old cell phone contract ending - what do you do? [Archive]

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01-13-10, 09:55 PM

Old 2 yr contract with Att&T is ending. $78bucks (wife and I)
Plain cell NOTHING !
(except never paid over the 1500 minutes + roll over

I want same voice - bla bla bla
but add 3G - googling

New set up would be
Desired is if at the same time while I'm on the phone I could google.
Don't at this point need video (3-4G) but would be nice...

I know.... DEVICE + service is the key
I'm one to pay for a great device up front and low monthly

let's see
At&t
T-Mobile
Verizon
Sprint? or something

Any comments?

OW

Sean Malone

01-13-10, 11:09 PM

Just switched back over to Verizon last month at the end of our 2 year T-Mobile contract. Didn't really want to, but Verizon's crappy customer service won out over T-Mobile crappy coverage. Verizon's family plan prices were better also. Tip = go through Best Buy for the contract setup and get waaaaay better prices on the phones.

As for 3G... there are smart phones...i.e. iPhone, DROID etc where a data package is mandatory (at least with Verizon and T-Mobile) and then there are 3G pseudo smart phones like the Chocolate Touch (favorite name for a phone ever!!!!) that can browse 3G with per minute charges or with data packages. My wife and daughter have the Chocolate Touch (giggle) and love them.

nrc

01-14-10, 01:41 AM

When Verizon adds the Palm Pre later this month it may convince me to become an annoying phone nerd. :gomer: The Droid Eris also looks very nice for the price.

We've been Verizon basically forever. Coverage really trumps everything as far as I'm concerned. Without coverage you're carrying a paperweight. Or as one of my co-workers used to say, "If I can't use it, it's of no use to me."

oddlycalm

01-14-10, 04:54 AM

Verizon for me since back when it was Airtouch. Around here they have the best coverage and haven't screwed up the billing yet. Way back before that I had a short AT&T experience that was unacceptable in every regard.

oc

WickerBill

01-14-10, 10:48 AM

Go browse the web in-store like you would if you owned the device. Browsing is VASTLY different from phone to phone. Find what you like. Your only caveat will be hoping the phone you like is on the carrier you want.

AT&T beats the pants off of Verizon on the south side of Indy; vice versa on the northside. So carrier quality is largely location-based.

Indy

01-14-10, 12:58 PM

dando

01-14-10, 01:02 PM

Nexus One (Google) was announced last week (google.com/phone). It's available for T-Mobile now and soon on Verizon. A wireless phone geek friend of mine switched after being an iPhone user and then a G1 user. I saw a cost comparison b/w the Nexus One, iPhone and Droid, and the Nexus One was WAY cheaper over the long run.

-Kevin

KLang

01-14-10, 01:29 PM

The iPhone is an amazing device. I'm pretty happy with it. My wife recently switched to the droid from a blackberry. It is pretty impressive as well.

As noted above, how bad a particular carrier sucks varies highly with your location.

TravelGal

01-14-10, 01:30 PM

If you ever plan to make any international trips, check out which carrier has a reasonably priced international plan. AT&T for example has World Traveler that is only $5.99 a month last I checked. You can keep your own phone number and no need to swap SIM cards when you're overseas. There can still be some hefty roaming charges but some folks like the convenience.

As a TravelGal, I know this but am still looking for a "real" cell phone carrier for the US. I want wifi that connects (tethers?) to a computer so that I can drop the internet section of TravelMom's cable bill and use my own. This does exist, right?

extramundane

01-14-10, 01:51 PM

IMO, the iPhone is worth doing business with the dreaded AT&T. It truly is an astounding piece of technology. It is so good, you will pay more for less coverage and still be thrilled to do it.

That being said, when Verizon gets it (rumored to be in a few years) I will switch in a heartbeat.

The iPhone itself is great, but I'm not sure that it's any greater than some of the other products coming out now. My AT&T/iPhone contract ends this fall and it may be a tossup between continuing with them or going for the Google Nexus/Verizon option.

I want wifi that connects (tethers?) to a computer so that I can drop the internet section of TravelMom's cable bill and use my own. This does exist, right?

I think every major carrier has at least one phone that can be tethered. However, the last time I looked, not many accessed the 3G networks.

SteveH

01-14-10, 01:52 PM

Boost :tony:

Napoleon

01-14-10, 01:57 PM

Or as one of my co-workers used to say, "If I can't use it, it's of no use to me."

Cool, you use to work with Yogi Berra.

WickerBill

01-14-10, 02:16 PM

dando

01-14-10, 02:41 PM

The Nexus One is suffering from some pretty nasty teething problems... if I had to buy today I'd buy the Droid. It's heavier, which I like, has a slide out keyboard, and slightly better resolution than the Nexus.

