AT&T and T-Mobile temporarily share networks in New York City and New Jersey

Good for them. Although most people in that area have Verizon, and even the mighty Verizon seems to be a mess.

So it would be interesting to know what it takes to implement this...couple guys on a computer playing with roaming settings? Do they have to play with every towers software in that area or can they choose a "block" of towers and do a mass update? How would they make the phones not have a network preference and choose whatever's available? I have a lot of questions lol...

Originally Posted by sprke81

So it would be interesting to know what it takes to implement this...couple guys on a computer playing with roaming settings? Do they have to play with every towers software in that area or can they choose a "block" of towers and do a mass update? How would they make the phones not have a network preference and choose whatever's available? I have a lot of questions lol...

Maybe they already have this all set up from when AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile.

They went to the computer's recycling bin, undeleted the AT&T-Mobile program and then ran it.

Now we can all hold hands.

and sing Kumbaya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by sprke81

So it would be interesting to know what it takes to implement this...couple guys on a computer playing with roaming settings? Do they have to play with every towers software in that area or can they choose a "block" of towers and do a mass update? How would they make the phones not have a network preference and choose whatever's available? I have a lot of questions lol...

This is very fuzzy memory: With CDMA and TDMA, a database in the phone had to be updated. It was a very un-exact science. With GSM the blocking is done at the tower. It has to do with the background communications that goes on between GSM towers worldwide.

With GSM all of the towers world wide are assigned a numbering system of some sort. They are organized by carrier, then regions, and so on until it gets to the individual tower. Back from the days when AT&T and T-Mobile shared a network in CA, I seem to remember that they can block or unblock a region with a few keystrokes.

Probably as things are gotten more advance, they have a map graphic interface to work with.

Gsm roaming is changed from the back end. Att or T-Mobile just have to "allow" Sim cards from another carrier to register on their network. It can be even set to individual towers. Cdma phones have to have its prl updated in many cases to allow roaming as the provider gets to pick whose network they are allowed on.

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Did T-Mobile have their PCS 3G up before the storm? I guess EDGE would be better than nothing, but I feel like GSM/EDGE would overload very quickly compared to UMTS.

The two companies did the same thing in MS and LA during Katrina. Basically, this is for places where a tower or two is down. Maybe the other company has a tower closer that is working.

I wonder if it connects to the closest and highest signal tower, AT&T or T-Mobile first, or tries to connect to an AT&T tower first, even if there is a working T-Mobile site next door. I would have to assume the later.

Originally Posted by Squid7085

I wonder if it connects to the closest and highest signal tower, AT&T or T-Mobile first, or tries to connect to an AT&T tower first, even if there is a working T-Mobile site next door. I would have to assume the later.

Almost certainly the latter, to do the former requires more network integration and SIM card programming - I'm not sure what's involved but it HAS been done (during the AT&T/Cingular integration and presently during the ongoing T-Mobile/Orange integration in the UK)

Originally Posted by Scottish Skyedance

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/31/a...rks-in-nyc-nj/

T-Mobile USA users should have lots of fun with roaming on AT&T.
Once the data limit has been reached, all data stops until the billing cycle ends or when connected back to a working T-Mobile USA site.

Originally Posted by Barry ATL

With GSM all of the towers world wide are assigned a numbering system of some sort. They are organized by carrier, then regions, and so on until it gets to the individual tower. Back from the days when AT&T and T-Mobile shared a network in CA, I seem to remember that they can block or unblock a region with a few keystrokes.

Probably as things are gotten more advance, they have a map graphic interface to work with.

That's pretty much it. You really haven't forgotten much.

Originally Posted by sprke81

So it would be interesting to know what it takes to implement this...couple guys on a computer playing with roaming settings? Do they have to play with every towers software in that area or can they choose a "block" of towers and do a mass update? How would they make the phones not have a network preference and choose whatever's available? I have a lot of questions lol...

The "block" you're referring to is called the Location Area Code (LAC) so both AT&T and T-Mobile know which ones they will allow access to. At least, from my observations both GSM/EDGE and HSPA+ use unique LACs so the carriers actually know two things 1). Is it GSM or HSPA+? and 2.) The given boundaries.

Your device already knows what networks it can "see", it's just a matter of allowing access to it.
If I do manual network select with my T-Mobile SIM card any device it will do a scan and present me with a list of available networks...

Originally Posted by i0wnj00

T-Mobile USA users should have lots of fun with roaming on AT&T.
Once the data limit has been reached, all data stops until the billing cycle ends or when connected back to a working T-Mobile USA site.

What i read is implying neither one will be imposing the limits of roaming, so im assuming T-Mobile will not be doing any 3G throttling nor data caps in those areas, as that would make the most sense

I thought because of the break up, there was a new 7 year roaming agreement between the two carriers? That hasn't been mentioned since the breakup.

There is a roaming agreement, yes.

Originally Posted by buckspaul

this seems to benefit tmobile customers since the option to manually select networks is still available. this option is long vanished on att years ago you dont know your roaming tmobile anyway the network is masked to say att when using any non att us network.

I can tell when I am off the AT&T network, because the few times that I've lost signal, my phone camps on a tmobile tower and my data icon goes away because I have my phone set to not allow data roaming. That's how I know I'm off AT&T's network. I will show signal bars on T Mobile but when I try to make a call it says emergency calls only. Sucks. I thought the roaming agreement went both ways.

Perhaps that wasn't one of the areas where the roaming agreement included?

Sent from my LG Nitro HD

Originally Posted by brad15

What i read is implying neither one will be imposing the limits of roaming, so im assuming T-Mobile will not be doing any 3G throttling nor data caps in those areas, as that would make the most sense

Originally Posted by http://www.engadget.com

...the two have struck a deal to share their GSM and 3G networks in the area with no roaming fees or plan changes while the networks come back

Since the article mentions no plan changes it means that the existing terms of the plan apply, whatever they may be. That's unless somebody can vouch otherwise.
I think this is more for people who are worried about being charged for off network roaming more than for anything else.

Originally Posted by silentjudge

Perhaps that wasn't one of the areas where the roaming agreement included?

Sent from my LG Nitro HD

Shame on me for thinking there was a lot of areas of open roaming now. I just assumed that covered both systems nationwide.