[geeks] Opinions on T-Mobile and Verizon

[Shannon Hendrix]

On Nov 26, 2007, at 3:02 PM, Nadine Miller wrote:

> I can't speak to Verizon, other than 2nd hand reports about billing
> issues from acquaintances, as well as their comments about coverage.
> (Verizon and Nextel being the only ones with coverage in the Metro  
> in DC).

Verizon and AT&T both have screwed up billing.

AT&T charged me for long distance for 6 years after I cancelled it,  
and I had to call them to get charges reversed and refunds many times  
before they finally stopped.  At least, I hope they have stopped.

Their latest stupidity is that for the last few months they have been  
sending me a bill which states that they own me 2 cents.  Calling to  
try and stop it just doesn't help.  The people on the other end can't  
seem to grasp the concept of a credit, or the idea of just keeping the  
money and leaving me the hell alone.

Sprint usually bills me properly, but they have screwed up a few times.

> I've been a T-Mobile customer since 2001, and am quite happy with  
> their
> customer service.  While they do have the "call back if you don't get
> the answer you want" problem, it's not as dramatic as other carriers
> from what I can see--I've never had to do it.

I'm mostly worried about coverage with T-Mobile.  Their map looks a  
little spotty in SE Virginia.

But then, maybe their map is simply more accurate than those from  
Verizon and Sprint.

It would be hard for their coverage to be worse than Sprint.  I cannot  
make calls with my Sprint phone from inside my home, and it is bad in  
most buildings, and there are quite a few bad and dead spots around  
town.

Verizon probably has good coverage, but I really hate that company and  
rather not support them if possible.

> Their plans are quite good as far as I am concerned.  Their data  
> plan is
> not great (and not the fastest--that goes to Verizon) price-wise.

I'm going to be mostly voice.  In fact, I don't yet have any reason to  
use one for data.

T-Mobile supposedly has free WiFi, but their map didn't show any T- 
Mobile hot spots around me.

It would be nice if they would just work with any hot spot.

> If you want specific details about a given area I'd suggest posting  
> over
> on howardforums.com--there are a lot of phone company reps that  
> frequent
> the place, as well as a ton of knowledgeable people in the forum that
> aren't associated with the phone companies.

I went there.

I'm now more confused than I was before.  :)

What I got from those forums is that no one there agrees on much of  
anything, so I found it difficult to use for deciding on a carrier.

However, they do have good information about individual plans, phones,  
companies, etc.

Actually, what would make this all far easier is if contracts were  
made illegal, and all cell service was month-to-month voluntary.

I think it would force carriers to improve, and it would make choosing  
one much easier for the customer.

Right now you get roughly 20 days to decide if you want to keep a  
service, which is simply not long enough to make a good decision.

Oh well... I have to get something this week, so I probably have  
enough information now to just work out which plan suits me.  I might  
let that decide what I get.

T-Mobile is winning that one so far.





-- 
"Where some they sell their dreams for small desires."