Dilemma: Verizon or Sprint from Alltel?

[MrObvious]

So I am trying to figure this out based solely on price. Maybe there is a simple answer but IDK.

I live with my mom after my dad passed away (I help take care of her as she is more elderly) and we had great service with Alltel. We run a small business and had former employees who we got cell phone lines for but now are waiting for all of them to drop off being contracted. My mom and I are NOT under contract at the moment and just have regular phones right now (Hue 1 and Z6M).

I used to have a Diamond that I got off an insurance claim but I cracked the screen and decided to switch to another phone until I can fix it. When I went to myverizon.com and tried changing ESNs back it said it wanted to change my plan and add a $40/month plan. Can I call VZW and just have them change it and keep my plan?

My plan is a National Freedom 900 from Alltel and I have a Connect 3 pack. When they ported my plan to the Verizon billing system they kept the Connect 3 and called it a Smartphone plan. It runs approx. $59 for 900 minutes and $9.99 for the additional line (plus two more $9.99s for the other two lines mom and I don't use but that's irrelevant). So with the $20 Connect 3 (unlimited texting and data for my plan) we pay $89 a month as a base price.

Now I am in a dilemma if I want to get a new smartphone/PPC. Do I buy it outright, try to keep then plan, and just pay the rape me in the but cost of outright? Or do I move to a Verizon plan, spend a few hundred less, and pay for it over two years? Or do I try to get a Sprint plan for mom and I with a PPC for me? Or should I get just a regular phone and keep my Alltel plan?

I'm thinking if I did go to Sprint to get a new PPC (I'm thinking a Touch Pro 2 and maybe I can talk to them to lower the price as an incentive to $199 for a 2 year agreement, or wait and see if something better comes along) it would be cheaper monthly. Either that or I just get a regular phone but I really like all the stuff I can do from my Windows Mobile phone (Garmin navigation, quite a few programs, etc.).

So my basic question if you don't want to read all that is do I keep a $89/month plan that doesn't really cover a new Verizon smartphone, move to Sprint, or get the more expensive Verizon plan and get the cheaper cost on a phone?

[Mobile Mike]

You'll probably pay a lot less with Sprint versus Verizon for similar plan levels, but the question is also whether Sprint service is as good as you've gotten with Alltel/Verizon? I'm guessing it's comparable.

Have you called Verizon to see if you can hold onto your Alltel plan and buy a phone outright? If they insist you have to convert to a VZ plan (which will likely cost more) in order to do ANY phone exchange/purchase, then you might be better off with Sprint. Call multiple times to see if you get the same information.

Since you are a former Alltel customer, it might be worth it to do some extra leg-work to make sure you get the best deal. If Verizon just doesn't financially make sense to keep, dump them.

[MrObvious]

Coverage isn't a concern. I think I will do some research.

[crood]

Essentially, if you accept a subsidized phone through Verizon or an authorized dealer, you're going to have swithc to one of their plans. Additionally, if you purchase a new Verizon smartphone yourself, their billing system will probably require you to change plans as certain phones are tied to certain plans. That's why you might not see certain phones when you choose the Upgrade on the web site, despite them being visible for purchase as a new customer. You have to change plans before they become visible.

Sprint, on the other had may not be the bargain you currently have. Their minimum family plan that includes data is 129.99 for 1500 minutes on 2 lines. Additional lines are 19.99. It's still cheaper than the Verizon plan but a bit more than what you're paying now. Sprint's an all you can eat buffet, not a la carte, so you might as well get your mother a smartphone too.

[MrObvious]

Heh, she barely knows how to use her current phone. Plus one thing I forgot to mention is that it's easier to get a rebate off your bill with Sprint. I heard running a small business I get like 10% off my bill if I do it right which I will.

[Yankees368]

Without even reading the full post, if it is Sprint v. Verizon in terms of cost, Sprint will win almost every time.

[crood]

If you want texting for your mother, theres no real way to beat Sprints price on Verizon. You can get the Family select plan for 99.99 plus the 29.99 smartphone plan, but thats 700 minutes on VZ vs. 1500 on Sprint (plus 7pm Nights & Weekends, and AnyMobile AnyTime). If you go with the Family Basic plan you can purchase a specfic number of messages for each line per month (e.g. 500 messages is $10). However, that could be offset by whatever discount you can get from Sprint.

The only other cost comparison is in the handset price. Verizon tends to have better subsidies and BOGO's, but that probably won't offset the Sprint savings over the life of the plan.

[MrObvious]

No she don't do texting.

[The Robot Devil]

If you are happy with the wireless service you are receiving from Verizon I suggest working with them on an equipment upgrade. You are on a grandfathered Alltel rate plan, but that should not have any effect on your equipment pricing. I have a lot of customers that are on Verizon and I find them to be very good when it comes to upgrading equipment for customers that are out of contract. Verizon is making some very good offer on equipment right now. Have you tried going to a Verizon store to see what they will offer you on a renewal?

[MrObvious]

Nope. I may. Hmm.

[The Robot Devil]

Originally Posted by MrObvious Nope. I may. Hmm.

Give it shot. Just be realistic in your expectations. Don't expect them to offer you the latest and greatest devices for free. Also, I see you are from Hutchinson, Kansas. So is my wife.

[MrObvious]

Ha awesome. I may just want to see what is gonna happen. Hehe.

