12.28.2004 | Welcome to the new Cingular

Well apparently the only thing new about the new Cingular is that AT&T customers have to transfer their numbers to Cingular to get Cingular's old calling plans with rollover, and that AT&T's network will eventually combine with Cingular's to provide "the largest digital voice and data network in America," the so-called "Allover Network."

"Allover" is actually a pretty good name for it, since together AT&T and Cingular work just about anywhere, and all-digital GSM is a whole lot better than Verizon's staticky CDMA/analog hybrid. The AT&T/Cingular network is also much larger than T-Mobile's, so I decided to make the leap and do a 2-year agreement to get a free camera phone.

The new phone I got isn't as nice as the one I got with AT&T, but at least it has a camera. I'm spending the evening at Murky Coffee/Common Grounds in Arlington, where I took this first picture with my new camera phone. I think I got the best of all possible (wireless) worlds, or at least I hope so. Either way, I'm stuck with it for the next two years, unless I want to pay a $150 termination fee. Welcome to the new Cingular indeed.