Sell me on a new wireless carrier

[riverwed070707]

Currently with sprint. Been with them ever since they merged with Nextel. Don't hate them but don't love them. Coverage is mostly good but not great. One thing that really peeves me is if I buy something from a store, I can't return it to another location. I travel a lot for work so this has been a problem for me on multiple occasions.

Thinking about switching to ATT. Who do you use and why do you love them?

[photo]

We've had Verizon for ~16 years. We originally signed up with them because they were the only company in our area. However, through the years, they've given us some very good rates, so we haven't changed. Also, it's difficult to compare coverage since we haven't experienced other carriers; however, except for the very beginning, I have no complaints about anything. Maybe once or twice a year I'll have a dropped call, but that's it.

[JoshuaHeckathorn]

I've used AT&T ever since the iPhone launched and I've never had worse coverage. I previously used Verizon for many years and they were great! So, I wouldn't recommend a switch to AT&T...they really blow. Dropped calls galore and I wouldn't say my rate plan is a deal either.

[JustBill]

I think a good deal depends where you use the service. Have had Verizon mostly since 1989, with Sprint twice in between. Sprint service was not up to par, couldn't get a signal in my home in a metropolitan area, as a Huge NASCAR fan, it kills me to not be able to support Sprint. DW & DS have AT&T and their service has a lot more holes than what I experience with Verizon. Use Verizon in international travel and find consistent service. However, I have resisted smartphones, but caved when iPhone 4S was introduced thinking it would change my life. Well it did - For the worse. Dropped call after dropped call after dropped call, poor reception and voice quality. Returned the iPhone, returned to old Samsung flip phone and all is good.

[photo]

Originally Posted by JustBill

Have had Verizon mostly since 1989,

Are you sure? I remember back in the stone age of 1993, when I only knew 2 people who had car phones, and those phones in their little black bags were much larger than most women's purses.

My post said I've had Verizon for about 16 years, but doing the math, I don't think we had service until 1998, which would be (almost) 14 years.

[JustBill]

Originally Posted by photo

Are you sure? I remember back in the stone age of 1993, when I only knew 2 people who had car phones, and those phones in their little black bags were much larger than most women's purses.

My post said I've had Verizon for about 16 years, but doing the math, I don't think we had service until 1998, which would be (almost) 14 years.

Well technically way back when I had to dodge the dinosaurs, it was called Cellular One, but morphed into Verizon. Specifically it was Valentine's Day, 2-14-89 when I had it installed. These were true "car phones", but the same 3watt beauties found in the not-so-little black bags.

I don't ever recall having a dropped call back then. But the costs were so high the calls didn't last very long either, and probably didn't get a chance to be dropped.

[cooliemae]

My wife and I were using AT&T up until last year when our contract finished. Neither of us really use our phones extensively, so we were looking more at cost than features. So we get a 15% discount with Verizon through our jobs, so we went with them. Haven't had any complaints!

[ir_dizzle]

I use AT&T and have used them for > 10 years. I get a 20% off discount off of my bill (only related to minutes, etc.; not hardware) every month; that is the main reason I haven't switched over to another carrier.

A few friends of mine who are on AT&T complain about getting no signal wherever they're located but I very seldom encounter that issue.

I don't plan to change carriers anytime soon...

[dawnwes]

Are you sure? I purchased a phone at a store in November and hated it. I went to a different store to return it and they took back the case and charger I had purchased as well.

I have been with Sprint since 1999. When we lived in CA our coverage was fantastic, but it isn't quite as good in NC, but it is getting better as they are putting up new towers.

Dawn

Originally Posted by riverwed070707

Currently with sprint. Been with them ever since they merged with Nextel. Don't hate them but don't love them. Coverage is mostly good but not great. One thing that really peeves me is if I buy something from a store, I can't return it to another location. I travel a lot for work so this has been a problem for me on multiple occasions.

Thinking about switching to ATT. Who do you use and why do you love them?

[riverwed070707]

Positive. The problem is most of the stores in my area are "authorized retailers" and not corporate stores. There is no way to distinguish between them other than to ask and sometimes there isn't a corporate store for 70 miles so its not just a matter of choosing where you shop. If you are always able to purchase from a corporate store it's not a problem, but when its just a retailer you're out of luck as you cant just return to another retailer.

I was also pretty peeved when I purchased a car charger a couple months ago while traveling and ended up not needing it so I tried to return it when I got home (completely untampered, unopened) and they said it was outside the return policy. Apparently sprint has recently changed their return policy to 14 days but it wasn't printed ANYWHERE on the recepit or anything. I was there 18 days after I purchased it and they were complete jerks about it. I even called customer service and ended up eating the cost becuase no one would do anything about it. Most stores are a 30 day policy... if it's not 30 days that needs to be listed somewhere. When I asked the manager why it didn't say that he said it's so new they haven't even gotten in the new receipt tape that has the policy printed on it. Kidding me?

[riverwed070707]

I get discounts through work with Verizon (20%), AT&T(11%) and Sprint(18%)...but Sprint is SO much cheaper if you're into a data plan (which we're not but considering new phones after the first of the year). I don't know how the other two even compete!

I'd really love to jump on a plan with friends or family to save money (HUGE savings if you're just adding lines!) but there really isn't anyone that it would be easy for us to do that with.

[photo]

Originally Posted by JustBill

Specifically it was Valentine's Day, 2-14-89 when I had it installed. These were true "car phones", but the same 3watt beauties found in the not-so-little black bags.

Incredible. Do you remember how much it was a month? Maybe that should be answered with "less than a mortgage payment" or "more than a mortgage payment."