cell phone coverage

I live (73521) 50 miles away from another city (73501) that has a lot of cell phone providers. Here we only have three, US Cellular, Sprint, and CellularOne (quality in that order). In the other city, there is Cingular, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more. The phones with US Cellular, are subpar for me. I have done some researching and have come down to T-Mobile (top pick) and Cingular. I called both the 800 numbers and the reps there say, we haven't made it there yet, and the whole spill. I could'nt get a hold of the local Tmo rep, but visited the cingular store and they said I would be able to get GSM coverage. I am wanting a nice phone, with a national plan. Would coverage matter? The tmobile map online shows my zip being in the tmobile roaming, and cingular has orange at least 100 miles around me. Am I just screw-ed, or can I actually have coverage? Can any cell phone people help me out on this? I want to make sure I get my info straight.

-Nate

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Originally Posted by nau1977

I live (73521) 50 miles away from another city (73501) that has a lot of cell phone providers. ...-Nate

here's what i have found.

t-mobile shows you're in roaming in altus.

http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/?class=coverage

cingular shows you're covered (if i read the map right)

http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cel...73501&x=7&y=14

i've come across this with myself before. lacrosse, wi (my former home) was not covered by a cingular plan, however, cingular receives reception in lacrosse. confusing, but true. you may be right in an unlucky spot where the same thing applies.

for my 2 cents, if you're looking for a provider to make you completely happy, you need one that will activate a plan within altus. it will save you headaches. your coverage there is the most important aspect of the plan, so choose accordingly.

i now live in chicago and use cingular. i get reception back in lacrosse, but not everywhere. knowing that, i wouldn't subscribe to cingular if i lived in lacrosse, even if it was available.

good luck

nic

I have to agree. I live in 76301 (Wichita Falls) and work for Cingular. As much as we'd like to have you as a customer you would be better off buying a phone OUTRIGHT that is compatible with a carrier that does have coverage in Altus. You should shop Ebay and buy a good used US Cellular phone. My wife had them before Cingular and she still weeps everyday that she can't use her LG6000. KILLER PHONE.

If you buy the phone outright you should not have to sign a contract, just go month to month and when a provider that you find has the right handset for you and local coverage in Altus you can make the switch, PORT your number over so you keep your number.

And take that old handset you were using into a Cingular store and they'll move all your numbers and stuff over in about 5 minutes.

nice post. this is a great example of how we help each other!

Thanks. Hope it works out for him