Anybody have Nextel in So Cal? I'm thijnking about it...

[axelfox]

Myself and two family members are under a Cingular contract. We get 450 anytime minutes, unlimited Mobile to Mobile, free long distance, and free weekends (got it under PacBell) for a pretty good price compared to a similar plan if we were to sign up today. Problem is the reception and system overloads that frequent the service. Even though our contract doesn't end for another year, we were thinking about moving on to Nextel.

What is your experience with Nextel? Is the coverage good? Do you ever get busy systems? I've heard Nextel is at another level of cellular service (could be wrong). Since I use mobile to mobile alot, I would use the Direct Connect service alot also (with the family members). How is the converage on the Direct Connect?

I have many friends who have Cingular, but we've always talked about moving onto Nextel so that we could all get direct connect.

Whats your experience?

 

[pulse8]

Nextel is REALLY good if you can get one of their more expensive plans.

They have national ones with UNLIMITED incoming calls and they have good coverage in So. Cal.

If you can't afford it, I'd say go with Verizon.

 

[axelfox]

I was looking into their basic free incoming calls plan (50 or 60 bux) with unlimited direct connect. Can you have more than one phone on the same plan?

 

[arcain]

I have both Cingular and Nextel phones. The Nextel is payed for by my work, and the Cingular I pay for. I've never had a "network busy" with Nextel, which I experienced often when I was at UCLA, granted I never used a Nextel there. I've had friends with Nextels at the time, but this was really before Cingular (PacBell then) was overwhelmed.

My friends had better reception (in general) in West LA, than Cingular. I live in Santa Barbara, and visit Los Angeles, and Orange County frequently and my Nextel usually get better signal strength than my Cingular.

Direct Connect does not compare to Mobile To Mobile at all. Direct Connect is half duplex like walkie talkies. One person talks, than the other. Not like using a phone at all. There are certainly uses, but I never use it.

The reason I keep my Cingular is because of the free MTM (old, old plan), and all my friends are Cingular users so I rack up thousands of minutes on it, with only a $29.99 plan.