In Other News ...

* AT&T's new Group Calling plan offers unlimited calling among a wireless group of five to 50 subscribers and unlimited airtime to as many as five landline numbers at three fixed rates within a designated group calling area. The plan is designed for local, mobile businesses that operate within a specific geographic area.

* CenturyTel has sold the assets of its wireless operations in the Brownsville and McAllen, TX, markets to Western Wireless for about $96 million.

* Ericsson has made a $5.5 million minority equity investment in Saride.com, which delivers enhanced data services on behalf of wireless carriers.

Wireless Review's ongoing series of random calls to carriers determines how a customer might be treated and the accuracy of distributed information.

AIRADIGM Total Hold Time: 0

Transfers/IVR Layers: 0

CSR: Thank you for calling Airadigm Communications. This is (name).

Wireless Review: What would happen if I dialed 911 from my wireless phone?

CSR: It would work. Where are you located?

WR: I am in Kansas City.

CSR: Einstein doesn't work in Kansas City. It only works in Wisconsin, so that probably wouldn't help you out too much. But I know with the digital carriers, as long as there is another digital carrier in the area, even if it is not your same carrier, your phone will be able to reach 911.

WR: So when I dial 911 they will know where I am?

CSR: Yes, the people who are going to respond through the city's emergency system will be in that city you are in. The towers that your calls go to -- and the towers are fairly close together -- recognizes where your location is so that is the county or city that is going to respond.

WR: So if I am on the road and don't know exactly where I am, it can tell by the tower?

CSR: I don't know if the 911 people can tell that, but the way the call is routed, the digital carrier can tell where you are. That is how they know which 911 you called. But it isn't going to work as any kind of tracking thing for the 911 people.

WR: I heard something about GPS technology in phones.

CSR: That I don't know about, really. It sounds like you have been doing a lot of research. I think I have a list of carriers. Let me see if I can get you a carrier in Kansas City. There's a company called Aerial Communications. If you call information, you should be able to get a listing for them.

GTE WIRELESS Total Hold Time: 0

Transfers/IVR Layers: 2

CSR: Thank you for calling GTE's sales department. This is (name). How may I help you?

WR: If I dialed 911 from my wireless phone, would it work if I were roaming?

CSR: It should. Are you a GTE customer?

WR: No, I am not.

CSR: I am not sure how another carrier's service, if it is going to work just like ours does. Sometimes if you roam it is a little different. Most of the time it should work. They are just going to charge you an extra fee for using 911.

WR: If I dial 911, it is not going to go to my home carrier? It will go to the emergency service that is closest to where I am?

CSR: Right. Oh, I am sorry. I was thinking about information. Yes, 911 will work from any cellular phone. It will go to the closest area that you are picking up that cell site, so like that certain city that you would be roaming in. It won't go back to your home area.

WR: OK, because I keep seeing stories on TV about people who can't get the police when they dial 911. I am looking to buy one for safety. I just want to be sure I can use it.

CSR: You just might want to verify before you set up service. It is one of those numbers that will work, as long as you are picking up a signal from your phone.

WR: OK. And do you know anything about this? I heard that some carriers are putting technology in the phones that can track you if you don't know where you are.

CSR: I know some phones, like some cars. I know Cadillacs have an OnStar system, and it kind of functions like we assign a mobile number for that OnStar system. And as far as the actual cellular phone doing that, it is possible, but I don't know anything about that. I know none of the phones that we carry at this time do that.