Cell Phone Service Providers

[RJ]

All -

Contract is coming due the end of next month on my cell phone service.  Am curious to know which one of the major players do most of my fellow busnuts use.  It just might be worth switching carriers after I review the rate plans, phones, and internet service availability.

Comments welcome as to why you chose what you did.

TIA, y'all. . .

 

[Dan C]

RJ,
I use TracPhone. It is a prepay type plan and for the very little use that I put on a
cell phone it works for me.
Rates are $.10 per minute, but they often have deals that include a life time "doubling
card" at no charge.
When I buy "time", the amount of "time" that I get is double the amount that I purchased.
This makes my "time" charge $.05 per minute.
There are better plans for anyone that has uses their phone alot more than I do.
I have had months when my total use cost me less than $10.00.
Coverage is excellent. They use Verizon, At&T and other networks. I have never been "out
of service" anywhere in the country.
YMMV.

Dan

[wrench]

 AT&T for 10 years with an expired contract for 8 years. Also got Sprints air card(2 years now, exp.) on a Itronix 260+, microphone & speaker integrated(use a radio cassette adapter in truck,car,RV for sound trough vehicule system) to call when driving(can dial without taking eyes off the road). Using SKYPE including Canada for $3.00 a month illimited with number to go, & allow receiving & foward to cell phone or any number when needed.
       wrench

[WEC4104]

I have had the best success with Verizon, coverage-wise.   I have been all over the eastern half of the U.S, with verty few problems. (Draw a line from Minneapolis to Dallas, and take everything east of that.)    I have an older, moderately priced handset, and I frequently "have bars" when folks around me on other plns do not.

A few years back, my employer attempted to switch everyone over to a T-Mobile group plan. The IT Dept was gradually issuing everyone new phones, and one of the early ones went to a Sr. Vice President.    He was riding in my car one day, and we were on the highway when he got a call.  After about 2 minutes, he lost the connection.   He cursed the phone and told me he was battling with the IT department because he had nothing but problems with T-Mobile.  He stated he was doing battle with the IT Dept but they wouldn't let him change back because they had him signed up for a contract to get the new hardware.   

The original caller called back and they resumed their conversation.    5 minutes later, he lost signal again.   I watched the VP lower my car window and launch his phone into a field while we were doing 70 mph.   I laughed by butt off.   He then borrowed my Verizon phone and called the guy back.   I guess being a Sr V.P. has it's advantages.

[TomC]

When I got my first cell phone in 1986 ($1,650.00 back then!) I was with PacBell which later turned into Verizon.  But-AT&T was the first to get follow me roaming (since I was a cross country truck driver), so I switched to AT&T.  While AT&T coverage is great on the road, it was lousy in Los Angeles.  After I got married, my wife at Verizon and when we would come into our under ground parking for our condo, my phone would say No Service, and she would be still talking on it.  Verizon has excellent coverage and am very pleased (albeit not the cheapest) with their service.  Good Luck, TomC

[ruthi]

We started out yrs ago with ATT. Then we had Sprint. Not much luck with either. We have had Verizon for yrs now. We are mainly in the South east area of the country. We have a little trouble in Kentucky, otherwise, good service. We also use their mobil internet. They have a new thing now where you can sign up 10 friends, etc numbers, and talk all you want with no minutes used. It can be cell, or home numbers. Good luck, Ruthi

[jackhartjr]

WalMart is beginning tomorrow a $44.00 unlimited calling, texting and data plan.  The other boys are shaking in their boots...as they should...we have been ripped off for years!

Google Walmart cell phone plans.

Jack

[Lonnie time to go]

I did have alltel and it was great a little high in price.
Now i have att its ok but it has moments.
Trouble is in the thumb of michigan local cell phone company has lock on service.
This has caused trouble for all the big cell phone companies.

[John316]

We have ATAPAIN! We are very involved with them, but we are just in the process of switching away from those...I won't say. I am not exactly sure what we will switch too. The WM idea sounds neat. I will check that out. Otherwise it will be Verizon.

God bless,

John

[belfert]

Walmart is partnering with Verizon.  I am interested in reading how roaming is handled versus Verizon America's Choice.  America's Choice doesn't roam per se, but rather has extended network.  Extended network is really roaming, but Verizon doesn't charge for it.

