1. #1
    untitledkaos
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    I’m planning on getting my first cell phone. Up to now I never needed one. So my question is what is a good provider? What would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance


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  2. #2
    Brad729
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    Quote Originally Posted by untitledkaos
    I’m planning on getting my first cell phone. Up to now I never needed one. So my question is what is a good provider? What would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance
    My question to you would be, where do you live? This is a very important determining factor in which provider you choose. Some providers have better service in one area, and perhaps not such great service in others. We need to know where you are in the world so we can make some suggestions on which provider has the most solid coverage in your vicinity.



  3. #3
    Renée
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    Theres alot of factors to consider when buying a cell phone, as Brad already said. I have had every cell phone service provider available in Boston..ranging from Nextel, Cingular, Tmobile, Verizon, Sprint, and some other prepaid services..

    Let me give you my reviews of each service.. Remember this is only MY opinion from MY experience and personal use with each!!! Just because this is how i FEEL and how my experience went, doesnt nessasarily mean, this is how yours will go...

    Nextel:
    Reception: They have the worst reception of ANY and ALL phone services i have EVER used! It wasnt just my area, either. I know people in New Hampshire, as well as other areas in Massachusetts and NONE of them have good service. Calls are CONSTANTLY being dropped/failed. When you try to get through to someone with a Nextel, oh boy, have fun with that! You will get the message "The Nextel subscriber you are trying to reach, is unavailable" OR "Please hold, while the Nextel subscriber you are trying to reach, is located" Meanwhile, the person you are trying to call, has PERFECT reception, not on the phone AND has a full battery. I am one of those people who sits right next to someone and tests out the calls lol.

    Plans: They had good plans when i had them, free incomming calls, 1000 anytime minutes, free nights and weekends at 8pm ( IF im not mistaken, this is going back 2 years ) and all for 70.00 per month! I find that to be an alright deal, nothing special.

    Phones: They have nice phones but dont expect to get a huge variety of different phones. They arent highly customizable phones and there is no major difference in their phones.. If you buy one, you basically have them all. No one phone is majorly different from the rest.

    Overall I give them a 5 out of a possible 10!

    Cingular:
    Service: They had alright reception. I can remember going into Roam alot, even when i was in my house! There reception is wacky. I would be sitting in my house ( which NEVER roams, or has less than 3 bars with ANY other phone ) and I would be on the phone for about 15 minutes, having good reception and out of no where, i would go into Roam!! Half the time, I wouldnt even know i was in Roam and then id get my bill and freak out!!! Of course the reps would tell me, theres nothing they can do about it, its my responsibility to make sure im not in roam, if i dont want to pay the fees/charges.

    Plans: When i had them, they had 600 anytime minutes for 40.00, this again, was going back 4 years now. Nights and weekends at 9pm. I didnt find anything about them special..

    Phones: 4 years ago, they had the Nokia 6195 phones and not many variety. I am sure thats all changed since.. So i cant really give too much input here.

    Customer Service: They were alright, I never had a real problem with them.. cant complain.

    Overall: I give them a 7 out of a possible 10!

    Verizon:
    Reception: Never had a problem with Verizons reception. I did have the occasional dropped/failed call when i would go into a tunnel on the train, or places like that. Thats to be expected though.

    Plans: They have 900 minutes, free nights and weekends at 9pm for a total of 60.00

    Phones: They had a nice variety. Pricey, but very nice variety!! Thats one of their pluses.

    Customer Service: ehh.. Nothing special to say about them. They dont bend over backwards to help customers, they are more concerned with money. They will do anything and everything in their power to get more money out of their customers. Thats a main reason i left them after 2 months!

    I give them a 6 out of a possible 10!

    Sprint:
    Reception: I must say they have very good reception on their phones! I NEVER had a problem with them. My sanyo 9000 goes into analog roam, which is great! I never ever ever ever have any problem with them ( thank God )..

    Phones: Excellent variety!! They range from Samsung, Sanyo, to Nokia! All great phones.

    Customer Rep: Ugh..this is what kills their service. They have TERRIBLE/HORRIBLE/INTOLERABLE/UNCOOPERATIVE/MEAN/RUDE/OBNOXIOUS AND VERY UNKNOWLEDGEABLE REPS. Half the time I tell THEM how to do their job and they have no idea all along. Its unbearable and THIS is why i am LEAVING and this is why all 9 people i have recommended, are canceling or HAVE canceled early! GOODBYE SPRINT

    Overall i give them a 7 out of a possible 10!

