Ask Slashdot: Best Cell Phone Carrier In the US? 375
martypantsROK writes "After nearly seven years of living abroad, I'm planning to return to the U.S. in early 2013. Last time I lived there, smart phones weren't out yet. Dropped calls were common, and poor reception (can you hear me now?) was an ad campaign. I'm used to South Korea's wicked speeds, both for internet and wireless networks, and I'm wondering what the Slashdot community believes to be best carrier in the U.S. Which is fastest? Which offers the best deal for lots of data? Nationwide roaming and coverage? Prices? Service?"
Is there one? (Score:5, Insightful)
That's like asking what the best fast food restaurant is.
They all suck (Score:5, Insightful)
What do you mean by "best"? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Is there one? (Score:4, Insightful)
That's like asking what the best fast food restaurant is.
It used to be Wendy's, but they've done something to the bacon, and hiked up the prices. They've gone downhill quite a bit since Dave Thomas died.
Re:They all suck (Score:4, Insightful)
Just accept that and find the plan that best suits your needs.
To put it in other way: if "wicked internet/mobile speeds" are essential for your life style, consider postponing your return to US...
Re:True (Score:5, Insightful)
But Sprint has unlimited data.
It's a seriously stupid Ask Slashdot. Unless you state where you will be living, how often you will travel and where, how you use your service, and what your priorities are, no one can answer. Different carriers would be better for two different families living in the same city depending on a whole bunch of factors.
Re:T-Mobile for service. (Score:4, Insightful)
Or MetroPCS. I've been MetroPCS customers for years since I got tired of Verizon's (over)pricing games. Coverage is actually pretty good (in Nevada/California) the price is excellent, unlimited EVERYTHING for $50.
No, I have no affiliation other than being a happy customer. Customer service is almost non-existent, but we've never felt the need for it because it just works and the bill is (ahem) flat rate.
Also, contracts are month to month and if you are too late, your phone just stops working. When you pay the bill your phone starts working within an hour or so. There is no collections department.
IMHO, this is cellular done right.
Re:T-Mobile for service. (Score:4, Insightful)
Deposit? I've been a TMO customer for 7 years, never a deposit. They've unlocked phones for me no hassle, actually listened to me rant about dropped calls in specific locations, and are now working their way through finding the rogue tower in North Phoenix that is EDGE, just EDGE, no matter how hard I try to get HSDPA+ out of it. They do try.
My unlimited voice/txt/2GB data plan is $85/mo taxes and all. Last month I got to 1.87GB in a month by resetting my phone twice and reloading apps etc over 3G. UMTS or HSDPA+ run from 4-12MB down and 1-8MB up, depending on time of day and location. Coverage is less than most other carriers, so check carefully, and if possible have a subscriber over to your crib for dinner and drinks. And ask around your work how TMO users are doing.
My wife's AT&T iPhone plan is 700 mins/unl text/3GB data for about $109 taxes and all. Just enough difference that it;s annoying. She gets emails when data gets to 75% or so telling her to spend more money. The Apple tax is noticeable.
Re:T-Mobile (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't really care about customer service, but I've been a pretty happy T-Mobile customer since the Voicestream days.
They probably have the cheapest plans, and will probably be the most familiar service for international folks... what with using SIM cards and allowing you to use unlocked phones and such. If you already have a quad-band "international" phone, this may be your best bet with finding a phone you can use elsewhere in the world (but do your research... there seem to be some caveats when it comes to max data speed).
Also, don't shy away with buying an unlocked smartphone from Craigslist. You can get lots of equipment like that for pretty cheap, and T-mobile has cheaper monthly rates without a 1-2yr contract that you would have to sign up for when subsidizing a phone purchase through them... though you might have to dig a bit to get to those cheaper plans.
Another side benefit is if you pay for the Android data plan, you could probably get away with tethering Android tablets at no extra charge. They recently started detecting PC browsers and redirecting you to a tethering upsell if you try to tether a laptop, though.
Coverage is great in metropolitan areas and along most interstate corridors. If you want better coverage, then pay out the nose for a Verizon phone... I've had these for work... so I didn't really care about having a locked-down phone as long as I wasn't paying for it.
Re:Is there one? (Score:5, Insightful)
If you go to Wendy's for anything but a spicy chicken sandwich you're doing it all wrong.