Cell phone providers

[Truckin4life]

Verizon all the way.
I have had Verizon for 3 years now.
When i used to travel the country for work. I NEVER lost reception.
I drove almost everywhere... But the only time i remember losing signal was between Wichita falls and Denver some where...

I am a big fan of Verizon. People say they hate them, but i like them.

 

[CaFordDude]

Well I went and held the BB Storm in my hands today. I fiddled around with the controls and functions.

I was a little dissapointed Best Buy had not botherd to run update and have the latest version of the software on it but I got a pretty good picture of it anyways.

The software itself does not seem to run as fast as my iphone, meaning switching from task to task but again that could be due to not having the latest software on it.

The touch screen is cool and the "pressing" of the touch screen to activate apps and what not is not an issue. To me it activated with little or no more pressure then I would normally touch the screen with anyways. Typing was a little different on it. I would say if you are a "power texter" meaning a profecient typer it might be harder to get used to but if you are a casual texter like myself I don't think it is going to be an issue.

Again my issue is not with my iphone, which I enjoy. My issue is with AT&T the service. I feel like I have been patient with them yet the service has not improved but actually gotten worse.

Anywho, I got a decision to make...

 

[polarbear]

update: I know someone who's a project manager for AT&T, and his group specializes in... you guessed it... service coverage. He wants to know your address, phone model, serial number and color of your SIM card. He wants to establish if the SIM card could be causing the issue (in some, that's the problem). pm me if you like, and I'll pass it along.

 

[Skandocious]

For what it's worth-- my service got REAL bad a few weeks ago. Lost all 3G coverage at my house (used to have 5 bars), and had barely any EDGE too, and it was like this for weeks. I had to stand in my driveway to make and receive phone calls. I finally called ATT and asked what the deal was on Friday (a week ago, yesterday). She said there were no reported outages so I said "I wanna report an outage". She thanked me and said that theres no way for them to know unless someone reports it.

I went away for the weekend and came back Sunday night-- had 5 bars of 3G again and I have had them ever since then. Not sure if my report made a difference but I guess anything's possible

 

[CaFordDude]

I agree Chris...been there reported that.

My coverage at my house has never what I would consider stellar but has always been adequate. I always got the speech, "We're putting in additional towers in your area anytime now. I drop no less then 5 calls a day to various people in my daily travels throughout Temecula and Murrieta.

And with information that AT&T actually let several tower leases expire to save money I am frustrated to say the least.

 

[polarbear]

Sent it Aaron.

 

[mSaLL150]

Verizon > AT&T.

My family used to all be on Verizon, calls would always be super clear...never dropped. Then both my brothers and my mom switched to AT&T to get the Iphone. Now calls to them are not as clear and drop every once in a while. Yet calls to my dad (who is still Verizon as well as myself) are still perfectly fine.

 

[CaFordDude]

Yeah I am pretty close to making the switch back to Verizon. AT&T is steadily declining and I am quickly getting fed up

 

[Blade]

I have AT&T laptop connect card, and I'm not a fan of it at all...

CONS: Connection cuts in and out, can't download big files (takes to long), slow speeds without the 3G network.

PRO'S: Works MOST of the time, is great when traveling, pretty good speeds in 3G network (I got to use it while traveling some this past year), simple to use.




I haven't really had problems with signal, but it is slow sometimes..


Parent's have had their cellphone through AT&T for a few years now, no complaints as of yet.



EDIT: this might have been a little off topic, but it's from my experience with the company.

u gotta think tho tyler, u live in the mountains where u dont get a lot of signal, same round where i live

side note, the reception in my area has picked up some, not sure if its cuz of my new phone or of more towers

 

[Skandocious]

Verizon > AT&T.

My family used to all be on Verizon, calls would always be super clear...never dropped. Then both my brothers and my mom switched to AT&T to get the Iphone. Now calls to them are not as clear and drop every once in a while. Yet calls to my dad (who is still Verizon as well as myself) are still perfectly fine.

Marc... You can't make a blanket statement and say that Verizon gets better reception EVERYWHERE... I'm assuming your family isn't moving to different cities and states on a weekly basis, so my assumption is that the majority of their calls are coming from 1 location, their home. That being that case-- it'd be more appropriate to state that Verizon reception AT THEIR HOUSE is better than AT&T. Perhaps Verizon DOES have better coverage than AT&T but your tests are inconclusive on that note...

