Cell Phones - Sprint vs T-Mobile vs Everyone

[BrandonTO416]

This week I got a new cell phone, after shopping online for many hours I decided to go with T-Mobile. Mostly because they offered a very attractive package even if the coverage is not as good as other companies.

I got the $39.99/month plan for 600 anytime minutes and unlimited nights and weekends. Pile on top of that very cheap AIM usage, it was just irresistible.

To startup the account and get a phone, there was a great deal online. I printed off an offer on the Samsung X105 phone from http://www.tmobile.com/ and they gave me the phone for free; went to http://www.tmobilerebates.com/ and printed off a rebate and hopefully will be getting $75 in a few months. So basically that negates the first month's fees plus a $35 startup charge. Only time will tell if this actually pans out - but its far better then any cell phone offer I've looked into before. I'm really impressed /w them so far. A free phone (not a cheesy one, either), and a $75 rebate pretty much gives me the first month of service for free.

Also - I am a fan of GSM technology even though coverage isn't as good as CDMA in the USA.

Back in 2001 I bought a Cricket phone when in Memphis using it as a substitute for a real phone - that worked okay as a local phone, but wasn't enough for my travels. So I went with SprintPCS back in November 2001. Sprint was fine - only problem being that they charged pretty high rates for some of the most basic of services. Getting on AIM cost an arm and a leg, and I kept getting $90/month bills for never going over my time limits.

Since then, I cancelled Sprint the following year (2002) and didn't bother /w cell phones until now. I've had friends /w Verizon who have horror stories about billing, not only one case - three different people. AT&T apparently charges an arm and a leg for roaming, which is not good considering they are GSM - besides Cingular is buying them out.

I singled out my choices to Cingular (very attractive rollover plans/rates/coverage), T-Mobile (more minutes for the same price + no roaming fees and low cost messaging) in the end. Hopefully this will have been a great choice - so far I'm impressed.

So what do you guys use? What do you think on the cell phone/service wars?

[monsoon]

[Guest donaltopablo]

I've had most of the major services, TMobile, Verizon, AT&T, Nextel, and Cingular. TMobile had the worst coverage area, and consistent billing problems (I understand they are better). Cingular had good coverage, but until their recent plan of no roaming charges, they were OUTRAGEOUS with roaming fees. AT&T service area was horrible. Nextel is a great phone if you have coverage, because of their unique technology, no roaming is available. However, Nextel does have International GSM models that will work in most major foreign countries without sim card swapping to a carrier in that country. I've been very pleased so far with Verizon, 2+ years. Some billing issues (mostly involving them crediting payments properly to my account), but I've never been on the phone with their customer service more than 15 minutes total to resolve an issue. I've spent longer than that on hold with some companies.

[BrandonTO416]

The only big negative /w T-Mobile I've found thus far is the incoming text message fee of 5 cents (first 50 are free). How do you turn it off? I don't want a text message every time I miss a call.

[Neo]

I've been with Cingular for a looong time. I was with Alltel for a year or so, back with they offered 15 minute plans for around $35. I've had this phone since it debuted about a year ago.

[BrandonTO416]

Has it been a good phone for you? It was one of the options I had, but decided to go with the Samsung X105. The phone is really nice, and the $75 rebate was too attractive. They gave the phone to me for free, then I got a $75 rebate so basically my first month is free.

Maybe that's why I've been impressed /w T-Mobile so far.

[Neo]

Yeah, it's been great. It was the top of the line phone Cingular offered when I got it. Sony Ericsson has a new phone out now called the P900 (pic below) that's more PDA like. I've always used Motorola and Nokia and the T616 was my first Sony Ericsson and I've been quite happy with it. I'd buy the brand again.