at 3am asking if I was awake.

Mohamed · 11-22-2002, 06:38 PM

Myers,

That sounds exactly like the system they use in Egypt. I wonder does the UK use GSM?

Krash,

I have currently the unlimited direct connect feature on my phone (since '99) but what sucks is the pricing of phone calls. Because my nextel is supplied to me by the government, all my calls are audited at the end of the month and I have to justify my calls @ .20 cents a minute.

BTown,

I have that same phone, got mine a month ago, it is definitly cool especially since what I used to use before (these old '97 model brick Nextel phones) was pure garbadge. What's really cool is my personal phone is the V60 from At&t and my accessories for it are a direct fit for the Nextel. Something I recommend is the Bodyglove rotating belt clip w/ nephriene case holster, it definitly holds it in place and is rugged for many times of rough climate work.

info here at Office Depot

Sludge · 11-22-2002, 10:41 PM

Hi Ryan

I've been trying to get our fire dept to get nextel cells phone for 1yr now. All the fireman carry alpha pager and we have cell phones in each rig. Plus most of the firefighters carry a personal cell phone.I keep trying to tell them to drop the pagers and there phone and switch to nextel.Maybe one da it will happen

CLin9383 · 11-22-2002, 10:51 PM

mohamed, i think the whole world uses GSM, but the USA has to use CDMA......they do have GSM here but it's 1900 and the rest of the world is 1800, or 900....if you get a tri band phone, you can use it world wide...long as you have a SIM card in the phone from the country you want to use it in....i personally think GSM is great.....not to mention the phones are cooler...the US is behind in mobile technology due to FCC regulations about emitting waves or what not...but it's for your safety kids!!!!...happy calling around!!!!!!

RebuiltRunner · 11-23-2002, 08:24 AM

Here's the dirt on the different phone standards:

The main two digital standards to be used in the US have been TDMA (AT&T, Cingular) and CDMA (VERIZON). You may have also heard PCS referred to as being different from digital cellular. Basically PCS is a 1900mhz frequency (nice sound quality, but needs unobstructed path from tower to phone); Digital cellular is 800mhz (purported to not sound as good , but deals with buildings and hills between the tower and phone better.
GSM was originally used only by Aerial wireless as its standard. This meant that (very much like the case with digital networks when they were first introduced) there wasn't alot of coverage. The other guys (especially Sprint being "all digital, all PCS - which is the same thing - had the advantage
of serveral companies offering digital and therefore there was more coverage. This probably contributed to Aerial's going out of business and I believe their network was bought by AT&T back in '99. Now, you may notice AT&T selling GSM as the next step from digital, and it will probably succeed because, well, AT&T is HUGE.
One big diff between GSM and the other standards is that it uses a System ID card instead of a chip that is permanently isntalled in the phone. This card feature means that Pay-As-You go is possible where you just buy or renew the card you slip into your phone as opposed to our more well known pre-pay where you go buy some minutes and then have to have the minutes activated at the store or by calling the service provider.
BTW: We have pay for what you use - it's just that you usually get more mintes with one of the plans where you pay x amount for x amount of minutes. This is usually offered in more rural areas though, I think.

cpw2002 · 11-23-2002, 03:32 PM

I compair rates on all major providers and I am seeing a trend toward mega multi-use minutes and the prices are dropping.

BTOWN4RUNNER · 11-24-2002, 02:12 PM

Firefighter, first off, may I ask your name? Thanks. Also, that is a reason that I wanted one. A lot of the guys at the firehouse have them, and it is really convenient to use. It is not all that much $$$, but they work great. No one has pagers, but we do use these and cell phones, but these are better. I like them.

On another note, what type of fire pager do you use? We use the Motorola Minitor II and IV. What about you? I know the next county uses alpha numeric pagers instead. What does your company use. Also, what type of warning light, if any, do you use in your personal vehicle? Thanks. :fireman:

Sludge · 11-24-2002, 11:43 PM

First off my name is Tony

we also use the minitor II pager and we carry alphanumaric pagers from motorola.Both are controlled from the 911 center here.What i like about the alpha pagers is that we can use the computer to page ppl and get update thru the 911 center. Plus i carry a Motorola HT1250 radio with 128 channels.
Now you know why fireman wear suspenders {:-Þ
hopefully me and a few others can convince the rest of the member to vote on getting nextels.

For lights on my personal rig I use a Whelen DashMiser II dual strobe light w/ red lenses (im assit chief) along with a Galls Street Thunder siren. I also have undercover strobe lights in the front marker lights and rear taillight in the amber section. Firefighters that are not line officers use blue lights and sirens are not allowed unles it an airhorn.

