Calling plan reviews
T-Mobile Calling Plans
In large owner surveys, T-Mobile typically finishes at or near the top.
Verizon Wireless has slightly better call quality (especially in the
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Western states), but T-Mobile gets the best
customer service scores in nearly every region of the U.S., and their
plans are typically less expensive. Their signature mobile-to-mobile
plan is called MyFaves, which lets you call five numbers anytime,
anywhere for free, no matter what network they're on.
Verizon Wireless Calling Plans
Customers and experts say that Verizon wireless has the best call
quality. Verizon customers experience fewer dropped calls and circuit
overloads than with other carriers. On the downside, plan prices are
higher than others, and since Verizon works on the CDMA network, which
is not compatible with the GSM networks used in most other countries,
you can't use your Verizon phone overseas.
AT&T Wireless Calling Plans
AT&T's "rollover" plans let you roll unused minutes over to the
following month. A GSM carrier, AT&T offers extensive international
roaming. AT&T tends to pick up the hottest phones soon after their
release date. It was the first carrier to offer the Motorola Razr and
is the exclusive provider of the Apple iPhone. AT&T offers the most
Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones of the major carriers but also offers LG
and Samsung handsets. They have a varied selection of smart phones and
is the largest provider of BlackBerry service.
Sprint Nextel Calling Plans
Sprint Nextel offers enough variety in plans to fit the needs of just
about any caller. They feature a selection of free phones with prepaid,
individual and family plans. This cell phone provider also carries
smartphones for data plans. Sprint Nextel has more than a dozen plans,
all of which vary widely in features. But some basic features include
voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding and 3-way calling.
Sprint Nextel's direct coverage is extensive in the East and Midwest,
but their roaming network covers the majority of the nation.
Sprint PCS Calling Plans
If you are confused with the relationship of Sprint and Nextel, the
answer is Sprint acquired Nextel, and became Sprint Nextel Corporation
in 2005. Although this big merge might confuse you a little bit, you
need not worry as customers of both Nextel or Sprint would still able
to access to Nextel’s "Direct Connect" technology, and Sprint’s CDMA
network.
Cell phone brands & description
APPLE
Though
a newcomer to wireless handsets, Apple jolted the telecom world in 2007
with its revolutionary iPhone, an AT&T exclusive, which provides
superb ease of use via a large, highly interactive multitouch screen,
and a customizable icon-driven interface.
AT&T iPhone 3G - 16 GB
HTC
Taiwan-based
HTC, which started out manufacturing Pocket PC PDAs, has moved
aggressively into the smart-phone arena with its Touch series, Shadow,
Tilt, Wing, and Dash.
HTC FUZE Smartphone, Black (AT&T)
LG
Its
lineup ranges from basic models to those with full QWERTY keyboards and
large touch-sensitive screens that adroitly integrate solid phone
features and robust multimedia, including live TV service and messaging
applications.
LG Shine CU720 Phone, Black (AT&T)
MOTOROLA
The
Motorola brand is well-represented among major carriers. Motorola has a
large selection of phones that run on Sprint Nextel's push-to-talk
service, which is very popular with business users.
Motorola RAZR V3xx Platinum Phone (AT&T)
NOKIA
Nokia
offers a solid lineup of phones for AT&T and T-Mobile users. And
the company's N and E series smart phones feature relatively
high-megapixel cameras.
Nokia N75 Phone (AT&T)
PALM
All
Palms have user-friendly touch-screen interfaces that feature
programmable shortcuts and hard buttons for messaging, phone, and other
applications. They also support full-featured e-mail and office
programs.
Palm Centro Black Smartphone (AT&T)
PANTECH
This
relative newcomer to the U.S is Korea's leading handset manufacturer,
known for its tiny clamshell handsets that made their debut in the U.S.
years ago. Pantech has since introduced a handful of other models,
including the Duo, a compact smart phone with an innovative dual-slider
design and keyboard with full PDA capabilities.
Pantech Slate C530 Phone, Black/Blue (AT&T)
RIM
The
company's trademark BlackBerry smart phones are well-entrenched in the
business world. They boast one of the best operating systems for
e-mail, which is also among the easiest to set up—especially on
T-Mobile.
BlackBerry Pearl 8110 Smartphone Titanium (AT&T)
SAMSUNG
This
cell phone brand is well known for its innovative designs. Samsung has
one the largest lineups of phones catering to music aficionados and
heavy texters.
Samsung A747 SLM Blue Phone (AT&T)
SANYO
This
phone maker has a relatively small product line, including the
fashion-focused Katana, which it markets exclusively though one
carrier: Sprint Nextel.
Sanyo Katana Eclipse Silver Phone (Sprint)
SONY ERICSSON
This
joint venture between the Japanese Sony Corporation and Sweden's
Ericsson offers a wide range of handsets, from low-end budget models to
multimedia powerhouses. Its product line includes the music-centric
Walkmans and the camera-focused Cyber-Shots.
Sony Ericsson W760a Phone, Black (AT&T)
Comparing Cell Phones
Sifting
through the sea of service plans and handsets can be difficult, but
we'll walk you through what you need to know to get the cell phone and
service plan that are right for you.
Cell phones have gone well
beyond basic calling functionality to become an extension of the
individual and their unique needs. You can break today's phones down
into three basic types: standard, advanced, and smart phones. It is not
uncommon for users to switch carriers solely because he or she wants a
particular model of phone only available through a different carrier.
The
large nationwide carriers typically work with the phone manufactures to
offer phones exclusive only to a particular carrier. If you’re set on a
particular phone, then your rate plan and carrier options will be more
limited. Compare cell phones by price, feature, & manufacturer.
Comparing monthly cell phone plans
Whether
you use a monthly plan or a prepaid wireless plan, both types of
service use the same networks, so call quality and reception are the
same for each carrier.
Prepaid cell phones are a good choice
for those who don't want a long contract, for those who don't make a
lot of calls or for those who don't otherwise qualify for a monthly
contract.
While it may be tempting to focus on price when you
compare wireless plans, the quality of service is equally important.
That's a theory borne out in the marketplace. J.D. Power and Associates
reports that customers whose complaints were not resolved were six
times more likely to switch carriers. On the upside, J.D. Power and
Associates also notes that call quality problems in general
have decreased , so it looks like call quality, dropped calls and
reception are improving.
Individual Plans
Geared to the individual who won’t need to add additional phones to his/her account.
Family/Shared Plans
Family
or Shared plans allow families to add multiple lines to one account and
share the plan minutes between all phones. Often, users are not charged
for minutes when calls are made between users on the same family plan.
Most carriers offer significant discounts on the purchase of two or
more phones on the same account, and this type of plan provides the
consumer with an effective way to manage multiple phones across the
entire family. AT&T, Verizon, SunCom and others allow additional
phones to be added to a shared plan for as little as $10/month.
Compare cell phone calling plans and compare by carrier, plan type, & monthly price.
Reception: Overall,
Verizon has the best comprehensive reception, even in remote, less
populated areas. However, Verizon may experience decreases in call
quality in highly dense urban areas. In a close second is
Sprint/NEXTEL, as they have a large network from the merge of the two
companies. AT&T and T-Mobile are closely matched for third place.
The following maps are provided by each carrier to depict approximate coverage areas.
Verizon
Sprint/PCS
T-Mobile
Nextel
US Cellular
Cricket Comm
