kensteele

Check out the A400 on the Sprint PCS website.

fbazakos

OWNZ JOO!!!!

kensteele

So you're going to try to hijack my thread, eh? We'll see.....this is just the beginning. If I don't post at least two dozen posts like this one this year...you're gonna keep posting v60c? Well maybe we'll just get a v60c ourselves.

kensteele

Website picture doesn't do the phone justice so I made some myself:

tw1112

I actually wanted to ask you both...How come if I am changing service from one company to another.....I can't some how buy my phone number and have it not change? Meaning, I already have my number and everyone has this number....I would like to keep this number but cingular really sucks ass and I would like to change to verizon (sorry ken, like I said before, sprint sucks in socal). Anyway of doing this??

bl^5

Hey Ken,
Why is this phone better than the TP5200. It seems like the TP5200 is smaller and also has caller ID on the outside so I am guessing it has something to do with technology?

Infamuz

My favorite phone is the v60c phone! It is just too sweet!

Shawn S

Question for the two phone Whores.

I have a LG-510 flip phone with a basic “car charger” plug.

I know both Verizon & Sprint sell/sold these phones.
I want to rig up some kind of hands-free hookup in the new car.
One of the drawbacks of a manual Tranny is that it’s quite hard to answer a call when you are shifting in traffic.
I don’t want one of those “ear-bud” things or messy wires everywhere.
I’m looking for something that I can hard-wire into the car or plug into the “power outlet” with a speaker and mike.
Something that I can just hit one button and talk when a call comes in.

Any ideas ???

Shawn S

fbazakos

phone numbers are distributed by prefix, the entire prefix, to one company. for example, here is minneapolis, verizon wireless has ALL the phone number in the following prefixes (for area code 612): 759, 720, 210, 590, and the list goes on. There is no way that any other company can assign a 612-759-xxxx number other than verizon wireless. Once we fill up a certain percentage of the numbers in those prefixes, we'll get another one. Your best bet is to have them search for the same last 4 digits. We have so many prefixes, that the odds are goods that you'll get 612-759-1234 in your old number was 612-999-1234. ok?

fbazakos

the v60c OWNZ, and you know it. haha, but I know how long you've had it ... too bad you guys don't sell it commerically. it's theraputic for me to represent my company ... in the end ... i don't care, i know you don't care, but it's fun. the best part is everybody on here knows all this. (although now that i think about it, some newbies must really get confused).

kensteele

tw1112:

You cannot today because the phone company actually owns those numbers; so when you quit, they'll reuse them. But there's a new law coming out either in Nov or Jan regarding number portability. And it will allow you to keep your existing number wherever you go. Some of our Sprint PCS phone will already handle this today, most if not all of them will by the end of the year. You keep your main number and we'll tie it to another number, sorta like call forwarding.

bl^5:

This phone is not better than the 5200/5250 phones. Samsung phones are a bit different than LG phones, depends on the consumers taste. The 5200 is indeed lighter and smaller and the external caller ID is a plus. The samsung A400 is a successor to the Samsung 8500, it's very flat, and is the first Samsung phone to allow downloadable ringers using Sprint PCS Ringers and More.

Infamuz:

Yes I know the v60c is a sweet phone. But it is expensive and some say the Motorola interface (even the new one) is difficult to use. Since we don't actually sell the phone at Sprint PCS, I relegated mine to permanent car install status.

fbazakos

Shawn,



Hands-Free Vehicle Power Charger
This accessory connects your phone to your car's cigarette lighter adapter, allowing you to charge your phone while using it in the car, and charges the phone when you use it away from your car.

That's what you're looking for. I think it's like 60-70 bucks.

You can also get this to hold it:



Belt Clip and Vent Mount
Vent clip mounts to your vehicle's air vent keeping your handset easily accessible. Belt clip keeps your phone at your side. Handset slides easily out of either clip for easy access.

Shawn S

Ken,

Is that device you have pictured what I was asking about above ???
If so, where can I buy one for MY phone ?

Shawn S

kensteele

Shawn, see my post below with the Motorola install kit? When the phone rings, I open the flip (or just press the side button) and it answers; I talk into the mic and the external speaker is used. Is that what you are talking about? If so, LG does not make such a kit for your phone. At least not that I am aware of.

LG website

Shawn S

I see a MIKE in that photo, but where is the speaker ???

Shawn S

Shawn S

Ken,

Yes, I’ve been to the LG website and didn’t see what I want.
I was hoping you guys might have known of another device.

Shawn S

mdaniel

I'd like to do the same as Shawn with my Startac. How well does the Motorola full duplex hands free kit work? I've heard mixed feedback: Some say its fine, some say there's lots of background noise, echo, etc.

kensteele

Ok you guys keep posting before I can keep up.

