Verizon phone/service

[BizUser]

I've reviewed all major networks and Verizon/ATT are clearly the best 'overall' networks to sign up with for someone like myself who needs to travel off the beaten path - because they have analog fallback (AMPS) (eliminates T-Mo, Cingular, Nextel), an extensive digital network of their own, and pricing plans that allow you to roam without being gouged (which is why I eliminted Sprint - you can roam but not on plan).

I'm currently with ATT and their coverage is awesome. I can drive to Death Valley or Mendocino and have a signal all the way. I'm not one to yak on the phone (so having a bazillion minutes is not important) but need to be available for emergencies wherever I am. But I want to explore new features, and ATT's GSM rollout is problematic. I tried the Siemens S46 and liked it but rejected it since it does not have AMPS fallback. So now I'm looking at Verizon. But - wow - their phoes are expensive!!! And, they want to gouge you even more for stupid stuff like 'data kits' - $80 for a cable and a CD!

I saw that Amazon are offering amazing discounts on T-Mo phones, much better than the T-Mo website ... (eg - a Samsung S105 for $0 after rebates on Amazon, but $250 on T-Mo's site). SO - is there an outlet where I can get Verizon phones cheap also?

For the price, I'm tempted to go with T-Mo for a sexy new phone, and keep my ATT service for my occasional trips where I 'Must' have coverage - put it on a pre-pay service, perhaps (I can keep the number, already confirmed). But I'd rather get one phone for everything if possible. And Verizon seems closest to that.

For the record, I own an ATT phone; hope that T-Mo and GSM win out in the end; but feel that Verizon has the best network 'now' and that's the most important thing, unfortunately!

Please don't reply telling me you 'Love T-Mobile' or 'Hate Verizon' ... I'm trying to evaluate deals and service, not have a romantic relationship with an annoying piece of technology!

[chefofthefuture]

Oh man, you sound exactly like me three months ago [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I think you've read my ATT->T-Mobile->Verizon story enough in other threads, so I won't go over again how painful it was to deal with T-ingular's coverage coming from AT&T. I'll just say I wish somebody else who had gone through the same situation had told me to just pony up the dough for the T720 or V60i on Verizon. That might not be the solution for everyone looking for something new from AT&T, but in my case, it was right because all I really wanted was data and a new phone with the same or better coverage than I had.

[BillRadio]

User,
If you are happy with AT&T, you should stay with them. So many people come here looking for 'cool features' and go to a carrier with no coverage outside of cities. AT&T is clearly ahead of the competition once you leave town.

Verizon doesn' t have to be expensive. Their best phone, the Motorola v60i is only $49 through the end of the month, and I bought the Motorola data CD and cable for $34, online. Verizon's claim to fame is coverage, and reliability. To maintain that level of reliability, they limit their phone selection to those that have a proven record. I suspect AT&T does too, and that explains why both have fewer 'cool' phones.

You refer to 'analog fallback' as some sort of 'spare tire.' Many rural cell sites just happen to be analog, but within a few months, most of them will have been converted to digital, especially Verizon's. Those that are not converted are probably owned by smaller carriers who cannot afford the conversion. This is where Verizon has more going for it in that they own far more of the rural systems that they use, whereas AT&T roams on other carriers.

In some places, like eastern CA, the AT&T roaming carrier, Cellular One, has better coverage than Verizon, so AT&T users may have better service, albeit analog.

I am only expressing caution about switching networks just to get cool features. 3G services are going over like a lead balloon. They aren't any fun when your phone sits there and says, "no service."

-Bill

[BizUser]

I'm happy with ATT, but want data. The ATT GSM is a disappointment, so I'm considering Verizon. I just visited their store and quite like the T720. Do you know of a data kit for that phone that is discounted? I checked your site/links and did not see anything for T720. Is it a 'new' connector style, or have you just not updated the descriptions?

Are there any 'gotchas' on this phone?

