# best celular provider and why?

Category: Let's talk

## Post 1 by Striker (Consider your self warned, i'm creative and offensive like handicap porn.) on Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 14:27:05

I'm probably going to have to drop off my current plan soon so,
I'm interested in all around bests and or worsts. keep the following in mind when picking.
Coverage
Price/plans
Data features and survices
limitations placed on phones for that network E.G only surtain lengths of ringtones and such
phone selection
customer survice
over all quality of network features.
What makes your network of choice stand out compared to all the others.
Thanks,
Striker

## Post 2 by Polka dots and Moonbeams (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 14:58:40

Wow, this is a tough question. I'm with Verizon, but I have friends with various companies, and they are all happy for one reason or another.
My friends that are with T-Mobile, are both happy. T-Mobile seems to be a lower cost, they aren't charging you for a data plan yet, and there is quite a selection of phones.
A bennefit of going with T-Mobile and AT&T is the ability to purchase unlocked phones. This really opens your options up.
AT&T, does force you to have a data plan if you have certain PDAs or smartphones. However, they offer roll-over minutes, which is pretty cool, if you don't tend to use your monthly minutes. Now, they have just introduced their own version of friends and family! This is brilliant for those fave folks on different plans.
Unfortunely, I don't know much about Sprint. My brother is with them and quite happy. I believe they offer a plan where everything is unlimited for $99. Pretty sweet!
I've been with Verizon for 8 years now. I have stuck with them because of their coverage. We use to do a lot of traveling and they covered the country better than any other company. Most of my family are on VZW, so that has been a factor as well.
VZW drawbacks, I don't feel like they have a great selection of phones that'll work with Mobile Speak. I also consider them rather expensive.
Why I haven't switched? So far, no other company hasn't pulled me enough. Sure, AT&T may have those roll-over minutes and T-Mobile may be cheeper, but it all evens out when I need more minutes to use for my friends and family on other networks. *smile*
Customer service? Of course this is all relative, but I have had great customer service with VZW.
T-Mobile, I've heard posative things about their customer service. BTW, I've also heard that after 3 months, they will unlock your phone for you.
AT&T, a friend told me their customer service sux. *Smile,* maybe she just had a few bad experiences, but there ya go.
Oh, ringtones? So far with VZW, I have been successful in creating my own and sending my phone a pix message. The tones need to be less than 30-seconds. With my new smart phone, I'm able to have my tones on my sd card and use them that way. Otherwise, VZW charges you $249 to purchase them from them. Rediculous in my opinion. *lol*
Good luck to ya, hope I've been helpful.

## Post 3 by Polka dots and Moonbeams (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 15:01:00

Heehehehehe, oh my gall! I just read that little slip up. Of course, I meant to write $2.49. Heehehehehe!

## Post 4 by dave84 (Zone BBS Addict) on Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 17:52:47

well i was with Sprint for awhile and they need to work on there coverage area, but the pricing of the Sprint plans are pretty good. Sprint customer service is pretty good too. I am now with verizon and i like the fact the coverage area is much better with them. I do pay a little bit more now but, in my oppinion its worth it. The one thing i am not happy about verizon is there night minutes start at 9 PM instead of 7 Pm like i think every other company. The Verizon customer service is really good.

## Post 5 by rat (star trek rules!) on Sunday, 18-Oct-2009 21:11:22

Actually, they do have a plan that starts at 7, i'm on that plan, and really do like it.

## Post 6 by Polka dots and Moonbeams (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 11:44:10

VZW has a plan that starts at 7? Are you grandfathered in or something? I've been all over the plan list and I can't find that one.

