Truth Or Dare — What Is the Best US Cell Company? 395
Epsilon Eridani writes "I am returning to the US after an extended time overseas and upon my return I need to jump head first into the data enabled phone bandwagon. I have to admit ... I am lost as to what is the best company to choose. Before I left the US I used a Sprint HTC phone running Windows with the 'simply everything' plan to communicate and stay organized and a Sprint Wireless Card to connect my laptop to the world. Coming back several generations of technology later, what is the best set up technology-wise to link phone and laptop or two to the Internet? (Open source solutions accepted too!) Can the Slashdot community verify some of the claims on quality of service before I give my first born up when I sign a service contract?"
Verizon has best coverage... but it's verizon. (Score:5, Informative)
From a pure technical perspective, Verizon will get you the best coverage. But the sales people are vicious.
AT&T has iPhone obviously, but shitty coverage. I lend my phone to friends on AT&T in a couple different cities.
T-Mobile is worse coverage then AT&T. But has more open phones.
If you've got nothing right now, I'd go Droid on Verizon, pay 40 bucks for the unlimited data and use Google Voice for routing of your calls and LD service.
Re:T-Mobile (Score:3, Informative)
No, they don't. AT&T's 3G network is on a different frequency than T-Mobile's, and the iPhones only support the AT&T 3G band. You can use unlocked (a step beyond jailbroken) iPhones on T-Mobile, but only with Edge support.
T-Mobile (Score:5, Informative)
a complex question with no single correct answer (Score:5, Informative)
"It's complicated."
Signal quality and coverage depend on multiple things - the carrier's infrastructure vs your (common) locations, and your phone. Verizon's coverage, say, in one city, can be completely different than in another city. There is also the difference between voice quality and data, and then there's data SPEEDS to consider. You also want to look at future upgrades. Verizon will be the first one going to LTE (the next big jump in data connection speeds), though Sprint has already rolled out WiMax in some cities (a competing 4th gen spec), noone is likely to be coming out with any WiMax smartphones until the second half of the year, by which time, Verizon will be on the verge of their LTE rollout. You can get WiMax cards for your laptop now, though, if you just can't wait.
There's also the issues of phone selection and plan pricing to consider, and whether you're going contract-free or not. We're in a period of transition this year on more than one front - the impending switch to LTE in the second half of the year, and the decimation of Windows Mobile-based phones by Android-based phones, oh, and the now 'superphone' type phones - ones with 1ghz-class processors and WVGA screens (like the Nexus one and HTC Bravo).
So, I guess I would start by thinking about finances. Can you afford to outright buy a phone? If you can, I'd suggest that so you can go contract-free and increase your choices for switching in a year if you need to based on how the industry shakes out this year. The beginning of 2011 is going to look VERY different from what it looks like now. Android will be matured, LTE will be available in most major cities by Verizon at the very least, Sprint's WiMax infrastructure will possibly be starting to switch over to LTE if it is, indeed, as simple as upgrading network tower software, and we'll see how mature Android is, how much Microsoft bribes the cellphone companies to put out WinMo 7-based phones, and whether the iPhone finally upgrades to 'superphone' status and becomes available on networks other than AT&T.
If you can't afford to outright buy your phone, then go with Verizon or Sprint for the 3G coverage (for now), assuming 3G is a big concern. Verizon vs Sprint is a matter of network quality/phone selection vs price. Verizon (currently) has the better phone selection and network quality over Sprint, but Sprint has those Simply Everything plans (I'm on the Simply Everything 450). Verizon is officially going to be carrying the Google Nexus One phone later this year. Sprint was completely silent during CES on what phones it's going to be carrying. If they get the HTC Bravo (the hardware that is essentially the Nexus One), I may stay with Sprint, especially if it has the Sense UI on it, which the Nexus One does not. Verizon seems to have made the biggest official commitment to the Android platform of any of the major US carriers. I just wish they'd match prices with Sprint. If I could get an HTC Bravo on Verizon at Sprint's prices, I wouldn't hesitate to sign a two-year contract.
I wouldn't consider AT&T or T-Mobile because of their 3G coverage and network reliability issues at this time, but those AREN'T issues for many people in many locations. You'll want to find out from people where you live what those networks are like there.
Agreed (Score:5, Informative)
I've been w/T-Mobile since they started in the US. Here's why I like them:
* Avid supporter of Android. First one to introduce the G1, and now the first partner w/the Nexus One.
* Support advanced android features like visual voice mail for free and auto-notification when you near your minutes limit
* Reasonably priced, as cell phone companies go.
* Customer service has been shockingly fast/friendly whenever I've needed them (which admittedly, hasn't been often)
* Great coverage in US. Every city I've been to has had solid coverage. I've only been to fairly large cities though.
* After 3 months of service, they give you unlock codes for your phone.
* GSM network so most phones can be used overseas-- successfully used my US G1 in US, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, etc. T-Mobile's parent company is Deutsche Telekom.
* They are not AT&T.
* As far as I know, they did not spy on Americans when Bush asked them to.