 

[LEB Ben]

Marc... You can't make a blanket statement and say that Verizon gets better reception EVERYWHERE... I'm assuming your family isn't moving to different cities and states on a weekly basis, so my assumption is that the majority of their calls are coming from 1 location, their home. That being that case-- it'd be more appropriate to state that Verizon reception AT THEIR HOUSE is better than AT&T. Perhaps Verizon DOES have better coverage than AT&T but your tests are inconclusive on that note...

Good point, but going off what MY family members say, Verizon is awesome and better than AT&T from as far north as Michigan to as far south as Florida from the Mississippi to the coast...and that is with at least movement from state to state monthly. So over this way it is king at least.

 

[mSaLL150]

Marc... You can't make a blanket statement and say that Verizon gets better reception EVERYWHERE... I'm assuming your family isn't moving to different cities and states on a weekly basis, so my assumption is that the majority of their calls are coming from 1 location, their home. That being that case-- it'd be more appropriate to state that Verizon reception AT THEIR HOUSE is better than AT&T. Perhaps Verizon DOES have better coverage than AT&T but your tests are inconclusive on that note...

Meh, considering that Verizon provides better coverage at my parent's house in the Bay Area, at our Ranch in Lassen National Forrest, at my school in Davis, at my buddy's places in Tahoe and Carmel, Chico which i visit every month or so, many places up and down the Central Valley where I hunt, Trinity county which i visit during summer, lake Shasta AND up at Oregon when i visited there....that basically covers ALL of NorCal...so not exactly a blank statement.

 

[Skandocious]

Meh, considering that Verizon provides better coverage at my parent's house in the Bay Area, at our Ranch in Lassen National Forrest, at my school in Davis, at my buddy's places in Tahoe and Carmel, Chico which i visit every month or so, many places up and down the Central Valley where I hunt, Trinity county which i visit during summer, lake Shasta AND up at Oregon when i visited there....that basically covers ALL of NorCal...so not exactly a blank statement.

Well I haven't been to all of those places... But I have used my AT&T phone (with great reception I might add) all throughout the bay area (I grew up there), Davis, Tahoe, Carmel, and Chico. Since I get great coverage in those places, Verizon only TIES at best. I've not been to the other places so those are TBD (to be determined)

 

[smokey]

I use UScelluar
They have the best coverage in my area. They have good rates and all incoming calls,texts are free.

 

[CaFordDude]

Well my gut told me not to jump too fast and I'm glad I didn't. The Storm 2 is already in pre-production and there is rumor it might be June for it's release.

Although the more reliable talk is August.

No more click screen. I like my iphone but the damn cell service is so horrible I am about to blow my top. Guess I could wait till next year when Verizon gets the iphone also but I honestly don't think I can hold out that long...

 

[Skandocious]

Guess I could wait till next year when Verizon gets the iphone also but I honestly don't think I can hold out that long...

That's only a rumor, so don't bank on it; else you might be very disappointed after finding out (in a year from now) that they AREN'T bringing it to Verizon.

 

[CaFordDude]

Yeah I know it is only a rumor but I'm not counting on an iphone. I was always happy with my BB's before so I doubt I would switch back..iPhone would have to be significantly better.

I would give the rumor pretty good odds as being true though since vodafone owns verizon and already distributes the iPhone on their network in Europe.

 

[Skandocious]

Well don't blame the phone... Blame the service.

 

[CaFordDude]

I have never blamed the phone. I have always said I was happy with it. I have always said it was the service that was turning me off.

I would take it with me if I could. But two different networks.

 

[CaFordDude]

Ok well the saga continues and I am a little surprised at what I am seeing now.

As I have always said it is not the phone but the provider that has driven me nuts throughout this process.

Last week sometime I downloaded the new V3 software for my Iphone and it has made a world of difference in my quality of life as far as cell phones go. Reception has been MUCH BETTER then before (which was always my main *****. There have been some other misc improvements but the reception is the biggie for me.

I talked with ATT about new antenna's in the area expecting to get the normal "Were always working to improve service comment" but actually got an answer they they currently have a new antenna'a under construction just SE of me. I know it could all be a bunch of hooey but it sounded legit.

SOOO Now it has me considering a new 3Gs iphone.....