Summary of all service providers in Cleveland Ohio

[Jack]

Hello I am new to wireless advisor (have read alot of the information but never responded so here i am Introducing myself. I would first like to say hi to all of the regular posters out there Larry and Kevin.

I would like to sart a post about the different providers in the cleveland area.

ALLTEL- I have personally used their service since it was gte wireless almost 3yrs ago and have loved it. I have a great rate plan ($59.99 unlimited minutes, Local). anyone looking for service in the cleveland should check out alltel. They have honestly only did one thing that I did not like was to raise the plan fron 49 to 59. Oh well. Always clear calls with very few being droped. During their transition from gte to alltel they had a few problems but they were gone after a few months. (would like to see more phone choices)

AT&T WIRELESS- Personally have them on a trial period with the panasonic promax but have been less then happy. I would use this phone only when I travel and the areas that i have traveled have either been extended area digial (good signal from cellular one in PA) or could barely make a call. In cleveland they are average.

CINGLUAR- I have not had any personal experiance with this company but from everyone i have talked to it is either good or bad.

NEXTEL- I have used a nextel phone and was not impressed it has some good features for business but in the rural area it is a big piece of plastic. There 2 way is great but there cell quality in cleveland is average at best. Constant static and sparatic service. Which is too bad because I really like there new little phone the i90

NORTHCOAST PCS- Plan is great 39.99 unlimited minutes with all the features. I have used one of their phones and was not impressed. It is like a cricket service in that there phones can not roam so if you are out of cleveland, akron (soon to be canton) forget it. No phone. But if you stay locally in cleveland it is not bad. The only problem is that when you want to call long distance you have to use a calling card. My father has personally used them when they first started up and he liked them for the 216/440 area butt nothing in 330. (only 2 phone choices)

SPRINT PCS- THis is a great alternative to prepaid because they will take anyone with a pulse. Their phones work in major cities and have a hard time with in building penetration. They will not work very well in a basement. I like sprint when you are in a digital area they have good clearity and have a great phone selection.

VERIZON-Personally have never used the service but some say that it is the best and I almost switched out of alltel for one of their promos. They are also a love or hate there is no inbetween. JD power did rank them #1 in the cleveland ara.

VOICESTREAM- Not currently in the cleveland area but I was in columbus today and went into a voicestream to check out what they were all about and the guy told me that by march their service should be totally up and running. I also went into best buy and the voicestream rep told me the same thing that it would be soon for a launch in cleveland. They also have towers up in downtown cleveland that are already turned on and they can use their phones there. At Best buy the guy said to buy a phone and see if the area i lived in was currently covered (not activate) or buy a used one on e-bay to see if you can get a signal yet in your home. I like the sim card idea. If anyone has information as to how I can test this companys servace before launch let me know (A beta tester).

Any ?'s you can e-mail me at JEgan98@aol.com

Jack

[Matt]

Jack - just a couple comments on VoiceStream......

I don't think any wireless co. does beta testing via the public. I'm not too sure of your dates for VS launching in Cleveland....I have a contact in VS Engineering who is involved with the buildout in Cleveland. He told me that they wouldn't be done the buildout until late summer, and that service wouldn't be offered in Cleveland area until then. You are right that there is some limited service for roamers there right now - 20 towers I was told. The initial buildout will be about 300-350 towers from what I've been told.

[Jackstar]

first of all, go browns! playoffs next year! I live in Denver but have family in Cleveland and used to live there. Three family members have the Alltel unlimited but all feel that the service is definitely spotty. My mother has used Sprint with the 2760 with no problems (she usually only travels in major metro areas. She now uses AT and T with the Ericson Pocket net (R289lx?) and seems to have very good, clear service. Both At and T and Sprint seem to increase your contract an extra year whenever you change price plans. I work for Qwest Wireless and only a few of their plans require a new agreement each time it is changed-Jackstar

[Jack]

Where are your relatives having problems in cleveland. It might be the phone as I travel all over akron, canton and parts of cleveland and have never had a problem. THey are the least problematic carrier. Sprint is ok there are a fe areas for me that have very weak digital signal and will drop calls and have static.
Every carrior will work better for some people it just depends on where you travel.
At&t is good service but there coverage in wooster/orville ohio is spotty and will even give you no service at times

