Ok, here's the situation. I have Sprint and live in the DC area. Of late, the last 4 months, I've gotten worse and worse service each and everyday. I can't tell you how many times I've lost calls because I turn 13 degrees too far in any direction. Now, I went in to the Sprint store and told them my problems, and they said that I had old software and they could fix it by updating. So they took the phone and after three hours I picked it up, and noticed that the service was even crappier. So I takes it in to the store today, and the guy tells me its not covered under the 1 year warranty any more because it has a small scratch on it. (Why the hell would I need a warranty then I ask if it doesn't cover things like that?) To purchase a new phone I'd have to drop down 250$ to get anything decent. Well, I'm really not happy at this point because Sprint in the DC area has been nothing but crap to me so far. I'm going to be back in the Dallas area next year and have no clue how Verizon or Sprint work there. Here are my options and the question I pose to you guys. Option 1- Stay with Sprint. Either buy a new phone or cancel my service and get a new phone for about 20$ cheaper. 249$ new phone 150$ to cancel and then add new line with awesomer phone for 79.99 Option 2- Switch to Verizon (which has unsurpassed service compared to any other phone in DC) and get a new phone from them. 150$ to cancel Sprint+ whatever a new phone and plan costs from Verizon. My question is this to anybody in the Dallas area with either Sprint or Verizon...how good is your service, especially in the Irving area close to Texas Stadium (where the school I'll be returning to is) I stayed at a house in south Irving where I couldn't get any Sprint service this summer and need to no if this was an anomoly or par for the course with the folks at Sprint. Any help is greatly appreciated.
In Texas, AT&T is king as far as service/reliability goes. I am consistently the only person in large groups who always has service(Mainly because Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular are all cheaper than AT&T). I really do get service everywhere...in the middle of nowhere, in hospitals, in malls, everywhere. Sprint is absolutely horrible in the East Texas Area. The worst, bar none.
We had AT&T back in the day (1998-99)... great service. Went to "PrimeCo" (remember the little pink guy?) when I sold the stuff in '99-2000... it turned to Verizon. We kept Verizon until this past March 2004... rates started getty "shady" - calling areas once touted as unlimited, became smaller. So, we came full circle, went to AT&T wieless (.com) and got two GSM phones absolutely FREE, with 2 lines for $49.99 a month, including 1000 anytime minutes, nights and weekends free. AT&T is king in Texas. Not sure about DC. btw- customer service was getting crappy with Verizon... I guess when companies get ahead, they get sloppy. EDIT: Almost forgot, my in-laws have used Sprint for a while now... their service totally SUCKS. But they keep getting cool phones as compensation for crap signals... so I guess it goes by how much you want to put up with.
I live in Richmond, and go to DC all the time, Tmobile is awesome, even when i dont get signal for them i get ATT and Cingular for free. So pretty much service in all highways and large cities 99.9% and while driving from like Houston to VA, or or Philly to VA, or NYC to VA about 90 % time i get signal. So they are a pretty good bet, and the service area gets larger by the moment. Verizon is the best as for Overall service coast to coast and canada. O yea with Sprint, I HATE EM... Customer Service is awful, if its only been 14 or so days since u got the new phone, just cancel, no charge, and if they try to charge you threaten em with a lawyer, that is after you speak with all the supervisors... But seriously Sprint Sucks. my top 5 1. Tmobile 2.verizon 3. ATT 4. Cingular 5. two cans and a string 999999. Sprint o yea wait till ATT and Cingular provide their GSM service together and watch what a beast that will be.
When you guys say "AT&T's service is great" it probably needs to be qualified. AT&T's GSM network is one of the worst networks. Their TDMA network is excellent. All that may change with their wireless division being bought out by Cingular. Here in the DFW area most people swear by either AT&T TDMA or Verizon CDMA service. The other variable is the phone. Certain phones just suck on some networks. They all suck and they all are good - depends on who you ask, where they live, and what they're using. In other words... whatever.
I have over 2000 unused Rollover minutes. Somebody, please give me a reason to use them. See, I wanted the 300 minute plan last June, but my mother decided I needed voicemail, meaning 100 more minutes, $10 more, and rollover. Cingular is worthless crap, but the service is fine. I have got to switch phones/plans/maybe providers once I get down to Coral Gables. I'm looking to switch from my because I was the first to get it and now everyone has one to either (camera WORLD phone with built-in flashlight) or most likely because I don't need a $300 iPod but could listen to some music. ATT already has those phones in my area, but CIngular is absolute piss-poor crap when it comes to getting GSM here and new phones.
Wait till 3GSM come out, check out those bad boys: Not only you can now send pictures to friends with these, you can also use them as video phones.
I have Verizon and even in the N. GA mountains, I have great reception. Sprint on the other hand, even in the ATL area, was total garbage. I'd have service dropouts going into town off I-85!!!!
This my phone. GSM, AT&T... I haven't had a single dropped call... Dallas area. Sony Ericsson T616 smaller than deck of cards, btw
See hi-tech stuff will be lost on me, didn't get a computer until Junior year of college.....that's why I'm thinking it will just be cheaper and better to go with the Veezee...
Try to get a free Nokia 3650 at a1wireless or intelenetwireless, it can too play mp3 with the right software. Also it has a camera, and it's a world phone, way better than 3300.
In Manhattan, Verizon is king. I had Sprint for 2 years and finally switched. Sprint is TERRIBLE in NYC. I couldn't even get service in my old apartment. Yes, it was THAT bad. With Verizon, not only do I get service everywhere, but I even get a little service on the subway. That's pretty impressive...
Dont knock the ATT GSM. I am currently text messaging my wife and she's at the friggin Great Wall of China. My buddy who works at Verizon says that Houston is one my 4 cities where Sprint has great coverage, but after that, not so great.
I have AT&T and I HATE it. By far the worst service in the Colorado/Denver area. But that isn't what you were worried about. I checked out Consumer Reports and they ranked the following. Washington, D.C. Verizon (decent gap before next one) Nextel (another decent gap) AT&T Cingular Sprint Houston Verizon (medium gap) T-Mobile Cingular Sprint AT&T And for those wondering: Denver (big gap) Verizon Qwest T-Mobile AT&T Sprint Pretty much everywhere they went, Verizon was #1 and AT&T was either last or second to last. This report was March of 2004, so take that to heart.
