I Like Cingular

Well Unicel is a smaller provider over in eastern oregon and they are GSM as well. There is no cingular in Burns Oregon just Unicel and anotherone with American cellular. So there are other cellular companys that are also supporting GSM. Sprint/Nextel both use CDMA and I think that older Nextels are using TDMA. In Europe GSM is the standard, So if you plan to go to Europe Cingular and T-mobile are your only bet. The European Union mandated one cellular format but on the plus side in Europe they have much better signal on average than the US. So overthere all bars all the time is common were as over here its still only in the realm of more expensive service providers like Verison.

Of course GSM is the largest format here in the US and Cingular is the largest carrier. My wife has a TDMA phone I wonder how long TDMA will be active? Does anyone know how long TDMA will be functional?

Originally Posted by neo2040

My mom lives in a small town in eastern Oregon called burns and she has a T-Mobile phone. But if you go to the T-Mobile site one map will tell you there is no service in Burns Oregon at all. But my moms phone works great and she uses it all the time so I figured I would call T-Mobile to find out why they told my mom that Burns wouldn't get service. They told me that they told customers that because they have no cellular sites in the area. They also told me that she’s getting service but its not on the T-Mobile network. I then asked why they couldn't sell a phone to that area code because clearly mom gets great service and they told me that the FCC mandates in order to sell service and a phone in a certain Zip code they have to have physical cell sites in that Zip code that belong to T-Mobile.

My conclusion is that anywhere cingular works or Unicel works T-Mobile will work because they all run off GSM networks. Also since Roaming doesn't really cost anymore than being in network like it used to you can buy a phone from any provider so long as you tell them that your from a different area and then call them and give them an address change after you've already recived the phone and signed a contract. Make sure to test the phone during your 20-30day trial period in your area to make sure that it gets good service.

t-mobils can only roam off cingular and vise versa they are the major two that use gsm verizon and sprint use's cdma they can roam off each others i have no clue about nextels iden if it can roam off anyones else's towers

My mom lives in a small town in eastern Oregon called burns and she has a T-Mobile phone. But if you go to the T-Mobile site one map will tell you there is no service in Burns Oregon at all. But my moms phone works great and she uses it all the time so I figured I would call T-Mobile to find out why they told my mom that Burns wouldn't get service. They told me that they told customers that because they have no cellular sites in the area. They also told me that she’s getting service but its not on the T-Mobile network. I then asked why they couldn't sell a phone to that area code because clearly mom gets great service and they told me that the FCC mandates in order to sell service and a phone in a certain Zip code they have to have physical cell sites in that Zip code that belong to T-Mobile.

My conclusion is that anywhere cingular works or Unicel works T-Mobile will work because they all run off GSM networks. Also since Roaming doesn't really cost anymore than being in network like it used to you can buy a phone from any provider so long as you tell them that your from a different area and then call them and give them an address change after you've already recived the phone and signed a contract. Make sure to test the phone during your 20-30day trial period in your area to make sure that it gets good service.

im going to say verizon. we only have verizon, cingular, sprint/nextel, alltell in my area and verizon is the only one that works pretty much everywhere in my area. i'm not basing anyone else because i realize that other carriers suit other people better in other areas. different people go different places.

Verison is the only cellular service that works in the 10 story deep parking garage next to the tower in down town Portland, It gets full service all the way down, I always see other people running literally up and out of the garage to use there cell phones lol.

I would say Verison has the best service of any provider but T-mobile has the best value of any service provider.

Verison
Pros:
Best service full bars everywhere

Cons:
Most expensive service
Not the best Support

T-Mobile
Pros:
Great service not the best but great
Great Service T-Mobile Support
Cheapest service 1500mins for $39.00

Cons:
Service not as good as Verison

Now you really Have to ask yourself do you really want to pay $25.00 more just so you can call in a parking garage basement? Some people need to have full bars everywere while others don't.

I would say Verizon.

T Mobile is really good in some areas, but really bad in others. Verizon, or at least in my area, is good all over.

Originally Posted by Stevehabs

wow tmobile is in the lead that is hard to believe both verizon and cingular/att(same company) have better reception. i know because i have both for now.

Might be better in your geographical area, but that's not a true statement to be made for overall reception of a provider.

My vote is for Verizon. I wish I could give a negative vote for Cingular though.

Originally Posted by G2k1boy

im gonna have to go with T-Mobile

T mobile is great for a yonger generation truth be told the rest are more grown up but sprint just sux

Verison is the best in Portland Oregon I think that a larger part of this is a regional thing. I don't even have version but my brother in law has it and he always has full bars even when I only have two and none on bolth my T-moble and Cingular cells.

I've carried AT&T, then Sprint, and finally T-Mobile who I have liked most.

I love T-mobile. I've carried US Celluar and Altell for work, and they both stunk for where I live(southeast Kansas, pretty rural). I shopped providers for 3 months, before I got T-Mobile. Verizon Sprint, and Nextel just have no coverage in my area, so they were out, so it was down to Cingular and T-Mobile. Very happy with my choice!

I would have to say Verizon for Coverage. Though, I think T-Mobile is the ALL AROUND winner in this battle. They have good plans, cheap price, good coverage and lovely Customer Service.

T-Mobile in First Place,
Verizon in Second Place

Screw Sprint and Cingular, they suck...

t-mobile screw cingular 10 cents comming in and 10 cents going out. BOO!!!!