I have been very happy with Verizon.  I started with them at the end of 2000.  After I started my current job I was able to transfer my phone to have my employer pay for it under their Verizon plan.  It works most anywhere, but there are a few rural areas where AT&T and T-Mobile work, but not Verizon.

My employer looked real hard at T-Mobile to save 30% or more, but we found coverage sucks after T-Mobile gave us test phones.  I was going to test south of Lincoln, Nebraska, but T-Mobile flat out said they have no coverage there.

[Hi yo silver]

Verizon for me.   Better coverage than ntelos, which I had previously.  Purchased plan and phone at Wally World.

Dennis

[ruthi]

I am thinking of getting one of the walmart phones and testing it as we travel and comparing it to the verizon phones we have now. If I do, I will let yall know the results.

[loosenut]

My wife and I have phones on Verizon, Tmobile and AT&T networks.  The coverage is in that order.  Verizon is the best.  Tmobile is a close 2nd.  AT&T is a very distant 3rd.

My wife travels all over the country and often has to use her Verizon phone instead of At&T because of coverage.

If you don't use your phone for data, pictures etc.  The phone company in AARP is changing over to the Verizon network.  They are the ones with bigger buttons and a larger screen.

Mike

[jjrbus]

I used Spaint as my only phone for years and then added a Sprint aircard.   The reason I stayed with Sprint is most times I had a problem and started looking for a different carrier I found they all had issues also. Like jumping from the frying pan to the fire. I knew what I had and did not have to experiment with new problems.

 My wife currently has a Trac phone which is great for occasional phone. We bought the double the minutes plan so it costs 5 cents a min (where is the cents symblo?)

 I did not have a contract with Sprint.  To the best of my understanding the contract is to cover the cost of the free phone. If you have to sign a contract, how can the phone be free??  I bought my last couple of phones off Ebay and the contract was never extended. You must make sure the account for the phone is paid off, you can do this with the phones ID #. May be worth looking into.  Also if service is really bad you can buy out of contract.  I understand they now also have contract swapping sites.  It is possible to be in an area with great coverage and your house be in a dead zone!

 I am currently experimenting with a Boost phone the iden network has some issues and their phones are not the best. Not a deal breaker, but could be better. I am going to Google cell phone plans for Wall Mart at Jack's suggestion.

[belfert]

Yes, they hook you into a contract to pay for the free or reduced price phone, but also notice the monthly cost doesn't go down if one lets the contract expire.

[Joebus]

I have had Verizon for the last 2 years (no long distance for US and Canada) great coverage. I have never lost service....both USA coasts,,Yuma, Florida,Texas, etc. Central and eastern Canada, around $50.00 per month

Verizon air card for internet, again great in the USA, but a roaming charge in Canada makes it too expensive to use when home for the summer

[robertglines1]

We have verizon  had At&t no comparison.. Verizon is 3 times better..Also have added a cell phone booster (wilson electronics) that takes our signal in those rare no service areas to 4 bars..Works on the wireless internet connection also....Less than $200.00 hint they are making a small office unit with a dome inside a antenna outside that requires no physical connection..a little more but you can use as many cell phones and air cards at the same time as you want..

[JackConrad]

We had Alltel for many years, until Verizon took them over. So far we are very happy with Verizon (signal strength as well as service). We have traveled through 14 states on this trip between FL & MI. Very few dead areas and only a few dropped calls.  We have found that many of our friends also have Verizon, so free calls between our cell phones. Just our service, YMMV.  Jack

[jjrbus]

Yes, they hook you into a contract to pay for the free or reduced price phone, but also notice the monthly cost doesn't go down if one lets the contract expire.

 The mo cost does not go down. I also get constant phone upgrade offers because I am a "priemium customer".  They will do anything to lock you into a 2 year sentance.  It would be interesting to know if you try to sign up for a new account with a major carrier and already have a cell phone if they will still try to put you in a 2 year contract!!  JIm

[mikelutestanski]

Hello:   We are also in the not happy with sprint and wanting to change but to what?  So we are interested.    Whilst on our trip in the upper midwest sprint had very little or no service.
      We are also interested in internet service with the bus but have not found anything that is reasonable yet.
    Looking foward to responses.    Regards   mike

[Don4107]

Can you hear me now?  We live in the most populace county in Eastern Washington. Our illustrious county commissioners didn't like the look of cell phone towers so they put a moratorium on construction when the cell companies were flush with money to expand.  Took them many years to arrive at a permitting process than is so convoluted and expensive that the carriers just said no. 

