Looking for a cell phone service provider that is not crappy

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
At my current residence often goes straight to voice mail, if I let it sit long enough, people trying to call get: "Message GA-22. Welcome to AT&T Wireless Services, the wireless subscriber you have called is not available at this time." No chance to leave a message.
If I move the phone around the house it makes contact with the server and this message goes away

[/ QUOTE ]

lol

[Synur]

[ QUOTE ]
DO NOT GET SPRINT. Anything else is better.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with Sprint?

[TheCroShow]

[ QUOTE ]
Verizon or Nextel. You pay a little more, but from what I've heard, their coverage is generally better. Cingular/AT&T/Airtouch/Clem's cel shop is about 200 cobbled together networks running on fumes and duct tape, and it behaves like it. I started keepng a list one time of all the bizzarro [censored] my cel phone would do, just for my own therapy.

Anyway I haven't kept this list up for a while, so it's very incomplete, as the phone still finds some new bizarre weird way to screw up at least once a month or so. And obviously some of these are the Nokia phone, which I generally like. But enjoy anyway:

Sometimes goes into "zombie mode" where it shows one bar of coverage, but really nothing is working. You don't find this out unless you try to dial out or all your friends yell at you for not answering your phone. When it comes out of this mode, the voice messages come along within a few minutes, text messages come trickling in over a few hours

Sometimes resets times to some random time, for no appaarent reason

Drops about 50% of calls in my current residence

Doesn't work at all where I stay in San Juan Capistrano

Won't let me lie down on the couch, sitting up is iffy

Phone doesn't work inside, so I have to go outside with all the loud trucks and leaf blowers

At my current residence often goes straight to voice mail, if I let it sit long enough, people trying to call get:
"Message GA-22. Welcome to AT&T Wireless Services, the wireless subscriber you have called is not available at this time." No chance to leave a message.
If I move the phone around the house it makes contact with the server and this message goes away

Phone sometimes shuts off for no reason

Phone sometimes locks up trying to call and I have to shut it off to hang it up, this seems to happen often when driving through SJC

Sometimes phone gives annoying "ber-dee-dee" old school invalid number sound--three times before lettin me call again, hasn't done this for a while

Used to have annoying text message that came with every VM and you had to delete it

Sometimes phone's setting to display clock goes away for no reason

Sometimes phone forgets last # dialed and instead dials previous # before that

When trying to listen to one message - "You have one unheard message. The following message has not been heard. First unheard message…" - very annoying

Phone used to last for five days until one time when I charged it before it was totally dead. After that it's charge lasted half as long

In this house, often person can't hear me but I can hear them, if I walk out in the front yard it goes away.

If I wave my phone around the room in SJC, the TV makes strange noises

For some reason, the phone just started showing the Nokia handshake when it comes on

Shows call from 720 area code when it's really 612

Hangs up on caller after one ring and gives them a message "the callee has dropped the line"

Alarm snoozes for indeterminate amount of time (10, 20, 30+ minutes)

Alarm goes off at 3:31 pm for no reason whatsoever, alarm icon was not showing

In Kansas City the phone works ok, unless in a car moving over 50 MPH, then doesn't work

Often dials and just sits in silence indefinitely, no ring, no busy signal, just silence

My friend used to get hundreds of spam text messages starting every night at 8pm. AT&T repeatedly told her there was nothing she could do about, until she finally complained loud enough. Then they said "ok", and did something that instantly fixed the problem. She can still send and receive norma test messages.

Sometimes you will say the same sentence 10 times, and the phone will cut out at the exact same point everytime. This is expecially fun when trying to read a phone #.

Often people have called to hear a message that my phone service has been disconnected, sometimes it actual says "for non-payment". Then they call back an hour later and it's fine.

Lately I've been getting calls that just say "CALL", not out of area, or private caller. There is never anyone on the other end of the line. No idea what's going on here.

In Mexico, there is no warning, but text messages cost $.50.

Phone sometimes shows a weird S with a diagonal slash through it. The manual says nothing, and no one at AT&T knows what this means.

