So Mrs. A and I are moving from Sprint PCS--not for any one thing, but for a bevy of little reasons.

We had planned to sign up with Cingular b/c we get some discount with BellSouth for doing it. Our phone should arrive soon. However, I was at Radio Shack the other day for something else, and ended up talking to the sales guy about it. He knew that he wasn't working on a commission because he thought that I wasn't looking for a cell phone (I wasn't), having already gotten a Cingular phone, but just kept going on and on about how much better Verizon was than anyone else and how Cingular was the worst of them all (in terms of getting strong signals and having signals in different areas).

We have not, however, signed a contract with Cingular, yet (it comes with the phone), so I considered his advice and now want to reconsider my purchase.
I

Of course, I come to FOFC to get the final word on the issue.

1.) What cell phone provider would you recommend to me and why?
2.) Any ways to get a great deal of which I may not be aware (the two ways of which I am aware are to go directly to their web site or call them and say "I am thinking of switching, and I want you to make it worth my while").

Thanks, etc.

Oh--if it matters, we will be using the phone in mostly urban areas--though would like it to also work on I-95 up to DC and I-85 down to New Orleans.

I recently got a Verizon phone and I definetly can't complain about the signal. It's really good :). Oh, and I used it while going up I-85 and I-95 up to New Jersey and it worked like charm... except for one very small patch on the border of Virginia and North Carolina (IIRC), for some reason.

I have Verizon and got it at the urging of my family and friends, who also have Verizon. None of us have ever had signal problems, I've almost always got a signal of some strength. I've had some small problems on I-91 in Massachusetts and sometimes in the cinder block dorms on campus, but other than that everything's been great.

Depends on what you are looking for.

- Verizon definitely has the best coverage (as their commercials suggest).
- Nextel has the best walkie-talkie/direct connect features (which is only useful if you know someone else with a Nextel phone) & 'interesting stuff' like GPS, but is more costly being more geared towards business and doesn't yet carry the picture phone (if you're interested in that). Of course if you're a Nascar fan ...
- The smaller players have better deals ($$) & options like roll over minutes, but have less coverage depending on the area.

If you use your phone mostly local, ask around w/ people who have phones in your area about coverage. If you want coverage in a wide range of areas, I'd go with Verizion.

Edit: Note: I considered Cingular as a 'smaller' player above. Technically they've bought AT&T mobile which makes them a 'big player' but they're not integrated yet.

I've got cingular, and don't have problems with the signal unless indoors in a cavern where I hide the women.

Cingular has the worst selection in phones it seems like. Do not do AT&T wireless, my fiance has that, she hates it, the service sucks, and so does the customer service. The don't have many good deals for plans from our standpoint of usage, and I also heard something awhile back that cingular was buying alot of the AT&T wireless Cell Phone towers. I think you should discuss how much you use your phone then do some research online to see which ones offer the best rate plans for your usage.

- Nextel has the best walkie-talkie/direct connect features (which is only useful if you know someone else with a Nextel phone) & 'interesting stuff' like GPS, but is more costly being more geared towards business and doesn't yet carry the picture phone (if you're interested in that). Of course if you're a Nascar fan ...


Actually, they just came out with the picture phone this week. Their prices are fairly steep for personal use though, as you are correct, they are more geared towards business.

It really depends on the area you live in. I had Verizon in Chicago and it wasn't that great. It seemed to be better than my coworkers who had Sprint. However, I can not reccomend them. I switched to T-Mobile when my Verizon contract and ran out and I can't imagine ever leaving them for the following reasons:

Signal is much stronger everywhere I go than it was with Verizon
I get more minutes for $10 less per month (I have a family plan)
All calls to other T-Mobile customers are free
All their contracts are one year only
GSM phones have much better international support


The signal strength is really amazing. I couldn't get any signal at all with verizon in my apartment or in my office.... I get maximum bars with my T-mobile in both places. The drawback is that I think since GSM is newer it has less coverage in more rural areas than older technologies. However, I am able to use it just about everywhere I go in south/central Indiana when I go back to visit my family.

I'm also shopping around. I'm thinking I'll call up Verizon and see if they can make it worth my while to switch from AT&T.

If you don't use your phone a lot, I highly recommend AT&T prepaid wireless. They have a really good plan where you pay $100 for like 660 or so minutes, and those minutes don't expire for a year. It's definitely been great for me, I would have already paid over $200 with my old plan for the 7 months I've had it, and I've only used half my minutes. I've talked several friends/co-workers into using it and they all love it too!