The result is that the coverage we had in our area in the analog days is gone with very marginal service with digital.  The surrounding counties with far less population densities tend to have much better coverage.  The rolling hills of the Palouse are not conducive to good 800MHZ reception. 

We have tested all the major players and though the holes vary by carrier they are all marginal.  Something else that has changed over the years is that the receive sensitivity of the phones has steadily decreased.  I wish they would actually publish the specs of the phones so you could make an educated guess at what might work best.  The kids in the phones stores don't have a clue and only want to sell you what makes them the most $.

We have been stuck with Verizon since they were called something else.  Was it Cellular One?  If I stand right under the Wilson repeater antenna in the kitchen or for some reason a small circle out in the yard that is surrounded by buildings it might work here at home.  On the road they seem to have the best service in the Northwest.

Good luck
Don 4107

[Slow Rider]

SBC ( Southern Bell Communications I believe )  become Cellular One which become Singular which is now AT&T

[ruthi]

Jim, YES, they will.

[Garymci5]

RJ and Everyone,

We live about 2 hours south of Portland, OR, and are in the process of changing 3 phones from Verizon to AT&T.  There are a few reasons, each carry a different "weight".

Both my wife and I don't like the sound quality of our phones and have even changed them to no avail. Whatever data rate Verizon uses, sure makes it hard for us to clearly hear the other. We're not old, I'm not even 40 and the wife is 10 years my junior. Even tried various BlueTooth headsets- helps some. Sometime VM's would take many hours or days to arrive, always inconsistent, sometimes inconvenient.

Verizon is very agressive about keeping you locked into a contract. Change your service in any way, get a new phone and the contract extends for another 2 years.  Minutes don't roll-over. Use'm or lose'm. We think it's assinine.

Last year while camping in the mountains our phones didn't work, numerous other campers used their phones. Anytime I go camping and get off the beaten track a bit, the phones don't work and the batteries die in 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes texting would work, but not reliably.

Currently we have new iPhones. I am most impressed with the sound quality. It could be called "hi-fi", if such a thing existed for phones! Considering how expensive they are, one expects a better product.  Haven't been in the mountains yet to truly compare the network coverage, not until next summer. But in the meantime, will enjoy 32GB worth of music, photo's, email and internet (with a touch screen keyboard, ahhh!), and computer docking via USB cable, all at the tip of my fingers. Oh I can actually talk to the wife while the lawnmower is

Combined with minutes that roll-over, despite the higher cost, we are getting more features and so far, perceived, better service. Will miss those cool Verizon ads, tho (just glad not to be paying for them anymore).

Last comment, a buddy of mine has been on AT&T cell service for nearly 20 years and wouldn't consider anything else. Not bad for half his life.

[belfert]

Which cell carrier give you a new phone for free without a new contract?  The iPhone requires a contract because it is subsidized.

[loosenut]

RJ and Everyone,

...Verizon is very agressive about keeping you locked into a contract. Change your service in any way, get a new phone and the contract extends for another 2 years.  Minutes don't roll-over. Use'm or lose'm. We think it's assinine.

Anytime I go camping and get off the beaten track a bit, the phones don't work and the batteries die in 2 or 3 hours. Sometimes texting would work, but not reliably.

Currently we have new iPhones. I am most impressed with the sound quality. It could be called "hi-fi", if such a thing existed for phones!...Oh I can actually talk to the wife while the lawnmower is

Combined with minutes that roll-over, despite the higher cost, we are getting more features and so far, perceived, better service. Will miss those cool Verizon ads, tho (just glad not to be paying for them anymore).

Last comment, a buddy of mine has been on AT&T cell service for nearly 20 years and wouldn't consider anything else. Not bad for half his life.

Do you have the new 3GS iphone?  My wife can't hear her 3G, nationally the coverage is bad, and her battery life is less than generous.  I was wondering if they fixed the sound and battery life.  BTW she doesn't have any of these troubles with her blackberry on Verizon or my G1 on Tmobile.