Jack

[durril]

I had Verizon in NE OH and thought my service was just decent until I left. The coverage was great. Call quality was clear unless there was a heavy thunder storm. The customer service reps knew little. It you just talk I don't think you can find something all that much better,

[Jackstar]

My uncles both manage construction businesses in Cleveland. They have been all over metro Cleveland but probably spend most of the time on the East side, East Cleveland, Warrrensville Heights. All three of my family out there were planning to switch carriers when their two year contracts expired. Last time I was there in December, they did not complain as much but I did not hear any compliments either. My aunt has a Qualcomm 860 that seems to have a broken speaker. She took it to the retail store and they just did a software upgrade. Speaker problems cannot be fixed this way. She needed a phone replacement and did not get one. -Jackstar

[ian]

im looking for a no credit check no deposit wireless service for the akron area and northcoast pcs just isnt the answer, do you know of any other services in the area i can check into?? thanks in advance mark rekomsa@aol.com

[BillRadio]

Ian,
The only other choice is Pre-paid. Most carriers offer it with various offers. Also, a few aftermarket sites offer it in different packages, like ecallplus.com, phoneshark.com, & icallplus.com.

Can you share with us why Northcoast won't work for you?

-Bill Radio

[Dukedog]

Go and get you a Tracfone , no credit checks, no contract.

[aiwapro]

Hey Jack, I think that you should just hold a little bit longer and get Voicestream. I have no problems with my Voicestream phone in the Toledo, Ohio area. I was the one who told you about how I got coverage in the downtown area of Cleveland. The service was just as it was at home. It was crystal clear, I had all of my digital features, and I sent and received some text messages. Everything worked just fine.
When Voicestream gets there, they should have the Sony Ericsson T68. I currently have the Nokia 3390 and it works wonderful, but I want to use it for internet too, and at the time when the Nokia 3390 came out, Voicestream did not have wireless web service; Now they do, and it great from what I have heard. Their Wireless Web (ISTREAM) is all over their network, not in just some places like some other providers.

For Ian, I think pre-paid is your only option. Tracfone minutes are very expensive though.

[Dukedog]

Hey aiwapro, you must be the president for VoiceStream, because you really trying hard to sell their service. I don't have anything against VoiceStream, they might be okay I just don't know. But what I do know is that you must be getting a percentage of every Subsciber that activate service with them, huh.

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Aiwapro how about you post an actual message that is going to help sombody instead of sounding like Jamie Lee Curtis and her washed up career. VoiceStream is great, it rules, its perfect yeah yeah we know so enough already!

[aiwapro]

I wish I could get a percentage. I know I could get credits to my account, but I don't want to give each person on here that tries Voicestream all of my personal information.

[Jack]

ian

If northcoast Pcs is not the answer for you (I suspect that you live or travel outside the service area) the only other option would be to go into an alltel store and get their boomerang wireless prepaid service.

Jack

[ComicalMoodyDan]

That's a good idea Jack. Right now with Boomerang Wireless for $34.95 a month you can get 3,000 off peak minutes and 300 anytime minutes which are good anywhere on ALLTEL's network to anybody in the country since nationwide long distance is included with this plan. There is no credit check, no contract to sign, and all you do is quit paying when you don't want it anymore.

[Jack]

I think that is one of the best prepay plans out there. and if you dont talk alot durning the day it would be better then northcoast pcs

Jack

[ComicalMoodyDan]

I agree [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[IdiOTeQnoLogY]

Man that boomerang plan is pretty sweet for a no contract no credit check plan. Finally a no hassle no contract yet still reasonable plan. Good Stuff.

[Mary]

Verizon Wireless and Alltell must have an agreement, because nationally their maps are the same. Check out America's Choice plans and maps at www.verizonwireless.com. In Cleveland, VZW was rated #1 by JD Powers. I have a VZW phone and I bought an Alltell for my parents who live in analog world SE of Canton. VZW covers more areas in Ohio. I have never had a problem when I needed to use the phone and I travel from Cincinnat, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Marrietta and Steubenville areas. Voicestream, Sprint Northcoast PCS can not compare to coverage areas and service. My sister can not use her Sprint in Eastern Ohio at all. I chuckle when she tells me how wonderful it is.

