Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: doug@letni.uucp (Doug Davis)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: First Time Cellular Phone Buyer Needs Advice
Message-ID: <2277@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 17 Dec 89 03:41:16 GMT
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Reply-To: doug@letni.lawnet.com
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 583, message 1 of 7


In article <2155@accuvax.nwu.edu> motcid!sirakide%cell.mot.COM@uunet.uu.net 
(Dean Sirakides) writes:


>>3) What is the maximum power (watts) cellular phones are allowed to
>>   transmit? What kind of power can I expect to find in the consumer
>>   market?

>Cellular phones come in there power levels: 4.0, 1.6, 0.6 watts (ERP).
>4 watts is used by most car phones and bag phones. 0.6 watts is used
>by most portables. Bottom line: usually all phones of the same type
>use the same power levels.

Er, I believe that *three* watts is the maximum legal power that 
a cellular radio may transmit.  

>>4) How can I get my hands on a cell map?

>You got me with that one, I'm not sure they are public information.

Most companies publish a simple one as part of their sales brochures.
Depending on who you talk to sometimes it's just a phone call away.
At least thats what it took me, with Southwestern Bell.  I'm sure your
milage may vary.

>>5) Anything else a novice should know before purchasing? 

>Buying a cheap cellular phone is like buying a cheap house phone don't
>kid yourself that "a phone is a phone". Ask the dealer which phones
>are always coming back for repair.

Also, call the carrier, or better yet write them a letter.  Most
dealers will sell you the unit they are getting the best spiff off of
this week.  Most of all shop around, have several different places
show you the same unit, ask about where accesories for that unit may
be purchased.  You'ed be suprised how many companies sell just the
phone, and can't even *ORDER* an extra antenna, or battery pack for
it.

Also, and I hate to company bash here, (except for GTE) especially
since a representive of the company I am about to bash gave very good
answers to your questions.. But...

Motorola cellular customer service *sucks* *rocks*..
(whew, that felt good)

Let me explain, I am the ideal cullular customer, I constantly run
bills in the 500-800 minute a month range.  I have sold several phones
to associates of mine and they too run rather large bills.  At the
time I purchased my phone I shopped around and the general consenses
was that Motorola made the best/most reliable phones.  This may be
quite true, my phone still functions just fine after well over 100,000
hours of time. But..

When I purchased this phone I was assured that it would take an
adapter that would allow hands free communication in a car, (like a
normal telephone speaker box) In the box with my phone was a brochure
that has a picture of and about 1/2 dozen other options I could buy
for it.  Now then, this Christmas I was going to treat myself to a
hands free adapter, I called the same people I purchased the phone up
and had them order me one.  They called back a few hours later and
said that Motorola, NEVER MANUFACTURED THE HANDS-FREE ADAPTER FOR THIS
PHONE.  Needless to say I was a bit miffed over this and gave Motorola
a call about it.

The nice lady on the phone proceeded to explain to me that *they*
didn't put that brochure in the box with the phone, the fact that it
was sealed in the same plasic as the owners manual, in a sealed box,
and it was pretty much obvious that it was the first time the box had
been opened when the dealer pulled it from stock for me.  Didn't seem
to phase her one bit.  Matter of fact, the *ONLY* thing she could do
for me was sell me another phone for 4000.00 that WOULD do hands free
in the car, of course that little option was a mere 1500.00 more.  Oh
yeah she also told me that I should *NEVER* buy a phone from a dealer
since they obviously wouldn't know if the phone could support hands
free.  (I guess that must be right if they look at the brouchures
that come in the box with the phone.)

Well at 5500.00 dollars I can buy several portable phones from almost
anywhere and most of those have hands free adapters for < 100.00.

Anyway, now that I've vented my frustrations a bit, I will say that I
have put this unit through h*ll and it still works like the day I
bought it.  So, technically the phone is great, just that Motorola
doesn't know the meaning of the word's "customer service."

Oh, yeah, I did write a very nice letter, including a photo-copy of
the brochure, to several places inside of Motorola, if something
interesting comes back I will be sure to follow up with it to Telecom.


Doug Davis/1030 Pleasant Valley Lane/Arlington/Texas/76015/817-467-3740
{texsun, motown!sys1, uiucuxc!sys1 lawnet, attctc, texbell} letni!doug