Changing cell company?

kjburns wrote:
Before you make a change, check the coverage map to make sure it will be adequate. For example, in the areas I visit, AT&T often shows coverage until you zoom in and it's really "partner 3G". Sprint and T Mobile are completely inadequate in these areas.

Ditto X10!

I was going to change to T-Mobile.
First look at coverage map looked ok.

BUT when you do the zoom with your address or location you will see MANY wide spread completely NO, ZIP, ZERO coverage blank areas.

Their coverage map on their site is TOTALLY DECEIVING.

IMHO don't buy ANY service until you use the zoom function first.

AT&T is decent, but be prepared to pay dearly if you use some significant bandwidth. I like AT&T over Verizon because of GSM. I can buy an unlocked phone, drop a SIM card in, call it done. With Sprint or Verizon, last time I checked, they will not let any devices on their networks that were not purchased through them.

T-Mobile is similar to AT&T... A unlocked GSM phone will work, assuming it has the right frequency bands in its radio.

UsualSuspect wrote:
If you are looking at switching companies, do not port your numbers over until you know the carrier works for you. They do not tell you this, but you can port your number over anytime. T-Mobile while cheap, has zero coverage at the house, same with Verizon, no service. I tried an AT&T phone and it did not work at my parents. I ended up where I never thought I would be, with Sprint. Don't go by their coverage maps, all 4 of them say I have excellent coverage with their service, which I do not. They work where I go, so they work for me. My DD uses Verizon, Sprint is just ok around where she is. All the major carriers have a 14 day window to test it out, just remember the 1 st day is the day you pick up the phone, if it does not work for you within a few days, take it back, pay for the days you used it, and a $35 fee and walk to the next carrier. Do not fall for the port your number now, they just want to trap you in a contract.

Verizon may not work in your house. But it has the best nationwide coverage, and it works at my house!!! AT&T does not work in my house, but works in the back yard.

Before you make a change, check the coverage map to make sure it will be adequate. For example, in the areas I visit, AT&T often shows coverage until you zoom in and it's really "partner 3G". Sprint and T Mobile are completely inadequate in these areas.

If you are looking at switching companies, do not port your numbers over until you know the carrier works for you. They do not tell you this, but you can port your number over anytime. T-Mobile while cheap, has zero coverage at the house, same with Verizon, no service. I tried an AT&T phone and it did not work at my parents. I ended up where I never thought I would be, with Sprint. Don't go by their coverage maps, all 4 of them say I have excellent coverage with their service, which I do not. They work where I go, so they work for me. My DD uses Verizon, Sprint is just ok around where she is. All the major carriers have a 14 day window to test it out, just remember the 1 st day is the day you pick up the phone, if it does not work for you within a few days, take it back, pay for the days you used it, and a $35 fee and walk to the next carrier. Do not fall for the port your number now, they just want to trap you in a contract.

Check out Page Plus Cellular. No contract required and it uses the Verizon network. You have to supply your own phone and they only have 3G. Service has been excellent. But no support for the phone! I use Kitty Wireless as a retailer to purchase my monthly plan and pay on their auto pay program. There are a few places on the Verizon system which are roaming, but not many. You can see the coverage map on both sites.

With T Mobile you have the option of either teathering or using phone as wifi hot spot, both at no additional charge. I also have no contact plan with them.

No company other than Verizon gives tethering at no charge. And Verizon only does it because the FCC forces them to. At one point it was thought that the FCC decision would apply to the other carriers but no one has brought a test case to make that so.

I am on T Mobile on their no contract plan and they do charge for tethering. You can, however, use an app like FoxFi to tether (which hides itself from the carrier) and while some carriers block that app, T Mobile so far has not.

donn0128 wrote:
We went with Verizon Home Phone Connect, two smart phones and a MI-FI. Our smart phones also have tethering capabilities, but no longer use it because of the MI-FI. Not cheap, but we have hosted in places where the only service was Verizon.

We currently have a MI-FI and liked it at first, but we have been going over on our 5G. We have to stay with it until March, then we'll look for something different.

TravelTracer

You might wish to check with T-Mobile.. In a recent poll of Cell Phone customers they placed 2nd (Verizon is number 1) edging out AT&T at 3rd place and all the others below that.

T-Mobile is yammering about "No contracts, No contracts" all over the media. And they do allow tethering at least on some phones and plans.. IF I were not in a park with Wi-FI.. This message would prove it.

(I am in a park with variable Wi-Fi, Park full, crappy, park is a long way from full, Wifi antenna is on a short tower.. If the short tower falls over.. Well.. Let's just say I might suffer damage (Ok, not that close but Well, it is DIRECTLY across the drive.)