[touringfool]

My 2 year prison term with AT&T Wireless has finally expired. I'm thinking of going Cingular or Verizon. In NJ, I hear good things about Verizon's network, but the advantages of SIM card-based phone replacements in GSM Cingular is attractive. What do you all think? Cingular or Verizon? Also, should I get the Razr or the LG VX8100? I hear lots of bad things about the RAZR battery life and durability but I love the styling. The LG has a cool MP3 player, but it's a bit fat. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

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› See More: Newbie Needs Advise/Cingular or Verizon in NJ

[Brad729]

Hi there touringfool, welcome to CPF! I'm going to move your thread to our General Service Provider Forum, though it was hard to decide which one you belonged in. You've got a lot of questions, my friend! I might not be the most qualified person to try to help you on this one, but if I were you, I'd be interested in who had the best coverage where you are, especially in places where I travel; the phone decision comes second. Good luck!

edit: Oops I forgot to give your thread a new title before I moved it out of my forum, I'll get someone to look into that for you. A descriptive title helps a thread get noticed better, a good point to remember for future reference.

[Tony E!]

Took care of that title Brad.....

Touringfool, in NJ you should have good coverage with either Verizon or Cingular, and it sounds like you already know the advantages of each carrier's network as well as the advantage of using a sim card base device. so it's just a matter of choosing what suits your needs, if you like the Razr both carriers have it, just keep in mind that the CDMA version is a bit trickier to mod and also has the Verizon user interface not Motorola's, also with GSM you have the advantage of using an unlocked handset if you don't like what's being offer by Cingular...


As far as battery life on the Razr it's not as bad like some make it sound, just like any handset it all depends on how much talk time you use.

The LG 8100 has the Mp3 player and it's also a good quality phone, LG makes good phones for CDMA, can't say the same for GSM.

Good luck and welcome to CPF

~Tony E!

[touringfool]

Thanks guys. I'm starting to lean towards CIngular and the Razr. I fugure if it has problems I can just pick up another GSM on Ebay.

[Tony E!]

I've had mine for almost two years with no problems...

[BlkBear]

My 2 year prison term with AT&T Wireless has finally expired. I'm thinking of going Cingular or Verizon. In NJ, I hear good things about Verizon's network, but the advantages of SIM card-based phone replacements in GSM Cingular is attractive. What do you all think? Cingular or Verizon? Also, should I get the Razr or the LG VX8100? I hear lots of bad things about the RAZR battery life and durability but I love the styling. The LG has a cool MP3 player, but it's a bit fat. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

Howdy and welcome to CPF.

Since you already with the AT&T side of Cingular are your currently using a GSM phone? If not it will be pretty easy switching from AT&T to Cingular as in most cases they just migrate you over, you pick the phone you want and the phone number gets ported over and normally there is no activation fee when you go from Blue to Orange ... (at least in my market there hasn't been).

As for the phone styles, that's all pretty much personal taste and what you don't mind having people see you with. Is there such a thing as coyote arm when it comes to cell phones? Do we tease the people with double bagger phones?

One thing you might want to consider is trying out Cingular and Verizon using a prepaid phone for a little while to see which has the better reception for the places you use your phone. Especially of your current AT&T service is not GSM.

Oh and as for battery life, it really all depends if the phone in question is being used as a phone or a mp3 player, camera, text messaging machine.

[roberts1953]

One other note. If it is a matter of swapping out phones, of couse you can put the Cingular SIM into any compatable unlocked GSM phone. Verizon will also allow you to change out phones for free (online) if your phone breaks or you just want to upgrade. As long as the phone is branded "verizon" and the ESN is clear. You can get another verizon phone off of ebay, walmart (inpulse phone) or from a Verizon store. ESN swaps don't do anything to change or extend your contract.

As far as service, you can take advantage of a 2-4 week trial period with most carriers before you are locked into their contract.

[touringfool]

One other note. If it is a matter of swapping out phones, of couse you can put the Cingular SIM into any compatable unlocked GSM phone. Verizon will also allow you to change out phones for free (online) if your phone breaks or you just want to upgrade. As long as the phone is branded "verizon" and the ESN is clear. You can get another verizon phone off of ebay, walmart (inpulse phone) or from a Verizon store. ESN swaps don't do anything to change or extend your contract.

As far as service, you can take advantage of a 2-4 week trial period with most carriers before you are locked into their contract.

Thanks to all for the help. I did not know about this Verizon deal. Yes, I have a GSM phone, but I've been told that I'm on the 'AT&T network' and not Cingular. That's why my reception stinks. I tried a loaner phone out and it's better, but not as good as I'd like. I hear lots of good things about Verizon. I just hate getting 4 phones switched over and having to return them.

[Tony E!]

Thanks to all for the help. I did not know about this Verizon deal. Yes, I have a GSM phone, but I've been told that I'm on the 'AT&T network' and not Cingular. That's why my reception stinks. I tried a loaner phone out and it's better, but not as good as I'd like. I hear lots of good things about Verizon. I just hate getting 4 phones switched over and having to return them.

you can have Cingular reprovision your phone to look for Cingular's towers instead of ATT&T's.

[roberts1953]

I wouldn't let the contract expire until you found a replacement anyway, for a few reasons. No biggy if you have to return the phones because you aren't rellying on them. You get to find out who works best for you. And you need your old account active if you want to port your old telephone numbers to the new contract, once you decide who you want to use.