[mtngal]

Hope you have better coverage with Verizon than I do, after converting from Alltel in Colorado

[ctx89]

Mr. O - Please see my post here:

http://forums.wirelessadvisor.com/ve...tml#post546137

[MrObvious]

Wow scary man. Yikes. I'm going to Sprint then. That's scary.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by MrObvious Wow scary man. Yikes. I'm going to Sprint then. That's scary.

Yeah, I agree ctx89's situation is a nightmare, but don't forget, it could happen at Sprint too. It could happen with any carrier. When humans are involved, mistakes will happen. Ignorant reps are everywhere. Bad customer service is sadly far more common these days.

[MrObvious]

True but that plus the fact that Verizon won't activate my Diamond without a further charge kinda is annoying to me.

[MrObvious]

Originally Posted by MrObvious True but that plus the fact that Verizon won't activate my Diamond without a further charge kinda is annoying to me.

Now I'm mad. Hehe. Any way of getting out of contracts that anyone can think of?

[bikebryan]

Originally Posted by MrObvious Now I'm mad. Hehe. Any way of getting out of contracts that anyone can think of?

Sure, but not what you want to hear. Cancel early and pay your ETF. They you'll be out of contract.

[MrObvious]

Originally Posted by bikebryan Sure, but not what you want to hear. Cancel early and pay your ETF. They you'll be out of contract.

You mean then? :p

Yeah I figured. If someone finds a loophole lemme know hehe.

[Miss Crim]

if you dont mind switching numbers then just keep the verizon lines suspended. For 5 smartphones on sprint it would cost you $190 plus insurance nd taxes. It includes unlimited calling to mobile (any mobile in the us) unlimited texting, unlimited data and 1500 min used for landlines and non mobile numbers.

Right now they offer a 20% discount which would bring your monthly price down to about $152 for unlimited anything on any phone.

I agree that verizons plans are way overpriced.. they are ridiculous. Right now Im on a 5 person family plan and the bill is about $230 roughly with unlimited internet on all phones (non smartphones) for 5 smartphones on our family it would've been about $350 compared to sprints $152. Thats 2 months on sprint and you only pay 1 on verizon. I know ridiculous. I personally love Sprint and as soon as my contract is over im switching back to sprint

[MrObvious]

I know man. Thanks for the agreement Crim and I will definitely go to Sprint. Also I talked to my aunt and she said she would probably join in our plan too.

I got a question though, are Verizon fees lowered each month you have service so for example if you have three months left it would be x amount times the three months or is it a flat $175 assuming I switch to a VZW plan?

[Miss Crim]

No every month you have completed is $5 less from the $175 so if you have 3 months left you only pay $70 per line.

[MrObvious]

Okay. Thanks.

[MrObvious]

Ok so I figured out new AT&T towers have been going up so their coverage in my area has improved tons and now they are an option. Should I even consider them? I hear one person who has them likes them but yet I hear forums ranting at how bad the service is. Which would be better, them or Sprint?

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by MrObvious Ok so I figured out new AT&T towers have been going up so their coverage in my area has improved tons and now they are an option. Should I even consider them? I hear one person who has them likes them but yet I hear forums ranting at how bad the service is. Which would be better, them or Sprint?

3G service might be the issue with AT&T you hear complaints from the most, but that's not guaranteed to effect where you live (if 3G is even available in your town).

AT&T service is fine in EDGE form. Try them out for a few days. There's no way to tell how they'll work for you if you don't sample them for the "buyers remorse" period (which I'm guessing is 2 weeks in your state).

[strunke]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.14912/1280; U; en) Presto/2.2.0)

Originally Posted by MrObvious Ok so I figured out new AT&T towers have been going up so their coverage in my area has improved tons and now they are an option. Should I even consider them? I hear one person who has them likes them but yet I hear forums ranting at how bad the service is. Which would be better, them or Sprint?

I would check out the sprint maps if its solid then go with them. Att and verizon are going to be pricey equally.

And to clarify an earlier statement in this thread....not sure where but I'm posting on wap. If you upgrade to a verizon phone with the regular subsidy you can keep your Alltel plan. You do not need a verizon one. I believe the problem you are running into is that the connect packs are meant for regular "dumbphones" and Alltel had that loophole where you could get unlimited data for basically 10 or 15 a month. And their system didn't check wether you were using a smartphone like the touch pro. But verizons system does. That is why they want you to switch to or add on a data feature to your phone. Which should be 29.99 a month. The connect packs aren't techinally supposed to be able to used for smartphones. Although if you had kept it on through the transition they wouldn't haven't changed it. But since it was removed they are "screening" any new changes with the smartphones esn.

[MrObvious]

Yeah. Well IU am stuck because work doesn't have service with Sprint. Oh well. At least I can get a Blackberry.

[MrObvious]

I can get it but I haven't yet. Stunke I know you posted because I'm subbed to this thread so can you say what you said about a discount? I still have my Alltel NF 900 plan.

[strunke]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.14912/1280; U; en) Presto/2.2.0)

Originally Posted by MrObvious I can get it but I haven't yet. Stunke I know you posted because I'm subbed to this thread so can you say what you said about a discount? I still have my Alltel NF 900 plan.

You mean the work discount with verizon? If you have an Alltel plan (and are now a verizon customer on an original Alltel plan) you can use any ageement your work has with verizon for your "Alltel" plan, now that the billing systems have merged. So if you can get a discount through vzw through your work, you can get with Alltel. You just have to follow the little steps neccessary. Mine was merely submitting a censored paycheck screen shot through verizons web based form.

Or were you asking about something else?