And no, I don't work for them.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:3, Informative)
I was a customer with sprint for 4 years. I left them specifically due to how awful their customer service is. It's like wrestling a... very difficult thing to wrestle with every time you need a small thing changed or adjusted. And there's usually a fee for that small adjustment. T-mobile has bent over backwards to help me out in every situation, and has never charged me an additional fee for something. I won't go into details here but here's what I wrote about them last week [slashdot.org].
Re:It depends (Score:4, Informative)
all of them have a 30 day escape clause in their contracts.
That clause didn't show up there by accident. In the US, it's the law.
Re:Friends and family (Score:4, Informative)
Re:T-Mobile, UMA, and $0.10 per minute (Score:3, Informative)
I used UMA calling in south america to "phone home" to Dallas and use my regular bucket of minutes. Great deal. Most hotels/hostels have wifi availble, which is where you're going to make a long personal call anyways.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:5, Informative)
ive had the service for nearly 4 years now, and had very little issue with them customer service wise. ive called about several billing issues and theyve always been corrected completely and promptly.
When I was a Sprint customer, I also called them about several billing issues, and they were also corrected completely and promptly.
Then I got tired of having to correct my bill every month, so I switched to another carrier and didn't have any more billing issues to call about. First Verizon and now T-Mobile have always managed to charge me the correct amount every month.
Sprint (Score:5, Informative)
Sprint (Score:3, Informative)
Sprint. Seriously.
If you were happy with Sprint before you still will be. Your hardest decision will be choosing between Web OS (Palm) and Android (Google/HTC) phones.
For the record, I chose the Pre and am very, very happy. Especially after having all but stolen my brothers Verizon Motorola Droid and Mom's Verizon HTC Droid Eris.
Re:T-Mobile (Score:1, Informative)
jailbroken iphones work with tmobile's 3G where avalible (every major metro area in the US)
Um no.
T-Mobile uses the 1700/2100mhz bands, also known as AWS, for their 3g services.
at&t uses the 850/1900mhz bands.
The phones have never been compatible on a 3g level between the two services, and they wont be until quadband 3g chips come out for phones. Saying otherwise is just ignorance, plain and simple.
Sprint (Score:3, Informative)
I switched from AT&T to Sprint in 2004 because of coverage, and recently switched to Tmobile to get GSM and the Cliq. Now I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to get a Sprint backup phone so I can at least have phone service at home (the cellular repeater I got isn't working out too well, though a directional antennae may help).
I like Tmobile as a company, and Sprint was fine too, but I've heard too many horror stories with Verizon and AT&T to even consider either.
Re:T-Mobile (Score:4, Informative)
I was with AT&T for over 10 years then switched to T-Mobile because AT&T had no signal in my new house. T-Mobile and Verizon stores let me borrow a phone and bring it home, which was really cool of them I think. I went with T-Mobile because I could get 2-3 bars at home my old GSM phones would work.
Anyway I am 100% happy with T-Mobile. Their 3g service is NOT oversubscribed and will go to 21mbps (HSPA+) in 2010, everywhere. The price is lower and their customer service is far better, hands down.
AT&T has better coverage in remote areas. Their 2g signal is pretty much everywhere, while T-Mobile is in the metro areas and along the highways only.
I am envious of the Droid, which makes my Cliq look like a toy, but Android phones seem to be falling from the sky these days. One equal to the Droid should come around this year.
Re:N900 or Moto Droid or Nexus One (Score:3, Informative)
Good question. Regulatory powers in the non-US countries start from the Government, and then the PTTs and then carriers.
In the US the carriers are treated as regulated entities ONLY insofar as the tariff services [basically there is a core set of service that they say they will provide, and there is a tariff rate for it, but anything else isn't evaluated].
The second part of the problem is it takes 2-3 years for a consumer complaint [if not summarily dismissed] to get to the point where a regulatory agency [50 states and one Federal] would investigate... and often the "conclusion" they reach is an agreement to pay the government money to not get into more trouble.
The US leads the way in lots of things, but regulatory oversight of cellular telephone carriers is not one of those things.
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Re:slashdot poll? (Score:3, Informative)
Agree. I have been with them for nearly 15 years and a couple times when I was tempted to try someone else, I promptly returned.
Service is reliable and consistent, call quality is very good, data service is fast and they treat long term customers very well. I pay nothing for phones, I get new phones after only 10 months and I never pay upgrade/activation fees. I also get to talk to a human when I call support and I NEVER have to get managers or higher-ups to get my issues handled.
Re:And now (Score:5, Informative)
The Web brings people together because no matter what kind of a twisted person you happen to be, you've got millions of pals out there. Type in 'Find people that have sex with goats that are on fire' and the computer will say, 'Specify type of goat.' - Richard Jeni
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:4, Informative)
I was a customer with sprint for 4 years. I left them specifically due to how awful their customer service is. It's like wrestling a... very difficult thing to wrestle with every time you need a small thing changed or adjusted. And there's usually a fee for that small adjustment. T-mobile has bent over backwards to help me out in every situation, and has never charged me an additional fee for something. I won't go into details here but here's what I wrote about them last week [slashdot.org].
