Cell Phones and your Opinions

Broompilot · May 8, 2005

Currently carry two different cell phones what an EXPENSE. Wanted to discontinue my Alltell and replace with Cingular. Well Cingular sucks here on the East Coast. West Coast it was wonderull continued coverage everywhere, here it cuts me off when I am even walking around the truck not rolling, echo all of the time, I hear myself what I just said before the other party has a chance to respond or I hear me talking over them.

Frustrating yep I have had it. Alltell great coverage, clear crisp lines no problems with the phone, just the phone bill 900 free the next 900 arm and a leg.

My next two choices I want to ask you all first. I am leaning toward Sprint but have not ruled out Nextell just hate the idea of beep beep with Nextell. Your expierence and opinions please thanks

Broompilot.

Dreamer · May 8, 2005

Broompilot,

Just to throw in an opinion here...

I've had both Nextel and Verizon, and now have Sprint PCS. In my limited experience with Sprint, so far, it wins hands down. Clarity, connection, billing, range, have been much better. With Sprint, I get 4 bars, where I couldn't even use the others, and that's just in Ohio.

One thing that one me over to Sprint originally was the true Nationwide long distance... from anywhere, to anywhere.. I know most do that now... but when I switched, the others were from home calling area only.

Now I understand Sprint and Nextel have merged, just like ATT and Cingular.. I have yet to see any difference tho... hopefully it just added more range....

Dreamer

ATeam · May 8, 2005

For your two phone needs, Sprint offers a family plan where two cell phones - each with their own number - draw from the same pool of minutes. We've had good luck with Sprint too. It's rare to find ourselves without a cell phone signal in any state or Candada, except when traveling through certain mountain ranges and remote areas where few cell phone companies would be any better.

terryandrene · May 8, 2005

I just "migrated' from Cingular (ATT) to Cingular (Cingular). They still have different rate plans and features, and they aren't interchangle between users. I like the fact that I can talk to any other Cingular phone, including Rene's, without impact on my paid minutes. I also like the rollover unused minutes from month to month feature that cingular offers, but I was not afforded on my old ATT (cingular) rate plan. Additionally FedEx Custom Critical employees and contractors receive a nice discount on phone purchases and monthly rates.

I followed Lawrence's advice and bought made sure I got the Bluetooth feature when recently buying two new phones. The hands-free, wireless capability Bluetooth offers is great when in our Bluetooth capable automobile and may save a ticket or two while driving in the no-cellphone-while-driving states of New York and New Jersey.

I have not suffered the same problems Broompilot experiences in the northeast. I have been there a lot with the old and the new ATT and generally had decen signals. Indiana has been the bane to my travels in that state.

dukesadog · May 8, 2005

Something you may want to consider when Re-Newing any contract with Nextel is that the 2 way feature of their phone will not be available next year (2006)

Right now Nextel is scrambling around trying to renew contracts and offering huge savings etc but their original contract regarding the direct connect two way feature with the US military will be soley available to them after 2006 and not available to civilians.

dukesadog
Sign-Busters
20 Years in De-Identification
( Vinyl Graphics Removal)

Busin4fun · May 8, 2005

I have been driving from1990, i have use cingular, when it was sw bell, at&t, nextel,sprint, i now use verizon and have for about 6 yrs. I think it is the best that i have used over the yrs. I also work with alot of drivers That have other services and they are unhappy, but the ones that have verizon are happy and seems to work also every were i go in the us.

good luck

scott

Critter Truckin · May 9, 2005

I drive with TennesseaHawk... we both have Sprint (along with half the friggin family). We haven't had problems with them yet, except they keep trying to jerk the bill around. Anyway, that's my nickel's worth.

Cheers,

Jay

RichM · May 9, 2005

My experience with Cingular is the opposite of BP/s. We have both Cingular and Verizon and have found Cingular to be superior. I have no problems on the East coast,only 1 dead area in South GA on I 95.

Broompilot · May 9, 2005

I have contacted them Cingular. Here is what I have been told. Purchased at Walmart was given a Samsung phone that does not work on all of the towers.

I let them know I would be willing to stay if they will credit me this phone for the upgrade and also the option if I upgrade and I am still not happy to cancel in two months as in the original contract when I signed up five months ago.

Waiting to hear I will give them until Wednesday to get back to me or else see ya Reasons or Results there is nothing else in business that matters, which do you want?

Loose_Cannon47 · May 9, 2005

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that with Sprint, once your monthly charges reach $200, they turn off your service, and you are required to pay at least a portion of that bill (at your friendly local Sprint store) before they will restore your service...based on information I have gotten from several OTR truckers who are Sprint subscibers...please feel free to verify this with Sprint before signing...

Loose

fastman_1 · May 9, 2005

I have Cingular only bad spot I've found is on U.S.30 in Ohio between Mansfield and Beaverdam. I also Have the Internet on it so I can Check my e-mail and for directions all this for Only $49.95 a Month.

Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones

merkurfan · May 9, 2005

Sprint does have spending limits for people with poor credit (Like me) if you have good credit you will have no limits.

If you do end up with a spending limit payments can be made over the phone with a checking account or credit card.

Loose_Cannon47 · May 9, 2005

I don't know if these folks have credit problems, just that they automatically loose their service at $200 (which is not an uncommon expenditure for these drivers with the roaming charges they incur)...I can see a problem with paying your bill by phone when your phone service has been turned off...

Loose

fastman_1 · May 9, 2005

Roaming Charges?? You have the Wrong Plan if you have Roaming Charges.My Bill is never over $50.00. No roaming and No L/D. 500 Minutes that Roll over Unused Minutes by the End of the Year I usally and Banked about 1500 Minutes.

Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones

Loose_Cannon47 · May 9, 2005

Fastman, my post was in regards to people that I know, not my own specific situation...I have Nextel after giving up on Cingular...I encountered many places where I had no signal...same with Nextel, just different locations...however, for my own needs, I use the walkie-talkie function extensively...every company has their individule "BEST" deal...I think in the end, they are all about the same...just depends on your needs and location...

Loose

mvbn1 · May 9, 2005

I use SprintPCS, and I love it. I'm a former Nextel user, and we switched due to the number of dead spots and the high cost. When we switched to Sprint, we went to 4 phones and a pool of minutes, and we were spending about the same amount as we where with 2 phones at Nextel.

I have great coverage, but I have added an outside antenna for my phone. Not one of those big honk'n cell phone antennas, it's just a small 3", rubber duck type. I have 4 bars no matter where I go! The calls are always clear as a bell, and the cost in Canada, is within reason. If your visiting our friends to the north on a regular basis, you can add unlimited Canadian LD to your plan for around $5.00/month.

The next thing I'll be trying, is to connect my phone to my laptop, for access to the internet no matter where I go.

If we're voting, I vote for SprintPCS.

romoore245 · May 9, 2005

We use sprint and verizon we have had good luck with both so far. On the sprint we have the 1100 anytime with 250 roaming and a pcs card for our computer for a total of 195 a month pushed real close to the $200 limit, but after 18 months they gave us a free phone upgrade and raised our limit to six hundred. We never had roaming charges in that 18 months. The Verizon is 800 minutes for 70 a month no roaming nation wide they gave us another phone free just to get us to add an extra line for 9.95 monthly, dont know which is the stronger company yet, both works well in most states. Found a few dead spots in montana and arizona.
Good luck

theoldprof · May 10, 2005

Hello, everybody. This is about cell phone billing. A few years ago I had cell phone usage with a company that rythmes with Splint. When I went to cancel, they said I needed to give them 60 or 90 days notice. I gave them the notice, but somehow I overpaid them about sixty dollars. For about five or six months I got a bill with the balance of negative sixty dollars. I would call. I would write. Still got negative balance bills. I finally made copies of my previous letter, stapled them to copies of my five or six negative balance bills, wrote them a letter that said more or less "What part of sending me a f-cking check don't you understand?" Next month, I got a check for my overpayment. Sometimes the direct approach works best.

Thanks. :+ :+

miko · May 10, 2005

I was talked into Nextel because businespartner and company is using it. After all, not such a good idea. I signed up for a "free phone" rate plan, free incoming and walki-talki-minutes. First year, trouble with bad spots in every state I went. Pissed me off big time. Then when the first year was almost over, I got dozens of calls on my cell to sign up for another year and get a discount on the next bill. Since I do not carry all that info with me, I went to the next store at home. Turns out I had a 2 year plan like I thought, store manager did not forward all the correct info, so I got the customer service calls on the cell when I was on the road. Since I neednd more minutes, I thought they might cut me a deal. But I was wrong. Customer service at the store was very unfriendly, did upgrade my minutes, and I had to agree to another year.
Infact, the person had even the nerv to call Nextel customer service up and I had to talk to them myself and explain the "problems"! Never recieved an apology, and since they did not seem to want to keep me as a customer, I decidet to go for another phone ASAP. I've had it...
Not sure yet what to take. Wife needs one, too. For us, phones do not need to be fanzy at all, but they have to work when we need them the most and the cost has to be decent not an ARM AND A LEG...

Miko
o/o 2yrs.
1-ton cargo van

S18wheeler · May 11, 2005

We have 2 cingular phones.We have 2 differnt plans with rollover minutes.We have been with them for 5 yrs on the road with no trouble with coverage.we live in Upstate,NY and always have coverage.I think it also depends on your phone itself.Our phones were expensive but are nice and clear.we also have our internet service through them .It works great.Its 79.99 unlimited service.It worked great ,even in mountains out west.I love the service.Our phones are Nokia 6230 and Sony Ericson T637.Sherry