Cell Phones Networks - who do you have?

[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!

[Irulan]

ATT here. We've got a family plan with 5 phones on it. OK, not great but works for us.

[roadie gal]

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!

My cell phone is off the majority of the time. The only time I consistently have it on is when I'm travelling out of town. Around here the coverage is so inconsistent that it's much more annoying to have it on than not. I may or may not get calls... for DAYS. Voice mail shows up on a random basis. Even with the phone on, I may not get that emergency message. So I've taught my cell phone obscessed family to use my home phone.

I carry it on hikes and bike rides, but around here it's a false sense of security.

[Irulan]

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!

I view it as something out of my control. Why get worked up about something someone else is choosing? They don't want to know that grandma died and when the funeral is? Ultimately, it's their problem that they missed it. Yeah, other people might get hurt feelings but again, you can't control it so why waster energy on it?

I get this a lot with customer and clients. No voice mail? Fine, if I have a question about your job and can't get a hold of you, your stuff gets bumped to the back of the line. I make a note of how many times I **tried** to contact them and leave it at that.

[vinbek]

I've had just about every service there is - I am now back to Verizon. It was the only carrier with service at our mountain home and we don't have a land line there. I didn't want to go up there without having a phone. It probably depends on where you live and what coverage you need. Verizon is the only service in the Bear VAlley area. Bekki

[Flur]

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?

DH hated having a cell phone and decided to go without one. But then we had that big blackout that plunged a quarter of the country into darkness, and a few other post 9/11 bomb scares (we both worked in NYC at the time), and he realized that something really could happen where we'd need to get in touch with each other right away. So he got one and kept it on. Now he's got an iphone and is addicted, and I'm constantly telling him to put the thing away!

[surgtech1956]

I would like to go with Sprint, through my employer I can get a discount(somewhere around 18% a month), but I've looked at their coverage map and its bad.