Ugh! I want to change cell phone service! Any recommendations?

[nicknameless]

I can't stand Cingular and would like to drop them. Other suggestions?

:argh:

[nicknameless]

1. Hmm.... Does everyone hate their cell phone service?

Is there a service that you merely dislike?

I googled "I hate Cingular" and found multiple websites devoted to the topic.
Guess it's nice to have people who can relate to what I'm going through.

[yy4me]

5. We have had T-Mobile for several years and never a

problem or dropped call. Had one reception problem while driving through Pennsylvania. Tried to call Massachusetts but hit a message about no service in the area or something like that. It was odd and we never had that happen since. Perhaps it was a one time thing. We are very pleased with them.

[nicknameless]

6. Thank you. That's VERY good to know :)

I just switched to T-Mobile.

:hi:

[donheld]

34. I too, have had T-Mobile for several years and never a problem

one. I love it.

[nicknameless]

2. Maybe other people are having similar problems? Here's some info I just found:

I've been searching for some customer service feedback.

While this info is from 2005, at least it's something.

http://www.wirelessguide.org/plan/service-comparisons.htm

T-Mobile seems to get the most recommendations.

But check this out:

According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 U.S. Wireless Regional Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) StudySM released in September 2005, overall satisfaction performance with wireless service providers has decreased 10 percent over 2004, the biggest year-over-year change since the study’s inception.

What a horrible industry.

[nicknameless]

29. This is interesting. A website that lists dead zones for cell phone service.

http://www.deadcellzones.com

Select your phone service and then enter the city name.

[flamingyouth]

3. I have Verizon and only mildly hate them.

Not that that's a lot of help, I know. I have heard better things about T-Mobile, though. :hi:

[nicknameless]

7. Thanks. I wondered about Verizon.

But I was so pissed at Cingular that I wanted to switch right away.
I just got through signing up with T-Mobile.

:)

[flvegan]

4. I have T-Mobile and only hate them a little bit.

I think that the phone contributes to it, but I seem to get more dropped calls than most folks. May very well be due to tower/network swapping, etc.

Customer service has been good, and re-upping the contract has been pain-free.

[nicknameless]

9. Thanks for that info. I just switched to T-Mobile and am happy to hear that

the problems you've had weren't customer service related. Cingular's customer service is abysmal.

I'm almost giddy about dumping Cingular.

:)

[Rosco T.]

8. T-Mobile for six years and happy with them... n/m

[nicknameless]

10. Yea! Another vote for T-Mobile.

I just signed up with them.

:hi:

[riderinthestorm]

11. I swapped from Sprint to T-Mobile this past summer

I am sooooo happy. Service, reception AND a decent phone (we abuse our phones so having something that will last is a big deal for us).

I also believe that T-Mobile was one of the few services that came right out and said that they would never sell or give your info out for wireless wiretapping if I can recall. AT+T and Verizon wouldn't respond to the allegations. Sprint referred me to their legal department when I called! That's when I swapped.

Good choice!

[nicknameless]

17. Yea! I had wondered where T-Mobile stood on the issue of wiretapping.

THANK YOU for posting that!

:)

[SoyCat]

12. I really think that the area determines which carrier will be the best for you. For example,

I have never had a problem with Cingular where I live (NW FL) nor has my friend in Baton Rouge. However, I know that Cingular is awful for people in certain areas of New Orleans, such as Mid-City.

Ask people who live in your area whether they are satisfied with their cell companies and you're more likely to get truly usable opinions.

[nicknameless]

18. I didn't have any problems with the phone itself,

just the customer abuse "service".

[LeftyMom]

13. I have metroPCS.

No frills, but they're cheap. I get unlimited minutes and domestic long distance for $45/mo. No contract.

[nicknameless]

19. It's hard to find a phone service without a contract.

Cingular's was a 2 year term. T-Mobile is 1 year.

No contract is a great incentive.

[Kali]

14. I had verizon (or even whatever they were before) and the custome service

or at least the tech support was GREAT (we had a strange situation) but then they merged with somebody and the service went downhill plus they were technically NOT in our area (see great tech support, above)

We switched to alltel and they seem ok, although they never have any deals on free phones - with verison I think we could get a new phone every year or something like that.

[nicknameless]

20. Getting a new phone is important. I've had a junky little Nokia for two years.

I'm looking forward to getting a new one. It's free and has camera and video capability.

I hate it when companies merge. The service usually goes downhill.
Hadn't heard of alltel.

[Redstone]

15. Just don't HAVE a cell phone! Works great for me!

Redstone

[nicknameless]

21. I held out as long as I could.

Unfortunately, I need one.

[Redstone]

23. Well, actually, I do have one. But Mrs R is the ONLY one who has the number.

Adn I do understand that some people need them, like my brother the landscaper. They're a godsend for people in the trades.

Redstone

[nicknameless]

24. Exactly.

I use mine very little, but when I need it, it is a godsend.

[LuLu550]

16. Verizon has been good for me

Rates are good, lots of people have it so many of your calls are free. I have three phones sharing 1,500 minutes and we never go over. I also don't have a lot of dropped calls.

[nicknameless]

22. In my area, Verizon was tied with T-Mobile in terms of customer satisfaction.

I was looking for the cheapest plan, and T-Mobile's was a little less expensive.

[Skip Intro]

25. Alltel.

I see you've already switched (that was fast), but if its available in your area, you should check out Alltel. I have no experience w/ T-Moblie - not available where I am, and I sell these things for a living. But Alltel uses the CDMA network, and owns a huge portion of that network. Cingular, as with T-Mobile, is GSM. The CDMA network is more expansive, therefore you have better coverage.


