Atlanta, GA VERIZON or SPRINT, help please..

[joncrx]

I am new to the ATL and I currently have verizon. I use the blackberry pearl and I saw sprints new plan would save me almost 70 a month, however service quality and network coverage is important. Can anyone enlighten me on which service is best for Atlanta? Thanks.

[Eric47]

i had a friend living up there that had sprint and he couldnt even talk on his phone in his apartment, i have ATT and i had 4 Bars with 3G service...

[clock3687]

Originally Posted by joncrx

I am new to the ATL and I currently have verizon. I use the blackberry pearl and I saw sprints new plan would save me almost 70 a month, however service quality and network coverage is important. Can anyone enlighten me on which service is best for Atlanta? Thanks.

I'd stick with Verizon, or go for AT&T. Atlanta is AT&Ts home turf, so they have some of the best coverage is the area. Verizon has great coverage there as well. Most of the time when I call family members in the area with Sprint, they have to call me back on a land line, cause it isnt really clear. My aunt hates it and will be going to either T-mobile or AT&T when her contract expires in june.

[Quint101]

I travel to Atlanta often with my Verizon phone and I haven't had any issues with the service. I added my mom and aunt (both live in Atlanta) onto my plan and they haven't complained about Verizon service either. I haven't regretted switching my service from AT&T (blue) to Verizon

I only know a few folks with Sprint and their experiences vary wildly. My dad loves Sprint and he hasn't had any issues with them (probably because there's a Sprint site across the street from his apartment). My best friend has a so so experience... she has calls dropping at the weirdest times. I haven't had Sprint since 2005, so I am going to withhold any judgement since technology changes so quickly.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by clock3687

I'd stick with Verizon, or go for AT&T. Atlanta is AT&Ts home turf, so they have some of the best coverage is the area. Verizon has great coverage there as well. Most of the time when I call family members in the area with Sprint, they have to call me back on a land line, cause it isnt really clear. My aunt hates it and will be going to either T-mobile or AT&T when her contract expires in june.

yep, exactly

[bambam]

I suggest going with with Verizon then AT&T . Sprint , T-mobile, and MetroPCS are soley 1900mhz and have plenty of coverage problems .

[Eric47]

any reason as to why? sometimes it helps people to know why you suggest something

[bambam]

FYI - inherent limitations of 1900mhz signal -

see- 850/900/1800/1900

Originally Posted by Eric47

any reason as to why? sometimes it helps people to know why you suggest something

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by bambam

FYI - inherent limitations of 1900mhz signal -

see- 850/900/1800/1900

ATT uses 850 and 1900 both in Atlanta. im not 100% but i believe Verizon is 1900 in ATL and 850 outside of it.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Eric47

ATT uses 850 and 1900 both in Atlanta. im not 100% but i believe Verizon is 1900 in ATL and 850 outside of it.

NO verizon and att have 850 there.

[Eric47]

ok yea i was thinking that was possible i knew someone could correct this thanks

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by Eric47

ok yea i was thinking that was possible i knew someone could correct this thanks

Yes... Verizon has some 1900 as well but they use it for data... AT&T has both as well but in Coweta County (just south of Atlanta along i-85), it's 1900 only as AllTel and Verizon have the 850 licenses.

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by bambam

FYI - inherent limitations of 1900mhz signal -

see- 850/900/1800/1900

Just because a company is PCS only in an area doesn't mean that it will have coverage problems... A well built out PCS network can be just as good as a cellular network... Its probably all about distance and capacity. The companies have to work a little harder at it and spend extra money.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by Quint101

Yes... Verizon has some 1900 as well but they use it for data... AT&T has both as well but in Coweta County (just south of Atlanta along i-85), it's 1900 only as AllTel and Verizon have the 850 licenses.

don't forget some of the valdosta area where att has 850 i believe..i cant remember which all county's down there but its a few, correct me if im wrong but i thought i saw it on one of the maps. i think it was from an acquisition cingular made awhile ago.

but yea generally most of GA they are 1900 only, that is true.

[KyleAndMelissa22]

Originally Posted by Eric47

Don't forget some of the valdosta area where AT&T has 850 I believe.

No, Alltel has the 800 mhz license for Valdosta, GA.
I was just down in SE Georgia on 3/15/2008.
Coverage was great from Alltel in Savannah / Tybee Island and all along I-95 through Brunswick, and into Jacksonville, FL.
Great coverage from Alltel in Jacksonville / Jax Beach as well (Alltel has a 1900 mhz license in NE Florida).

This is Alltel's (licensed) map in Georgia.
Alltel has 800 in all blue areas on this map of Georgia, and the cities / areas labeled are covered.
The rest of Georgia, AT&T has the 800 mhz licenses in white on this map:

[Quint101]

Wirelessly posted (Quint's Pearl: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Actually, they both have 850 licenses in Valdosta. AT&T got theirs from USCellular, in a swap/buyout back in 2004. AllTel has the B side and AT&T has the A side in that area. Verizon has only 1900 in this area... They haven't officially launched service yet, but they have an exchange there... They haven't had any service there until recently.

[Quint101]

Wirelessly posted (Quint's Pearl: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Also, AT&T is 1900 only from an area/region from Newnan, Columbus, Albany, and Thomasville... and in East/SE Georgia (Augusta and the coast)

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by Quint101

Wirelessly posted (Quint's Pearl: BlackBerry8130/4.3.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Actually, they both have 850 licenses in Valdosta. AT&T got theirs from USCellular, in a swap/buyout back in 2004. AllTel has the B side and AT&T has the A side in that area. Verizon has only 1900 in this area... They haven't officially launched service yet, but they have an exchange there... They haven't had any service there until recently.

yep

you are so correct on that. it also extends into some other areas down there but i forget.

sounds like you are definetly doing your hw haha

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by Eric47

yep

you are so correct on that. it also extends into some other areas down there but i forget.

sounds like you are definetly doing your hw haha

it helps that I live in the area where the buyout and swap took place lol... AT&T Wireless had the coolest prepaid service called gophone... I would probably still have it if Cingular didn't impose their mandatory auto pay on the monthly plans.lol Their 850 license covers Valdosta, Waycross, Moultrie, and Tifton along with the Florida panhandle...

[Eric47]

yea i live outside of the area but knew about that buyout.


sorta how verizon bought out Price to get most of the good coverage they have in GA also

[RJB]

When it comes to this I would trust Quint very highly as he knows the area very well and it from there.