Looking for provider in PA

1st welcome to Wireless Advisor, as for which carrier is better it all depends on where in PA you would use it the most.
I know what you mean about Nextel going down hill, it's the same way here in NJ.

as for your 1st question, I haven't heard of any issues with Verizon's VM alerts being delivered late, but there are factors that could cause that, but I believe it's rare.

as for your 2nd question, I haven't heard of anything between Verizon & Alltel with their roaming agreements ending, they may be re-negotiating them but that doesn't mean they would end it, since most carriers need each others networks in some area's of the country.
Also Alltel doesn't have any native coverage in PA, so that wouldn't be a factor there for you, if anything Alltel customers would roam on Sprint or Verizon's networks in PA.

My suggestion is posting where you would use your phone regularly, then you can get some better opinions, Including any traveling you do.
Also you can try them for their trial period, Cingular has a 30 day & Verizon has a 14 day trial.

When you try either one, I would suggest using the phone everywhere you would use it to get a better picture of coverage.

 

There should be No Coverage issues w/ Cingular in these Places
you Mentioned above.
Maybe 5 years ago there was an issue but NO More today.

 

That's the best suggestion. Before making the switch talk to your friends and see how happy they are with their service, don't rely on solid information from the counter help at most cell phone retailers. Take that trial period and utilize it fully, even one year is a long time to be tied to crummy service.

If Alltel works well as a roaming partner in your area then you may also want to consider just moving over to Sprint as the transfer should be simple.

 

I've been to those places.
Though on Diff Yr/times.

 

Someone will Come along on this Thread
and post their experience.
Good Luck to whatever you chose.

 

From where you are saying you would be using the phone, I don't think you will have too many problems with either carrier, but can't say for sure about the Altoona area.
And Wildwood I know isn't a problem with Cingular, I was down there last year & had excellent coverage.

The one area in PA that seems to be a problem for most carriers is the Pocono's from what I hear, but it all depends on where you are in the Pocono's.

If you have friends that are using Verizon & they don't mind taking a ride with you one weekend, try out their phone in these area's, then find someone with Cingular & do the same thing, otherwise your best bet is to try the trial periods.

 

Well, as I said before relying on the information from your friends not from the counter help. Verizon Wireless stopped working with Radio Shack back in 2006 for various reasons but it was NOT the individual stores refusing based on local coverage.

Talk with your friends and neighbors, they'll give you the straight info on coverage. The Radio Shack guy will tell you whichever carrier brings him more commission.

 

Cingular is strong in PA/NJ.
But it's best the User to find out what's best for them.

 

If you get a work discount with Cingular, I would try them. They have truley good coverage. You will hear more positive comments about Verizon because for years Verizon was the coverage king in the northeast but Cingular has caught up in most parts of the country. Plus, pretty much anyone beats Nextel coveragewise. You'll get rollover and a company discount! The answer seems obvious. Plus Cingular is GSM which means you can buy phones from ebay and just swap the sim card between them...pretty cool. Try the 30 day.

 

Just keep this in mind, if you opt for Cingular you have 30 days. Use that period as much as you can to test in teh areas that are important to you and if all is good, then stick with it. If not then try VZW under their 14 day policy and test it out too. use what is rightfully yours. If you decided on no good, take all back tot eh point of purchase and discontinue. For this, I recomend dealing direclty with the Provider through one if its own corporate retail stores and avoid third party retailers as it seems most of them get you hooked and get stuck as their own trial period is not conforming to what cingular or VZW might be. I know of several that say this is the final sale so if you opt out then you are stuck with the retailer despte what the Cell company rues are. And if you do go the 3rd party rout, make sure that you have it in writing that all can be returned for full credit as long as it is within the provider's trail period. Of course you would have to pay for any usage you might have done durring the trial period.

 

Excelent. Please let us know how you do tomorow and which phone you are getting.

 

I had Nexhell for about 3 years and finally decided to switch to something else. I went with Cingular and have been pretty pleased for the most part. I may switch to Cellular One soon though, since where I live and work, 75% of my calls wind up on their towers anyway. But, I think I'd recommend GSM to anybody. I think you get the most options going that route. And I like choices!

Mike

 

Let us know how everything works out & how the coverage is for you in the area's you use the phone.

 

Nice to know that, so it is a sure improvement.

 

Where bouts in PA are you? You can easily add a glass mount antenna and connect to the back of your phone when you are traveling in the car. With bluetooth today, nobody cares if their phone is connected to a wire or not.

~mike