Good cell phone service for the road

[Flyeys]

Im sure this has been hit on before but I am fed up with Nextel. Drops calls left an right, peeps can't get through to my voicemail. Not to mention expensive as sh!t and the phones are a ripoff. Anyways, looking for a service that will get decent reception around the country and not break the bank. any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Icelandair]

But Nextel sponsors the Nextel cup in Nascar so we should support them.

 

[Kream926]

SPRINT

been with them since my first phone in 99, werent that goo dthen but a heck of alot better now

 

[BoeingBoy]

I used to have Sprint...worked great everywhere except at my house and at major airports...switched to Verizon 2 years ago...no problems so far.

 

[wheelsup]

My advice is to go to each companies' website and view their service map. Make sure you're not fooled by the 'nationwide' coverage unless you're on a no-roaming plan or else you'll pay roaming outside their network.

I looked at all companies and came to the conclusion that verizon was the best fit for me - it still has the broadest coverage of any cell company (again, excluding the no-roaming plans, which are expensive as all heck).

One thing to consider, if your friends and family have AT&T and/or Cingular, those companies have a 'code-share' so to speak and you can talk to each other without eating away daytime minutes as well as share each others networks. However, I found that even though those two companies joined forces, their networks covered basically the same areas and it didn't really expand their coverage.

I personally hate T-Mobile and Sprint. Sprint has low coverage for most of the country where I am and T-Mobile sounds like you're talking in a bathroom stall. I was happy with AT&T until I started to do traveling and they just didn't have the coverage.

Most companies have a two-week or month long deal where if you aren't happy with the service you can return the phone and cancel the plan and just pay for the portion of the months plan that you used and not have to worry about paying a contract-breaking fee. Atleast verizon has/had this - it was what swayed me (that and the coverage area).

good luck
~wheelsup

 

[Big Duke Six]

I use Verizon too. So does my Captain when his cell (AT&T) can't get a freakin signal at the airport. He's come to like my phone.... Naw, that only happened once, I think we were in Florida somewhere.


Verizon also has an in-network deal where you are not charged minutes if talking to another Verizon user. Very nice for my wife and me. I have a few friends on Verizon too, so it really is nice. One thing that pi$$ed me off was when I went to put her on my plan, they had to start a new contract for me, which means that my night minutes start at 9 pm local (wherever I am) instead of the 8 pm I had been on before. Sometimes I experience a delay in getting voice mails too, but it is pretty rare. I still have not gotten an answer out of them as to why. Otherwise, I'm happy with the service.

 

[Kream926]

the only place sprint doesnt work is at my parents house, becuase they live near a real big hill. and i dont know if its just sprint, but they live so close to canada that sometimes i get some bogus roaming charges

 

[skibum11]

I agree verizon does the job especially from Kansas City and west. Their also the only phone company that I could get to work consistently in colorado and montana without being cutoff in mid-sentence

 

[cforst513]

i live in ohio. i have the nationwide verizon coverage. i have used my phone as far north as niagara falls, NY, south to florida, and west to CA. get great reception and i never have trouble. i say go verizon!

 

[urflyingme?!]

I have family in DC and Hawaii. I'm in the southwest. We all have our phones on one Verizon plan, and just go in together on a whole bunch of minutes. It works well, and whenever i call My dad, sisters, brothers, mother it's free.

At&t SUCKS