    Tmobile:
    Reception: EXCELLENT, I get service where other phones DONT! tunnels, basements, etc.. IVE NEVER dropped/failed or lost a call. Ive never even went into ROAM! its excellent

    Phones: GREAT PHONES! sturdy, duarable, reliable, great variety!

    Plans: i have the 1500 anytime minutes, free nights and weekends at 9pm, unlimited data plan.. all for 70.00 total.. only cause i have unlimited data for my sidekick.. without that my plan would be 49.00!!

    Customer Reps: EXCELLENT...thats all i can say....simply PERFECT*

    100 OUT OF A POSSIBLE 10! =) OFF THE SCALE, THATS HOW PERFECT THEY ARE

    THERES NO NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH THEM
    R.i.P MB.LD.AA

    [ .i lOve my sidekick ll. ]

    *everything happens fOr a reason*



  4. #4
    untitledkaos
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    Thanks for the help.

    Quote Originally Posted by Brad729
    My question to you would be, where do you live?
    I live in southern California in between Los Angeles and San Diego



  5. #5
    Brad729
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    Quote Originally Posted by untitledkaos
    Thanks for the help.



    I live in southern California in between Los Angeles and San Diego
    Well, in your area you should be able to choose just about any of the major providers and get comparable service. It's not like you're in a rural area. One of our moderators is in LA and using Cingular service, I also spoke with someone in San Diego recently who said they were satisfied with Verizon.

    Just keep in mind, in consideration of where you are, any provider will probably be about the same, so I recommend comparing their pricing and plans and figure out which one suits you best. If you plan to use a lot of minutes each month, T-mobile has a pretty good deal on a 1000 minute plan, but I like Sprint and the 6pm nights & weekends upgrade (it costs $10 extra each month for 6pm nights & weekends but it's very worth it to me because it cuts my anytime minute usage practically in half). Verizon is good if you know other Verizon users because you can get unlimited in-network text and picture mail (someone told me they were doing away with this soon but I don't know for sure if that's true).

    Basically, without confusing you, I'd say no matter who you choose, just make sure the minutes in the plan vs the rate structure is going to be most suitable for your needs. Check around all their websites for more on that.



  6. #6
    Coolbean
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    Help.

    Hey, I'm new to this thing, and I have a query that I'm hoping you can help me with.

    I'm going to the New York soon, (I live in england) and I'm hoping to buy a new phone. If I were to buy a new phone over there, would it still work back in the u.k?


    Excuse my stupidity.

    Alice.



  7. #7
    untitledkaos
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brad729
    Well, in your area you should be able to choose just about any of the major providers and get comparable service. It's not like you're in a rural area. One of our moderators is in LA and using Cingular service, I also spoke with someone in San Diego recently who said they were satisfied with Verizon.

    Just keep in mind, in consideration of where you are, any provider will probably be about the same, so I recommend comparing their pricing and plans and figure out which one suits you best. If you plan to use a lot of minutes each month, T-mobile has a pretty good deal on a 1000 minute plan, but I like Sprint and the 6pm nights & weekends upgrade (it costs $10 extra each month for 6pm nights & weekends but it's very worth it to me because it cuts my anytime minute usage practically in half). Verizon is good if you know other Verizon users because you can get unlimited in-network text and picture mail (someone told me they were doing away with this soon but I don't know for sure if that's true).

    Basically, without confusing you, I'd say no matter who you choose, just make sure the minutes in the plan vs the rate structure is going to be most suitable for your needs. Check around all their websites for more on that.
    Thanks, I think I’m going with T-Mobile



  8. #8
    Renée
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    untitled... good choice! u WONT regret it! i am so picky with my phone service and phone.. and tmobile is THE BEST out of EVERY service provider ive EVER had!~
    R.i.P MB.LD.AA

    [ .i lOve my sidekick ll. ]

    *everything happens fOr a reason*



  9. #9
    untitledkaos
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    Thanks Renée your comparison help out a lot



  10. #10
    This was ALEN
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coolbean
    Hey, I'm new to this thing, and I have a query that I'm hoping you can help me with.

    I'm going to the New York soon, (I live in england) and I'm hoping to buy a new phone. If I were to buy a new phone over there, would it still work back in the u.k?


    Excuse my stupidity.

    Alice.
    buy a phone in the uk for cheap and use it here because uk has a better variety than the US
    THEIR CALLED FINGERS BUT THEY DONT FING................... O! THERE THEY GO



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