Cell Phones Networks - who do you have?

[surgtech1956]

Who do you have for a cell phone provider/network and are you satisfied with it? We've had Verizon for probably 10 years and thinking about switching to something else, maybe Alltel. Our contact isn't up until next month, but Verizon's been sending me a letter every other month to upgrade/renew and every Verizon store I've gone into I can't get any good customer service and they either have just a basic phone or one can do just about everything except cook a meal.

[greycoral]

Who do you have for a cell phone provider/network and are you satisfied with it? We've had Verizon for probably 10 years and thinking about switching to something else, maybe Alltel. Our contact isn't up until next month, but Verizon's been sending me a letter every other month to upgrade/renew and every Verizon store I've gone into I can't get any good customer service and they either have just a basic phone or one can do just about everything except cook a meal.

Can't help you there, I've also had Verizon for a really long time. My husband, before we started dating, tried several different services (ATT, Sprint, T-mobile, Cingular), and he has said that Verizon's coverage has been the best out of all of them. A lot of the coverage issues I think have to do with where you live in particular though.

Verizon is pretty expensive, but I'm happy. I use my cell as my primary phone, we don't even have a landline, so the cost doesn't bother me all that much. It's $100 for two of us, with a ton of minutes, we never even use half of them.

[Blueberry]

We were with Alltel (which btw is now owned by Verizon) and had terrible service. I got no reception in my office, and couldn't drive 3 miles without dropping a call. Near downtown Raleigh. They were much less than helpful. When we canceled, they required that we pay the bill (even though it was for the next month that we wouldn't use because we canceled), we got a statement with a credit, and they "erased" the credit. It took well over 10 HOURS on the phone with them to get a refund check. Bad business practices in my book.

Verizon has good coverage, and we're fairly happy with them. Once in a while, I think about switching to AT&T.

CA

[wnyrider]

My husband and I have those pay as you go phones. I have been with Virgin Mobile for over 3 years and he started with T-Mobile a year ago. I don't use my phone much and pay 25 cents for the first 10 minutes then 10 cents after that. The service has been really good. My husband got in on the Gold plan the first year... Target had a sale which included a $100 card and free phone for only $88. It gives 10 cents a minute good for a year and if you purchase additional minutes, even as little as $5, it will extend your minutes for another year. His reception doesn't seem as sensitive as mine, but it is still acceptable. We have different phones, so I don't know if it is the plans or phones that makes a difference in signal strength. I bought a T-Mobile Gold plan for my elderly Mom too. Works for us!

[IFjane]

My DH and I both have ATT phones and do not have a land line. We live in the boonies and our service is great. However, as someone previously said, it all depends on your location and your carrier. (Coincidentally, my DH works for a company that analyzes cell phone signal strength from one competitor to another, all over the US.)

[OakLeaf]

I switched to Verizon 3 years ago because Cingular (now AT&T) no longer offered phones that had analog service. I'd been really happy with Cingular, but I needed a new phone. Verizon still offers a VX5400. It's a pretty basic phone, but that's how I am - I prefer another device to do everything else, so I can take notes when I'm on the phone. (Yeah I know I could do that with a Bluetooth headset, but that's still another device I'd have to carry.)

It's much less of an issue now than it was even 2 years ago, out east anyway - I think there still isn't digital coverage in a lot of places in the west? But anyway I don't want to reduce my ability to get help in an emergency by going with a digital-only phone, when I spend a lot of time in the boonies.

[TsPoet]

I had Verizon for years and was happy. My family all switched from Sprint to AT&T, so I switched, too.
We are all terribly unhappy. So unhappy we are considering eating the early cancellation fee and going back to Verizon.
We got Razr phones, cause that's what AT&T were pushing really hard. Two of us have re-charging issues and have had to buy new batteries. and we all three hate the phones.
AT&T reception stinks, dropped calls are the norm. I can't tell you how often my phone beeps to tell me I just missed a call when I am not moving, totally can't understand why it can get through to tell me it couldn't get through. If you accidentally talk at the same time as the person on the other end, the signal goes silent for a second.
Their customer service seems good, but doesn't do anything.
Can't wait to get back to Verizon. My mom and brother can't decide between Verizon and Sprint, they were happy with Sprint.