What Fotis posted is components that will mimic my setup. It's not a permanent install and you can move it from car to car if you wish. It is inexpensive compared to >$100 for the permanent install. I don't like the "zero-install" handsfree kits because there are wires about, some use the phone's mic and speaker (some don't) so they don't sound as well, and most use the CLA. But with your electronics skills, you can probably rig this up to work well. My kit stays on the call after the car is shut off, charges the phone, and sounds very good. In addition, it uses an external antenna:

kensteele

For LG, there's isn't another that I know of. The speaker is the very large part (widest part) of the cigarette lighter adapter piece. I've tried several of the devices for other phones and they don't sound so well.

kensteele

Which StarTAC? Model #? I've had the OEM Motorola install kit before and it works great when installed correctly. Essentially it's the same one as I have installed for my v60c except the cradle is [shaped] different.

Handsfree kits are very, very convenient. Soon they will be the only legal way to talk and drive. One day.

fbazakos

ok,

i have tried every hands free kit out there. what ken has, i have in my explorer. (dont want the ugly shit in my weekend car, or anybody calling me hehe) It is what I call "hardwiring" your phone. The motorola kit is around 150-200. I currently have it for the Timeport as opposed to the v60c. (I also have it for a 3 watt analog phone), both of which have external antennaes, the holster that holds the phone, a speaker that i mounted in the dash (and out of view), and a mic (mounted along the A pillar).

These solutions by far produce the best results. But you have to pay for them. The solution that I showed you, shawn, for 60 bucks, has the speaker on the cigarette plug adapter. I used the kit for the kyorcera phones, and was not impressed.

But the motorola kits rule, they are full duplex. The antennae will help your reception, but you really only need it if you're on sprint

Shawn S

I don’t use the phone in the car that much and that “Zero-install” kit may work for what I want.

I may pick that one up and hard wire it into the console somewhere or even add another speaker in a more permanent position.
I mainly need the interface for the phone and then I can hack it into what I want.
Thanks for the input.

Shawn S

fbazakos

This is what ken's referring to, about 200 bucks from motorola ... i have almost this exact kit and its awesome.

mdaniel

Startac 7868. Currently, I have set the phone to the left of the shifter. I have the earbud run under the left side marble trim piece and fished into the cup holder. But it takes too to fish out the earbud, get it in my ear, and hit the send button. Plus, its hard to see the caller id since its so far down (not safe when driving). It would be even harder with the 6 speed I hope to get. I'd have it professionally installed and mounted where your's is in that pic. Also, I keep my phone on vibrate out of the car and set it to ring in the car. Does the HF kit automatically switch it to ringing when the handset is dropped in the cradle the way it does when I drop in in the home charging base?

fbazakos

see the picture i posted above for what it looks like. you can install it in like 15-30 minutes. a few things to help you with your speed. you can change the settings on the phone, so you dont necessarily have to hit send to answer. heck, you can have it answer on flip open (unless you want to see who's calling).

to answer your question about vibrate/ring. it'll ring through your speaker that was installed.

Nicky Pass

I just bought the same cell as Shawn S yesterday.....I love it!!!!

mdaniel

It hard wires to the car's power so it can power the phone, right? And there's a mic that mounts on the a-pillar? And the speaker mounts somewhere under the dash? I don't need to install an external antena (no need with Verizon) so that should simplify installation.

kensteele

When the phone is in the HFK cradle, you can set it to flip to open answer or set it automatically answer after ~ 3-5 seconds/rings. You don't even have to touch it!

In the cradle, a phone set to vibe mode will automatically un-vibe and ring through the installed speaker as Fotis said.

It took me several hours to install my own kit but it was easy overall. That includes all the wiring (though the console, under the carpet, and to the rear windshield antenna) and mounting the cradle in the interior. A pro can do it much quicker.

Shawn S

Can you guys get us discounts on any of these kits ???

Shawn S

mdaniel

Can be set to only answer when I hit send or maybe "any key answer"? I'd like to leave the phone open so I can see the CID and then decide whether or not to answer.

kensteele

Sorry didn't see this. Yes, yes, yes, and all yes except don't be fooled by what Fotis is saying. No CDMA phone (Verizon or Sprint PCS) needs an external antenna to operate and function properly unless there is interference within the vehicle. But in fact the v60c Motorola HFK cradle has a pin that will disable your phone's antenna when you mount the handset and activate the remote antenna. Your signal will decrease dramatically without it. On the StarTAC mount, I don't see this but that doesn't mean it doesn't work that way thru the antenna connector which is on the bottom of the phone.

An external antenna doesn't help that much when the signal and coverage is good. The external antenna helps mostly when you get in bad coverage areas and on fringe areas. Sprint PCS has such areas and no matter what Fotis will have you believe, Verizon has them, too.