I agree one hundred percent, and I went over to T-Mobile at the recommendation of some of my coworkers. I haven't looked back. To be fair, I never had a problem with Sprint's phone service ... their customer service however, was another issue entirely.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:1, Informative)
I work as a salesman that sells Verizon, AT&T and Sprint (We used to sell T-Mobile). I've had problems with *ALL* the carriers.
The biggest problems, and most pain in the ass problems I have had, by far, were with T-Mobile. Granted, most of those issues were with the Flex-Pay side of T-Mobile, which is trash compared to the 'good' side. I'd not say such bad things about them except that when our company dropped T-Mobile, those at the meeting with me cried with JOY about losing T-Mobile.
The next biggest problems I've had have been with AT&T. I've had some messed up contract situations that have taken weeks to fix. Something that should have been easy and fixable in hours ends up taking weeks.
Next... Sprint. The biggest problems I've had with them is that they DO roam on Verizon, but it leads to a lot of dropped calls, I've also had a few problems with the spending limits, but that's normally people who miss a couple bills, or people who don't understand that 411 costs money, and that money will push them past their limit.
Verizon... They've had the smoothest experience for me, in my experience, by far... Issues I've dealt with thru them have been, for the most part, painless.
As too the original poster:
T-Mobile may have some of the best prices out ATM... but their network SUCKS by far. Mainly due to a lack of a roaming agreement with AT&T. Sprints network isn't the best, but at least they have a fallback AND their $70/$130 plan can't be beat (unlimited Text, Data, GPS, Navigation, Music, TV... other carriers $5-$10 charge you to death for those features). Network limitations put T-Mobile into the category of Boost... great if you KNOW you'll never travel a lot, or if you don't care about having signal in between towns. Horrible if you want signal and a fast network.
Verizon and AT&T have the BIG networks... and the big bills that come with them. The difference, as of tomorrow, is that Verizon will require data on any half decent phone, while AT&T won't. Huge selling point for AT&T and Sprint vs Verizon, which now because of the REQUIRED data plans, has become the most expensive carrier for the average bill.
But a lot is dependent on location and needs. Traveling rules out T-Mobile... desire for iPhone requires AT&T... etc. Not enough info in the post to say whats best for HIM.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:3, Informative)
sprint are bastards. never ever go for sprint. they change the plan under you if the feel youre making too many calls and getting too much free service. they are absolute dicks with roaming charges. they suck balls.
Sprint plans that include data (e.g. "Simply Everything Data"), which is what the original poster was asking about since he said he needed data, have no roaming charges in the US. None. Zero. This may be different from when you had Sprint, Sprint has changed a lot since Dan Hesse took over. That having been said, all carriers suck. Sprint doesn't suck especially bad anymore though, they are more of an average level of carrier evil now. ;-)
Re:Sprint (Score:5, Informative)
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Verizon has best coverage... but it's verizon. (Score:2, Informative)
I used to have Verizon, and in rural areas / areas far away from cities, I would usually have some coverage. I'm on AT&T now, and the coverage is nonexistent in many places.
Coverage in the location where you live and where you spend time will matter more, though, and both companies have coverage maps that I have found to be fairly accurate.
Re:N900 or Moto Droid or Nexus One (Score:4, Informative)
I live in the state of Colorado. This State is about half sparsely populated flatland, and about half sparsely populated Mountains, with a thin strip of quite dense population running down the middle where the two sides meet. (The I-25 Corridor). In the city of Denver coverage is just fine but up in the mountains, trying to cover every single little town with a population 100, and occasional family cabin would not just be incredibly expensive. It would be such a large construction effort that it would ruin the wilderness which is why people live in those parts of the mountains in the first place. This doesn't even get into the fact that Americans generally avoid robust government regulation, insted hoping that the "free" market will save us all and be more efficient. America also made a heavy early investment in copper telephone lines, so we never had an actual need for wireless service like a lot of developing nations without legacy infrastructure to depend on. Despite all this, when you compare us to other large Countries with uneven population distribution like Canada, Russia, China, I think cell coverage is actually probably not too terribly bad in comparison.
The technical, political, financial, and ecological difficulties of trying to have 100% coverage just in this one state make it basically impossible to seriously consider. The idea of a single mobile network operator actually having 100% coverage in America just isn't seriously considered.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:3, Informative)
T-Mobile is very much inverse. Not-so-great coverage and actual service, but customer service itself has been nothing but great.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:2, Informative)
I'm a Sprint fan. Works in my area, and I pay $30 a month for 500 minutes, unlimited text, unlimited picturemail, unlimited internet.
I have no billing or service complaints. None, zero, zip. Lucky? (shrug) Maybe.
If you go Sprint, let me know and I'll tell you how I got my plan, hopefully there's an offer that works for you.
Re:slashdot poll? (Score:3, Informative)
If my Droid wasn't a Verizon exclusive, I probably would have gone with Sprint for the awesome pricing and good coverage. Hell, after years of AT&T's abysmal service quality, almost anything would have been an improvement in that area, but Verizon's pricing REALLY leaves something to be desired, so Sprint definitely dominates in that area.
Re:Alltel? (Score:3, Informative)
Anybody have experience with ALLTEL wireless and internet access?
Alltel was acquired by Verizon Wireless in 2008.