Signal really varies from area to area but Verizon wins pretty much all the customer satisfaction awards.

It depends on your location. Verizon is the best around here, and pretty much the whole northeast, but I don't know about North Carolina. Try calling them up and getting some good deals. I think Verizon is expanding, or has expanded, to where every call from a Verizon phone to another is free, to go along with the free nights (after 9pm) and weekends and free in-family calling. If you can get that deal, and know a lot of people with Verizon, it's pretty hard to beat.

If you don't use your phone a lot, I highly recommend AT&T prepaid wireless. They have a really good plan where you pay $100 for like 660 or so minutes, and those minutes don't expire for a year. It's definitely been great for me, I would have already paid over $200 with my old plan for the 7 months I've had it, and I've only used half my minutes. I've talked several friends/co-workers into using it and they all love it too!

Yeah but if you're REALLY cheap and use the phone even less, the Virgin Mobile is even more of a bargin ($80/year) for like 500 minutes. And no committment to purchase the entire year's worth of minutes. Coverage so far seems fine.

AT&T is the devil reincarnate, the hellspawn that bellows from the dark cavern of Hades itself!

AT&T is the devil reincarnate, the hellspawn that bellows from the dark cavern of Hades itself!

Truer words have never been spoken.

And Sprint should be a cuss word.

Go without a cell. It's cheaper and you have more free time without every idiot caling you for no reason at all...

i'm going to verizon as of friday, i am quite jazzed.

picture phones are always a nice plus for hardcore... uh.. fun

I've never had any problems with Sprint PCS...

*shurg*

Just another vote for Verizon...

My phone is 2+ years old and has gotten numerous repairs (it's a cheap Kyocera model), all very fast and free of cost.

Signal is rarely a problem - and I live near some very rural areas.

AT&T and Cingular are merging, if they haven't done so already, so their coverage area should be pretty good. Also, Cingular offers rollover minutes, which is nice. You can keep them for up to one year. Also, Mrs. Ologist and I can talk to each other on our phones without it counting towards our minutes. I've had Verizon, AT&T and now Cingular, and I'm pretty happy about it. However, I am in Texas so I have no idea what their coverage area looks like in NC.

It's hard to get a really good deal these days, everything is pretty much standardized. Go to a mall and walk around to all the kiosks and pick up fliers then go home and spend about 1 hour looking through them. That's the best way I think to find out what's available.

I've got Cingular, and while I get terrible reception out here in the Middle Of Nowhere about half the time, when I'm back in civilization, it's always been spotless. Good rates, especially if you want a nationwide plan.

Also, Mrs. Ologist and I can talk to each other on our phones without it counting towards our minutes.Is that really something that will encourage men to sign up? :p

I think the first thing is to get some opinions from some people in your area (don't know who the other Carolinians on the board are, though). Coverage is first and foremost. Also, remember that a lot of company have the trial period so you can actually try out the phone and the plan in your areas of most use first and be able to change your mind without cost.

I've had T-Mobile for about two years, and I'm not really happy with the service. My number isn't local to my home city and calling area isn't great. I really need to switch carriers....

Is that really something that will encourage men to sign up? :p
I've learned you can't get away with not talking to women, unless you don't want them to be around for long. I detest talking on the phone, but at least when she calls me about something I'm not sitting there going, ok, let's hurry up, tell me what you got to say and let's get off.

Yeah but if you're REALLY cheap and use the phone even less, the Virgin Mobile is even more of a bargin ($80/year) for like 500 minutes. And no committment to purchase the entire year's worth of minutes. Coverage so far seems fine.

I looked at Virgin, but the biggest drawback for me was that I had to buy a new phone to get it. I was able to switch to AT&T prepaid using my existing phone which saved me $50 or so. As for committing to buy a whole year, that's the biggest plus for me. I don't have to worry about getting more minutes every few months, or forgetting to buy more minutes and having my existing ones cancelled.

I looked at Virgin, but the biggest drawback for me was that I had to buy a new phone to get it. I was able to switch to AT&T prepaid using my existing phone which saved me $50 or so.
I bought a used phone on eBay for $15. (I really am a cheap bastard.)


As for committing to buy a whole year, that's the biggest plus for me. I don't have to worry about getting more minutes every few months, or forgetting to buy more minutes and having my existing ones cancelled.

You can set it so that it automatically adds minutes every 90 days.