Need help witha question about cell phones and coverage areas.

[coolred]

Okay heres the deal, I live in Columbus, OH, but frequently commute to my hometown of Fremont, OH, which is about 2 hours north of Columbus(about half hour from cedar point). I am looking into getting a cell phone, but I want it to have coverage in both areas. I have been looking after differant companies coverage maps, but they are somewhat confusing, and often times I need to bring up 2 differant maps to get the whole picture. I am currentlly looking at next tell, they have coverage in both cities I want, but there are small none coverage areas along the route I take to get back and forth. So one question i have is how will these areas affect me. Will I have no signal at all, or will it just be weaker? Or worse yet would I have to pay extra fees in these areas?

The phones would not get a ton of use, so i was actually considering getting one of those family plan deals and an extra phone for my fiance, and then just using those as are home phones as well. So any recommendations on what companies to look for is also appreciated. I think as long as the plan has unlimited night and weekends, all we would need would be like an extra 300-500 anytime minutes, since I work during the day, and she plans to get a day job, so id on't need too expensive of a plan.

Thanks

 

[Tsaico]

Well, I found that ATT has the best stuff for me. They bought a series of smaller cellular towers back in day so they had the most complete coverage of my area (LA, CA) Generally, I would suggest them, since they also have a 30 day trial. You can give them a shot with their different plans (I just got a new plan, 29.99 a month, 350 minutes, unlimeted weekend and night). If it is what you want, then great... if you like coverage, but not the service plan, you can still change it up... You can also just give the 1800 number a call and ask them what they would suggest... Good luck

Also have you considered the prepaid plans? ATT has one that has unlimited night and weekends... i think it is like 40 or somehing.... Called go or something like that.

 

[coolred]

Can anyone tell me what companies have the family plans or whatever. Like I said I need 2 phones for me and my girlfriend, we don't use the phone much though, 300-500 minutes a month is probablly good. I know cingular, T mobile and Nextel all have these types of plans, just wondering about any others, before i go try to dig through all the sites and find it myself.

 

[tm37]

Sprint allows you to share minutes within a plan.

I have it and some area have roaming plans as well.

 

[coolred]

Well i decided not to be so lazy and look for myself. Out of Cingular, Sprint AT&T, T-mobile, Nextel, Alltel, and verizon, as near as I can tell all of those except for verizon have family/shared plans. Maybe I am just missing it on the verizon site? Anybody know about verizon? And did I leave any of the big boys off my list of wireless services.

 

[dartworth]

I'm travel all over Ohio, and I have found Verizon to be the best. I've had Spring, AT&T, Alltel and Verizon is just better. The have a family plan it is called the Family Share Plan.

Call them up and see if they are having any promotions, or stop in a Verizon store. As we get close to the holidays, you will see more promotions.

A good cell forum is howard forums.

An informed cell shopper is a good shopper.

 

[coolred]

Thanks for the info, could you possiblly provide a link to the verizon family share plan. I am looking on there site and don't see it mentioned. Thanks

 

[Nocturnal]

Your best bet is to call the cellular provider and talk to their CSR. They can tell you if you will have coverage on both areas. I'd look into T-Mobile as they have really good rate plans. It's for the budget conscience people. Nextel also has superb service and coverage.

 

[coolred]

Yeah i think I found cingular to be the cheapest thus far. Nextel does sound good, but they are crazy expensive. They want 39.99 per phone for the 800 anytime, and unlimited night and weekends or whatever else they offer. First off 800 minutes is more then I really need, and theres no way I can justify paying basically for 2 plans, when all I really need is one plan with shared minutes. I would call or go to verizon, but I am just doing some homework, and wish i could find it online. I have searched and i do now see that verizon offers the plans, as I ahve found them on other sites, but I still can't find any mention of it on verizons site.

 

[coolred]

My bad people, i was on the regular verizon site, no the wireless site. I found the info. thanks

 

[dartworth]

Just remember...cheap doesn't make it the best or even good for that matter

You can't go wrong with Verizon

 

[MikeMike]

verizon has seemed to be the best in ohio, from what i have heard. when i drove to purdue, from northeast ohio (have to go south to columbus, then west, then north) i had a signal the whole time. granted my phone isnt the best, but i did have an excellent signal. the only time i do loose signal is like in a basement, but i almost ALWAYS have a signal outdoors.

MIKE

 

[coolred]

Oh yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was going with cingular just because it was the cheapest. I was just giving my opinion of what I have found to be the cheapest so far. And that was without promotions. So I am sure witha good promotion that one of the other companies could come out cheaper.

I really need to sit down and look at all the coverage maps for all the companies. From some of them that I ahve looked at, a lot of them seem to have a big gap right in an area I would drive through every time I go to see my family. If I just get lesser service in that area, or even not at all I guess. Thats still better then having to pay roaming.

 

[coolred]

Yeah I am looking at verizon, and they do seem to have very good coverage in Ohio, but does anyone know if they charge more for the extra line with thier family plans? They have 500 anytime for 49.99 which isn't too bad. But I am wondeirng if it cost like 20.00 dollars extra per line, or if there is no extra charge, other then maybe like an activation fee or something. Anybody know?