carrier recommendations for central MA?

[clg]

Hi, I'm going to be switching jobs and will lose my work issued mobile phone. (So I'll have to start paying for one myself.. )

Can anyone recommend a carrier for primarily the central MA area (but also national coverage)? My present company uses Sprint but the coverage is very spotty by home and I'm not happy with the call clarity.

Years ago I had Verizon and I was mostly happy with them although I had some support issues. I'm also considering Nextel since a few friends are with them and their walkie talkie thing would be a nice toy, but I understand their coverage isn't the best?

Thanks for your help.

-Dan

[waywith]

I would recommend either Verizon or Cingular. Both have very good coverage in Eastern and Central Mass, as well as national networks that are extensive.

Verizon's coverage areas tend to be larger and more all-encompassing, and if you frequently go into very rural areas (northern NH, VT, ME) you should probably go with them. Cingular does not yet have good coverage in many rural areas.

If you are a city person, either one of them would be good. Cingular has more "bennies" that Verizon (rollover minutes, etc.), and according to most of the phone geeks, their phones are cooler <g>.

-way

[viewfly]

Clg

I agree with Waywith to go with Verizon or Cingular. My experience with Cingular is very good in rural areas (in Mass as you asked, but perhaps not northern NH). Mass in particular has some of the best Cingular coverage.

It is best to make use of the free trial period, no questions asked return policy of both. Verizon has 15 days and Cingular (just mergerd with ATT) has a new 30 day policy.

Good luck, and please let us know how it works out for you. Many newcomers ask advice in the forum about which carriers to use, but not all come back with feedback that will help others too.

[jones]

Originally Posted by viewfly

Clg

Many newcomers ask advice in the forum about which carriers to use, but not all come back with feedback that will help others too.

No news is good News.
Bad News travels Fast.

[EdwardP]

Definitely go with Cingular.

TracFone (prepay service, activated on Cingular in eastern Mass.) and Cingular customers have access to the former AT&T Wireless towers. Cingular recently activated a number of new towers in Mass. and coverage was excellent even before this.

A colleague currently has Nextel through his employer and is very dissatisfied with the service. He is down towards Cape Cod outside of Fall River, the Nextel map shows coverage in that area and he will experience more than an average number of dropped calls. He wants to switch to Verizon, I'm trying to convince him to go with Cingular.

[Rasputin]

Verizon and Cingular are the ways to go in Central MASS.

[rockon83]

I live in Worcester, and have traveled extensively throughout the state and region, and personally recommend Cingular. I've had service with them for just about 4 years now, and it's been great. I have coverage everywhere I go, and many places Verizon does not, like my house. lol.

Verizon would definitely be second best, but I have many friends with Verizon, and it seems my phone works in more places than theirs. Especially now that Cingular just took over an entire seperately built-out network, at&t's, which was pretty decent, and merged it into their coverage, you won't be disappointed.

Along with the better coverage, with Cingular you'll get more minutes, rollover, never charged roaming no matter what the display says (in USA), mobile to mobile and nights and weekends that always work no matter what the display says, etc.

Good luck