Also - even though for company use I would go with the 'single rate' national plan, for personal use I think I'd go with Local. Reading the small print on the local plan, it seems I can roam with 'preferred providers' in my local area and not get charged, but if I roam onto 'others' (non-preferred) then I will pay roaming. This seems difficult to predict. I'm currently on ATT's regional plan and as I understand it, 'any' call I can make in my local area (CA/NV etc) is not roaming. So with Verizon, they seem to let you roam, but not always cover it? Eg - If I drove down 395 in CA, or up Highway 5, or highway 1 - I know I'll get a signal but will I be roaming? I looked at the Verizon 'america's choice' map (which shows roughly what is 'their network' and good chunks of CA are not covered. But who knows what 'preferred roaming' is?

Also - are Verizon ever going to fix international SMS?

Thanks, Chris

[bassman]

My Wife and I go camping quite a bit so we're often travelling backroads throughout California. For me the only two choices would be ATT or Verizon. If you stay local then maybe Sprint or T-mobile. We're not looking to get on the net with a cell phone, just looking to stay connected, and ATT TDMA does just that with great aplomb. I don't think that if I went with Verizon I would be totally blown away like many people here make it seem. ATT's combination of appropriate plans and comprehensive coverage make them the only choice for me. Bottom line? To me, if you don't have major complaints about your cellular provider the grass may not be necessarily greener on the other side of the fence.

[Merlyn3D]

Verizon's been great in terms of coverage so far, and as far as I know, they're one of the only providers who DOESN'T charge roaming on their analog network ::ahem::sprint::ahem. True their phones are slightly behind, but at least they get damn good reception and coverage. Also, I have to dissagree with the previous post about the v60i being the best phone verizon has. Yes, it's a good phone, but I don't like it for several reasons, the display is dark and blocky, the backlight isn't that good, and the voice quality is NO WHERE near the Samsung's or LG's that are on verizon. I had an LG510 and it was awesome, I tried the T720, it sucked @$$, tried the v60i and the samsung A310 too, conclusion? Right now, I like the A310 more than any of the others, so I'm gonna hold onto it until the newer generation phones come out.

[BizUser]

ATT also don't charge for roaming on their analog (or anyone's analog, if you go with the right plan). ATT and VZW seem very comparable in many ways.

But Verizon's small print is bothering me - you can only roam without charge, on a local plan, if it's with a 'preferred roaming partner'. I just wonder how extensive that is. I can't find the wording on the website; it was on a paper brochure that I do not have 'on hand'.

Anyway - I liked the look of the LG more than the Samsung when I handled them 'in person'. But I liked the T720 the best - so why do you say it's bad - what are the issues with it?

I just read a whole bunch of threads about how the USB cable still does not work with the phone, even though it's being sold!

Are CDMA phones harder on the battery than others? For a given battery 'size' (eg, 900 mAH), they have significantly shorter standby and talk times. And do CDMA phones rely more heavily on antennas? I notice all the CDMA phones have them - even 'common' models, like the the Nokia, has an antenna for the CDMA version and not the others.

[photoeditor]

I think Verizon's definition of a preferred provider in America's Choice is any CDMA operation with which they have a roaming agreement which fits into their billing plan. This basically means anyone with CDMA signal or in the process of acquiring it where Verizon doesn't have towers. So we see Verizon roaming on Sprint along major highways in Minnesota; US Cellular in most of southern Wisconsin except where Verizon has its 1900 PCS network in along the interstates in the southeastern part of the state; roaming on Alltel in a large chunk of the Deep South. But if you're in territory where there isn't any CDMA -- just TDMA and GSM, the digital technologies Verizon doesn't support, then you'll be depending on analog towers, and if Verizon doesn't own those analog towers, you'll be paying handsomely for the privilege of using them.

On a lighter note, I'll be interested to see what status the former CenturyTel territory in Michigan and northern Wisconsin holds with America's Choice once Alltel is done converting it to CDMA. This is a huge empty space on Verizon's America's Choice map, an empty never-never land where Verizon customers pay huge roaming charges to put up with sporadic analog towers while Cingular subscribers don't get charged an extra cent for TDMA on Cellular One. Once Alltel has conquered it from the dictatorship of the dark side, will it be added to the America's Choice preferred territory? Will Pauline be untied from the railroad track before the speeding train gets there? Only time will tell . . .

[TNDan21]

I have to aree with Bill myself. You might want to just stick with AT&T Wireless. If you really have to have data then Verizon Wireless would be a good choice but otherwise just stick with the carrier that you have.