Expert: Roberto Serrano - 7/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: I'm a very old AT&T customer and have a old plan that is very affordable and good.  The new AT&T/Cingular has tried for several years to get me to give up my old grandfathered plan and pay more money for a new plan.  

What is the difference between the old blue SIMM cards and the new orange SIMM cards?  They won't give me a new organge card since I'm on a old plan.  If my old card becomes defective then I won't have service.  How do I get a new orange SIMM card?

ANSWER: Hello Joyce,

Back when you had your cell phone at&t and Cingular were two different companies, once at&t and Cingular merged Cingular kept the at&t name but the company is still cingular so you are still on an old at&t platform that is why they want you to change your plan from the old at&t plan to the new at&t plan those sim cards are not interchangeable if you want to purchase an old at&t sim card you will need to find one on ebay or from another seller that has them. The only way you can be issued a new sim card from at&t is if you migrate your service from the old at&t blue to the new at&t orange. They do not have the same plans they can try to make up for it by giving you some bonus minutes and maybe even a workers discount if you are eligible to make up the difference. If you tell me which plan you have exactly I can try to help you out before you consider to migrate to the new at&t orange. Here is a link to the sim card you would need to replace it with incase you were ever to need an old at&t blue sim card http://cgi.ebay.com/AT-T-SIM-CARD-OLDEST-VERSION-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ220253968735 I hope that I have been of help to you if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for your question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm a phone company retiree and have a basic understanding of phone systems.  AT&T uses the term "platform" loosely.  I understand that signals for cell phones go from microwave towers to other towers therfore I use the same frequencies as other customers.  So what is the difference in "platforms".  I spoke with a supervisor of the new AT&T and the only conclusion we could come to was that it is a data change in their billing system.  Maybe you could shed more light on the subject of platforms.

I also know by law (FCC) they are bound to grandfather me in my existing contract for as long as I want the contract.  They told me I cound't purchase a new phone and have it work however I purchased a new phone off e-bay and it work wonderfully.  It is a Motorola V3xx RAZR compatable with AT&T.

Thank you for your response.

ANSWER: Hello Joyce,

The phone needs to be unlocked in order to be compatible with your phoe. The reason is because as I stated you were the old at&t company so you are still on that platform, the new at&t you can consider it cingular is on a totally different platform, Since your contract with the old at&t is over with they can force you to change your plan and merge to the new at&t because your contract is over and you are on a pay per month basis. The phones are not compatible with each company because you are on the old at&t platform and the new phones are locked to the new at&t or cingular platform. The phone will need to be unlocked in order for you to be able to use a new at&t or cingular phone on the old at&t blue platform or network. Once you get the phone unlocked your old sim card will work on the new at&t or cingular phone. You will need to program the phones settings in order to receive pictures and videos and log onto the internet via the phone. I hope that I have been of help to you if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you for your question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My new phone is unlocked and working without a problem.  I don't have a phone problem.  I'm only questioning why the new AT&T won't give my a new orange card?  Also explain "platform" as how it effects the working of my phone.  I assume (assuming sometime can be bad)that all the term "platform" is a term that is used loosely and doesn't mean anything in an attempt to force me to get another plan that will cost me more money.

I'm seriously considering filing a complaint with the FCC to resolve with issue.

Answer
Hello Joyce,

An orange sim card is not compatible with your phone plan since you have a older plan. You need a blue sim card as the one I linked you to on the ebay auction. Since Cingular does not carry those sim cards they can not issue you that sim card because it will not work with your old plan. In order for them to give you a new sim card you need to convert your old grandfathered plan onto the new cingular plans. The term platform means the side of the company orange is the new at&t blue is the older grandfathered at&t. If you want to know how this will affect you and your plan you will need to contact customer service I really do not know what plans they have for these older grandfathered plans. I hope that I have been of help to you if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me, Thank you for your question.


Follow Up:

As you know the old company At&t wireless was purchased by Cingular. Later on as the years passed Cingular purchased the company At&t and just changed its name from Cingular to the new At&t. Just because Cingular is now known as the New At&t does not mean that both companies are internally running under one platform because internally the merger is not finished. The company Cingular has to convert customers from the old At&t wireless to current Cingular plans in order to do so and when that happens that is when the company will run under one platform. The company never merged all plans together because Cingular did not offer the same plan as the At&t wireless company. That being said since both companies ran on two different platforms by one company Cingular honored At&t wireless plans to current At&t wireless customers. Both companies were on two different platforms because they were ran by two different companies you can not use a Cingular Sim card to work on an At&t wireless phone because the At&t wireless phone is still ran under the old At&t platform it is not ran under the new Cingular platform. If ever in the future you need a new sim card for your phone the new Cingular sim cards can not work with your phone you will need a older model sim card such as the sim card I linked you to on the ebay auction. If you were to convert your old At&t wireless plan and phone to the new Cingular plan then and only then will you be able to use a new Cingular sim card on your phone. As far as phones go all phones are locked to there specific wireless company since you are still running your phone on the old At&t wireless company it will not be compatible with the New Cingular or the New At&t unless your phone was purchased unlocked or you unlock the phone yourself. When a phone is unlocked it means that your phone does not have a designated carrier anymore you can use it on any carrier that is compatible with its technology GSM or CDMA. Since the old At&t was a GSM company and the new Cingular or the New At&t are GSM companies you would need a GSM phone. As far as Cingular pushing you to change your plan that is something they would like for you to do in order to have everybody on one platform. That is also sales reps just being sales reps attempting to make a sale you are not obligated to change your plan if you would like to get a phone from Cingular at a discounted price then you would be changing your plan and package. I really did not intend to make it sound so complicated, I hope that I am being clear. I hope that I have been of help to you if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your question.