Ok I am a big fan of cell phones and have read alot about all the different providers. AT&T is TDMA and is just started to roll out their GSM Network, but right now and for the next year or two their GSM will only be in major cities. T-Mobile (formally Voicestream) is the only carrier in the US with GSM only. They are very good and from what I have read offer great rateplans. Cingular has both GSM and TDMA. Like AT&T they are converting all of their TDMA areas to GSM. I have cingular up here in NC (the first real GSM network in US). It is great and I can go most places and have coverage. (free roaming on Tmobile) As far as network technologies go: TDMA is a system they only have in NA, is old, and is being replaced by GSM. CDMA is good but not as good as GSM. Please dont confuse this with wCDMA which will be cool but dont expect it in NA for about 5 years. GSM is the standard throughout the world. While different areas operate on different frequencies (NA: 1900mhz and 850mhz (soon) Europe and Asia: 900mhz & 1800mhz) you can buy a phone that works on all of them. So I could go to europe and my phone would still work. And if it was unlocked I could buy a prepaid sim from a local carrier. Phones: If you want a good cheap phone (maybe free w/ a 2yr contract) get the nokia 3390/3395. I personally love the Motorola v60g (or gi) it sounds like i'm on a land line. If you have any questions just ask.
well i finally got sick of all the dropped calls and loss of service I get on a daily basis with Sprint. I went to their store in Austin and complained incessantly, in front of the whole store. I think i even discouraged some first time cell phone shoppers from buying a sprint phone/service package, b/c i saw several people leave after i finished my rant. well, the people working there obviously didn't care. they said they could test my phone's software, to see if it needed an update... but that was it. no retention package to keep me as a customer. they took my phone into a hidden room and emerged 15 minutes later saying they updated my s/w free of charge. i thanked them and left. now i'll get to see if they were just blowing smoke up my ass or if this alleged s/w update will work. as i opened my phone when i left the store i got a good chuckle. i realized that the "display" on my phone says "SPRINT SUCKS"... i changed it to that months ago when i started getting bad cellular service from sprint. i'm sure they got a kick out of that!
If you can, get the kind that flip open on a hinge in the middle of the phone, where the antenna, when fully extended, is further away from your head than it otherwise would be with a non-flip phone. The idea is to reduce your exposure to the radiation For instance, the Motorola StarTac. I know it's an old model phone, but you get the idea. I've seen newer models with similar designs, like this one:
You might want to call Sprint's customer service. My sister and my wife's brother called them and were given a very nice rate plan to retain them as customers. If you want I can ask them what they said to Sprint to get the deal.
Software update probably isn't going to do squat for dropped calls. That's just their network and the stores or phone reps can't really do anything about it. It's like getting bad reception from a radio station and calling them to complain and really expecting they can do much about it. Uh... well let's update the software on your radio!
I have experience with two networks - Sprint and Voicestream. My phone is with Sprint because we get a corporate discount, and as such it is pretty good value for me. However, after about a year, I started getting dropped called consistently. I complained bitterly over a 6 month period and they eventually gave me a new phone and tripled my minutes for the same money. My wife has the Voicestream for 4 years and it has been great - hardly ever any dropped phones, although she doesn't travel around as much as me. He is what I would look for:- - Max included minutes possible that you think you can afford - you will always use more than you think and it will cost you - Long distance included - never have to worry about signinf up for LD in your house again - Roaming included - Big nights & weekends minutes package. If you are like me and work in an office, you need your cellphone mostly on nights & weekends.
the thing is, i think my phone might be the problem. One of my friends lives a few buildings down from me in my apartment complex. He and his fiance both have Sprint phones and never experience a single problem. Therefore I'm going to pray and hope that the s/w update will fix my problems. If not, I may come a knockin' for some advice Refman!
I also think it is your phone. I live in Austin and only drop calls in one area of the city(between the "Y" in Oak Hill and ACC Pinnacle Campus). What kind of phone do you have? I have the Kyocera 2255 which has been great.
i have the samsung 8500 (flip style). I bought it in January 2001, so its pretty old (in cell phone standards). i wanted to buy a new sprint phone and compare it with my current phone, but the sprint customer service guy said i would only be able to keep the new phone for 14 days before I could return it. thats really not enough time to judge, especially considering how expensive new phones are (and the fact that those much-advertised rebates don't apply to current customers!)
If you go through ATT, you can get the new sony ericsson phone. It has all the features you want, and its on the GSM network. Phone is $200..now there is $50 rebate. Also you can get unlimited minutes as long as you are on GSM network for $99/month
Maybe now...but they are expanding it considerably. Soon they will have an enviable network. It wasn't long ago that TMobile (formerly Voicestream) had a network which was the WORST in the business.
I suggest drapg, Refman and others read this article to get a better idea of where GSM(aka TDMA) and 3G are going. http://www.denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2002/10/GSM3G.shtml GSM is an obsolete, expensive dead end.
I've read that article before and it is very biased and a lot of BS the debate over GSM and CDMA is a never ending one and is mostly opinion based. wCDMA will be cool when it comes out Either was GSM is still the world standard.
Regradless of whether it is good or not, I am here to tell you that GSM arrays are what ALL cellular carriers are starting to put up in droves. They're not going to go to the expense of changing it out again for quite a while.
