Most reliable wireless phone service

[shepedawg]

I have had Verizon for a few years, but am thinking of switching because I don't think their rate plan is very good. I am interested in a national plan with no roaming. However, I don't want to sacrifice quality of sound, ability to connect, etc. Anyone have any suggestions?

[KevinJames]

ATT Wireless

[GJMOO7]

Yes.Try sprint pcs.They have a nation wide network at reasonable rates.

[ComicalMoodyDan]

I recommend Suncom myself if there avaible in your area I have had service with them for a little over 2 months now and so far I love them.

http://www.suncom.com/

By the way way since I don't know where you are you might want to find some reviews of wireless providers in your area you can find some of those at the link below:

http://www.epinions.com/elec-Comm-Mo...~1/Grp_~128400

I think it's a good idea if you ask your friends and family what they like and have to, Also note that many carries now have a period of time where you can get out of there contract and cancel your service to get your full money refunded. I know Verizon's and Sprint's is 2 weeks and AT&T/Suncom's is 3 days. So you might want to try somebody out and if you don't like them don't be stuck with the service just cancel before there trial period ends to get your money back. Number 1 advice read your contract and fine print.

I used to be on Verizon, but for $20 less a month, I got 50 more minutes/month with Sprint PCS. Plus nationwide long distance.

What a deal.

[carerep]

sheepdawg,
When it comes to Nationwide rate plans AT&T Wireless is your best bet. 59.99 mo.= 450 anytime/current promos are 1000 Night & Weekend min & 500 Nationwide Mobile to Mobile min. Plans up to 2000any for 199.99 mo. On Nationwide plans it's all about spectrum. Do yourself a favor and forget Sprint.

[milarepa]

carerep

Trying to decide between Verizon and ATT Wireless, the question occurs how ATT can be such a good deal if it provides 450 min/$60 (NO NITES and weekends) and Verizon provides
400min/$55 (AND 3500 mins nites and weekends)? This is nationwide.
How is ATT even in the same ballpark? Am I missing something? Everyone keeps touting ATT but wheres the beeF?
Peter

[KevinJames]

While it is true that ATT doesn't offer any off-peak on national plans, in reviewing Verizon's website, what I see (using a Northern California zipcode) is 3500 weekend-only minutes--no mention of nights.

In both instances, I think the carriers are anticipating that their respective national plans will appeal more to the business traveler than anything else. I agree that neither of the rates are very friendly when you consider the retired, motorhoming traveler scenario.

[Jack]

shepedawg

If you are happy with verizon stay with them. From what I have seen all national plans seem to be the same. AT&T told me yesterday that they are including 1000 n&W minutes to use anywhere in the nation. Cingular in cleveland is doing 3000 with that plan. Verizon limits it to weekend only.

Jack

[mcf04581]

Let me start of by saying that if you want to keep sound clarity, coverage and quality of service, stay with Verizon. They have the nations largest network! Sure there a little more expensive than say sprint, but lets face it, do you want to be able to go anywhere in the country and pay no roaming? Or you could go with sprint and have to stay on their network or pay outragous roaming rates. Look at the coverage and you will see the difference. If you want the best, you have to pay for the best!

[DiverDown]

It does always depend on where you live, but facts are facts Verizon has the most digital towers which means you can get the most surface from them. I of course am a Verizon customer and happen to love there service in the michigan area.

[larry]

I doubt that Verizon has the most digital towers. Much of their network is still analog. Sprint covers 99 of the top 100 markets in the US with digital. Can Verizon claim that?

[DiverDown]

Congratulations your just the consumer that sprint wants to tell there commercials to. In there commercials they say that they are the biggest "all digital network" which they are but as far as amount of digital towers that they have they are fifth. Plus only 10% of Americas population lives in the top 100 markets. Its also a fact that Verizon has the largest digital network. Do your research before you make a stupid comment

[larry]

Stupid comment? I don't think any of us know for sure exactly how many digital towers each carrier has but I bet that Sprint has many more than the others because of the territory they cover with only digital. Does Verizon or AT&T give a breakdown on how many of their towers are analog and digital? So then what makes you such an expert anyway? Give me some numbers. Oh and by the way your claim that only 10% of the population live in the top 100 markets is completely false. It's more like 50%-60%. Saying that they come in fifth is a very stupid comment.

Most reliable, Sprint????? Sprint sucks!!!!!!

I am very dissatisfied with Sprint. I live in a metropolitan area and can rarely get digital service. My phone roams all the time in an area where there should be lots of towers. My cell phone bill was outrageous last month because 80% of my calls were considered roaming when I was in the same location at other times and got the Sprint PCS service (non-roaming). I do not recommend Sprint PCS to anyone.

[larry]

Wow 80% were roaming? That must have been a huge bill. I would have cancelled if that happened to me.