Do you know of a loophole in AT&T contracts?  I have friends who want to upgrade from 3g to 3gs, but they can't figure out how to quit early without a large penalty and another 2 year contract.  In the past, after a certain period of time, Verizon would let us change phones without penalty.

At&T will not even let them change numbers.  They were willing to have two phones but wanted to move the current number to the new phone.  It would still incur a penalty.

You might have better AT&T coverage in your area.  As Cellular One was the original cell company in the northwest it likely had the pick of tower locations.  Good coverage in your home area is much better than great coverage in the rest of the world.

I've been toying with buying the new 3gs and putting it on Tmobile.  If I want to use the data features I have to pay a second data charge however if I just use it as a phone and itouch the cost is nominal.  The second phone would share the minutes I'm already using.  Tmobile doesn't support iphones but also says, they have many iphones on the service. 

As to subsidies on the entry level iphone at AT&T looks to be 12ish dollars a month.  Instead of paying $299.00, I would have to pay $599.00 for the phone and an additional $30.00 per month for data.  Which equals a $60.00 per month reduction over my friends.  Phone would practically be free over a two year period.

Mike

[belfert]

As to subsidies on the entry level iphone at AT&T looks to be 12ish dollars a month.  Instead of paying $299.00, I would have to pay $599.00 for the phone and an additional $30.00 per month for data.  Which equals a $60.00 per month reduction over my friends.  Phone would practically be free over a two year period.

I don't understand how you are saving $60 a month unless you're not counting the money you already spend with Tmobile.  I don't think the average iPhone user is going to save all that much (if anything) by buying a full price phone and using it with another carrier.

[loosenut]

You are correct.  I wasn't counting the money I spend on my first phone with Tmobile.  While at the AT&T store they said I couldn't add a second iphone without paying extra. 

It costs us right close to $100.00 a month for our iphone usage.  It costs about $70.00 for the same usage on tmobile and if I add an iphone to the account it will be another $30.00.  So in essence free.

Verizon also costs us around $70.00 but they cap the data at 5 gigs a month.  Plenty since it shares data with the other 2 plans.

I know it sounds cuckoo to have 3 providers but for work we wanted access hence Verizon and Tmobile.

The iphone was a vanity purchase for Lisa.  While the iphone has proven to be the worst phone with the worst coverage it is by far the most fun. 

Mike

 

[Lonnie time to go]

I don't think a cell phone can transfer from  one carrier to another

[jjrbus]

Curiosity got the best of me.  I sent an email to verizon and enquired about not having a contract.  The following is thier response.   HTH    I also checked WalMart, thier new phone and plan is not in the local store yet. The lady told me later this week.
                                              JIm


    My name is Elaine, and I appreciate your interest in becoming our customer, and I look forward to serving your wireless needs.

 

James, if you do not wish to sign a one or two-year customer agreement, you have the ability to choose a month-to-month service option. This new option is an extension of our overall commitment to delivering quality products and services over the nation’s most reliable wireless network.

 

Our new month-to-month agreement gives you the freedom to purchase new devices at full-retail price, or use your own CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) devices without committing to a one or two-year contract. This option also allows you to activate service and upgrade devices without a one or two-year agreement and it gives you the ability to terminate their service without incurring an Early Termination Fee.

 

 

Following is important information on month-to-month agreements:

· Available on all Nationwide Voice and Data plans.

· Customer credit checks apply.

· Customers who would like to activate new service will be charged an activation fee of $35.00 for primary or individual lines and $25.00 for each share line.

· For existing customers who may wish to switch, the existing minimum term must be fulfilled before moving to a month-to-month agreement.

· Not eligible for monthly access discounts available through your em

 

[Jerry32]

I used US Cell ti start as this was ny wifes okan but when she passed I went with Sprint for the last 8 years and now I am switching to AT&T as they just shut down my phone for the change over so to get the same number . I went through letstalk.com and they aranged it all. Jerry

[jjrbus]

TRy this one.  I called Sprint today to cancel my service.   No contract no termination fee.  The dirty so and so's offered to increase my minutes and lower my rate!!!!   I told them they should have offered me that a long time ago and that now it is too late.