Need help in deciding cell provider
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
From: Canastota
Need help in deciding cell provider
Im trying to decide whether to get a new cell phone provider. Right now I have a Tracfone, which is serving me good, but has bad service sometimes. Also, I was(am) using up minutes heavy on teh phone, where 40min costs $30 and I've dumped about 200 or so into it and I havent even had it 1 year! The double min cards are great, but are alot of $$$.
Ive een looking at Cingular and Sprint. Sprint is cheaper, 29.99/mo w/ 200min anytime, unlimited nights and weekends. Also includes free voicemail, txt mssging($.10 per), caller ID call waiting ect. Sprints (VI-125) phone is free and has a spkrphone, color screen and internal antenna. Cingular is more expensive; $39.99/mo w/400min anytime($.45 each min over), 5000min weekends, unlimited nights and no longdistance or roaming chrges. Cingular phone is also free and has spkrphone, camera(big deal), color screen and internal antenna. Both have a $36 activation fee and unlimited mobile-mobile.
What I want to know is, do any of you guys have one of these carriers and if so do you like them?? Any charges that they dont list, or anything I might need to know?? Ck out the sites and see the description if I missed anything(area code 13032). Should I switch or stay with what I got?? I can afford monthly payments on a phone no problem at all, just wondering if its worth it. Thanks guys!!
Ive een looking at Cingular and Sprint. Sprint is cheaper, 29.99/mo w/ 200min anytime, unlimited nights and weekends. Also includes free voicemail, txt mssging($.10 per), caller ID call waiting ect. Sprints (VI-125) phone is free and has a spkrphone, color screen and internal antenna. Cingular is more expensive; $39.99/mo w/400min anytime($.45 each min over), 5000min weekends, unlimited nights and no longdistance or roaming chrges. Cingular phone is also free and has spkrphone, camera(big deal), color screen and internal antenna. Both have a $36 activation fee and unlimited mobile-mobile.
What I want to know is, do any of you guys have one of these carriers and if so do you like them?? Any charges that they dont list, or anything I might need to know?? Ck out the sites and see the description if I missed anything(area code 13032). Should I switch or stay with what I got?? I can afford monthly payments on a phone no problem at all, just wondering if its worth it. Thanks guys!!
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 0
From: Southern Louisiana
I wouldnt go with cingular, been there done that. Maybe just my area but horrible service and the customer service was a joke, downright rude and uncaring and they let you know it. I currently have nextel which is now also sprint and since that merger customer service is beginning to be a laughing matter but is still livible at the moment. As far as how sprints service performs, I wouldnt know, I do know that sprint dosent work in my area.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,858
Likes: 1
From: Dark side of the sun.
Cingular sucks. The customer service is terrible. In my area the reception is Ok. But I do get dropped calls,when calling out sometimes the phone will ring once then stop and hang up. Also,their billing is terrible.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 0
From: fremont ohio
My advice is go onto the providers website, and they have coverage maps. When I got my phone, a big factor was which provider had the best coverage in the areas I was going to be in most (home and college). I have Verizon, and its been good to me. Few dropped calls, pretty good service all over my state, customer service could use a lil work, but not too bad.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,728
Likes: 1
From: Damascus-Boring, Ore
Honest opinion- they all suck, it's just a matter of degrees. Although I will say Quest took the definition of "poor customer service" to an entirely new level. Drop-kicked Cingular a year ago, have Verizon. They're OK, but I still hit dead spots at the dealership, and the repeater tower is across the street- go figure.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 0
From: Southern Louisiana
My dad has verizon and it works great for some areas he goes in (otr truck driver). When he comes to my house, no service. We have 3 providers to choose where I am and Cingular is one and the other is just as bad. Nextel is the only other one and I am pretty happy with them. If verizon worked here, thats more than likely what I would be using. Polarbear is right though, they all bite and just keep trying to find the best way to screw the customer.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,782
Likes: 221
From: Huntington Indiana
We are on Nextel/ sprint. It all depends on what you want for service. Make a list of what you want. # of minutes you think you want. what extras you want etc. then go for the companies that service your area.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
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From: Lafayette, IN
I have Cingular, and it seems to be the best in this area. I can talk to friends/customers on their Cingular phones and almost never have a dropped call (I know where many of the major reception holes are and avoid them when talking). I almost can't talk to my friends on Verizon and T-Mobile phones, though--they're reception is terrible in many areas. I can't say I've needed to use customer service much, but it's been acceptable overall. The phone itself has a lot to do with your reception. Just a few years ago, 0.6W transmission was the norm, now I have a GSM tri-band phone that transmits at 2W--big difference (Nokia 6230). I can now make/receive calls in many areas that I couldn't previously (and not because they've put up new antennas in those areas--they haven't).
