DaveWapinski
Las Vegas
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Joined: 08/27/2006
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Hello,
The cell phone landscape has drastically changed recently.
No cell company is perfect!
Who generally has the best data coverage and speed? Need to be teetered to a notebook or an aircard.
Who generally has the best voice service?
Who has the best deals?
Currently data is a Sprint Merlin card.
Voice 1 is Sprint with a built in modem as a backup. Before had Verizon and before that ATT.
This is up for renewal.
Voice 2 is T-Mobile with 1,500 minutes for $40. Also good if I go to Europe. Also has built in modem as a backup. T-Mobile is month to month (contract ran out long ago).
Currently do not have Blackberry and use little texting but this will probably change.
For remote areas, back up analog coverage is good.
Had ATT from when just analog was available, no data, and time was a $1 a minute. They were a great company and then went downhill.
Always have heard bad things about Cingular.
Not for sure if one combines two bad companies, one gets a good company but it is possible.
Does anyone have experience with the new company?
Liked Verizon for coverage and customer service, but they seemed expensive.
Sprint has great data speed when I can get coverage and the network is not down. They lie about their coverage. Customer Service is very bad. Friend convinced me to go with them.
As management and computer consultants, one of our clients is the US Army Recruiting Command. As such we get copies of the nationwide network problems. They use Sprint. On most weeks one or more Army Posts or Recruiting Centers are down due to Sprint problems. This does not appear to be a very good “advanced feature”.
T-Mobile has great pricing on voice and can get voice coverage in most areas. Their data service is some of the worse out there. Have had problems connecting even in major cities. Speed is very slow. Customer Service lies and has one spend hours testing things when they know that the problem is their network.
Again this field is in a state of flux.
What are current experiences?
Thanks.
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Nick Wildwood
Hell California
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Joined: 04/16/2008
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We hate Verizon' customer service. We have AT&T for cell service and have no complaints.
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SWMO
Southwest Missouri
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We've had Alltel for 5 years and we have been happy overall. We've never paid roaming, even though we are gone 10 months a year. The signal in the west has virtually always been there, we did find a hole in SE Kentucky a couple of years ago.
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jeanspach
New Mexico
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Joined: 04/11/2007
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Alltel has best rural coverage in NM. I've been miles from a main road and still get coverage.
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Chief enforcer
Interlaken N.J. U.S.A.
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Verizon has the best overall coverage.
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Clay L
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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Altel has been bought by Verizon but they may be waiting for final approval.
I believe analog is gone now. If not it is very close to extinction.
I think all of the cell providers have plans that are competitive.
They all have data plans at $59.99 per month. Most of them have a 5GB per month data allowance for that price.
Most of them will supply a decent aircard for free or close to it with a two year contract.
I have Verizon, use it all over the country and am happy with the coverage.
We get broadband just about everywhere we go. They have been implementing EVDO (broadband) at a fast pace for the last few years.
Clay (WA5NMR), Lee,(Wife) Codi, Brandi (Shelties) and Damncat (damn cat)
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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You want a supplier that uses GSM equipment if you want cheaper phones and international service. Most of the world uses GSM, so switching equipment and phones are getting cheaper and better faster than other cell technologies. ATT is the largest US provider that standardized on GSM. I switched about a year ago from Nextel, which was really poor and expensive. ATT is pouring millions and millions into their network and I believe they have edged out Verizon in coverage. ATT 3G is as fast as DSL.
My Kharma ran over my Dogma.
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DaveWapinski
Las Vegas
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Thanks for the info.
Appreciate any additional information.
Will follow the Altel and Verizon “marriage”.
Currently lean toward Verizon while keeping the T-Mobile.
Will also look at the Verizon Unlimited Plans or high usage plans and drop the T-Mobile.
I have been told that when it works, Sprint data is faster than Verizon.
Do not know if this is true. Does anyone know?
However, I think it will be some time before Sprint “gets it act together”.
Will also keep looking at ATT, but I have my doubts based on past experience.
Analog is useful for some areas out west that have something like 5,000 cattle or sheep, but only about 3 people. It is not cost effective to upgrade the towers. Verizon still offers one or two tri-mode phones that can access digital or analog.
Have a great day,
dave.wapinski@wi4u.com
Black Terror - friendly black lab
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1989 Ferrari Mondial t convertible – East Coast car, same model as used in “Scent of a Woman” and other movies – only drive it sometimes with my eyes closed, also currently in Kentucky
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KeninAZ
SE AZ
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Joined: 06/22/2002
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Just a note on Sprint.
I have never had them but know many that have and I have been told that they have the worst customer service of anyone out there.
They are currently a partner with AllTel, my company, but that will go away I am sure if the Merger with Verizon gets approved.
Hands down from my extensive research at this time (and for some time now) Verizon aircard service seems to be the preferred provider.
I have yet to find anyone with an AllTel aircard and I have asked about it a number of times.
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DaveWapinski
Las Vegas
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Also the new ATT commercials about finding the Internet on an island appears to be the main island, Hawaii.
If you look in the background there is a black mountain. It appears to be Diamond Head.
If so, the beach is probably Ewa Beach near the Barbers Point Navel Air Station.
Also done some work for the US Government in Hawaii.
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