[pardes]

I have Virgin Mobile since I get totally rabid about companies that demand two year contracts.

The Virgin company is fine to deal with and very helpful. Coverage is fine for my area but then I probably only make a dozen calls a year so it rarely becomes an issue.

I have a cell phone for emergencies only. Talking on a phone for anything longer than a minute or two has never been a pastime of mine. Naturally this inflames anyone trying to reach me since I rarely answer the phone. Shrug.

[Crankin]

I have AT&T. We just switched in July, after 15 years with Sprint. We basically switched because my husband got an I phone and we also wanted the GSM phone, since he travels to Europe a few times a year. Sprint jacked us around and we finally had it.
I could care less; I am like Pardes. I hardly ever turn my phone on and I can't stand to be around people yapping on their phones in public. I used to keep it on all day, when I was teaching, since it's pretty hard to reach teachers. Now that there are no kids calling for rides, I don't see the point of having it on. No one calls me on my cell. My husband sometimes gets mad if he can't reach me, so I will check it at least once a day, if I'm not at home. I also see it as a safety thing, especially for when I am riding.

[TxDoc]

I had T-mobile (ex-VoiceStream) for a long time, and always been happy with it.

[SadieKate]

Doesn't it really make the most difference based on where you live? Network strength and least number of dropped calls would seem to me to be the most important. The same carrier in one area may not have the best coverage in another, no matter how big and powerful and all-knowing they say they are (ask me, I know from experience but I'm stuck due to my employer's contract).

[Becky]

T-mobile here for personal use, Verizon for work.

T-mobile: Best darn CS I've ever encountered. Very fair rate plans too IMO. Their coverage is still a little weak in our area, but it's improving and I'm willing to make the trade-off for the good CS.

Verizon: Awful CS. I occasionally need to deal with them about our work phones, and getting anyone to help me is like pulling teeth. However, they have the best network in our area, hands-down. That said, I'm not willing to pay their prices and deal with the CS nonsense for better coverage.

[OakLeaf]

I just had to comment on one thing, because I'm one of those who doesn't use the phone often, but I ALWAYS ALWAYS leave it on, and I get furious at people I know who don't.

Do you think you're the only person who might have an emergency? What if someone you love has an emergency and needs to reach YOU?

Almost all phones will let you assign different ringtones to different callers. You can make this as simple or as complicated as you like (and there are enough ringtones installed in even the most basic phone, to have a wide array without buying ringtones).

Example: I have one ringtone for family and ONE dear friend, and another for everyone else. If it's not family or D., I don't answer the phone when I'm running or cycling. Another example: DH's phone doesn't ring at all when it's from a Caller ID-restricted number.

If someone wanted to get fancy, they could have one ringtone for their spouse, another for their parents, a third one for other family, a fourth one for work, a fifth one for fitness buds, a sixth one for "other" friends, and no ring for people who aren't in their phonebook.

But IMO, intentionally making yourself unavailable to people you love, who might really need you, is an unacceptable solution to not wanting to be contacted by people you don't love. There are alternatives, even if you don't have the self-discipline to mute the ringer once you see it's someone you don't want to talk to. JMO. /soapbox off

[roadie gal]

We have Verizon because it's the only mobile service with coverage out here. (We have AT&T for our land line.)

[withm]

I just had to comment on one thing, because I'm one of those who doesn't use the phone often, but I ALWAYS ALWAYS leave it on, and I get furious at people I know who don't.

Do you think you're the only person who might have an emergency? What if someone you love has an emergency and needs to reach YOU?

THANK YOU! I have to agree. People who never turn their cell phones on may as well throw them away. I have 2 sisters who do this and it infuriates me no end. They have no problem calling MY cell phone, just to chat, but they never have their phones on, and when there is an emergency it is impossible to get hold of them. I just don't understand why they do this. They have not publicized their numbers, so it's not like just anyone would call them just to chat, but they are not available in emergencies and there have been many over the years.

Don't you think a 67 yr old should carry a cell phone when going out for a 5-mile run? Sheesh!