BTOWN4RUNNER · 11-25-2002, 09:29 AM

Yeah, that is how it is here. I have a Federal Signal Firebeam in blue that I throw on the roof (beings as a blue light has to be seen at least 360 deg.) and I also have a Whelen Dashmiser Plus 1 strobe blue light. I love that thing. It is bright as day. I use that on calls in the rain where I don't want to get the light on the roof wet and I use it at night, when there are not too many people on the road. We also have the same rule with the siren. I think that is a state rule. I would seriously consider getting a Nextel for your company. I got mine at APS wireless and they offer a discount of 27% on equipment and 10% on plans because you are a firefighter. If you get more phones, they may offer an even bigger discount. I was told that only a select few dealers in PA were given permission by Nextel to do this, so maybe if you call around and ask, you may find someone! Goodluck! :fireman:

BTOWN4RUNNER · 11-26-2002, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Philly
I like it Ryno

Thanks Phil. On a side note, how is your back doing? I have not heard from you lately. How is it going and how are you doing? :fireman:

11-22-2002, 06:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
BTOWN4RUNNER Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Boyertown, Pa Posts: 1,853	Sorry, here is the link for the phone. i60c . :fireman: __________________ Ryan 2002 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition Friendship Hook & Ladder Fire Co., Boyertown

11-22-2002, 07:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
mark from uk Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Moulton Lincolnshire England Posts: 322	do you have pay as you go mobiles in the us? over here we can get a phone and just pay for the calls you make. __________________ too much month left at the end of the money 1990 Hilux Surf 2.4 turbo diesel Japanese import (2nd gen 4runner)

11-22-2002, 07:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
CLin9383 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,358	you can do that uk..but mostly, you get a certain amount of minutes and if you go over you pay extra....i know in other parts of the world, you are only charged for making calls...incoming calls are free right?? __________________ 1996 Limited

11-22-2002, 02:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Krash Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,322	I actually miss my Nextel I had. Back where I used to live in florida everyone had one so I got one with unlimited direct connect and that was it. I used it more than my sprint phone I have now. But thats cause everyone had the direct connect like I did. It was always fun having someone talking out the speaker through direct connect at 3am asking if I was awake. __________________ 1990 Ext. Cab 22re 5speed 4wd SOLD

11-22-2002, 06:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mohamed Contributing Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 1,657	Myers, That sounds exactly like the system they use in Egypt. I wonder does the UK use GSM? Krash, I have currently the unlimited direct connect feature on my phone (since '99) but what sucks is the pricing of phone calls. Because my nextel is supplied to me by the government, all my calls are audited at the end of the month and I have to justify my calls @ .20 cents a minute. BTown, I have that same phone, got mine a month ago, it is definitly cool especially since what I used to use before (these old '97 model brick Nextel phones) was pure garbadge. What's really cool is my personal phone is the V60 from At&t and my accessories for it are a direct fit for the Nextel. Something I recommend is the Bodyglove rotating belt clip w/ nephriene case holster, it definitly holds it in place and is rugged for many times of rough climate work. info here at Office Depot __________________ 2002 Imperial Jade Mica Tundra 2005 Acura TSX 6MT Navi 2006 Suzuki GSX-R600 Pic's of my Tundra

11-22-2002, 10:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sludge Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Pa Posts: 422	Hi Ryan I've been trying to get our fire dept to get nextel cells phone for 1yr now. All the fireman carry alpha pager and we have cell phones in each rig. Plus most of the firefighters carry a personal cell phone.I keep trying to tell them to drop the pagers and there phone and switch to nextel.Maybe one da it will happen __________________ 92 4Runner SR5 Aisin hubs,pin stripe removed,police scanner,brush guard,Monroe Senseatrak shocks and steering stablizer,Brembo rotors,Downey HD coils,Blue reverse indiglo guages. . . http://community.webshots.com/user/sludg3

11-22-2002, 10:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
CLin9383 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,358	mohamed, i think the whole world uses GSM, but the USA has to use CDMA......they do have GSM here but it's 1900 and the rest of the world is 1800, or 900....if you get a tri band phone, you can use it world wide...long as you have a SIM card in the phone from the country you want to use it in....i personally think GSM is great.....not to mention the phones are cooler...the US is behind in mobile technology due to FCC regulations about emitting waves or what not...but it's for your safety kids!!!!...happy calling around!!!!!! __________________ 1996 Limited

