Mobile Phones and Cellular Services

[kuphryn]

Hello,

I am planning to by a mobile phone and subscribe to a cellular service.

What are some of the best mobile phones (makes and models) today? I hear Nokia is best.

Who offers the best, most reliable celluar service? Price is not a problem given that the service is best. AT&T?

Where is a good place to buy find these mobile phone(s) and service(s)?

I know someone who went with Verizon. I think the phone is also made by Verizon. Either the phone is bad or the service is bad because there is heavy static when talking from long distance such as out-of-state (say Las Vegas to Los Angeles).

The reason I am asking this questions is because of the bad experience described above.

Thanks,

Kuphryn

[DozerLYP]

stay away from Sprint, they are a rip off...

[Direct1]

Originally posted by DozerLYP
stay away from Sprint, they are a rip off...

Why? I've used Sprint for nearly 5 years. The best voice quality in the business IMHO. They have some of the fastest (if not the fastest) Internet access too. With a $15 cable, I can connect a laptop to my phone and be on-line at around 150k. Way better than 56k modem.

I like Nextel too.

Good luck!

[Steve R Jones]

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthre...hreadid=161425

(from 04/19/04)
Just got this off Consumer Reports.com since I'm looking for a new phone. I selected Verizon a year ago or so based off of CR's reviews.


Best for Verizon:
These are List Prices. Verison has the VX6000 whick does Pics as low as $79.99 after rebate on a TWO service plan.

1 LG VX6000 $200
3 LG VX4400 $160
4 Motorola V60p $200
The LG’s (1, 3) are closely matched in performance and features. The Motorola (4) is Verizon’s only phone with push-to-talk. All three have a folding case.


Best for Sprint:
8 Samsung SPH-A460 SPH-A310 (Verizon) $100
10 Sanyo SCP-8100 $230
11 Nokia 3585i 3588i, 3589i (Verizon) $135
All performed well overall; battery life is their only shortcoming. The Samsung (8) and Nokia (11) have a monochrome display that’s usable in bright and dim light. The Sanyo (10) has slightly lower voice quality but includes a camera. Its color display washes out in bright light, we found.


Best for AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile:
12 Siemens S46 (AT&T) $100
15 Nokia 3595 (AT&T, Cingular, T-Mobile $40
21 Motorola V60i V60ti (AT&T, Cingular) $100
All three phones offer long battery life and talk time. The Siemens (12) uses GSM technology with TDMA as a backup, to help maximize coverage in AT&T’s networks (see GSM network troubles). The widely available Nokia (15) also has a backup system. If you’re signing on with AT&T or Cingular but don’t want a GSM phone, then the Motorola (21) is a good choice.


Service Providers (dallas area reviews) Verison is pretty much #1 in all major cites where they did their testing.

Overall satisfaction

Verizon 75
Sprint 68
Cingular 67
AT&T 66
T-Mobile 65

A good first choice for many people:

Verizon had fewer problems with service overall. It was among the best at providing service and having circuits available. Verizon customers who had a complaint were more likely than other carriers’ customers to describe the company’s response as very helpful.

[bushmaster]

Been using Verizon since they were Bell Atlantic. And for me I perfer the V60 series and I still use the V60i as it gets great reception. Even the tech's at Verizon agree the V60i was one of the better phones Verizon sold.
Also the coverage on Verizon seems to be more widespread.

[kuphryn]

Okay. Thanks.

I think AT&T is provides the best cellular service.

What is this news (or rumor) that Cingular ownes AT&T cellular service now?

Kuphryn

[Vampiel]

Just to let you know AT&T has the worst customer satisfaction out of all the major service providers. (this has been confirmed by multiple sources, not just this link)
http://www.vocalabs.com/pressrelease/pr19.html


Cingular is buying out AT&T
http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/02/...ess/index.html

Sprint uses the newest tech in there phones, making them the clearest, Verizon has the largest coverage network in the US. AT&T and Cingular trail those two companies in everything for the most part of the US. It really depends on your specific area though.

[DozerLYP]

i have T-Mobile with 3000 min. anytime for $49 + $20 for unlimited internet access. i work in a night club and nobody as reception in there, but i still have 3 bars.
and i have a kick*** phone too, witch i heard a lot of people complaining about it's pour reception... they where probably using Sprint. witch i had befor and had no reception in the club ether...

here's my phone http://www.handspring.com/products/c...00_specs.jhtml

[kuphryn]

I found out more information from the person I mentioned whose mobile phone and service is really bad.

Model: LG
Service: Verizon

I hear very good response for Verizon. So I think the main problem is the LG mobile phone. It is no good!

I will go with Verizon or Cingular service and definitely Nokia phone. Nokia seems simple and works great.

Kuphryn

[Vampiel]

Just remember, it's really area specific. It very would could be the LG phone (or it could be Verizon doesnt have good coverage in your area) b/c the quality varies from phone to phone as far as signal reception.

Here's an easy tip before you decide on a phone that will save you the headache of having poor reception b/c of a bad phone. Goto a Verizon dealer (Radio Shack sells them, or an actual Verizon store, there are plenty of places). Ask to look at a few of the phones you are interested in, and even some that you are not. Turn them all on and look at the signal meter and compare them. Usually you are going to have a few with about the same signal, and a few with about the same very weak signal. Obviously stay away from the ones with a weak signal. Ask the rep. if you can look at how many bars his phone has.

If they all have a high signal go to another dealer b/c that prob. means you are right next to a cell tower and cant get a good gauge of what phone gets the best signal reception. Theres always going to be a few bad apples in the group.

As far as cell phone maps, thats just an estimate. Except sprint, they have actual coverage maps b/c of the tech. there cell towers use can gauge it pretty well (minus some dead areas).

[kuphryn]

Okay. Thanks.

I'm going with Verizon and Nokia.

Although, I hear that Nokia phones do not work well with CDMA. CDMA is supposed to be the best and is supported by Verizon.

Kuphryn