Cellular providers

[Jacob M.]

At the moment I'm trying to figure out which cell phone provider to go with. The old plan with US Cellular is expiring and I'm looking to go another route. Basically I need the ability to talk and text. However, I don't want to pay a fortune for that privilege. At the moment I'm leaning towards Boost. Unlimited talk, text, and web for $50 a month and no contract. According to their map the Tulsa area seems to be fairly well covered. Reality could be far different. Virgin is also a possibility. It's owned by the same company as Boost (Sprint). There's also Cricket. If I want to go the giant cell company route I could go with AT&T/T-Mobile or Verizon. Their plans are usually a bit higher.

 

Really not sure what route to go and I need to find something in the near future.

[HERBROCKS]

I've only used two, POCKET which I liked and was taken over by CRICKET which I hate...

[heavyharmonies]

I was with Sprint for 7+ years and walked away in December. I went the Virgin Mobile route. No contract, you buy the phone, jump ship any time you want. You can even vary your plan month to month, depending on anticipated usage.

 

How much of a talker are you? I'm not, so I wanted to get by with the cheapest plan possible.

 

I've got 300 minutes + unlimited texts + unlimited Internet for $25/month + tax (net $26.88/month). They have a 1200-minute plan for $40/month and unlimited for $60/month.

 

VM uses Sprint's network. The phone I'm using is an LG Optimus V (Android 2.2).

 

-Dan

[Evil Rick]

It sounds like Virgin Mobile would definitely be the way for you to go Jacob, just be sure of the coverage in your area because Sprint can be really bad in some places. AT&T just arrived in South Dakota and bought out the Alltel provider here and everyone that got switched to it absolutely hate it. Constant problem with dropped calls. I've had Verizon for almost 10 years and would never switch.

[Jacob M.]

I talked to the Sprint people a couple days ago. The guy wasn't too big on Boost or Virgin. He told me that with those services you can only get reception where there are Sprint towers. If you never go anywhere that would be fine. There's always the possibility that I could find myself in an area with no reception. I'm not sure if it's worth taking that risk.

[heavyharmonies]

I talked to the Sprint people a couple days ago. The guy wasn't too big on Boost or Virgin.

 

Well DUH!

 

When's the last time you heard a salesdweeb NOT talk down their competitors? And if you're talking to a vendor that sells all providors (like Radio Shack), they are going to push you away from the no-contract providors because they make more commission on Sprint/Verizon/AT&T/T-Mobile sales than Virgin Mobile/Boost/Cricket/Tracphone/etc.

 

 

He told me that with those services you can only get reception where there are Sprint towers. If you never go anywhere that would be fine. There's always the possibility that I could find myself in an area with no reception. I'm not sure if it's worth taking that risk.

 

Sprint is as nationwide as Verizon. Where would you be traveling that wouldn't have Sprint coverage? Even the small towns of Buttfuck, Illinois I can get coverage with Virgin Mobile.

 

Yes it's true that VM has no roaming agreements, but how often do you make roaming calls? If you do, then no, VM probably isn't right for you, but I have yet to hit an area I couldn't make a call.

 

-Dan

[Jacob M.]

I talked to the Sprint people a couple days ago. The guy wasn't too big on Boost or Virgin.

 

Well DUH!

 

When's the last time you heard a salesdweeb NOT talk down their competitors? And if you're talking to a vendor that sells all providors (like Radio Shack), they are going to push you away from the no-contract providors because they make more commission on Sprint/Verizon/AT&T/T-Mobile sales than Virgin Mobile/Boost/Cricket/Tracphone/etc.

 

I went to a Sprint store. They had a small section for Boost and Virgin phones. Can a company compete with itself? Sprint at least partly owns Virgin and Boost. I guess it's possible. Talk down the cheaper service and convince people to go with their more expensive plan.

 

 

He told me that with those services you can only get reception where there are Sprint towers. If you never go anywhere that would be fine. There's always the possibility that I could find myself in an area with no reception. I'm not sure if it's worth taking that risk.

 

Sprint is as nationwide as Verizon. Where would you be traveling that wouldn't have Sprint coverage? Even the small towns of Buttfuck, Illinois I can get coverage with Virgin Mobile.

 

Yes it's true that VM has no roaming agreements, but how often do you make roaming calls? If you do, then no, VM probably isn't right for you, but I have yet to hit an area I couldn't make a call.

 

-Dan

 

By looking at the map it appears Sprint has more coverage in Illinois than in Oklahoma. OKC and Tulsa look to be pretty well covered, but the rest of the state is hit and miss.