TMobile versus sprint for the Northern-to-centralNJ/NY State Border Area

[AmongthechosenX]

I just want an answer to the poll based on your EXPERIENCE (NOT what you've heard or read) with one or either of the service providers.

Plans are configured as follows. Pricing is OK with me.

I will be getting 15% off for being a starbucks employee, and that applies to both providers.

Currently I've used 150 total peak minutes for this month. THIS INCLUDES Verizon to Verizon calls in peak times!!! There are 2 weeks remaining in the pay cycle, so i simply doubled that number and then compared that to the available minutes for either of these plans. Either the 450 or 500 minute plans WILL fit my needs.

Phone fee's are not an issue, I have no problem paying it one time to get the latest and greatest (which i should have done months ago, but didn't, and won't be making that mistake again).

I'm located in the Northern NJ Area. NY State border is about 25 minutes north of me, and NYC is 35 mins west of me. I mainly travel in the bergen county area, but work has me going many places, as far as florham park, NJ or Jersey City, NJ. THE PHONE MUST BE ABLE TO WORK IN MOST OF NORTHERN NJ, thus I am in a bind as to which service provider to pick.


I also need help picking a phone. Initially, I was set on getting a blackberry bold 9700 (and thats a huge reason i want to go with TMobile), but I'm willing to expand my options if possible. I do mostly texting, so i love the hardware keyboard, but flash support on the HD2 (because of windows mobile and skyfire) is really making me want to consider it

Option A
Provider: Sprint
Phone: Blackberry Tour 9630 @ $99.99 one time fee
OR
Samsung Moment with Android @ $99.99 one time fee
Minutes: Unlimited Mobile to any mobile, 450 anytime minutes (only practically used on landlines)
Texting: Unlimited
Data: Unlimited
Cost per month: $69.99 per month
After applicable discounts: 15% student discount = $60 + Tax per month

Option B
Provider: T Mobile
Phone: Blackberry Bold 9700 @ $129.99 one time fee
OR
HTC HD2 Touch phone @ $199.99 one time fee
Minutes: 500 anytime minutes, unlimited tmobile to tmobile
Texting: unlimited
Data: unlimited
Cost per month: $69.99 per month
after applicable discounts: 15% student Discount = $60 + Tax per month

 

[NutBucket]

How about you buy the thing and try it for 30 days? If it sucks return it, if not keep it? Everyone's experience varies and sometimes wildly.

 

[preslove]

uh... if you're going sprint...

WAIT FOR THE EVO 4G!

 

[AmongthechosenX]

How about you buy the thing and try it for 30 days? If it sucks return it, if not keep it? Everyone's experience varies and sometimes wildly.

because i need to port my number over if I do that, and if I decide I don't want it, i know its going to be a massive headache trying to re-port my number either back to verizon or over to Sprint from a de-activated tmobile account...

 

[vshah]

why do you want flash? just curious. i don't find myself missing it at all. if you do a lot of texting i'd stick with a hardware keyboard device.

 

[AmongthechosenX]

flash will be in webkit as far as i know so im not going to worry about it.

so guys, please help me decide im going to both stores today

 

[dguy6789]

You can't really go wrong with either. Both have or are getting really awesome phones, both have great deals on their plans. The HD2 is a better phone than the Blackberries or Moment if that helps any. I have been mostly pleased with T-Mobile's customer support.

 

[Trader05]

I currently have Sprint, im located in central jersey and have made several trips with my old job (about 6 months ago) to North jersey and NY. I had very little signal problems with service at the time, my coworker with T-Mobile usually had very spotty service, and my other coworker with verizon never had an issue. Id say the factors include, if they did any recent upgrades and the differences in phones. I had a BB Pearl then Palm Pre at the time, my coworker had a Razor and BB Curve. Central Jersey its night and day with Sprint vs T-Mobile, T-Mobile has the absolute worst service between the 4 majors.

::just read NutBucket's post, i'd definitely try that!::

 

[tatteredpotato]

You know you can get that Sprint plan online for $60 through the referral program? I'm not sure if you can combine that with other discounts to save you more money, but it's worth looking into.

 

[vshah]

in my experience tmo has had the best customer service, but the worst coverage outside major metros. that said i've never had a problem of no signal on the east coast unless i'm driving through some random field in virginia. i live in ny and drive to pittsburgh often, i have signal the entire way (often drops to edge though)

 

[AmongthechosenX]

Well i sucked it up and went with T Mobile. Got my bold for $129.99, they offered me a temporary number in case I decided i wanted to cancel the service within 14 days.

Store was a very small store on Route 17, in Paramus, NJ. CS Reps were very very nice and down to earth. Not sure what it was, but something was telling me not to go to sprint. According to the map, I passed two sprint stores on my way, and didn't see any of them either, which isn't a good sign. The sprint kiosks at the mall are downright trash, so id never ever consider using them.

This Blackberry Bold has to be the nicest phone I've ever used. I actually feel like the phone surpasses my ability to use it fully. Internet is about twice as fast compared to my Verizon curve (no joke, it loaded http://www.hardforum.com in about 12-14 seconds, thats using BOLT Browser). My phone using bolt took at least twice that on the same page.

Called my Dad on it after i got it. I dont think the phone had finished configuring itself or something, because it did drop one call, but it wasn't because i was out of service (had 5 bars on the highway i was on). Called about 5 more people, no issues, they all said i sounded great through it. Called my mom from the back of a supermarket where i could hardly use my verizon phone using the Bold, and she said i came in loud and clear with no breakups. mind you, I had only ONE BAR OF RECEPTION on the Bold, yet I sounded better than 3 bars on my verizon curve! Tmobile win

I'm going to stick with this and if I have any issues with service I'll take it back and drop them, otherwise my number is getting ported to tmobile and i'm done with verizon for a very long time

 

[tatteredpotato]

mind you, I had only ONE BAR OF RECEPTION on the Bold, yet I sounded better than 3 bars on my verizon curve! Tmobile win

Keep in mind that a "bar" is by no means an official unit... often times companies have their phones display more bars more often to make you think their network is better. Same goes for battery state... if you think you have more battery you'll be more likely to use the network.

Just keep in mind comparing bars of anything is a useless metric.

 

[AmongthechosenX]

Keep in mind that a "bar" is by no means an official unit... often times companies have their phones display more bars more often to make you think their network is better. Same goes for battery state... if you think you have more battery you'll be more likely to use the network.

Just keep in mind comparing bars of anything is a useless metric.

Ok then....

The internet performs much better on this phone. not sure if the actual device or the network, or both, but im very pleased so far