Jason
Jason
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,978
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From: Alvin, Texas.
I like Cingular, other than for the fact that when I had them debit a payment from my account, through their website, it bounced and now I can't pay online--ever again it seems. You would think that when the amount in your account is GREATER than the amount being debited, that would mean something....
I really came back to the cell phone world through an offer from a Tampa area AT&T dealer (not a STealer, this time, wow.) when I was still working offshore. Unfortunately, you know who's got AT&T now.
I really came back to the cell phone world through an offer from a Tampa area AT&T dealer (not a STealer, this time, wow.) when I was still working offshore. Unfortunately, you know who's got AT&T now.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 278
Likes: 6
I'm with Polar Bear, they all are mediocre, but among my pals we all agree that Cingular is really off the chain when it comes to poor customer service. I have Verizon, but that is because in 1988 when I got my first cell phone it was Pac Tel, then Air Touch, and now Verizon. If you want to research, ask a few real estate agents who they use for cell service. They live on the cell phone and don't mess around with junk.
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
From: Broken Arrow, OK.
Stay away from Cingular, they have very poor customer service and will screw you over any way they can. I switched to Verizon and have had very good luck with them. Reception is good and I have never had a problem with billing, which was a problem with Cingular.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 2
From: Portsmouth, VA
I've had Sprint for 2 years, been loving it ever since I got it. I have never needed to get any technical help or anything so I don't know what their customer service is like. I made sure to get a good rugged phone that could take a beating so I wouldn't have to worry about it breaking.
When I re-up my plan here soon, I'm going to probably be switching over to the Nextel side. Found another nice rugged phone to replace the one I've tortured for the past couple of years.
- Chris
When I re-up my plan here soon, I'm going to probably be switching over to the Nextel side. Found another nice rugged phone to replace the one I've tortured for the past couple of years.
- Chris
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
From: Maine
I'll hold my comments about cell-phones in general...
Best thing to do is figure out where you are going to be using the thing, and then compare coverage maps of different providers. Maybe even try talking to people who use different companies in those areas. I know here in rural Maine, the best two companies for coverage are virtually unheard of in the rest of the world.
Keep in mind, the best customer service in the world is worthless if the darn phone doesn't get a signal where you want to use it.
Best thing to do is figure out where you are going to be using the thing, and then compare coverage maps of different providers. Maybe even try talking to people who use different companies in those areas. I know here in rural Maine, the best two companies for coverage are virtually unheard of in the rest of the world.
Keep in mind, the best customer service in the world is worthless if the darn phone doesn't get a signal where you want to use it.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
From: Canastota
Yea, after looking around and reding provider reviews, Cingular seemed to be pretty bad as far as cust service and reception goes. I'll still keep them in mind, my cousin and his wife just got a plan under them and Ill see how they like it. Sprint seened to get teh same reviews, granted the reviewers were not in my area but still. Both providers show full coverage with a few sopts in the mountains and high hills with no reception. Ill take a look at verizon, some of my friends have them and they dont seem to complain. Thanks guys, good to hear this stuff from people I trust!!
FTE Remembers
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 65,938
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From: Millersville, MD
I'm in medical sales in Maryland, Virginia. I've had Cingular and Sprint in the past and some others that no longer exist. Have been using Verizon for the past 5 years and have no complaints...'nuff said.