Questions about mobile carriers

[Fox Mike]

I presently have a Verison account for my cell phone/computer that will take me to the moon and back. I was wondering if anyone has had any problems or concerns with Sprint? I ask because I have had nothing BUT problems with Version's service personnel. Once I get everything 'fixed' at the store all seems to work OK but it seems each month brings a new glitch.

 

[Fire Chief]

We recently switched from Verizon to Family mobile. I get more data for 1/3 the price.
With Verizon every time they forced a system update it screwed everything up.
I got real tired of it.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

I've been on Sprint's network for quite a while, but yesterday, I'd had enough and dropped them in favor of T-mobile. Customer service was acceptable but not stellar. So why'd I leave Sprint? It's simply a matter of coverage--here in SoCal they're great in urban areas, and pretty good throughout much of the southern and central parts of the State as long as you stick close to the freeway. But there are many places I go on a regular basis where I have no coverage when I get more than about a quarter mile off the freeway, and I actually carry a Verizon back up when I'm going somewhere it could be critical that a call gets thru.

NorCal coverage may be ok in urban areas, but there's a lot of the State where Sprint doesn't even exist. Like my sister's place, just 100 miles north of San Francisco. Out here, Verizon has the best coverage (along with the most costly plans whenever I've checked them--gotta pay for those towers somehow!), T-mobile and AT&T are getting very close, and Sprint limps along way behind.

So watch carefully what your coverage may be in both your immediate area and places you're likely to go. The coverage maps make it look like the other side of the country may not have as big a problem as we do with wide open spaces being both an asset and a liability, depending on your point of view!

As for service, well, that's hit or miss with all of them in my experience. I don't know anyone who'd rate their carrier as being anything to write home about in that department. I believe it was James Coburn in The President's Analyst who said it well 50 years ago: "Everybody hates the phone company." And little has changed since then. ;)

Rick C

 

[exavid]

I know no one will believe it but I've had very good service from AT&T for the past sixteen years. Good coverage for the most part, there might be cheaper services but I think I get pretty much what I pay for.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Switch to Cricket. Its ATT at a lower price.

 

[contender]

We use US Cellular. We've been with them for over 15 years now. We do live in the mountains,, where there are a few small places where we drop calls,,, but for the most part,,, excellent coverage.
And,,, the "updates" we all get the notices on,,, I ignore them & do not install them. My phone works just fine.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Look closely at the non contract options.

I run Verizon, but with . . no . . contract. They are much more "friendly"
when you only have to change a SIM card ($10) to change providers.

I also had good luck with Wall Mart Straight Talk. I changed from that
to Verizon when I decided to go with 4G speeds. It turned out to cost
no more to be on the Verizon no contract than it did on Straight Talk.
If you look closely at the packaging for the phones, you find a little
(type size) code that ends in a V for Verizon, which is CDMA. Many
others use GSM (European standard).

To your question: Sprint has a lower overall rating for their network
than Verizon does.

As I say, I firmly beleve they pay attention to your ability to just change
a SIM card to change service providers.

Mine is a Motorola X Pure. I paid $300 (one time cost) for everything.
The Moto X will run on CDMA . . OR . . GSM, either at 4G speeds.

 

[Colonialgirl]

I gave up sprint when I kept getting charged for "out of area service" when in fact I was in Seminole County just North of Orange County where I lived; They charged me for Long distance from Tampa to Orange County.
Been with At&T now for 15 years, the only problem is at Contenders place where I can't pick up a signal.

 

[Kevin]

We also have had AT&T, their service is good for the most part. I hate playing their dumb little games of security codes on the phone when I have to call them (They want to "verify" who you are...several times for a single phone call it seems). But overall their service is good and no problems with coverage wherever I've been in the United States.

I do have a friend who works for Verizon, not in the cell phone dept though, but he will agree customer service is EXTREMELY POOR with Verizon.

 

[MitchSC]

We were with Alltel before the merger with Verizon. Verizon is the most expensive but I have been in very few places where I have not had service. We live in a rural area and our home has a tin roof. My children /grandchildren have had ATT, Cricket, Sprint and T Mobile and have to go outside to have good reception when visiting. One of them (don't remember which) has to link to my internet. I spend a lot of time pursuing my other hobbies of wildlife photography and fishing in remote locations. Very seldom do I not have a signal in places I know from friends that do not have coverage. My wife and I vacation in out of the way places. More times than not Verizon is the only carrier that works. I have made and received calls from Volcano national park Hawaii, the Grand canyon, the Painted dessert, Everglades, Redwood, Yellowstone and Glacier national park just to name a few.

As far as customer service I haven't had a problem besides the long wait calling and in the store. But it really depends on when you call or visit. Several years ago my mother came to live with us. After a few years she needed a new phone and I needed a smart phone for business texting (my wife had used my phone allowance). We cancelled my mother's service added her to our plan and got a new iPhone, I gave her my flip phone. She passed away shortly thereafter. We did the math and figured it was less expensive to give up the number and buy out the contract. When we contacted Verizon they cancelled the contract and let me keep the iPhone no charge.

I don't mean to sound like a Verizon fan boy and am not. I would love to have cheaper service. It just seems that 1% of coverage is places I go.

 

[pleadthe2nd]

Yes, us cellular, I can get service in the middle of the deepest timber , only place I ever seem to lose service is inside concrete and steel buildings below grade. (underground)

 

[mistermills357]

I live in an area that should be well covered by Sprint, but it is not; and I know that because I am on that network.
Sometimes, people cannot call because of radio interference, and it can be a jumbled mess. Sprint has a puzzle-work of antennas; and they have bought/added other phone companies; with no rhyme or reason.

They have shot themselves in the foot by doing that; since those radio frequencies don't jibe at times. And they cannot afford to add/update cell towers; and they are being slammed by Verizon & ATT. My phone works most of the time, and that is about all I can say for Sprint: that is damnation by faint praise. :(

 

[Big Old Boy]

I have Verizon and like the fact that it works most everywhere. As a trucker I hated the spotty service with sprint and fired them many years ago.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I'm with Mitchsc. When I moved to Idaho I had AT&T. When my son came to see me at Christmas had AT&T. He said stick with Verizon. Noticed the same thing I did. Too many dropped calls. Everyone I talked to that tried anything else has gone to Verizon. They don't have complete coverage in very rural areas but more than the other guys.

 

[gramps]

I have Verizon, because ATT was charging for Roaming at home. I went to Kotzebue, Ak, yes I had some problems, but those with ATT had no coverage. I went to Barrow, Ak, no problem with coverage. This was a few years after Kotz, and even ATT had coverage. I have no problems with CS. Good luck.
gramps