## Post 7 by SunshineAndRain (I'm happily married, a mom of two and a fulltime college student.) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 14:17:21

I have VZW and I hate the lack in phone selectionsand I also hate the fact thatifyou want a totally accessible phone you have to purchase a data plan for $30 per phone per month. They use a proprietary software that makes their phone talk and it sucks. I think it's hilarious that the video menu talks but not the settings menu. *Lol.* I face the same issue as Polka Dots and Moonbeams and that is that all my friends and family have Verizon so to switch plans just for accessibility and maybe better pricing wouldn't be beneficial in the long run. I used to have T-Mobile and loved it except for the fact that I didn't know enough aboutpurchasing accessible phones back then, soI ended up going with Verizon because I thought the ENV spoke everything and if it didn't, I could figure it out. Boy was I mistaken. The other thing I hate about switching companies is that every one of them does a credit check and since we have no credit, we have to pay upwards of a $500 deposit.

## Post 8 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 14:40:37

Hmmm, I've asked many a VZW rep, and they all tell me no, that VZW does not have a plan with night minutes starting at 7:00. I can tell many of the reps wished they did, it's a question I gather they're used to getting. I'm really surprised that VZW has not implemented such a thing, given that most of their competetors have. That's one drawback to Verizon. Another is lack of accessible phones.
However, I am a Verizon customer, for the simple facts that they provide excelletn customer service, and have good coverage. Only in a few places have I had trouble with coverage. From what I've heard, AT&T is comparable in their pricing, but much better at offering accessible phones. I've heard mixed reviews about their customer service, some people I know are happy with it, others not.
The majority of people I've talked to who are, or were, with Sprint are not happy with them. Spring seems to have lower prices, but also all the stories I've heard about their custoemr service, etc, indicate that you get what you pay for, so to speak.

## Post 9 by Striker (Consider your self warned, i'm creative and offensive like handicap porn.) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 19:40:56

I'm on sprint now, not happy at all to be honest. In addition to all the drawbacks of bad customer survice and coverage they also have horible call quality. Speeking of which wonder if VZW or AT&t have the call better quality.

## Post 10 by TheLeslieThing (I can't call it a day til I enter the zone BBS) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 20:57:02

Right now I have Virgin mobile. the best part about that company is that you can change your plan if you're not happy with it for no extra charges. You can get ringtones on the site, but they're like $2.50. I don't know about recording ringtones. I've only had to call customer service about a few times. My experience with them was good. Unfortunately though, there are no accessible phones. Some phones have voice dialing, but that's all. It's kind of a bummer that they can't do more. Take care,
Leslie

## Post 11 by rat (star trek rules!) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 22:24:57

vzw took over alltel, which i was part of. perhaps they'll add n alltel's plans. there are windows mobile phones offered, the ozone seems to be teh most popular right now, but the q9c works well too if you can get one. have the q here and love it.

## Post 12 by Polka dots and Moonbeams (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 22:48:08

When VZW took over Alltel, that is when the friends and family seemed to come to the network. Thanks Alltel! *smile*

## Post 13 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 19-Oct-2009 23:35:36

Yes, with VZW you can change your plans at any time with no charge, and no extension of your contract. It's a beautiful thing. I forgot to mention that perk when I made my post earlier.

## Post 14 by Izzito (This site is so "educational") on Tuesday, 20-Oct-2009 11:13:16

same with sprint you can change it at any time. I love sprint love the the fact that in some plans, the data service comes included and customer service is great.

## Post 15 by dave84 (Zone BBS Addict) on Tuesday, 20-Oct-2009 20:30:45

Sister dawn I completely agree with you, i was with sprint for awhile. Well, it was 4 years for people keeping track or wanting to know. And you get what you pay for cheep prices and terrible coverage arrea and the customer service was just ok. From what i remember i checked and they did not have to many accessible phones iether.

## Post 16 by dave84 (Zone BBS Addict) on Tuesday, 20-Oct-2009 20:35:50

yah that is why i chos verizon too because you can change your pricing plan at anytime and not worry about the contract. Sprint i could not change my pricing plan or my contract would start over or something.

## Post 17 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Friday, 23-Oct-2009 1:35:31

What phones work with verizon? And, I think we have this under the wrong section. oh well.

