rick301 Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Currently we have one cell phone (actually the wife has it) thru Sprint and are no longer under long term contract. I am looking on getting one for myself under a family plan. I am partial to the clam shell type phones. Since I am not commited to staying with Sprint, I want to consider all options. A-1 Wireless seem to have the best package: T-Mobile family package w/ 2 Free Motorola V180, Share 1000 Included Minutes, Unlimited T-Mobile To T-Mobile Calling, Unlimited Night & Weekend Minutes, No Roaming Charges - Nationwide Digital Roaming - plus 2 car charges, 2 hands free ear buds & rebates- all for $70/month + taxes and a 1 year contract. Has anyone had experience with this carrier, phone dealer that they want to share? Would you recommend a walk in store over order over the phone/net? I have noted that T-Mobile has had some uncomplementary comments about them in other threads on this board. Any suggestions on how to use this scenario to leverage a great deal? My thinking was to find the best non-Sprint plan the challenge Sprint to beat it. I know the members of this board have a wealth of knowledge and experience - in this area too. Thanks in advance for the assistance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 for accessories, depends on the stores I guess. My family got the AT&T/Cingular plan back in late august, and we have not had any problems with it. I live in Harrisonburg and the reception is clear to my home back in clifton. I think we pay about 80$ for 2 phones and 1400 shared minutes, and then add 10$ more per line. Also, our evenings start a 7 pm for free, and there is also free in-network calling. My parents phones are pretty nice, 60$ apiece for camera clamshell phones, my phone was 30$ and is pretty weak, but I just wanted a phone, not a camera and music machine. Things are probably different now, but I would look into Cingular as they now boast the best coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Brown Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 I have the 59.99 family plan with cingular/att and it works good for us. At that plan price, additional lines are only 9.99 so its about $80 for three lines. I forget the number of shared minutes but its alot and we've never run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 As ofthe beginning of the year, Cingular did not have good coverage btw Washington and Baltimore. My wife and I switched from Cingular to Verrizon. Verizon costs more, but Ican count the number of dropped calls we've had on one hand. We like Cingular before their new network. The new network just needs some time as you go north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The X-Factor Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Depends where you are. If you are in the Fairfax area, I would not suggest T-Mobile. I think Verizon has the best service in the metro area, with Cingular being a close second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Rick, don't know where you are but I've heard great things about Verizon for the Richmond area. I've asked a dozen or so people about cell phone service and at least 8 of them suggested Verizon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsChick36 Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 I've had verizon for 2 years now it works VERY well service is always good even out on country roads...my only suggestion is do not get a samsung phone if it is going to gete a lot of use...the top part of my flip phone nearly broke off and the sound chip got messed up b/c of that after about 7 months with the phone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick301 Posted April 29, 2005 Author Share Posted April 29, 2005 Originally posted by SkinsChick36 I've had verizon for 2 years now it works VERY well service is always good even out on country roads...my only suggestion is do not get a samsung phone if it is going to gete a lot of use...the top part of my flip phone nearly broke off and the sound chip got messed up b/c of that after about 7 months with the phone... What were you doing with that phone? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick301 Posted April 29, 2005 Author Share Posted April 29, 2005 I live in Columbia MD but work in Washington DC - a long commute. Thanks! I appreciate all the comments. I'll be spending a good portion of tomorrow sorting thru my options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Originally posted by Charlie Brown I have the 59.99 family plan with cingular/att and it works good for us. At that plan price, additional lines are only 9.99 so its about $80 for three lines. I forget the number of shared minutes but its alot and we've never run out. We have it too, expect we have the 2 lines for 59.99 plus we got 2 free phones, Run as far as you can from Sprint, the are the worst :puke: Cingular is nice because there are 50 million on the network you can call for free anytime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I have Sprint....STAY AWAY FROM SPRINT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateCitySkin Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I have T Mobile and like them the most out of all the providers I've tried-- (Sprint and Verizon) Personally though, I signed up for some bizarre plan that you can't get anymore. I think its like 3 day weekends 1600 minutes and free after 9-- I think I only came close to going over once since I've had this plan... The reason I went with this was bacause T Mobile has the best phones and gives you the most minutes. If you don't care about your phone breaking and being glitchy then go with a different provider. Also, if