For Jackstar, tell your mother to take the phone to a VZW store that has a technician, Independance or North Olmstead, a free diagnostic test awaits her.

[larry]

I find it hard to believe she can't use her Sprint phone at all in Eastern Ohio. You mean she can't use it in Youngstown, Canton, Warren, Cambridge, and Steubenville?? Sprint has had coverage in these cities for years and they certainly qualify as Eastern Ohio. I could see maybe in a few smaller towns but certainly not the whole region.

[aiwapro]

VSTREAM has good coverage in Toledo (where I live).

[Mary]

Cambridge is the big little city in Eastern Ohio. Even though my brother lives there, I have not tested Sprint in Cambridge.

In Steubenville, Sprint is unavailable. She can't use her phone till she gets in Weirton, WVA, on the way to Pittsburgh. Part of a new market.

This is my point, with Verizon Wireless, I have been able to use my phone in the small towns between Cambridge, Steubenville, Wheeling and up to Canton. Heck...on a weekend I have been known to talk an hour or two using my nights and weekends between areas.

True, cellular service isn't perfect, but wouldn't you want to be with a company that is in more areas? You will be able to use the phone when you need it?

Sprint only covers 30% of the US.

[larry]

Sprint has listed Steubenville as being covered since early 2000. If someone you know can't get a signal there it's probably because the phone has an outdated PRL. They use affiliates around there and some have just recently been added to Sprint's PRL info.

Saying that Sprint only covers 30% of the US is ridiculous. LOL Who told you that? They cover over 85% of the population in the US. Sure they're not going to cover every little small town out in no mans land but they do cover all major cities. In areas they don't cover you can still use your phone by setting the roaming function to automatic and using analog. Sprint covers the entire US with roaming agreements.

[Mary]

Let's talk land mass. Land area. Look at a map of Sprint coverage (medium green opposed to darker green is Sprint Service...nice clear cut map...NOT). Now compare to America's Choice coverage area. (red and white contrast). There is a major difference in truth in advertising.

I am talking not just one person, but at least a half dozen people who travel Eastern Ohio. Their phones have been upgraded and in fact my cousin's wife upgraded phones in March. (I never said my family was smart...joke...I still love 'em anyway)

Unless you want to take this outside (HA HA HA), let's say we agree to disagree. I know Verizon Wireless works in even more areas and I have plenty of my own testimonials of Verizon Wireless superiority. People live throughout the US, Larry, not just in major metros. Seems to me you have someting out for small town people or the little guy? (JOKING LARRY)

Competition is a good thing.

Larry...how much do you make in commission? Maybe you and Chris (Voicestrem Guy) should host a chat room and duke it out as to whom gets paid more to litter the internet trying to convince others that their product is best in every free forum possible.

Just an observation. Something to ponder. Look deep inside Larry. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[IdiOTeQnoLogY]

the sprint map has been discussed previously in other forums and larry has stated that he does not like the newer sprint coverage maps. however i did note that in order for someone to check out plans they must enter in an area of the country that they are in which automatically takes them to a larger map where coverage is more distinct. it still leaves much to be desired but nobody has denied that. all carriers have issues with billing and marketing and such.

verizons map isnt all that great either; no differentiation between analog or digital areas and there is a big difference between the way a phone works in those areas.


as far as truth? hmm....verizon who you tout so much is known well for their shady billing and contract practices; one of the main reasons people leave them.

not telling people that hey your contract is renewed for a year if you change your plan; verizon got sued in the west coast for trying to change their customers N&W times, something nextel has just also done. how truthful is that. verizon also crams billing and in some markets now makes their customers pay for a DETAILED bill. i could go on and on.

nobody, not larry, or I has said sprint is the best for everyone......and yes i have agreed in many posts verizon has the widest coverage; you stating sprint gives only coverage in 30% of the USA is misleading. nobody is saying people in small towns dont count, but sprint has concentrated on covering areas in which most people spend all or most of their time in first-probably a smart move if you ask me. nobody, or larry has ever said that if you live in small town usa you should get sprint.

competition is good you say; and if it were up to verizon who monopolizes landline markets and charges exorbitant rates and uses questionable policies would love to continute to buy out carrier after carrier and eliminate competition.

i suggest you look deeper inside yourself hun.

