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Cell phones.....

Junkman

Extra Super Moderator
I have fought a valiant fight, but the time has come that I have to give into getting a cellular phone for myself and the wife. Around here, Cingular seems to have the best coverage. I have been warned by others that there are a lot of hidden charges associated with some of the plans. What questions should I ask and what should I look out for? The "family plan" that they offer is $59 plus taxes, but when I asked about how much the taxes were, they said that the taxes vary by state and it would be on the first bill. I hate those types of answers. They also said that the "free" phones were problems and that the model was being dropped and that the "new upgraded" phone was an additional $9.99 each. I got the feeling that I was being shammed or hustled on this. Is this a common tactic??????? thanks.. Junk....
 

Mith

The Eccentric Englishman
SUPER Site Supporter
Do you guys have 'pay as you go' type affair, where you pay for credit then use your phone. That way you only pay if you call someone, no hidden charges, if you dont use your phone for a month, you dont pay anything.

I recommend you dont get a contract phone if your not using it alot. You'll probably just get ripped off.


I myself bought a phone about this time last year, and got a pay as you go. I dont phone people alot, and have used about £20 credit in the year. I dont pay anything unless I call someone. If I were to call people alot then it might be cheaper to get one on a contract, but from what I guess your situation is similar to mine, its not a regular use phone.
 

Jim_S

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
I have Cingular. Not the cellular company I retired from but the one with the best coverage in my area.

We have 4 phones on family plan. the base service with the 4 phones is $129.97 per month I think with 2000 minutes included. Each month they add $14.87 for taxes for a total bill of $144.84. That's Federal tax, Virginia Tax, and Loudoun County tax.

Jim
 

LarryRB

Member
go to wally world in Sturbridge as they have cingular inside the store right next to the cash registers,. In the same complex, in fact, first bldg in off rte 20, is verizon. Martha and I have verizon and there is (NO DIFFERENCE) when it comes to what works and what doesn't.. Where verizon does not work, neither will cingular and I have a lot of friends with both.. At the garage in my house, neither will work as we tried it,, verizon will work if we walk out to our barn and cingular still doesn't work...
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
jim slagle said:
I have Cingular. Not the cellular company I retired from but the one with the best coverage in my area.

We have 4 phones on family plan. the base service with the 4 phones is $129.97 per month I think with 2000 minutes included. Each month they add $14.87 for taxes for a total bill of $144.84. That's Federal tax, Virginia Tax, and Loudoun County tax.

Jim

I think I must have the same plan. That is about exactly what my bill runs. The benefit for me is that all calls to others who have Cingular do not count towards your minutes. So, I have all my employees on Cingular as well and the 4000 to 6000 minutes a month I spend on the phone with them doesn't cost me any additional.

One of my employees used to be a regional manager for Verizon. He got me one of their phones to "demo" since I'm a heavy user. As much as Cingular pisses me off at times, I do have to admit that while travelling around my 6 state area, Cingular had considerably better coverage. Also, Verizon told me that they had no "family" plan. You can go to their websites and see each company's coverage area. If you don't travel at all and T-Mobile shows coverage in your area, they may be the cheapest. Since I travel a lot, Cingular is my only choice. I hope Verizon and some of the other companies add more cell towers so I actually have a choice of carriers. I'm not under any contract, I buy my own phone, so I can move to any provider and take my number with me at any time. But, so far, Cingular has a lock on the best coverage.

If you look on eBay, you can search for a phone that is compatible with Cingular and just buy it outright. You can get one heck of a nice phone for a hundred bucks and then you won't have to sign the now standard (which I hate) 2 year contract.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
LarryRB said:
go to wally world in Sturbridge as they have cingular inside the store right next to the cash registers,.
Larry & Junk,

Not sure if it applies to Cingular but I recently found out the little Verizon shops they plop into stores are actually sub-contracted out to someone else. They also don't offer the same plans/options. You can window shop there but I would check into the providers actual store to verify you're getting the best deal.
 

dzalphakilo

Banned
If you stay in one "area" and don't move state to state allot, cingular may have the best plan (depending on their coverage area).

If you travel, call from "odd" places, Verizon is the best plan and coverage I have ever seen by far.

Had Verizon the last seven years, 2000 plus minutes and the bill never runs over $200/month (keep in mind, calling from various states that would be "out of coverage" for most other carriers as well as calling manufacturers located in at least 15 other states).

If you go to any rural areas at all, stay away from Nextel. Their two way radio is great, but their coverage SUCKS.