you use text messaging and picture messaging don't use sprint. They require you to logon to the internet to check your messages everytime. T Mobile is great if you just want technological flexibility. I have the Nokia 6600 and some people tell me that its a little oversized. However, its built like a tank. Since I've had it has ran under a faucet for 20 minutes, its fallen out moving car, dropped 30 times. And never malfunctioned. Not to mention I receive my email on it and can take pictures and email to myself of infrared beam them. Also, I downloaded a special web browser from Opera that uses a technology that miniaturize webpages for mobile phones. That said I'd never use another brand of phone that didn't operate off the symbian operating system. I'm not sure which are the other brands that use this system (I think there may be one other then nokia) but suffice to say its the most fast, drains the battery the least and is most stable operating system. I had a new samsung but traded it in after a day because I thought the platform was so poorly designed. If you are pretty technologically savvy and want the best bang for your buck this is the way to go. I know personally I'm holding out for a new phone till Nokia releases a WAN/Mega-Pixel phone. That will be the jammy jam. Dag... I'd be able to change channels on my tv with that kinda of phone... :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 T-Mobile was horrible for me. Dropped calls left and right, it was rediculous. They had good plans, which was attractive, but I had to switch to Verizon. Never get a dropped call, never all of a sudden do I have a voicemail pop up because my phone was out of area...its great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phat Hog Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I've had Sprint since '96 - I'd give it a C+, and kept it only because everyone knows my Sprint number. With the portability option, I'll probably change after my contract is up on June 2. I've had plans with Cell One/Cingular twice, and hated them both times. Service and customer service sucked! My wife has an AT&T phone, and she drops calls like Gardner drops balls. T-Mobile I have not tried, nor do I know much about. My blackberry has Verizon service, and I have had no problems with the service, never dropped a call, and I travel all around the DC area - in and out of Metro stations/trains. I'd have to go with Verizon at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 BEWARE T-Mobile! Their coverage is HORRIBLE. If you travel and you get outside of a city, you're DONE. No coverage. I had them for about a year, but went back to Nextel. We use the walkie talkie feature for our business. 9 phones I've heard good things about Verizon. I've also heard that Cingular/ATT has improved dramtically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sick Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Originally posted by Cskin Rick, don't know where you are but I've heard great things about Verizon for the Richmond area. I've asked a dozen or so people about cell phone service and at least 8 of them suggested Verizon. I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile here in Richmond, and regret it everyday. The T-Mobile phones are way cooler than anything Verizon has, but the service is no where as good. (I got the Motorola A630). Verizon will give you a flip phone for free. My wife has suncom. I don't think the same package is available now, but she got it with unlimited minutes for like $80 a month. Service is good in Metro areas. I don't like the way Sprint sounds. Sounds like a speakerphone all the time. I don't like Nextel because of those annoying ttouch-to-talk phones. Why must I listen to BOTH ends of a moronic conversation? Yeesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsknbill Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 Originally posted by Joe Sick I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile here in Richmond, and regret it everyday. The T-Mobile phones are way cooler than anything Verizon has, but the service is no where as good. (I got the Motorola A630). Verizon will give you a flip phone for free. My wife has suncom. I don't think the same package is available now, but she got it with unlimited minutes for like $80 a month. Service is good in Metro areas. I don't like the way Sprint sounds. Sounds like a speakerphone all the time. I don't like Nextel because of those annoying ttouch-to-talk phones. Why must I listen to BOTH ends of a moronic conversation? Yeesh. :nana: Get over yourself. Nextel is great for instant communication. Beats the hell out of hoping someone will pick up. I just got this one the other day Hell Verizon offers the PTT feature on one of their new phones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick301 Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 Originally posted by rdsknbill :nana: Get over yourself. Nextel is great for instant communication. Beats the hell out of hoping someone will pick up. I just got this one the other day Hell Verizon offers the PTT feature on one of their new phones I think that all the carriers will be offering the PTT feature sooner or later. I've seen more than Nextel with it. I believe it was Sprint that had it ... and I've heard that Sprint and Nextel may merge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick301 Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 Thanks all! You've given me lots to think on. I'm still searching my options. Seems like the best deals are online ... but I like the comfort of a B&M store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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