What Is Verizon Wireless?

[integlspwr]

Seen alot of ads in the sunday paper. Wanted know what are they, and whats so different about this wireless company?

Any comments would be great. THanks!

 

[Francodman]

i believe 3 wireless companies merged (one being GTE) and now they are called verizon wireless.

 

[Pete]

A poorly-named amalgam of BA Mobile, GTE, and AirTouch.

Veritas = truth (Latin).
Horizon = duh (English ).
Thus Verizon = true horizon. Yuck.

 

[sleepwalker]

I work for Verizon, we are the now the largest celluar company in the US with over 25 million customers. Its made up of primco, airtouch, bell atlantic, and GTE.

 

[Janus]

Perhaps a more pressing question - how is their service and coverage relative to the other cellular giants? I've had Sprint PCS for a few years now, and I just loath it (although some of the problems are likely due to shortcomings of digital service and lack of adequate rural coverage.)

I'd think that with the combination of all those companies, Verizon might actually be worth something as a cellular service. Plus their prices seem competitive (sans 2 year service agreement.) If it's not off topic, I'd enjoy hearing other's experiences with them thus far.

 

[Wingznut]

I've had AirTouch for a couple years now. And Verizon since their inception (3 months?). I haven't had a problem with their service or billing. I ought to mention that I have an analog phone.

Although, next week I'm going to get a new phone. I'm a bit curious (as well as naive) about the internet capabilities and cost-feasibility of cellular internet. Anybody with some cel-internet experiences to share? Or maybe some advice?

 

[sleepwalker]

The main problem with sprint is not there digital service but rather their decision to implement only digital service. Analog most likely still has the largest coverage area's in the country. Verizon sells dual and tri-mode phones which allows the customer to place calls on 800mhz Analog and CDMA digital, thus allowing the customer to use the phone just about anywhere. Our rates on our Single Rate plan is as low as it gets.

 

[sleepwalker]

Wingnut- the internet on the cell phone is pretty cool. You can use it to find movie listing, trade stocks, read the news, check sports highlights or even find an atm machine for you bank. Went to sacromento for the first time several weeks ago and found a hotel and movie in about five mintues.

 

[Pete]

Sleepwalker, just to clarify, I only dislike the name. I have no opinion on the service, as I've never used it, though I've heard BA is the best in NYC.

 

[Janus]

I do have a dual model Nokia phone for Sprint PCS, but as you said Sleepwalker, they haven't implemented a plan where you can use both analog and digital services within a service plan. It's great I can roam onto just about any analog service with my phone, but the costs quickly become prohibitive (in many cases exceeding $1 per minute!) Meanwhile my collegues with other cellular providers (I think AT&T as one) just use their phone anyplace and the minutes from their plans apply regardless of whether it's analog or digital service.

To Sprint's benefit, they have been a respectable effort towards covering many of the suburban and even some slight rural areas of Ohio, but it's not enough. Plus digital service in a building just stinks or doesn't work at all. Sometimes I swear I want to go back to analog where I never ever had all the problems!

I'd be willing to give Verizon a try (can't be any worse than what I've had/not had), but then what on earth do I do with my $200 Nokia phone, car adapter, and desktop charging base? I sort of hate throwing away nearly $300 like that!

 

[bonkers325]

on the east coast it is a long distance plan
mci world uses it
part of Ba too i think

 

[pmark]

Verizon is going to be Bell Atlantic's new name after the merger with GTE.

The wireless diversion just changed their name first.

 

[PCAddict]

Maybe with this merger will come some lower rates. I have my cell phone through Cellular One. I looked into Bell Atlantic Mobile, but their rates were way out of line. My father is a Bell Atlantic employee and he also has his cellular phone through Cellular One. Even with his employee discount, Bell Atlantic Mobile's rates were still higher for him than what he is getting from Cellular One. WTF is up with that?

 

[Aboroth]

In the latest 2600 I read that Verizon bought 706 domain names, like verizonblows.com and others.

Go to http://www.VerizonShouldSpendMoreTimeFixingItsNetworkAndLessMoneyOnLawyers.com

Read this:
http://www.verizonreallysucks.com/news/2000/0508.html

 

[Aboroth]

All phone companies are the same. I really hope that you know what I mean.

 

[PCAddict]

Those guys at 2600 crack me up. That's too funny. More power to them.