A couple of things about Alltel too - their "my circle" program is free (on plans with a base rate of $59.99 or higher), meaning you get to call ten people you call the most for free - no minutes used. Also, when you change rate plans, most carriers will extend your contract. If you sign a contract (1 or 2 yrs) with Alltel, it has no effect on your contract end date. I don't know T-Mobile's policy on this.

Anyway, I've heard good things about T-Mobile, and its been mostly positive, so I think you're probably better of with them than Cingular. I sell 5 different carriers in my store, and Cingular is usually the least-liked of them all - customer feedback.

Just thought I'd share what I know.

[nicknameless]

26. Thanks for the inside info :)

Cingular really is horrible, aren't they?

I was so completely pissed off that I probably signed up with T-Mobile too quickly. But I've got 30 days to change my mind.
The plan I chose is one of their cheapest. $29.99 + taxes. I use my cell phone VERY little, so that works out well.

Someone else today mentioned TracFone, which sounds even less expensive than T-Mobile.

Regardless, I'm VERY happy to have dumped Cingular.
Wonder if they're a "red" company. Their policies are very draconian.

[uppityperson]

27. T-Mobile was awful, poor reception, customer service lied to me, bah

Now have Verizon and they are ok, not great, but have better reception where I am.

[nicknameless]

28. Oh no. Very sorry to hear that.

I know how you feel. A Cingular customer service supervisor lied to me today. That really pissed me off.

Well, maybe I should have chosen Verizon. I just found a January '06 article on cell service in Consumer Reports.
Verizon rates higher than T-Mobile -- especially in terms of available service.

This site http://www.wirelessguide.org/plan/service-comparisons.htm showed Verizon and T-Mobile tied re: customer satisfaction.

[WindRavenX]

30. Verizon has been nothing but good to me

Spend only 48.75 a month, and I talk for 4,500+ minutes with my SO :o

[nicknameless]

31. Verizon does seem to rate highest in Consumer Reports.

4,500+ minutes?!

:o indeed!


:)

[nicknameless]

32. Want to check your cell phone service's dead zones?

http://www.deadcellzones.com

T-Mobile's rating in Consumer Reports looked awful in regards to dead zones.
But I just compared it to the others on this website, and it turns out that they're not as bad as most.

Go figure.

[uppityperson]

35. thanks for the website link. They all have problems

service, quality, dropped calls, will also all cost more than they say due to fees, taxes and misc charges. I asked Verizon what one of their fees was and they told me that it was money that went directly to Verizon to maintain service, where the rest of the money I sent went to pay for my minutes. The customer service rep couldn't tell me more than that.

[nicknameless]

36. That's awful. Telephone fees & taxes tend to be unjustifiably high, IMO.

Maybe just slightly less outrageous than utility bills.

This blurb is from http://www.wirelessguide.org/plan/service-comparisons.htm

Consumer Reports’ annual cell phone report released in January 2006 shows that consumers experienced chronic, major problems with service, billing, and complaint handling with every national wireless carrier. The survey, conducted last September and based on the experiences of over 39,000 ConsumerReports.org subscribers in 17 cities, indicates that overall levels of satisfaction for wireless service remain lower than for most other services that Consumer Reports rates. The report also shows that Consumer Reports’ overall satisfaction index has only nudged one point, from 65 to 66 points, since the annual survey was begun three years ago.

Although Verizon topped Consumer Reports’ Ratings in each city, as it did in the previous two surveys, it wasn’t problem-free. And in 10 cities it wasn’t ahead of the pack in a statistically meaningful way. In most of the 17 cities, T-Mobile came in a close second. Some other highlights from the survey include:

* Thirty-five percent of respondents were seriously considering a switch of carrier. Most of those who had already switched said they were after better service.
* Nearly 70% of those who use a cell phone frequently had at least one dropped call in the week before the survey. Nearly 60% said they had a bad connection.
* Only 40% said the company’s response to a billing inquiry was very helpful.
* And only 31% said the company’s response to a service inquiry was very helpful.

I can't think of another industry where 35% of the customers were wanting to switch companies.

[uppityperson]

37. I can't either.

It is amazing what they get by with. Have you checked out Working Assets? http://www.workingassetswireless.com/?campid=61248474

[nicknameless]

39. Doh! I hadn't even thought to check out Working Assets.

They used to be my long distance company.

Their prices look good, but I'd have to give up 1/3 of my minutes if I went with them.
I'll think about it though, since I don't use my phone much.

I used to love their end-of-the-year ballots, where customers got to choose between great causes and groups for the donor money.

:)

[nicknameless]

33. This is kind of neat: 78 phone plans at a glance. Cheapest to most expensive.

http://www.letstalk.com/product/findProducts.htm?pgId=101&dontshowdefview=1

[gr8dane_daddy]

38. Call me a dem homer...but check out buyblue.org

T-mobile is the only one I see mildly acceptable (meaning they gave equally to dems and repubs). The bigger companies tend to give to mostly to repubes.

[nicknameless]

40. Very good point.

Here's more info:
http://www.buyblue.org/node/6238

The poster characterized T-Mobile as being blue, but like you wrote, BuyBlue shows them splitting their donations between the parties.

And yes, that horrible Cingular is part of AT&T, and therefore, VERY red.

[nicknameless]

41. Heh heh heh ... I just got to rate Cingular for Checkbook magazine.

Needless to say...

:evilgrin: