Switching to Cingular... good phones?

[cpals]

I'm getting off my prepaid account and have decided to go with the $39.99/month Cingular Wireless account in my area (FL). I was wondering which would be the best phone to get for options/receptivity/battery/etc??

Any comments on them are appreciated.

 

[AACG]

I'm not sure...

 

[Joony]

go for a GSM provider instead (unless Cingular is offering GSM in your area). More phone options.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Joony
go for a GSM provider instead (unless Cingular is offering GSM in your area). More phone options.

Yes, go with GSM, or CDMA.

TDMA sounds like crap. You're doing the world a favor by getting a clear sounding cell phone.

For the best poll responses, please offer some links to specs and reviews.

 

[Ranger X]

I have a Nokia 6390. It's a nice phone ...

 

[amnesiac]

Cingular is slowly switching to GSM but they still suck. Stay away.

Verizon has been rated #1 overall in all areas by Consumer reports. I am very happy with them. You might try them out for a week or two (you get 15 days to return the phone) and see if you like it. AT&T's GSM is becoming a contender too, they have a 30 day trial period.

Voicestream/T-Mobile lures you in with minutes but they suck.
Any smaller providers will gouge you with high prices and bad service as well.

IMO, your two best bets are Verizon and AT&T.

 

[shopbruin]

cingular is craptacular. go with verizon. i loved at&t but i can't get their signal in my apt.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
Cingular is slowly switching to GSM but they still suck. Stay away.

Verizon has been rated #1 overall in all areas by Consumer reports. I am very happy with them. You might try them out for a week or two (you get 15 days to return the phone) and see if you like it. AT&T's GSM is becoming a contender too, they have a 30 day trial period.

Voicestream/T-Mobile lures you in with minutes but they suck.
Any smaller providers will gouge you with high prices and bad service as well.

IMO, your two best bets are Verizon and AT&T.

Verizon user now, former Cingular victim

verizon > cingular

 

[poopaskoopa]

How about Sony Ericsson t68i? It can do cool stuff like this.

 

[rudeguy]

at&t= GSM &TDMA, switching their entire network to GSM and any new towers will be also
cingular= same thing, but with less GSM coverage
Tmobile=dont go more than 2 miles off a highway
sprint=people with bad credit
nextel=walky talky with a 100 dollar bill
verizon=not bad, but relies heavily on analog....and they are calling their current service 3G...if 64kbps is 3G then look out....3G is cable modem access speeds....which a certain company will launch in select markets in 1st q 2004

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: rudeguy5757
at&t= GSM &TDMA, switching their entire network to GSM and any new towers will be also
cingular= same thing, but with less GSM coverage
Tmobile=dont go more than 2 miles off a highway
sprint=people with bad credit
nextel=walky talky with a 100 dollar bill
verizon=not bad, but relies heavily on analog....and they are calling their current service 3G...if 64kbps is 3G then look out....3G is cable modem access speeds....which a certain company will launch in select markets in 1st q 2004

Sprint still has faster 3G, 144k in most markets. Actually, I'm not so sure Sprint is for bad credit people. I think when my friend got it they didn't require him to make a security deposit and he had zero credit whereas I had to and had somewhat established credit. Go figure....

 

[althor27]

Among the choices you have listed, the 6340i is the best phone. Best Signal, etc.

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: rudeguy5757
at&t= GSM &TDMA, switching their entire network to GSM and any new towers will be also
cingular= same thing, but with less GSM coverage
Tmobile=dont go more than 2 miles off a highway
sprint=people with bad credit
nextel=walky talky with a 100 dollar bill
verizon=not bad, but relies heavily on analog....and they are calling their current service 3G...if 64kbps is 3G then look out....3G is cable modem access speeds....which a certain company will launch in select markets in 1st q 2004

Sprint still has faster 3G, 144k in most markets. Actually, I'm not so sure Sprint is for bad credit people. I think when my friend got it they didn't require him to make a security deposit and he had zero credit whereas I had to and had somewhat established credit. Go figure....

sprint has now moved to a deposit system like everyone else....and just for the record 3G will be way more than 144k...thats ISDN...we are talking cable modem speeds....386+...look up 3G cellular on the web for the specs...it makes sprints version look like a joke...(3G=UMTS via WCDMA)

 

[cpals]

I'm currently on the Verizon pre-pay and the reason why I was looking at cingular was because they offered me 600 minutes/month for $39.99 and I get the phone for free.

Verizon was like $35 for 400 minutes and I also had to pay for the phone... so

 

[cpals]

*bump*

 

[radioouman]

I'd avoid the bottom-of-the-line Sony Ericsson.
I bought the Sony Ericsson T60d just over a year ago, and I am not happy with it at all. Very poor reception.

 

[cpals]

Ah... so maybe no Sony.

Well, so far it's the Nokia and Motorola. I don't really care which one... just one that's the best overall and around $100 or less.

 

[littlezipp]

Get the Nokia, lower end Motorola phones are crap!
Also, the t62u is a hideous phone, its older brother the t61z has many problems as well...
The 6340i is a GAIT phone so it can use both GSM and TDMA.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: rudeguy5757

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: rudeguy5757
at&t= GSM &TDMA, switching their entire network to GSM and any new towers will be also
cingular= same thing, but with less GSM coverage
Tmobile=dont go more than 2 miles off a highway
sprint=people with bad credit
nextel=walky talky with a 100 dollar bill
verizon=not bad, but relies heavily on analog....and they are calling their current service 3G...if 64kbps is 3G then look out....3G is cable modem access speeds....which a certain company will launch in select markets in 1st q 2004

Sprint still has faster 3G, 144k in most markets. Actually, I'm not so sure Sprint is for bad credit people. I think when my friend got it they didn't require him to make a security deposit and he had zero credit whereas I had to and had somewhat established credit. Go figure....

sprint has now moved to a deposit system like everyone else....and just for the record 3G will be way more than 144k...thats ISDN...we are talking cable modem speeds....386+...look up 3G cellular on the web for the specs...it makes sprints version look like a joke...(3G=UMTS via WCDMA)

I realize Sprint hasn't fully implemented 3G yet. It does work as advertised, at least for me. Plus, I could never give up this Sanyo 5300