"Internet browsing" is beyond a joke. Most websites you can find like 2 links and they don't do anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are still with former at&t wireless? migrate to cingular and those problems are solved, former at&t wireless has fewer cell towers and your phone is probably 219321 years old. which model phone do you have?

[Pokertastic]

[ QUOTE ]
Verizon or Nextel. You pay a little more, but from what I've heard, their coverage is generally better. Cingular/AT&T/Airtouch/Clem's cel shop is about 200 cobbled together networks running on fumes and duct tape, and it behaves like it. I started keepng a list one time of all the bizzarro [censored] my cel phone would do, just for my own therapy.

Anyway I haven't kept this list up for a while, so it's very incomplete, as the phone still finds some new bizarre weird way to screw up at least once a month or so. And obviously some of these are the Nokia phone, which I generally like. But enjoy anyway:

Sometimes goes into "zombie mode" where it shows one bar of coverage, but really nothing is working. You don't find this out unless you try to dial out or all your friends yell at you for not answering your phone. When it comes out of this mode, the voice messages come along within a few minutes, text messages come trickling in over a few hours

Sometimes resets times to some random time, for no appaarent reason

Drops about 50% of calls in my current residence

Doesn't work at all where I stay in San Juan Capistrano

Won't let me lie down on the couch, sitting up is iffy

Phone doesn't work inside, so I have to go outside with all the loud trucks and leaf blowers

At my current residence often goes straight to voice mail, if I let it sit long enough, people trying to call get:
"Message GA-22. Welcome to AT&T Wireless Services, the wireless subscriber you have called is not available at this time." No chance to leave a message.
If I move the phone around the house it makes contact with the server and this message goes away

Phone sometimes shuts off for no reason

Phone sometimes locks up trying to call and I have to shut it off to hang it up, this seems to happen often when driving through SJC

Sometimes phone gives annoying "ber-dee-dee" old school invalid number sound--three times before lettin me call again, hasn't done this for a while

Used to have annoying text message that came with every VM and you had to delete it

Sometimes phone's setting to display clock goes away for no reason

Sometimes phone forgets last # dialed and instead dials previous # before that

When trying to listen to one message - "You have one unheard message. The following message has not been heard. First unheard message…" - very annoying

Phone used to last for five days until one time when I charged it before it was totally dead. After that it's charge lasted half as long

In this house, often person can't hear me but I can hear them, if I walk out in the front yard it goes away.

If I wave my phone around the room in SJC, the TV makes strange noises

For some reason, the phone just started showing the Nokia handshake when it comes on

Shows call from 720 area code when it's really 612

Hangs up on caller after one ring and gives them a message "the callee has dropped the line"

Alarm snoozes for indeterminate amount of time (10, 20, 30+ minutes)

Alarm goes off at 3:31 pm for no reason whatsoever, alarm icon was not showing

In Kansas City the phone works ok, unless in a car moving over 50 MPH, then doesn't work

Often dials and just sits in silence indefinitely, no ring, no busy signal, just silence

My friend used to get hundreds of spam text messages starting every night at 8pm. AT&T repeatedly told her there was nothing she could do about, until she finally complained loud enough. Then they said "ok", and did something that instantly fixed the problem. She can still send and receive norma test messages.

Sometimes you will say the same sentence 10 times, and the phone will cut out at the exact same point everytime. This is expecially fun when trying to read a phone #.

Often people have called to hear a message that my phone service has been disconnected, sometimes it actual says "for non-payment". Then they call back an hour later and it's fine.

Lately I've been getting calls that just say "CALL", not out of area, or private caller. There is never anyone on the other end of the line. No idea what's going on here.

In Mexico, there is no warning, but text messages cost $.50.

Phone sometimes shows a weird S with a diagonal slash through it. The manual says nothing, and no one at AT&T knows what this means.

"Internet browsing" is beyond a joke. Most websites you can find like 2 links and they don't do anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

A lot of these problems sound like phone related issues and lack of signal strength in your area.