If someone has an issue of keeping a phone, SERIOUSLY think about insurance depending on how much you want to pay for a phone.
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
dzalphakilo said:
If you travel, call from "odd" places, Verizon is the best plan and coverage I have ever seen by far.

I sure wish that was the case (and that they had a family plan). I am always on the road and in odd places and Verizon just won't cut it for me. I like their phone selection much better and I don't particularly care for Cingular (I suppose I said that several times already), but in the 6 state area I frequent and, when I go out west, Verizon just doesn't cut it for me. I'd kiss you if you could convince Verizon to increase the size of their network and give me a reasonable alternative. Heck, I even like the local Verizon sales people much better! They even did an overlay of their coverage vs Cingular for this part of the country and told me that for now I'd be better off sticking with Cingular. For me, I want to go with them for the honesty points if nothing else.

I agree with what you said about Nextel; unless you are in a major city or on an Interstate, forget it! Unfortunately, Sprint seems to be the same...or are they the same? I get confused as to who is who anymore.

I'm out of the country next week (Grand Cayman), but I'll even give Verizon another "test drive" when I get back. I see from their map that they have indeed increased coverage since I tried them before. However, the HUGE issue looks like that they do not have free calls between others who have the same service (which would absolutely kill me - as I said about 4000 to 6000 minutes a month are free now for me that way, and the "roll over" minutes are nice) and places like Grand Cayman are HUGE roaming charges. Oh well, they do have some sort of "sharing" plan, but not for 5 phones and they it looks like they would still hit me with several roaming areas where I travel. Dang it, you had me excited about the possibility but I see it still won't work. :mad:
 
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bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Dargo,

"Verizon just doesn't cut it for me. I'd kiss you if you could convince Verizon to increase the size of their network and give me a reasonable alternative"
I would talk/check with them again. The plan I have is 100% of the country (but I don't see that on their site anymore and I got the plan a few years ago). If I can get a signal from any tower, I don't pay roaming or anything.

"However, the HUGE issue looks like that they do not have free calls between others who have the same service (which would absolutely kill me - as I said about 4000 to 6000 minutes a month are free"
Sure they do... All "in calling" and evenings/weekends are free.

"Oh well, they do have some sort of "sharing" plan, but not for 5 phones"
Yep. They do. Just add $9.99 per additional phone.
From their site:
Family SharePlan
Minimum of two lines required. Maximum of five lines.
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Well (said with a smile and smirk), you can bet your sweet bippy that when I get back from Grand Cayman next week, I'll give them a test drive again. The only question I asked yesterday was if they had coverage in Grand Cayman (no) and when she told me "in calling", I assumed from what she said that "incoming" calls were free. So, as I said, I certainly have no particular love for Cingular so I'll give 'em a shot. Thanks! :cool2:
 

dzalphakilo

Banned
I get 3,000 minutes at $139 a month, wife has an extra phone at $9.99.

Free weekend minutes and anytime between 7 P.M and 7 A.M unlimited minutes.

Looked at Verizons coverage site per Evansville (sp?), there are some areas where there is no coverage (small, but there are some). Also looked and knew about Verizons coverage in W.V, and same story.

Seems like it's a trade off at times between a local company who can offer great minute pricing and good calling areas LOCAL, but once outside of that area, you'll get nailed. With Verizon, you may not have the absolute best coverage, but they probably have the best nationwide coverage out there. I can honestly say that using my phone in about twenty different states, there has never been a time where someone has had reception with their cell phone and I have not. I have however had times where I did have reception and the person I was driving with did not (ALWAYS the case with Nextel users).

One time however that I can remember that really ticked me off and made me remember something. With Verizon, you will NEVER be hit with a roaming charge, period. HOWEVER, if you are in an area that they have to "piggyback" off another carrier, you will have to give that carrier your credit card number so they bill you direct. Happend one time with me out by Bryce canyon in Utah, had a work related issue that I had to take care of, a real PITA. Keep in mind, in seven years, it's only happend once to me, but man, it was aggrivating.

Also, see if you can get the software to load the cell numbers into your computer. If you have over four hundred numbers stored in your phone, and by chance you lose that phone, another real PITA. Another reason to look at insurance. Usually $5/month with a $50 deductable, if ANYTHING happens to the phone, new phone. Up on a commerical roof, put the phone where it should not go, and did a David Letterman "watermellon" test off the building. Another reason to store your numbers.

I really wish Verizons two way radio would of taken off like Nextels, but seems like its a dud for some reason.

Junk, yes, you're right about the "taxes". Sometimes you have a $50 plan and it turns out to be $70. Also read the "fine print" on the agreement, particularly if you think you might discontinue the plan before the agreement expires.
 
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