11-23-2002, 08:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
RebuiltRunner Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Staten Island, NYC Posts: 300	Here's the dirt on the different phone standards: The main two digital standards to be used in the US have been TDMA (AT&T, Cingular) and CDMA (VERIZON). You may have also heard PCS referred to as being different from digital cellular. Basically PCS is a 1900mhz frequency (nice sound quality, but needs unobstructed path from tower to phone); Digital cellular is 800mhz (purported to not sound as good , but deals with buildings and hills between the tower and phone better. GSM was originally used only by Aerial wireless as its standard. This meant that (very much like the case with digital networks when they were first introduced) there wasn't alot of coverage. The other guys (especially Sprint being "all digital, all PCS - which is the same thing - had the advantage of serveral companies offering digital and therefore there was more coverage. This probably contributed to Aerial's going out of business and I believe their network was bought by AT&T back in '99. Now, you may notice AT&T selling GSM as the next step from digital, and it will probably succeed because, well, AT&T is HUGE. One big diff between GSM and the other standards is that it uses a System ID card instead of a chip that is permanently isntalled in the phone. This card feature means that Pay-As-You go is possible where you just buy or renew the card you slip into your phone as opposed to our more well known pre-pay where you go buy some minutes and then have to have the minutes activated at the store or by calling the service provider. BTW: We have pay for what you use - it's just that you usually get more mintes with one of the plans where you pay x amount for x amount of minutes. This is usually offered in more rural areas though, I think. __________________ Peace: CW 2000 Taco PreRunner V6 Amsoil Air & oil (SDF34), XL7500 oil, big ol' Yoko Geolander HT-S (black side out) Eclipse 4222R/5122 changer, Rostra add-on cruise control. Eurolite Xenon superwhite in inst cluster. As of 2/21/04, BIG, FAT, GAPING 6-INCH DECKPLATE MOD!!! (+3,000 HP, 370 MPG)...anybody know where I can get REAL #74 xenon bulbs for my A/C controls? Imperial 11x11 Maxi-Cool(er)

11-23-2002, 03:32 PM	#11 (permalink)
cpw2002 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Englewood, Fla Posts: 201	I compair rates on all major providers and I am seeing a trend toward mega multi-use minutes and the prices are dropping. __________________ CPW 2002 4Runner SR5 V6 2WD/ECT Millennium Silver Metallic Just wanted chrome bumpers (for now)

11-24-2002, 02:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
BTOWN4RUNNER Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Boyertown, Pa Posts: 1,853	Firefighter, first off, may I ask your name? Thanks. Also, that is a reason that I wanted one. A lot of the guys at the firehouse have them, and it is really convenient to use. It is not all that much $$$, but they work great. No one has pagers, but we do use these and cell phones, but these are better. I like them. On another note, what type of fire pager do you use? We use the Motorola Minitor II and IV. What about you? I know the next county uses alpha numeric pagers instead. What does your company use. Also, what type of warning light, if any, do you use in your personal vehicle? Thanks. :fireman: __________________ Ryan 2002 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition Friendship Hook & Ladder Fire Co., Boyertown

11-24-2002, 11:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
Sludge Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Pa Posts: 422	First off my name is Tony we also use the minitor II pager and we carry alphanumaric pagers from motorola.Both are controlled from the 911 center here.What i like about the alpha pagers is that we can use the computer to page ppl and get update thru the 911 center. Plus i carry a Motorola HT1250 radio with 128 channels. Now you know why fireman wear suspenders {:-Þ hopefully me and a few others can convince the rest of the member to vote on getting nextels. For lights on my personal rig I use a Whelen DashMiser II dual strobe light w/ red lenses (im assit chief) along with a Galls Street Thunder siren. I also have undercover strobe lights in the front marker lights and rear taillight in the amber section. Firefighters that are not line officers use blue lights and sirens are not allowed unles it an airhorn. __________________ 92 4Runner SR5 Aisin hubs,pin stripe removed,police scanner,brush guard,Monroe Senseatrak shocks and steering stablizer,Brembo rotors,Downey HD coils,Blue reverse indiglo guages. . . http://community.webshots.com/user/sludg3

11-25-2002, 09:29 AM	#14 (permalink)
BTOWN4RUNNER Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Boyertown, Pa Posts: 1,853	Yeah, that is how it is here. I have a Federal Signal Firebeam in blue that I throw on the roof (beings as a blue light has to be seen at least 360 deg.) and I also have a Whelen Dashmiser Plus 1 strobe blue light. I love that thing. It is bright as day. I use that on calls in the rain where I don't want to get the light on the roof wet and I use it at night, when there are not too many people on the road. We also have the same rule with the siren. I think that is a state rule. I would seriously consider getting a Nextel for your company. I got mine at APS wireless and they offer a discount of 27% on equipment and 10% on plans because you are a firefighter. If you get more phones, they may offer an even bigger discount. I was told that only a select few dealers in PA were given permission by Nextel to do this, so maybe if you call around and ask, you may find someone! Goodluck! :fireman: __________________ Ryan 2002 Toyota 4Runner Sport Edition Friendship Hook & Ladder Fire Co., Boyertown

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