Is Verizon the only competent cell phone provider

[BeeR]

I decided to switch because their low-end plans suck ($40 for 450 mins?) and that is all I want because I don't use it much and wanted to save the $ for more important stuff that I really need, like beer. Also I don't want a contract as I fear being stuck with a POS company...but apparently I'll have to suck it up and get back to Verizon unless anyone has a well-kept secret of another company somewhere, as I have about maxed out the no-contract rack at Best Buy/etc and these companies would screw up a you-know-what. eg:

 

- Virgin Mobile. Ref my thread on this. Great plan ($20 for 400 mins) but they screwed up my billing, etc from Day 1 and tech spt is a joke. English not so goodly either.

- Cricket. I bought a phone, got online, and they said "sorry we aren't issuing any more numbers for your area at this time." wtph??

- Net10. The latest SNAFU, just bought today after returning the Cricket POS. Again got online to activate....and it turns out the serial # they provide already belongs to someone else. effing brilliant. And of course there's the even more brilliant "problems? Give us a call!" remark. Let's see, I just bought a phone and I can't activate it.......how do I call? Smoke signals?

 

 

There's TracFone but their plans suck worse than Verizon's. I even considered Jitterbug, but their phones start at $99 (?) and their plans also suck. So I guess I'm back to Verizon's just under 10 cents a min ballpark. yay.

 

If not for work I'd be tempted to say screw having a cell phone entirely.......but wondering/hoping maybe someone has come across something better (ie a no-contract thing)?

 

Too bad magic jack doesn't have a cell option

Edited May 17, 2012 by BeeR

[matt770]

AT&T is awesome. I get really solid coverage everywhere in the Atlanta metro and rarely a dropped call, except for at my house and anywhere within a 1-mile radius from here.

[BeeR]

Their plans also suck, at least re. low-end plans (in fact I didn't even see a low-end plan).

 

Update: NET10 just sent me a token email with a "thanks for registering online!" and gave a "Contact us online" if there are any problems. Here's the link, no joke:

 

http://www.spanish.net10.com/contact.jsp?nextPage=contact.jsp&task=contact

 

No other link given.

[Chief Dick]

Have had Verizon for 10+ years, and they have been solid the whole time. I know I can probably shop and save a few bucks, but it's worth the extra money every month not to have to worry about coverage.

 

My work makes me use an iPhone with AT&T, and nowhere near as good as Verizon.

[keggerz]

Verizon is an awesome company

[polksalet]

My 3g Nokia straight talk phone is the BOMB. Unlimited data, text, and talk for 45 a month and runs on AT&T towers.

[Hugh 0ne]

Verizon is an awesome company

 

 

Verizon sucks, but their cell network is far superior to everyone else.

[detlef]

Verizon is far and away the best network I've ever been on. Not even close

[Controller]

Verizon is far and away the best network I've ever been on. Not even close

 

 

Ditto for me. I just wish their pricing was a little more competitive.

[detlef]

Ditto for me. I just wish their pricing was a little more competitive.

 

Given how dramatically better the coverage is, I've just assumed that that's what it must cost for something that's not borderline useless like every other carrier I've used around here (At&T and Sprint). The whole, "you get what you pay for" deal.

[BeeR]

Ditto for me. I just wish their pricing was a little more competitive.

 

My point. You'd think there'd be a cheaper plan for those of us with minimal needs, but nooooooo

[detlef]

My point. You'd think there'd be a cheaper plan for those of us with minimal needs, but nooooooo

 

My guess is that the marginal cost of you talking a bit more is not that much, so it doesn't cost them that much to give you more minutes. Secondly, like I stated above, perhaps they just cost more because it actually does cost more to put up enough towers to make your network actually useful.

 

You put those two together, and it makes sense.

 

Think of it like anything else. You can buy a black and decker power drill for a lot less than a Dewalt, but you'd better not plan on driving screws into anything tough. Or, I suppose, you can bitch about why Dewalt costs more than Black & Decker, which seems sort of silly once you give in to the fact that it's a better tool.

[SEC=UGA]

T-mobile network sucks. THeir customer service and plans are pretty decent though. I Have unlimited minutes, unlimited data, texts, etc... $97 a month.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Sprint is cheaper for me. Had Verizon years ago with no issues. Sprint isn't bad but i wish theyd follow through and give me my SNICKERSing 4G I was promised soon when I bought the phone just about 2 yrs ago. Also isn't Sprint the only company left with unlimited innernets?

[delusions of grandeur]

Been with Verizon for years, and gotten service in places I never would have expected.

 

I actually still do a family share plan with my parents and brother, because it's actually cheaper than just getting a line by myself with another carrier (or at least with the deal we were able to work it is, not sure if it is normally)...

 

But the one concern I have is that they're going to be doing away with the unlimited data plans soon... So next time you hear someone say, "I don't need internet or cable, I can just stream videos from my 4G phone", kick them in the nuts, because they've ruined it for everyone.

[detlef]

Been with Verizon for years, and gotten service in places I never would have expected.

 

I actually still do a family share plan with my parents and brother, because it's actually cheaper than just getting a line by myself with another carrier (or at least with the deal we were able to work it is, not sure if it is normally)...

 

But the one concern I have is that they're going to be doing away with the unlimited data plans soon... So next time you hear someone say, "I don't need internet or cable, I can just stream videos from my 4G phone", kick them in the nuts, because they've ruined it for everyone.