[aiwapro]

I reccomend Voicestream Wireless. I don't care what anyone says, I have had them for a little over a year now, and I don't have any problems with them. They have great features too, including two-way text & picture messenging (fast, 2-3 seconds), free voicemail, and all of their plans are Nationwide, with unlimited weekends, for a low price. They offer more anytime minutes, than any or company that I know of. Also, they have true Nationwide service, that's right, you don't get charged for roaming charges, no matter where you are in the US.
Voicestream Wireless

Most carriers that provide both analog and digital service will co-locate both analog and digital equipment to x-mit from a common tower. This provides an analog base for those unwilling to give up their archaic technology (and helps with in-market roamers), with a digital footprint overlay. BTW, Verizon also covers 99 of the top 100 markets...

[GJMOO7]

There must have been something wrong with your phone.Perhaps
the phone was set on roam by accident.I have no problem with
sprint at all while in the metro area.I've been with sprint
for 5 years and i very seldom come across a problem.Bring the
phone into any sprint store and have a technician check out
the phone.There is no charge for this service.Overall,sprint
is the best network that i have used.Also,i've had used them all over the past 17 years.

here here, sprint is a very good network I must agree. I was talking to a tech today at the verizon store and they stated that they were going to be coming out with something very exciting in the next few weeks, but didn't have any other information. just a thought if you are thinking about changing that it might be a wise decision to see what this "exciting" thing might be!!!

I just a got a hint elsewhere. Verizon may be introducing a Verizon network-only plan. This would work like Sprint PCS. On-Network: No Roaming charges, Off-Network: Roaming Fees.

If this is true, this would be great in some cities, poor in others. AT&T's Network-only plan seems to have failed, but it is overpriced and AT&T doesn't really own that much (built) network.

-Bill Radio
-www.mountainwireless.com

the 'exciting' new thing they're going to have is a new pricing plan... might be worth looking into.

[aiwapro]

Voicestream gives you for $39.99 a month: 500 Nationwide anytime minutes, Unlimited Nationwide weekend minutes, Free Voicemail, 50 Text Messages (send to any email address, or phone; add $2.99/month for 500 text messages), caller ID, Built-in Paging (callers can enter a call back number like they would in a pager, instead of leaving a meassage, or both. The number comes up on your screen. It comes up anyways even if they leave a voice message, as long as the number they are calling from isn't blocked), Call Waiting, Call Hold, and more. Check out their website for even more details.
Voicestream Wireless (order site)

[Jack]

As far ad nationwide plans:

If you want service in the most places stay with verizon or alltel if they are in your area or cellular one (parts of ohio and Pa area)

Sprint you are limited to their network so I would stay away from them check out the big holes in coverage

Voicestream Personally I have heard alot of good about the company but its either their gsm signal or none

Jack

As of Feb2 Verizon has signed a roaming agreement with Sprint as both use cdma technology, verizon on 800mhz in most markets and Sprint on 1900mhz. It is called the America's Choice plan and will cover about 1/2 the US with no roam or LD, especially in metro areas and freeways. This program will suck for folks that travel to rural areas, as anolog roaming will be .65 a minute. Those folks will need Verizon Single Rate or AT&T One Rate to avoid roam and LD. Be sure to find a good multi carrier dealer that will tell you what coverage to expect where you live and travel. The best rate in the world is not worth a ____ if your nearest tower is 25 miles away. I work for a multi line dealer in western WI. and will be happy to help.
roger@comcominc.com

[CDMA]

Please see new thread (New Verizon Plans)

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]idon't own nor ever had a cell phone. i live in a rural area of s.d. and want a cell phone. my boyfriend recentley went from an analog to a digital phone. the voice quality was "great"when i called him 89 miles away to his digital phone-although when he tried to talk to someone from here to 89 miles away he had difficulty hearing on his digital phone vs.his old analog phone. we must not have enough
digital towers in this area yet. the "old analog reaching and sending a call was better than this "new"
digital.

[wirelessoneder]

The only "True" nationwide providers out there are AT&T Wireless, Verizon, and Cingular(National carriers, anyways). They offer no roaming and no long distance anywhere as long as there is a roaming partner in that area, it doesn't have to be on their "Network Only" like Sprint PCS and Voicestream. That is why Sprint and Voicestream can offer a so many more minutes and the others can't/won't. But that doesn't mean that your phone will work everywhere either no matter who your carrier is.

As far as I can tell now is that every company is starting to go to just a "Network Only" plan. Verizon just launched their America Choice and AT&T Wireless is trying a Network Advantage plan.

Analog service has a much further reach. I believe digital is only 5 miles or so. What many companies don't tell you is that dead zones are most often a problem with 'capacity', not 'coverage'