[larry]

Mary,
FYI I do not work for Sprint or even in the wireless industry at all so don't go making assumptions. Do you work for Verizon or another carrier??

I agree with you that Sprint's current maps have got to go and Verizon does have more coverage but that all has nothing to do with the point I was trying to make when I replied to your post. You said that Sprint had no signal at all in Eastern Ohio. I was simply challenging you on that issue and nothing else. Then you said that Sprint only covers 30% of the US. Again I disagreed. Most of the area that Sprint does not cover (light green areas) are not very populated areas and in many cases irrelavant to many users like myself. I have nothing against small town people but you can't really expect a carrier like Sprint or VoiceStream who has had to build a 100% digital PCS 1900 MHz network from scratch to be able to cover every small town out there. In many cases they wouldn't want to anyway since their would be very little profit in it. Land mass and land area coverage are not as important as population coverage.

Thanks IdiOTeQnoLogY. I'm glad to see we have some reasonable members here.

[aiwapro]

Yes I agree with you fully Larry and IdiotQnology. Verizon cannot really be compared to any other company for a few reasons.

1. Verizon has been around way longer than any other provider, especially Sprint PCS & Voicestream.
They have been around since like 1955 (LOL). How do you expect companies that have been
around only like 10 years to develop as much coverage as a company that has been around for 80
years.
2. The only reason why Verizon is so big, is because they by out all of their competition. When you talk
about small towns, Verizon has not always had digital coverage in those small towns, they just
bought out the little companies that no one had heard of except for the people who lived there, and
called it their coverage.

When you want to talk about maps, you guys are correct, Verizon has no separation of analog & digital coverage. Look at this Verizon Wireless (National Single Rate Map). This is the worst map I have ever seen. You know darn well Mary that Verizon doesn't cover all of that, analog or not.

[larry]

aiwapro,
I agree about the map thing. There's no way they can cover all that they claim to analog or digital.

By the way Sprint PCS has only been around for about 6 years if you don't include their former GSM system in DC.

[Mary]

1. If you noticed...I never said all of Eastern Ohio. I said Steubenville areas only. May want to read that again. I only stated the areas that I knew about.

2. Have you ever heard of sarcasm anyone? I was joking with Larry about looking deeply inside. (Notice the ha ha ha and the [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]. OK, you people need to lighten up.

3. I never stated Verizon had digital service in all of the small town regions. I said I was able to use my phone when the Sprint phones were never able to be used and they got no service on the display. This has happened to my family in more areas than Steubenville. When the chips are down and I am traveling I want to have the phone that will be more likely to work in smaller towns.

4. I have not looked for every thing Larry has ever said about Sprint, quite honestly, nor do I care or have time to do such. I had no idea Larry did not like the Sprint map, which quite honestly doesn't matter in this discussion. I was pointing out it was a very shoddy map, and if you look closely, it does cover approx 30% of the USA. The way the map is designed is to make peopel thik it is the entire US (contrast two tones of green). Verizon Wireless is quite larger hands down.

5. Get humans involved, and at times busines practices can get screwed. Every person should be told about what they are signing for or agreeing. I am sure there are lawsuits against every wireles carrier out there. Any less than full disclosure, and they should be reprimanded (888-CALL FCC). I do have many friends in the wireless industry, for some strange reason, I like talking about cell phones. One call to customer care can help anyone with any company. It's all in the approach sometimes.

6. I am very reasonable person and never call me 'hun'. Assumptions can be bad. We were talking originally about sevice providers in Cleveland. I only stated what areas I knew in Eastern Ohio area and south of there. I live in Central Ohio. (For everyone)People can be reasonable even if they don't agree with you. Maybe we should all look a little deeper indside. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] (Insert friendly sarcasm)

[Matt]

I hope BillRadio doesn't mind me posting Verizon's map here, but here it is. I've seen it on Verizon's website, so it should be accurate. I think it's in the America's choice section:


VZ digital

You'll notice that the map is curiously very similar to ones you'll find provided by other carriers. Now, if all you care about is free coverage, even if it's analog, then Verizon is the way to go in most places. But if you need digital features to work (SMS, GPRS, 1xRTT, etc.) then you have to consider the digital areas only.

BTW this is just a general comment, not necessarily Ohio!!!