Cell Phone Plans

[Zeloy]

I'm looking to get a new cell phone/plan. I already know I'm going to be getting AT&T since it has the best service in my area. My question is if you guys know any good sites online to get a good deal. It seems they all offer about the same plan, but the phone prices are different. So far the cheapest prices I've found are from amazon.com. Let me know of some other sites

[RickM]

I try to stay local when choosing a new phone. Newspapers are usually chock full of Cell Phone deals. Best way to pick a phone is to ask a couple of friends who own them how they like.

I recently bought a phone that "appeared" to be perfect for my needs. Big mistake. I wish I knew about the very cumbersome/inaccurate joystick and MANY menus that must be dealt with to achieve even the simplest function.

[surflvr911sc]

I have had AT&T for years and I prefer to deal w/ their service centers. The phones they sell are already setup for their network features and if you are already an AT&T subscriber there is a decent discount on their phones and accessories. I also prefer the high-end Nokia phones. They always have some kind of “incentive” plan/deal so ask them what they can offer you.

I had always had the Digital One Rate plans. I really like it but it’s not the cheapest plan out there. I now have the new GSM MLife plan and it is about half the price of the One Rate. I was a little skeptical b/c the coverage isn’t as thorough as the One Rate. The One Rate uses almost every system out there (except GSM & Sprint) and has incredible coverage.

The MLife gives me more talk time than I can use and so far (six months) has had great coverage, and I travel quite a bit. I don’t think you can go wrong either way but again, the GSM plan is about half the price. Good Luck!

[1fastredsc]

Any local dealer will have deals on phones, just have to ask and look. When i got my t-mobile phone, they had a deal were if you had decent credit they would give you a phone for free, and you had two choices.

[surflvr911sc]

Originally posted by 1fastredsc
they would give you a phone for free, and you had two choices.

IMO, you get what you pay for. The phones I have always bought are high-end Nokias. They will tell you that the only difference is the features of the phone but I've used both and there is a huge difference.

[nostatic]

funny how people are either Nokia or Moto. I can't stand Nokia phones, and the one my wife has is a pile of crap (and it was the high end one at that time).

I've always love my Motos...my Startac was a trooper, and my v60i has been great EXCEPT for the snapping antenna (I've gone through three of them becuase I carry my phone in my pocket).

Actually the wife's phone gets traded in on a new moto today. One of many errands to be run (along with beer to TRE).

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I'm stuck with Sprint PCS ($18/100min a month legacy plan) so when I replaced my phone I got a Samsung with the voicedial option. Never thought something so silly would be so useful.

[Sarah]

We are switching phones pretty soon too. (we have Nokia w/ AT&T service and the clarity is not good). We are leaning towards Verizon or t-mobile...there is this Samsung phone that I like. We keep asking family/friends to get their feedback.

[wckrause]

I'm going with Verizon as soon as my AT&T contract runs out. It's the only service that works north of Duluth all the way up past Grand Marais.

[Sarah]

Bill...That is a good point. My husband said his phone seems to be pretty useless for him because he can't get service up north or hardly any where he goes in SD, ND or Montana.

[jyl]

Coverage is the most important thing. Lousy signal, frequent drops, etc are worse than a Nokia phone! Ask other cellphone users in your area (and where-ever yuou travel to regularly) which service is best. Consumer Reports also tested cellphone services recently. I think Verizon has the best coverage in most, not necessarily all, areas. I think T-Mobile and Sprint have the worst in most areas. But YMMV depending on where you are.

The FCC has mandated "number portability" for later this year, meaning you'll be able to switch carriers and keep your existing mobile number. A great thing for the consumer. Carriers will probably be offering great deals to get users to switch and trying everything to get users locked in by contract. So I would try not to sign a 1 or 2 year contract until you are sure which service you want, and then hold out for the deals.

I've been using another neat cellphone-related service, Verizon's wireless Internet service that works off their national network. PCMCIA card in your laptop, a little antenna sticking up, and I get 100k/sec speeds in most areas. About 3X dial-up. It's fast enough to get some work done. Pricey at $80/month flat rate but I get work to pay for some of it. Verizon is testing an even faster service (300-400k/sec) in San Diego and Wash DC.

Oh, and I like Motorola phones best. V60! I have no use for phones that take photos, record video, play games, text chat, and have keys in weird shapes, sizes and locations other than the traditional phone dial.