TELECOM Moderator <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu> (04/14/91)
I had hoped to take my (Cellular One - Chicago equipped) bag phone with me when we drive to Kansas in a couple days, but according to Cellular One here, they do NOT yet offer NationLink roaming. I've had a copy of their User Guide for several months which says they offer *31 (call forwarding) and *32 (caller notification) service. In addition, the third edition of the Cellular Telephone Directory says that Cell One - Chicago offers the service. I'm glad I called to double check! Some of you will recall when I made this same trip to Independence, KS last July, I took along my Radio Shack CT-301 handheld unit, serviced by Ameritech. I was unable to place or receive roamer calls, and because it was the fourth of July, I had to wait until the next day -- after we had already arrived in Kansas -- to call Ameritech here and ask them to correct the problem. They found me on a 'negative listing'; removed me from it, and everything worked fine for the rest of the trip and coming home. So this time around, I made certain Ameritech had 'Fast Track Roaming' on my account and did not have my serial number on any negative listings, etc. I can use *18 on that phone to have calls to my home number forwarded to the cellular switch and on to me wherever I may be in the next several days. But I wonder why Cellular One - Chicago mentions *31 / *32 in their own guide, and it appears in the book as well when in fact they say it is 'only in the testing stage here' ? I'll still take along both phones, since I want to do some comparison tests along the way ... but its a good thing I did not just start out with my bag phone (Cell One) *assuming* that what the Cellular Telephone Directory says is correct, isn't it! Now let's hope the national guide to cellular roaming is correct on a few other details, such as roaming agreements, the coverage maps, etc. Maybe they got some of that wrong also. As I have noted in other messages today, telecom is off line until about April 20. Please hold messages this week while I go attend to my father. Thanks. Patrick Townson