## Post 18 by Xeon (Account disabled) on Friday, 23-Oct-2009 2:31:36

It sucks that verizon has very limited coverage in hawaii. You're only real option is at&t here.

## Post 19 by Emerald-Hourglass (Account disabled) on Friday, 23-Oct-2009 2:39:59

I like AT&T but it's probably cuz i've never been with anything else since i've been in the states. lol but i've had bad and good customer service with them.

## Post 20 by Izzito (This site is so "educational") on Friday, 23-Oct-2009 11:26:17

and what i love the best from sprint is that they refund your money, for mobile speak so its pretty much free with sprint.

## Post 21 by The Roman Battle Mask (Making great use of my Employer's time.) on Friday, 23-Oct-2009 19:31:40

I used to be a verizon customer and was happy with there customer service and coverage. I switched to ATT because of the mobilespeak discount, while there coverage isn't as good as verizon it's good enough for me and having a phone with Mobilespeak more then makes up for it. As far as customer service goes I've been happy with att.

## Post 22 by MDN1988 (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Wednesday, 18-Nov-2009 16:14:26

I was with Cingular, which is now AT&T, which was the first cell phone I got. It worked well and was the only service provider that worked at my mother's house in rural North Carolina, because Verizon wouldn't work, so if I went to visit her the AT&T worked better than Verizon, which is what my sister and brother have.
I am now in Texas and am with Sprint and have been on and off for about two years now, but I am about to switch to Cricket Communications. Sprint is good as far as quality and the fact that I was able to get a phone that worked with Mobilespeak, namely the Motorola Q9C, but I didn't like the customer service and the fact that the lower plan was $39.95 for 450 minutes and then it jumped to $59.95 for 900 minutes, but there was not an in-between plan like for 600 minutes or 700 minutes like the one they used to have. It also sucks that Sprint took away the plans with free incoming minutes. I am switching to Cricket because they have plans for as cheap as $30, and it is all unlimited. They have a promotion going on now where you can get a plan for $25, which includes unlimited talk and text, although you do have to pay an extra $5 if you want voicemail, three-way calling, and things like that. It is still nice not to worry about using minutes, because my sprint plan is $39.99 per month plus taxes and only gives me 450 with free nights after 7 and weekends. The drawback with Cricket is that they don't seem to have any accessible phones that work with Mobilespeak. They have Samsung, Motorola, and Nokia phones, but none are on Mobilespeak's list of phones. I was with cricket for a few months before, and their customer service was good, but if you travel a lot, I don't think the coverage area is as big as the bigger cell phone companies like Verizon and Sprint and AT&T. I think you can go to mycricket.com and type in your location under coverage area maps, and it will tell you if Cricket is in your area or not. Boost Mobile is similar to Cricket, but they are more expensive for the same plan Cricket has, and the roaming minutes are more too I think if you go out of their coverage area. I think I paid $50 for my Boost Mobile plan and used to pay $35 for Cricket, although now I will be paying $25 plus tax. I went back to Sprint for the accessible phone, but now I feel that even if I don't have an accessible phone, it is more economical to get Cricket because I don't need Mobilespeak for texting or internet or anything like that, and I get unlimited for less money than I can get minutes with other companies. As far as customer service goes, AT&T and Sprint are not too good, but I thought about getting Verizon, and I called them and they seemed to have nicer customer service. Another good thing about Sprint and perhaps the other major networks is that they have free roaming nationwide so you don't have to pay roaming charges. With Cricket and Boost, however, if you go out of their coverage area you have to purchase roaming minutes to use while out of the coverage area.
Sorry for the long post, and I hope this helps.

## Post 23 by The SHU interpreter (I just keep on posting!) on Friday, 12-Feb-2010 18:49:15

i have verizon but plan to switch to atnt because of the fact of acessible phones. i don't want to rely on someone else doing stuff for me anymore because it frustrates me to no end. Also i might plan to get the iphone because it's acessible out of the box