From pre- to post-paid...

[strredwolf]

On one of the down-times in programming, I checked into post-paid phone plans and WWAN cards at the suggestion of Bookworm.

I tossed Sprint without even looking at their site.  I've heard too many complaints, both when I did a short stint at a wireless kiosk and at work.  Plus, they recently were borged by Nextel and they're still having problems getting their act together -- so much the Consumerist was able to get them to set up a special hotline.  The third strike is that they're CDMA, which doesn't fly if I go to Canada or overseas.  They're out.

Verizon is also out, because they too are CDMA (although they're switching because their wireless part-owner, Vodaphone, is GSM and they also want to go with 4G LTE).  The same with Alltel, and there's no word on them lasting.

Which leaves the GSM providers, T-Mobile (Deutche Telecomm) and AT&T... unfortunately, T-Mobile's coverage map is spotty, and there's no word on them having 3G service AT ALL.

So it's AT&T.  At least I'm in an area with 3G data coverage.  Guess I'm looking at a phone/datacard combo purchase.

Comments

[wynnefox.livejournal.com]

Alright, first I am going to say that that I work for Verizon for the past 5 years and have been doing sales for them for the past year (I also have done internet, employee phone program, esculations, and sales support... I have experence :D ). Second, if your looking for GSM service, Verizon sells the Motorola RIZR Z6C world edition which is CDMA/GSM and the Blackberry 8830 which is also a world edition. These phones are avalible in any of the stores and are quality phones. (look them up on www.phonescoop.com) third, if your traveling overseas alot and don't want to pay roaming fees on Vodaphone's network, there is instructions in the box of our SIM card on how to contact our global support team and they will tell you how to unlock your phone's GSM capabilities to use other company's SIM cards in them. This way if you spend a good stint in germany you can get a prepaid SIM to use there. Or where ever else. Third and finaly, look at sources such as Consumer Reports or JD Power and look whos top and who's at the bottom here in the states, which I assume you spend most of your time at right? That there should tell you who provides the best service. Not to mention Verizon gives you the 30 day test drive if things end up not working out and has some of the most relaxed ETFs in the industry.

[strredwolf.livejournal.com]

I won't dispute it, but then the house is under Mom and Dad's name, the phone/internet/TV is through Verizon FiOS, and they have Verizon CDMA phones from LG... which are damn hard to use. Where's the !)*@(# back button!

Ugh. I'm also not going to let 'em get my account and Dad's account confused. I'm currently with AT&T, and everything's lining up nicely that way anyway, so I'm kinda set.

[wynnefox.livejournal.com]

The CLR button is the back button. Though if your not technically inclined, then Blackberries have a dedicated back button.

The chance of the Verizon Wireless (because Verizon Communications is a different company) confusing you and your dad is below unlikely. I would say I doubt it will ever happen. The reason is that VZW references everything by your SSN, your Mobile number, and your account number. Which all should be unique from your father's.

Now I assume by you stating,"I won't dispute it." is acknowledging that VZW is the superior carrier, which makes me question why you want to go to another carrier that has been proven in court not to be as good (Cigular/AT&T tried saying they have the fewest dropped calls in an advertising campaign on the west coast, of which Verizon promptly sued for false advertising and was able to prove that Verizon does indeed have the fewest dropped calls and AT&T had to pull the advertising)

Finaly, if I can teach an 80 year old woman on how to use our phones. You can learn just as easy, if not easier, given you have a website, do your own server (last I heard anyways), spend countless hours MUCKing (how much MPI have you done?), SecondLife (how many models you make for bodies, I know you have done it in quake 2), and can post in live journal I would hope you have enough intelligence to use a cellphone. Cellphones are not so different from each other unless your looking at advanced devices like Blackberries, Treos, and such.

I don't know what else to say honestly. Ignorence and inability is not an excuse for you. you have proven your intelligence. If its something like,"Verizon is to expensive (to which I say AT&T run the same prices but I digress)" or, "AT&T works better in my home and work where I use my phone then Verizon." then that is acceptable. Even saying "I feel Verizon is a big evil company and I don't like their business practices. (which again I ask why AT&T, which has a long history of shady practices)" or, "I just want to be different from my parents." is even acceptable to some level. But acknowledging the better company and going for something you know to be not as good, is illogical.

Sorry about ranting in your journal. Hopefully you make a choice that you are happy with.

[strredwolf.livejournal.com]

It's no problem, gotta let it out anyway, and you did catch me. Verizon's nice, but I do want some variety and choice anyway. I want GSM. Heck, I want an iPhone but that's currently GSM and EDGE, while I can get a 3G card for my laptop and be covered for the immediate plans (St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore/DC). Verizon's switching to GSM, but it couldn't happen fast enough.

I'm currently with AT&T on their GoPhones, the Nokia 6102i. It's built so I could be lazy. I had a Motorola but switched because the web browser font was too damn large. It too was designed for laziness. I've only had to crack the manual on it a few times. The LG's I had to come up and help Mom and Dad to work it, and eventually they had to read through the manual entirely just to understand how it was doing things because I was getting rightfully annoyed at having to come up and struggle myself. A Cell phone should place calls very damn well, and let everything else be fairly easy and obvious to do. The Nokia and Motorola all had a soft key which had "Back" or whatnot.

Would a Nokia on Verizon work well? Sure. I'd be happy about it. But technically Verizon's CDMA and you can't internationally roam on CDMA alone -- the world's gone GSM!

Now I'm ranting. Yeah, I'm just comfortable with AT&T.

[wynnefox.livejournal.com]

1) As far as I know, Verizon is not going to touch GSM. its going to LTR for its 4G which is on par with what most of the world is going.

2)I don't understand how you can be having trouble with the phones unless they are using an older phone like the LG chocolate (vx8500 not the improved vx8550) which is crap phones as well.

3)Verizon sells 1 or 2 Nokias and they are both crap phones. Nokia has aknowleged that they can't make a decent CDMA phone so they have Pantec make them mostly. Main reason is that Nokia and Motorla don't like using chips from others, they want to use their own which makes them suffer when it comes to CDMA bases because Qualcom is just so much better at it then they are (its their technology so no surprise.)

4) most of North America, South America, and The Asias (including Japan) all have CDMA avalible in the countries. Also as I stated before, Verizon sells GSM/CDMA phones. Yes GSM is wider spread, but in the states, CDMA is better intergrated.

5) Data network: there is only really two companies for good data, thats Sprint (ugh) and Verizon (yay!). AT&T use an underdeveloped 3g network (mostly WCDMA) and EDGE which just sucks in speed comparison.

6) if its just that you rather stick with what you know instead of finding something new and possibly better, I can't agrue with that because thats just a condition not an objection so why are you bringing up the possiblity of going to other carriers if your not really wanting to?

[strredwolf.livejournal.com]

On #6, I was looking at 'em on their sites, DSL Reports, and the Consumerist. It mostly confirmed my feelings. Sprint's just a mess and T-Mobile's coverage just sucks (according to their coverage map, infact). Verizon's going GSM to get to LTE [article] (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/89807), and I do want to future proof a bit.

Eh, yeah, I'd rather stick with a known good choice (AT&T) that I haven't had too many problems with. Verizon may be better but two years from now it'll change.

*sigh* makes me want to build a wifi/bluetooth to 3G Stompbox like Tug built for MAKE.