Wireless Provider or Phone?

[Ornery]

I get the impression most of our bling loving members are more concerned with form than function. I would generally follow the advice of Wireless Advisor, which places the phone itself pretty far down on the list of priorities:

The Six Steps of Shopping for a Wireless Service

1. Think about Where, How and When you will use your wireless phone.
2. Think about how much you want to spend each month for wireless service.
3. Determine which companies provide wireless service in your area.
4. Investigate each carrier's calling plans, rates, features and phones.
5. Match a plan to your needs and budget.
6. Sign-up for service.

Yeah well that's just me. I'm including a poll to see if I'm right about the ATOT opinion.

 

[RossMAN]

1) Wireless provider
2) Wireless phone

Why would you sign up for a suck ass provider just to have the coolest phone? Bad decision.

 

[vexingv]

i would agree w/ service. but then again i'm using a two-yr old nokia 3560 on a tdma plan w/ att, which is now cingular. if you're in it for the phone, i guess gsm phones/carriers offer the greatest flexibility. sucks that verizon, which many ppl believe has the best coverage/clarity, uses cdma

 

[FoBoT]

we are sticking with tmobile, we don't care about what phone/phone features. we normally just get the free phone

 

[Ornery]

Why would you sign up for a suck ass provider just to have the coolest phone?

That's why I made the poll. I'm hoping those folks will pipe up, but they'll probably just click the Phone answer, and slink off without saying anything.

 

[Ricemarine]

Get cingular.

 

[Ornery]

1. Cingular has the best coverage, eh?

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I get the impression most of our bling loving members are more concerned with form than function. I would generally follow the advice of Wireless Advisor, which places the phone itself pretty far down on the list of priorities:

The Six Steps of Shopping for a Wireless Service

1. Think about Where, How and When you will use your wireless phone.
2. Think about how much you want to spend each month for wireless service.
3. Determine which companies provide wireless service in your area.
4. Investigate each carrier's calling plans, rates, features and phones.
5. Match a plan to your needs and budget.
6. Sign-up for service.

Yeah well that's just me. I'm including a poll to see if I'm right about the ATOT opinion.

well, unless one lives in bumfsck, nowhere, numbers 1-3 are pretty useless. And it usually goes phone, then your choice of GSM carrier.

 

[Ornery]

...it usually goes phone, then...

You do have links to back that up, right? Otherwise everybody else seems to disagree.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

If using a phone is mission critical to you, then you need to have a good provider wherever you are.

Ok, so I evaluated a few ways.

1) My home
2) My apartment
3) Work
4) School

Got reception everywhere, so I stuck with Tmobile even though I know Verizon would give me better service.

Since I found out that all providers work for all 4 areas, my only concern is phone now. So thus I stick with TMobile because they give the best phone deals...

Cingular sucks. We all know that. T-Mobile would be a lot better (ESPECIALLY on the west coast).

 

[Ornery]

I evaluated a few ways.

1) My home
2) My apartment
3) Work
4) School

What about travel?

 

[dartworth]

That list is good for a first time buyer...

IMO all the big players offer very close service. I've personally used AT&T,Sprint, Alltel, Verizon, and Cingular. I have also used these in pretty much all the states east of the Mississippi. If you do live in or close to a major city or interstate, you will have excellent/decent coverage.

As far as plans go, they are all pretty close to each other in price and options.

Yes, some people are drawn to a carrier because of "cool" phones. But then again, some people just buy cars on looks alone.

 

[Ornery]

If you do live in or close to a major city or interstate, you will have excellent/decent coverage.

What about travel?

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Ornery
...it usually goes phone, then...

You do have links to back that up, right? Otherwise everybody else seems to disagree.

if you're looking for just a phone, then every carrier and every phone are pretty much the same thing. a few games, a crappy little screen, same plans +/- a bck or two, etc so it makes little difference.

There are however, some that stand out. I rather like my BB 7100. If anybody wants that, they have to get a GSM carrier.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: Ornery
If you do live in or close to a major city or interstate, you will have excellent/decent coverage.

What about travel?

Did you miss this part

I have also used these in pretty much all the states east of the Mississippi.

 

[Ornery]

I can see by coverage maps, that some providers are SEVERELY lacking, with no coverage at all in certain areas. If you happen to travel or visit friends or attractions in those areas, your phone is just useless baggage.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I can see by coverage maps, that some providers are SEVERELY lacking, with no coverage at all in certain areas. If you happen to travel or visit friends or attractions in those areas, your phone is just useless baggage.

I have yet to find an area were you can't find at least an analog signal...


I really don't understand where this is going. If you are out in the sticks and can't get a signal, more than likely you also pretty far away from a payphone and civilization itself...

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Honestly, if my phone can make calls and store numbers of people I'm satisfied with it, don't need or really want anything more. If I can pick, the smaller the phone (flip phone) the better, but again, I don't care too much about the phone itself. I want a good provider, good connection in my area, and a decent deal on the monthly plan.

 

[Ornery]

If you are out in the sticks and can't get a signal...

Happens all the time! Going through the mountains of WV is a bitch for one example I know of.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I can see by coverage maps, that some providers are SEVERELY lacking, with no coverage at all in certain areas. If you happen to travel or visit friends or attractions in those areas, your phone is just useless baggage.

all the places I would be interested in visiting have GSM coverage. if I am going say, hiking through the mountains, I wouldn't take my phone with me at all.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Ornery

I evaluated a few ways.

1) My home
2) My apartment
3) Work
4) School

What about travel?

Travel in the US? Well I travel to cities, so I figure most providers work there. I h aven't had problems in SoCal with TMobile, so that's fine... Driving down I5 from NorCal to SoCal doesnt have problems. We've always had reception along the way (even in the mountains)

Now if you're talking international travel, yes I have international phones anyways. 900/1800/1900 for my K750i and since it isn't a US phone its bands are supported worldwide, and so I don't have to worry about having 850 and no 900 (cuz only US has 850 and world uses 900). Plus I have a V600 (quadband) too and both phones are unlocked so I can take them worldwide.

I don't exactly enjoy paying for sim cards overseas anyways, but if I have to, my phones are set.

 

[Ornery]

Travel in the US?

That would be MY main concern, and we shoot down 77 through WV and in the mountains is exactly where your car may have trouble. Naturally when that happens, you'll whip out your phone to call for help and... NO SIGNAL! OMG, that would set me off like nothing else! :|

 

[OS]

I was going to say provider also but clearly you already had your mind made up.

 

[Ornery]

1. I think I made that clear in the OP... why yes, yes I did!

 

[Albis]

i choose phone over provider because in my area, all the providers have about the same signal strength