He just need to get away from flat Minnesota and Nebraska and go to SoCal where the terrain is more than a challenge, I'm sure he already knows this. Yeah it's flat flat flat here in Kansas, too.

kensteele

Absolutely.

kensteele

Can't wait till Park Avenue meet? Whatta ya need?

I happen to have a brand new, never been used full Motorola handsfree install kit for the StarTAC (without the external antenna); I'm looking at all the pieces still wrapped in the plastic. All of my StarTACs are retired so I have no need for it. Since I promote safe cellphone use while driving, perhaps mdaniel will PM me about it.

Fotis, these are your Venison customers....sheezzee.

mdaniel

Thanks for the info. I just want to clarify about the antenna. I'd prefer not to install an external antenna if at all possible since I get good signal with the phone's antena. But you're saying that the car kit disables the internal antenna? Or does it only do that when the external antenna is attached to the control box. The web site lists the external antenna as an option, suggesting the later.

fbazakos

mdaniel ... i WAS joking about the antennaes ... it's simple RF, an antennae will help ... i'm SURE he knew this KEN hehe. it's just like extending the antennae when you're talking on the hanset alone. sure you don't really notice it, but it will extend battery life and signal (not all that much, but since your phone has better reception, it wont have to work as hard, hence the battery lasts longer). they give you the antennae in the kit, so you might as well hook it.

of course the joke of it was the verizon has the best coverage (which IS true, internal and external (such as JD power) drive tests show this), so i was saying it would be more helpful on sprint's network. i've noticed the external antennae helping me best on analog, when i'm out in the middle of nowhere, where nobody is even licensed for digital. that's where RSA (remote service providers) throw up one tower 300 feet in the air, every 50 miles, turn the power up all the way (frying every cow nearby) and expect to give good coverage (kinda reminds me of voicestreams' digital coverage). And I digress ... you don't want to use analog with a sprint phone ... the consequences are rather ... unpleasant, no ken?

mdaniel

Fotis - I didn't see your post about only needing an antenna on Sprint before I wrote mine. But seriously, I think its been maybe once in 6 months that an external antenna would have been helpful. The digital signal is real strong around here. So as long as the internal antenna continues to function when the handset is in the cradle, I'll skip the external antenna. I'd rather not have any more work done on my car than neccessary. (I don't want to risk any more rattles.)

fbazakos

that's a hella nice offer... mdaniel ... i'd jump on it ... i've been building up a collection of goodies for the PAA meet. not that I can top the phone man himself

fbazakos

that's hilarious, but at the same time, a great testament to our network quality. i'll check around tomorrow to see if you HAVE to use the antennae. i dont have one on my acura, only on my work truck. i dont want to mess up my clean lines on the acura.

well ken, looks like i dont have to get down to those "tricky terrain" areas ... guess that's why, cause Verizon has some 17,000 cell site nationwide. sprint has ... what ... 5,000 sites?

i have a lot of work to do here in the midwest ... we saw some people from cingular doing some surveying here in minneapolis ... cant believe they want to pollute our airwaves with more gsm/tdma.

kensteele

What's the difference? The analog in a Sprint phone is the same as the analog in the equivalent Verizon phone?

Let's say you are a Verizon customer in Grand Junction, CO with your Motorola Timeport P8767. I'm a Sprint PCS customer in the same place with my Motorola Timeport P8767. Same phone. Neither has digital service in that city (just a guess, Sprint doesn't, not sure about V, but hypothetically) so we're roaming on Denver Cellular, a local analog carrier. Same phone, same digital signal. What's the difference? None. Point is, analog comes in whatever flavour the manufacturer deals it in; has nothing to do with your home carrier.

Oh, billing? rates? Depending on your plan, it could be "free" on V. You usually pay for roaming charges on Sprint PCS. About all 10 minutes of it because research shows, a lot of Sprint PCS customers don't run up huge amounts of roaming calls. Neither do any other "digital" customers. Besides your Timeport battery wouldn't permit you to talk more than one hour in analog mode.

Is anyone here having trouble with the fact that Sprint PCS charges extra for making calls off-network? Didn't think so. Umm..btw, Sprint PCS has a license in every single geographic square of the entire US of A to built a Sprint PCS tower. We just have gotten around to realizing those licenses with towers. If Verizon wants a full license, well they're just gonna have to buy Sprint because the bidding for licensing is done and over.

Don't buy this free roaming on Verizon at no charge. They build in the cost someplace just like any other business. Verizon gets charged when their customers roam off-network. Where do you think the charges go? They're in your MRC. Where's are the free long-distance charges. In the MRC.

kensteele

All of our sites are digital. How many of those 17,000 are old and outdated analog towers? You must be counting all of those towers in SD, ND, AK, MT, WY, ID. Yep, a Sprint customer can use those towers, too. And we don't have any customers in those states.