Cell Phones

[sky4]

I am currently shopping for a new cell phone service and wondering if I could get some help from you all. I am looking for the best coverage and price for my family. As a frac pilot going to god knows where at anytime I have yet to find a good service.

And what are the best deals now?

Thanks

 

[marqmarq]

Cell phones

Sprint sucks! But it is cheap....

 

[banned username 2]

Verizon and the Motorola T730... Best coverage, great phone.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

umm..I heard NOKIA makes the best phones..??

 

[niteflyr]

another vote

I too will have to vote for Verizon. Third cell company I have had and it is the best by far. 2 phones, unlimited nights and weekends and cell to cell for $60 a month. I have only been to one place in 2 years of fractional flying that was roaming.

 

[Fokkerflyer]

I'm with niteflyr- just signed up for the Verizon package, with a second phone for the homefront. Great coverage just about everywhere, pretty good deal too.

Stay away from Nextel and ATT.

FF

 

[fracflyer]

I vote for Verizon.

Sprint sucks the big one

 

[CLCAP]

I think AT&T is pretty good if you stay away from their GSM plan! Have been to VERY few places where my phone didn't work! (Have an dual analog & digital phone)

 

[stillaboo]

I use sprint. Works everywhere I go (I don't do EAS routes though, so, maybe my flying stays closer to civilization than a frac pilot would).

Now a friend of mine has verizon . . . doesn't work in his own house (and he lives in the NE, where Verizon is supposed to be strongest!). "Can you hear me now?" is something I say to him all the time, b/c he can't, he's in a dead zone!

Every cell phone company has dead spots. Find someone who goes everywhere you go and ask them what works. For me, Sprint works great!

 

[bigD]

AT&T isn't cheap, but my service has been reliable, and I seem to be able to get a hold of a service rep in no time at all, which I like. Especially since I've had them replace broken Nokia phones several times (the buttons just decide to stop working). Now I'm back to Motorola, and hopefully I won't have to think about it anymore.

 

[NJA Capt]

I have used Sprint for 5 years and three telephones and haven't had a problem. I have flown with other Sprint users who complained about reception, while I was using my phone at the same time (in multiple cities). Personally, I think it has to do with your settings. Mine stays in digital only. I doubt I have any more dropped calls than any other carrier. It has worked almost everywhere (in digital) in the Lower 48 and Hawaii.

Periodically, I check other carriers and I'm yet to find one cheaper than Sprint for my type of coverage.

 

[Live4flyng]

NJA CAPT

I agree, I have Sprint and have had it for more than 4 years. The first phone I had was a Samsung. That phone sucked, and I thought it was Sprint's service. Then I got a Motorolla, and have not had any problems since then. My phone works everywhere I have been, even when I thought it wouldn't. Most of the time, it's the type of phone. I heard from a dealer that is has to do with the power of the phone, as in MegaHertz.

 

[banned username 2]

Re: NJA CAPT

I heard from a dealer that is has to do with the power of the phone, as in MegaHertz.

Megahertz is the frequency the phones uses. Power output is measured in Watts. But more so the sensitivity of the Receiver and the quality of the RF section are what make a good phone. Keep in mind, a cell phone is nothing more than a complex 2 way radio operating in duplex mode (over simplified but makes a point).

 

[rice]

Oversimplified for Who???????

This kinda talk makes my head hurt .

 

[CLCAP]

I hear that Sprint has great coverage in the US - used to fly with a guy that had it - but he never could make it work in Montreal....

Anybody else having that problem?

 

[sky4]

Thanks

Does anyone use cingular or alltel? and if so how would you rate them?


Thanks

 

[H25BCPTN]

Sprint is great. I have had Sprint for over 6 years and have had only one problem and that was with the phone. My wife had a Samsung phone and it sucked. Sanyo and Motorolla phones work so much better but I don't think they sell the Motorolla phones anymore. Best Bang for the buck if you ask me.


Fly Safe

 

[46Driver]

Anybody have any comments on Cingular? i am completely fed up with Sprint.

 

[FlyaLear35]

Verizon or AT&T

My company has tried AT&T, Sprint and now Verizon in the last 3 years.

AT&T were (and still are) the most expensive, Sprint was great, WHEN it works, and also VERY expensive out of network. We changed to Verizon with Motorola (free) phones just last year.

I still carry my personal AT&T with a "One Rate" no roaming charge plan with a Nokia AND carry the Verizon phone (don't you hate that - all I need is a pager too!). Both work equally as well, though I prefer the Nokia for ease of use and quality. I'd be hard pressed to choose on quality of service between AT&T and Verizon, but the plans at Verizon are "friendlier."

I've flown with a Gulfstream guy who had Cingular. He used my AT&T phone to call his wife almost every day on the road. It's probably changed, but it's worth checking into. Roll over those minutes, right?

Alltel? Haven't heard much, sorry, can't help.

Be careful about the contract length, a year is fine, 2 years, and they better be giving you something.

Hope this helps. Call me after 9:00pm or weekends, it's free for me!

 

[Hawker rider]

WE have Cingular as our cellular provider and are ver happy with it, we fly in the US an mexico an Canada.

Only time that we have a problem is in some of the Detroit areas, do't ask me why but my phone doesn't ring there, I will get a voicemail notification right the next second, and call out just fine, just doesn't ring there.
For the rest of the country and Canada, just fine, and hasn't given us any problems whatsoever