7290: Does Cingular have a 850 MHz GSM/GPRS Network?
 

I heard that Cingular has a large 850 MHz GSM/GPRS Network. Does anyone know if this will result in better coverage than T-Mobile in the DC Area?

Will the 7290 switch between 1900 and 850 MHz automatically?

Im wondering this as well in the Tampa area. The At&T network is lame here. Ive noticed ever since they opened a roaming agreement with Cingular, My phone is roaming on Cingular almost half the time now.

Yes they have 850.. I use it all the time. .Where, I'm not sure.

850 Mhz makes a really mammoth difference (more than some people may expect) when deployed on top of 1900 Mhz. There are many dead spots that 850 Mhz can reach that 1900 Mhz cannot. For example, where there's only 0 bar reception at 1900 Mhz for 2 level underground parking garages and distant suburb basements, there's often 2-3 bars of 850 Mhz reception from the exact same celltower!

Hundreds of HowardForums members (myself included) noticed a huge improvement when Rogers deployed their 850 Mhz network mostly completely by November 2003, as an overlay on top of their existing 1900 Mhz network.

However in some areas of the states, 850 Mhz versus 1900 Mhz is not very clear. But it is definitely very clear in Southern Ontario.