I actually just got a job for Cingular customer support. I just finished the 1st of 6 training weeks today. The place I work at deals with the Southeast states.

BTW, If you call customer support you can ask them how the singal strength is in your area, they have a program that will show them the signal all across the US.

Also, when you go to mexico, the mexican companies can charge you whatever they want for using their services. The warning is that you're moving out of your coverage area(assuming you have a nation plan), that's only common sense.

[TheCroShow]

[ QUOTE ]
A lot of these problems sound like phone related issues and lack of signal strength in your area.

I actually just got a job for Cingular customer support. I just finished the 1st of 6 training weeks today. The place I work at deals with the Southeast states.

BTW, If you call customer support you can ask them how the singal strength is in your area, they have a program that will show them the signal all across the US.

Also, when you go to mexico, the mexican companies can charge you whatever they want for using their services. The warning is that you're moving out of your coverage area(assuming you have a nation plan), that's only common sense.

[/ QUOTE ]

First part is true, customer probably has an old phone and that is why service sucks.

Regarding int'l roaming in mexico, FALSE!! While roaming in mexico they are charged $0.99/min (standard rate) or $0.69 (discounted rate). Hope I don't have to clean up your messes in the future, I've been working for Cingular Wireless Business Care for just under a year now. =P

[Pokertastic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A lot of these problems sound like phone related issues and lack of signal strength in your area.

I actually just got a job for Cingular customer support. I just finished the 1st of 6 training weeks today. The place I work at deals with the Southeast states.

BTW, If you call customer support you can ask them how the singal strength is in your area, they have a program that will show them the signal all across the US.

Also, when you go to mexico, the mexican companies can charge you whatever they want for using their services. The warning is that you're moving out of your coverage area(assuming you have a nation plan), that's only common sense.

[/ QUOTE ]

First part is true, customer probably has an old phone and that is why service sucks.

Regarding int'l roaming in mexico, FALSE!! While roaming in mexico they are charged $0.99/min (standard rate) or $0.69 (discounted rate). Hope I don't have to clean up your messes in the future, I've been working for Cingular Wireless Business Care for just under a year now. =P

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm just going by what my trainer said, so I blame him.

[TheCroShow]

Aye, no worries bro. First week, completely understandable. What's your trainer's name? I'll send him a coaching! LOL JK JK

[suzzer99]

[ QUOTE ]
you are still with former at&t wireless? migrate to cingular and those problems are solved, former at&t wireless has fewer cell towers and your phone is probably 219321 years old. which model phone do you have?

[/ QUOTE ]

From my understanding I have some sweet charter deal where I get a ton of minutes for $50/month. If I change anything it goes away. Looks like I have the Charter Offer 500 ($39.99) which I think is 500 anytime. Plus I have 1000 Night and weekend minutes for another $9.99. And I get 500 additional anytime minutes that got thrown in for free on some offer. I know that goes away if I change anything.

Comes to $61ish w/all the gov't BS. Am I still getting a good deal? I don't use the phone nearly as much as I used to. Looks like I only had 92 daytime and 78 night and weekend this last month. Sheesh, maybe I should look into a new phone/plan.

Yes my phone is about that old. It's a Nokia 8390. It does everything I need if it just worked right.

[Shoe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
DO NOT GET SPRINT. Anything else is better.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with Sprint?

[/ QUOTE ]

They suck and don't give a crap about their existing customers.... maybe others have had better luck with them.... yet my contract with them is up and I have been too lazy to switch to a new provider.

It seems to be getting better, but sprint seems to go into a roaming area most of the time in large buildings, where others still have regular reception. They also charge me for incoming text messages, which I have no control over how many i receive (includiing spam text messages). My plan is a couple years old so maybe I can get something better now, but I hardly use my phone and in the 3 or so years I have been with Sprint I have never been happy with their service, and only initially signed up with them because I thought they had the coolest phones.

[MyTurn2Raise]

it highly depends on what area of the country you plan to be living