Mostly complaints about lack of service through a retailer and spotty 3G problems (which the iPhone is notorious for as well - there's a map for that ;)).

-Kevin

JLMannin

01-14-10, 11:08 PM

IMO, the iPhone is worth doing business with the dreaded AT&T. It truly is an astounding piece of technology. It is so good, you will pay more for less coverage and still be thrilled to do it.

That being said, when Verizon gets it (rumored to be in a few years) I will switch in a heartbeat.

I agree that the iPhone is great, but I vehemently disagree that it is worth doing business with the dreaded AT&T to get one.

I refuse to do business with AT&T - I have never had an experience with them where they did not fumble something. Their business service sucks even more than their consumer business, and that is saying a lot.

If you want the iPhone experience sans the phone, get an iPod Touch.

Indy

01-15-10, 01:32 AM

If you want the iPhone experience sans the phone, get an iPod Touch.

I may do that when I am out of contract. I could get a :yuck:Boost:yuck: phone and a Touch and save $100/month. But then I would be tied to WiFi for the iPod, right (no 3G)?

ferrarigod

01-15-10, 01:47 AM

Boost :tony:

thats not anything to laugh at since jan 13th. on that day boost left iden network for the first time by offering the blackberry. the blackberry 8330 sold is flat rate $60 including all taxes for unlimited data/minutes/text and blackberry mail service.

best part is since it is a blackberry it has to run on cdma, it forces them to put the phone on Sprint all of the time. And when sprint isn't there, the backup network for Sprint is Verizon.

Win-Win situation to me.

if you have a family plan and want blackberry's, i wouldn't go with verizon. we're paying out of the ass currently. if i could i would get the unlimited Sprint family plan(not boost). if i was by myself I'd go boost with the blackberry 8330 on sprint(backup verizon) on cdma.

Robstar

01-15-10, 01:50 AM

iPhone & unlock it so you don't have to use AT&T... easy...

extramundane

01-15-10, 10:18 AM

iPhone & unlock it so you don't have to use AT&T... easy...

That's great in theory, except that you're pretty much limited to T-Mobile as an alternative carrier.

http://www.lechatnoirboutique.com/prodimages/Coffee%20Mug%20-%20Far%20Side%20Damned%20if%20You%20Do%20Dont.jpg

Sean Malone

01-15-10, 11:25 AM

iPhone & unlock it so you don't have to use AT&T... easy...

and supposedly it opens up the iPhone to virus's.

Robstar

01-15-10, 02:55 PM

and supposedly it opens up the iPhone to virus's.

Showing your age now mate :)
They're cool & they ****ing work...
Do what you gotta do...

chop456

01-15-10, 02:59 PM

As noted above, how bad a particular carrier sucks varies highly with your location.

I'm located in the US and AT&T sucks pretty much everywhere I go - including my back yard where I can actually see an AT&T tower. Sucked with 2 different Motorolas, sucked with 2 different Nokias and sucks just slightly less with the wife's iPhone.

extramundane

01-15-10, 03:10 PM

I'm located in the US and AT&T sucks pretty much everywhere I go - including my back yard where I can actually see an AT&T tower. Sucked with 2 different Motorolas, sucked with 2 different Nokias and sucks just slightly less with the wife's iPhone.

If you really want to put the suckage in perspective, take the iPhone overseas. Something about standing in a field in the northern English countryside using full 3G data will make you hate AT&T even more.

TrueBrit

01-15-10, 03:11 PM

Something about standing in a field in the northern English countryside using full 3G data will make you hate AT&T even more. ..with the added benefit of impressing the local sheep... :-D

TrueBrit

01-15-10, 03:12 PM

Napoleon

01-15-10, 04:00 PM

If you really want to put the suckage in perspective, take the iPhone overseas. Something about standing in a field in the northern English countryside using full 3G data will make you hate AT&T even more.

I think most people in the USA have no idea of how far behind our wireless and Internet (ie, broadband) is then huge chunks of the outside world (even though my understanding is that it is more expensive here). Heck in a lot of ways the cell phone system in many African countries is ahead of here (my understanding is that it is fairly typical that you can bank from any phone in many countries there).

dando

01-15-10, 04:08 PM

oddlycalm

01-15-10, 04:16 PM

..with the added benefit of impressing the local sheep... :-D

I have it on good authority that sheep are easily impressed. :gomer:

oc

dando

01-15-10, 04:26 PM

I know from personal experience that sheep are easily impressed. :gomer:

Fixerated. :D

-Kevin

Gnam

01-15-10, 04:50 PM

oddlycalm

01-15-10, 04:54 PM

I think most people in the USA have no idea of how far behind our wireless and Internet (ie, broadband) is

It's true. Since the FCC surrendered it's testicles we've seen progress on everything from HDTV, broadband and cell phones grind to dead slow. Competing standards, uncertainty and free rein to the commercial sector simply hasn't worked. Our little experiment with laissez faire is off track, firmly mired in the gravel trap and we are getting lapped by the rest of the field.