 

Part of why I switched to Verizon in particular was that one of my employees was talking on his cell phone down in the basement of Dos Perros (which is where my office is). I was lucky to even get a signal upstairs with either AT&T or Sprint. But actually turned my phone to airplane mode when I was downstairs because all it did was drain the battery looking for a signal. Dude said he was on Verizon and said he'd never had a problem getting a signal down there (he was my bar manager and used to call in his orders from the storeroom). That was all I needed to hear.

[Clubfoothead]

Sprint.

[BeeR]

My guess is that the marginal cost of you talking a bit more is not that much, so it doesn't cost them that much to give you more minutes. Secondly, like I stated above, perhaps they just cost more because it actually does cost more to put up enough towers to make your network actually useful.

 

You put those two together, and it makes sense.

 

Think of it like anything else. You can buy a black and decker power drill for a lot less than a Dewalt, but you'd better not plan on driving screws into anything tough. Or, I suppose, you can bitch about why Dewalt costs more than Black & Decker, which seems sort of silly once you give in to the fact that it's a better tool.

 

Nope sorry not a valid comparison. I have yet to find a Black n Decker type (inexpensive) option is my point. Black n Decker drills work fine and cost a good bit less, just as you say not a top end kinda thing. I dno't want anything near top end either but there is no "low end" that I'm seeing. I'm happy paying more per minute for a cheaper plan, within reason. And it doesn't even have to work "great." I just want an inexpensive, basic phone with about oh a $20-30 (tops)/mo plan option. Have yet to find. Virgin Mobile was $20/mo for 400 mins, perfect, if only they were capable of proper billing and had tech support people with something somewhat more than a fast food brain. No such luck.

 

I didn't see no-contract Spint stuff but I'll double-check.......gotta go return the TWO other POS cell phones I bought that couldn't even give me a #.

[Big Country]

umm, their 450 min/$40month plan with no text/data IS their Black and Decker option.

 

Problem is you are searching for the black and decker option on a Mercedes lot, but want to pay Pinto prices for it. You can either settle for the Pinto service (which you've already claimed doesn't meet your needs) at the pinto price, or settle for a higher cost option from the Mercedes dealer that does meet/exceed your needs.

 

I would venture a guess that it is highly unprofitable, probably even a loss, for Verizon to even offer a smaller plan. Their overhead to provide customer service and capital expenses to maintain their network probably cost more than what you are looking to pay.

[buddahj]

Sprint.

 

+1

[MikesVikes]

About three corporate merges ago, Verizon was top of the line for customer service. They used to call me to tell me that the kids are texting quite a bit and that I might save a lot of money with a different texting plan and yes we would be glad to backdate that new plan back a month to save you the money on your recent billing statement.

 

Now it is a different story. I get the dear John message that they can't do that anymore.

[detlef]

Nope sorry not a valid comparison. I have yet to find a Black n Decker type (inexpensive) option is my point. Black n Decker drills work fine and cost a good bit less, just as you say not a top end kinda thing. I dno't want anything near top end either but there is no "low end" that I'm seeing. I'm happy paying more per minute for a cheaper plan, within reason. And it doesn't even have to work "great." I just want an inexpensive, basic phone with about oh a $20-30 (tops)/mo plan option. Have yet to find. Virgin Mobile was $20/mo for 400 mins, perfect, if only they were capable of proper billing and had tech support people with something somewhat more than a fast food brain. No such luck.

 

I didn't see no-contract Spint stuff but I'll double-check.......gotta go return the TWO other POS cell phones I bought that couldn't even give me a #.

 

You're confusing quality with quantity. My point is this. Well, at least out here and, by talking to others, other markets as well. If you want a phone that you can use anywhere, then you basically need to go with Verizon. That is what I would refer to as quality. But you have to pay for it, typically in the form of getting less minutes for the same price as a larger plan from, what I and others find to be, and inferior network. Perhaps, like BC says, the costs associated with operating a network that actually works everywhere, don't allow Verizon to offer entry level plans. I don't know why. Maybe they simply know they're better and realize that people will bite the bullet once they get tired of dicking around with crappy providers. Regardless, it is what it is.

 

However, if you had luck with the coverage of Sprint but just didn't like Virgin moblie that was using its network, try Boost. It was easy enough to set up automatic billing and the very few times I actually needed tech support, the were able to solve my issues. I just dropped them because the coverage was for chight and decided to bite the bullet and go with a phone/plan that cost more but was actually useful.

[polksalet]

I'm telling you people, the straight talk droids are the BOMB!!! Either Sprint or Verizon for coverage.

[polksalet]

You can buy the droid and keep it for a month for a test run. If it doesn't meet your needs just take it to wal-mart and tell them it didn't work for you. You'll only be out 45 plus tax for the 30 day service plan.

[BeeR]

Problem is you are searching for the black and decker option on a Mercedes lot, but want to pay Pinto prices for it.

 

Not sure I get the drills/cars mix, but no - to stay w/the car thing, I want a basic cheapie compact car - no GPS, no XM radio, no sunroof, not even freaking power locks or windows. But it gets me where I want to go with at least reasonable reliability. I'll even accept breaking down a bit more than the avg car.

 

You can either settle for the Pinto service

No, I can't. That's my point. I have yet to find a cheap option. This isn't about "I want to pay less but have the same frills/service/rates/minutes (etc)." The ones I have tried either couldn't keep my billing straight (a very basic expectation) or couldn't even give me a phone # to get out of the gate.

 

I would venture a guess that it is highly unprofitable, probably even a loss, for Verizon to even offer a smaller plan. Their overhead to provide customer service and capital expenses to maintain their network probably cost more than what you are looking to pay.

Apparently. Although others offer it - they just don't seem capable of actually providing it. Reminds me of that Seinfeld holding the car reservation thing.