In the middle of the last century the US took the leadership role in establishing standards, conventions and protocals. Now we allow the standards to be dictated to us from competing economies and commercial entities and it looks a lot more like the third world than the US I remember. How is this better and what did we get in return...?

oc

Napoleon

01-15-10, 04:56 PM

How is this better and what did we get in return...?

It isn't, and nothing.

This was another edition of simple answers to simple questions.

dando

01-15-10, 05:23 PM

How is this better and what did we get in return...?

oc

Cheaper is better. :saywhat: :shakehead

-Kevin

TrueBrit

01-15-10, 06:00 PM

I have it on good authority that sheep are easily impressed. :gomer:

oc

Especially the ones in the north of england...;)

Cam

01-15-10, 08:17 PM

and supposedly it opens up the iPhone to virus's.

That would be jailbreaking. Not unlocking from the carrier. :gomer:

Indy

01-15-10, 08:18 PM

How is this better and what did we get in return...?

Well, if you are a big corporation, it is better now that you have realized that it is cheaper to buy whole political parties to protect your market than it is to actually be competitive. And what we got in return is the spiritual death of our republic, a rapid economic decline, and a corrupt, cynical population.

U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Cam

01-15-10, 08:19 PM

Fixerated. :D

-Kevin

:flame:

/me not a K1.

:lame:

nrc

01-15-10, 10:07 PM

I think most people in the USA have no idea of how far behind our wireless and Internet (ie, broadband) is then huge chunks of the outside world (even though my understanding is that it is more expensive here). Heck in a lot of ways the cell phone system in many African countries is ahead of here (my understanding is that it is fairly typical that you can bank from any phone in many countries there).
It's not surprising that some countries with higher population density and newer networks have better cell networks.

The U.S. cell network was mostly built out in the 90s. The build out pretty much ground to a crawl when the tech bubble burst. Carriers have been slow to upgrade since that time because there has been very little demand for 3G services in the U.S. That changed with the smart phone explosion that the iPhone has sparked.

Sean Malone

01-15-10, 10:57 PM

That would be jailbreaking. Not unlocking from the carrier. :gomer:

I don't know Apple speak...so what you just wrote is meaningless to me. :gomer:

dando

01-16-10, 11:32 AM

It's not surprising that some countries with higher population density and newer networks have better cell networks.

The U.S. cell network was mostly built out in the 90s. The build out pretty much ground to a crawl when the tech bubble burst. Carriers have been slow to upgrade since that time because there has been very little demand for 3G services in the U.S. That changed with the smart phone explosion that the iPhone has sparked.

Also important to note that the US networks were assembled by a large number of smaller cell providers over the 80s and 90s. Integrating those networks into larger networks was problematic as well, which also affected the quality.

-Kevin

oddlycalm

01-16-10, 05:30 PM

Also important to note that the US networks were assembled by a large number of smaller cell providers over the 80s and 90s. Integrating those networks into larger networks was problematic as well, which also affected the quality.
Exactly right, which is why having standards in place would have helped. It's not just that other countries have higher population densities, it's that they mandated a specific standard instead of letting the commercial sector build redundant networks with incompatible technical standards.

oc

01-17-10, 12:02 PM

Back to personal experiences solicitation - not geo-poli-statements - this thread was very helpful. (early up)

I do know it depnds on coverage...

I did research and leaning toward T-moble/Droid combo (kindof value versus ipod/Att socalled prestege) (I will ask about the iPod unlock/T-Mobile combo)

We did see Cricket commercials and Internet researched as well.. looked very "5 years ago" with nickle dime service selections about roaming options. I havent had to worry about that for 2 years)

ANYWAY:
We are going to the T-mobile store this morning.... (no commitment in mind)
I will mention the NEXUS and iPod

Thank you all............ for your comments..
Will feed back

OW

extramundane

01-17-10, 01:14 PM

(I will ask about the iPod unlock/T-Mobile combo)

Don't bother asking anyone other than the internet, as this is a VERY unofficial and totally unsupported situation.

dando

01-17-10, 01:28 PM

Don't bother asking anyone other than the internet, as this is a VERY unofficial and totally unsupported situation.

Aye. It's a hack and violates the terms of the iPhone user agreement.

-Kevin

chop456

01-18-10, 12:07 AM

OW - FWIW, we had T-Mobile service for our old work phones and coverage in/around downtown Chicago was spotty, at best. Sometimes non-existent.

Napoleon

01-19-10, 11:21 AM

It's not surprising that some countries with higher population density . . . .have better cell networks.

That reason has been repeatedly and completely debunked in the past and really is nothing more then a political talking point pushed by some (I am not saying you are doing that, but the people who came up with it have political reasons to push the false narrative).

"Contrary to perceptions in the United States, there is extensive evidence to support the position, adopted almost universally by other advanced economies, that open access policies, where undertaken with serious regulatory engagement, contributed to broadband penetration, capacity, and affordability in the first generation of broadband," (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/10/us-internet-is-slow-expensiveand-the-fcc-has-proof.ars)

I have seen the exact same type of thing regarding cell phone networks in the past.

The biggest fallacy behind the population density argument is that people are not spread around the country evenly. France’s population density would drop to if you appended Algeria to it but its broad band speeds and effective cell phone penetration would not drop because the French wouldn’t move into the middle of the Algerian desert, just like most Americans choice not to live in the big vacant parts of America like the Dakotas or Death Valley that are appended to the urban sections of the county that contain over 80% of the US population. Just look at the first picture below and imagine that to get proper coverage you need to wire the same places the electric company wired. The second picture is population density in this country. People really are crammed into small parts of the country which have every bit the population density that other countries have, and certainly far more then sufficient to support a world class cell network and broadband, which this country currently does not have.

http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/images/Earth/apodusni.gif

http://christiantom.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/usa-2000-population-density.gif

By the way the newest numbers out show us falling behind the Czechs and Romanians in broadband speed and are now 18th in the world. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10434930-94.html)

Break out the big foam “we’re number one” finger and chant of USA – USA - USA

dando

01-19-10, 12:30 PM

Nappy, I don't think the issue here is coverage, it's the quality (or in the case of the USA, kwality) due to the lack of a single standard. When I was in Frankfurt in 8/07, I called home on my boss' crackberry...the call far surpassed the quality of any cell call I've ever made in the US. It was as clear as a land line if not clearer. And for broadband access, as silly as the Verizon/AT&T pissing contest is, it's quite true...Verizon 3G far surpasses AT&T's 3G/EDGE. It's pretty sad that WiFi is preferred over EDGE.

-Kevin

dando

01-19-10, 12:32 PM

OW, let me know what you decided. I'm always interested in people's cell phone choices despite being a pay as you go user, but fence sitter on getting a smartphone. I just can't justify ~$75/mo. for a phone and data plan since I don't travel as much any more. :thumbup:

-Kevin

Napoleon

01-19-10, 12:38 PM

Nappy, I don't think the issue here is coverage, it's the quality (or in the case of the USA, kwality) due to the lack of a single standard.

I agree, but in both the case of cell phones and broadband the excuse that is floated in some precints to explain why quality is bad compared to Europe and Asia because the US has a lower population densitiy, which is a total red herring. But the reason that red herring is floated is to keep people looking at exactly what causes the problem, and at heart it is the regulatory stance the government takes (which is one reason there is not a single standard).

dando

01-19-10, 12:45 PM

I agree, but in both the case of cell phones and broadband the excuse that is floated in some precints to explain why quality is bad compared to Europe and Asia because the US has a lower population densitiy, which is a total red herring. But the reason that red herring is floated is to keep people looking at exactly what causes the problem, and at heart it is the regulatory stance the government takes (which is one reason there is not a single standard).

Sadly the root of the issue goes back to the days of the AT&T breakup, which resulted in the disparate networks that have resulted in the RBOCS, and then the current mini-monopolies of SBC....errr, AT&T, Verizon, etc. :irked: :saywhat:

-Kevin

01-19-10, 09:43 PM

http://www.letstalk.com/htc-touch-pro-2-tmobile

I couldn't resist......

My eyes are old, I trialed touch only virtual keypad - after 1 day I decided to rid the no keyboard and splurge on the HTC Tilt and get a real keyboard.

Its big but not bad....
A computer that thinks its a phone.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn all carriers support it.

Ended up with no contract T-moble..

nrc

01-19-10, 09:54 PM

That reason has been repeatedly and completely debunked in the past and really is nothing more then a political talking point pushed by some (I am not saying you are doing that, but the people who came up with it have political reasons to push the false narrative).

And here I thought I had some worthwhile insights from nearly 20 years in the telecom industry. Whatever.

WickerBill

01-24-10, 08:52 PM

Rumor has it that the iPhone will be available on other carriers starting Wednesday.

nissan gtp

01-24-10, 09:32 PM

Rumor has it that the iPhone will be available on other carriers starting Wednesday.

We'll see. If Verizon gets it, I may try one. :\