Need cell phone company suggestions...please HELP!

[Missy Mouse]

I have HAD it with Verizon...every month for over a year now I've had to call because they made errors on my bill! I dropped my phone in the toilet a few months back and paid for a phone at the retail price ($300!) and they RESIGNED my contract without permission as an upgrade! That took a month to straighten out...they've also removed features from my account without permission, changed my rate plan without informing me, added Vcast on several occasions...and you know what the service rep told me? "We make mistakes, no cell phone company is perfect." I agree with that, but when it's month after month it gets to be ridiculous. Last month we had overages (our fault) and I paid $150 for it....this month I still had overages even though we only used 700 of our 1000 minutes. She told me it's because I went to the next city over from me on the second to last day of my bill cycle, and that city is on a different billing system, so I had "delayed usage charges"...$20 worth. It's only $20, but it's the principle. I already paid my fee last month, I see NO reason why I should have to pay more money this billing cycle when we didn't go over. So I really want to switch carriers. I'm so fed up with Verizon that I'm paying the $500 it'll cost to do it. I had Nextel about 2 years ago and hated them, but I guess the phone (i830) I had with them was recalled, so the service might be better. Does anyone have a cell phone carrier they absolutely love? I've been comparing them and see benefits to a few different carriers. I live in Boston if anyone is from the Mass area that gets great reception with a specific phone company, but I'd love to hear opinions from everyone. Thanks for letting me rant!

 

[momrek06]

Well my Post is not going to make you one bit happy....We had Nextel for years but the SERVICE area was getting worse and worse. I live in Central Ma and have family through NorthEast Ct and could never call them on the Nextel or use my Nextel at their house...basically, we hated Nextel.

I looked around, spoke to many cell phone users and got the resounding "go with Verizon"...and that was in Jan 06.

Can I just say my $400.00 Nextel bill has gone to $200.00 per month and with all better phones. My DS' phone even has the Internet on it!!! And we can talk ANYWHERE. We have had them now 8 months and just have had great luck with all 4 of them. My younger DS has left the country (June 06-Jan 07) to study with his college overseas and I was able to "suspend" his acct. for 6 months for $5.00 a month. I thought I was going to have to pay his monthly charges in order to KEEP/SAVE his cellphone # for his return...nope just put it on suspend!!

I called Verizon prior to going to the store. They asked me to bring in my Nextel bill and they would know the type of service/plan we would need to purchase. DH & I got the LGVX5200 picturephone (buy 1 get 1 free) #1DS got the Samsung schi730 (similar to a blackberry) and #2DS got the Samsung a950 (red)! Both DS' have the "bluetooth" and that is great when driving.
Verizon then just downloaded our current cell # to the new phones and on we went our merry way. So I have had great luck w/Verizon!

 

[Missy Mouse]

Well my Post is not going to make you one bit happy....We had Nextel for years but the SERVICE area was getting worse and worse. I live in Central Ma and have family through NorthEast Ct and could never call them on the Nextel or use my Nextel at their house...basically, we hated Nextel.

I looked around, spoke to many cell phone users and got the resounding "go with Verizon"...and that was in Jan 06.

Can I just say my $400.00 Nextel bill has gone to $200.00 per month and with all better phones. My DS' phone even has the Internet on it!!! And we can talk ANYWHERE. We have had them now 8 months and just have had great luck with all 4 of them. My younger DS has left the country (June 06-Jan 07) to study with his college overseas and I was able to "suspend" his acct. for 6 months for $5.00 a month. I thought I was going to have to pay his monthly charges in order to KEEP/SAVE his cellphone # for his return...nope just put it on suspend!!

I called Verizon prior to going to the store. They asked me to bring in my Nextel bill and they would know the type of service/plan we would need to purchase. DH & I got the LGVX5200 picturephone (buy 1 get 1 free) #1DS got the Samsung schi730 (similar to a blackberry) and #2DS got the Samsung a950 (red)! Both DS' have the "bluetooth" and that is great when driving.
Verizon then just downloaded our current cell # to the new phones and on we went our merry way. So I have had great luck w/Verizon!

I appreciate the honesty! I WISH they could get my bill right and I'd have no problems, but between full-time nursing school, a full-time job and then a part time on top of it, I don't have the time or energy to fight with them on my one night off...it happens EVERY month. The service is EXCELLENT except for the couple dropped calls a day...I've always felt like I was talking on a land line. I might end up stuck because it seems there aren't many carriers that get good service from Worcester to Boston, which is where I'm located.

 

[Nancy]

We also have had Verizon for almost a year with no problems at all. My daughter had her phone and we just swithced it all over to the family plan. Very smooth transition. I guess we are lucky cause I know there are more than just you that have problems with them. I had Tracfone before this and got so fed up with them that we switched.

 

[momrek06]

I appreciate the honesty! I WISH they could get my bill right and I'd have no problems, but between full-time nursing school, a full-time job and then a part time on top of it, I don't have the time or energy to fight with them on my one night off...it happens EVERY month. The service is EXCELLENT except for the couple dropped calls a day...I've always felt like I was talking on a land line. I might end up stuck because it seems there aren't many carriers that get good service from Worcester to Boston, which is where I'm located.

As aggravating as that seems with the "dropped calls" etc, you really really need to make some time some evening/day and call them and get their names and get to the bottom of this because it just won't get better if you do not contact them.
I was on for a bit with the "suspend" phone and the rep thought my DS was in the Military as they do the suspend for Military personnel...NO, he is not in the Military at all...away w/college...we talked it all through and got it all handled and I was so happy.

 

[MzDiz]

Not Sprint! Stay away from Sprint. Dear, sweet mother of pearl, do I hate Sprint! Our contract is up November of '07 - let's play "how many times will they screw up our bill in that time period" Or we can play "I wonder if I'll be able to understand this arrogant guy in India when I call customer service" No, they are not fun games.

 

[Missy Mouse]

AHHHHHHHH, Sprint outsources? That's the dealbreaker for me right there. I live in America, I want my help in America!

 

[Snowysmom]

I had the same problem with Cellular One. They never got my bill right. The reception was terrible. Also, when we moved, I notified them by mail and by phone of our new address. They never got it. Evey month I would write it in red pen in the appropraite spot on the bill. After one year, I told them that the bill would not longer be coming to me because the post office would not be forwarding mail to me any more. But by then, we had decided to change to Verizon because our Cellular contract was up. Verizon has been much better for us with much better reception here in the suburbs of Boston. We have the family plan with 700 minutes and free nights and weekends. I have heard horror stories about Sprint/Nextel from friends and co workers.

 

[grlzmom]

We have Verizon and have been fairly happy with it.

My friend had Cingular and was unhappy. Had 8 months left in her 2 year contract. Instead of cancelling and paying the 200 fee (I think this was the amount), she had the plan reduced to the 4.95 per month minimum and just didnt use the phone and kept paying the bill for 8 months. So she paid 40 bucks vs. 200 to switch. Sounds complicated, but she got rid of the service she was unhappy with and spent less than cancelling all together. I have no idea if it would work with other providers.

Hope you figure out something that works.

 

[Carl]

I love T-Mobile. No roaming charges and free long distance.

 

[Linda/MA]

I recently switched to Verizon from TMobile. I loved TMobile -- great service and the price was right, but the reception stunk, especially in the Greater Boston area. It worked great everywhere else I traveled, but here in Boston, I was always dropping calls and couldn't even use it in my home. My two DDs had Nextels and we've just switched them over to Verizon also for the same reasons -- lousy reception as well as poor customer service. My daughter goes to college in Worcester and her Nextel hardly ever worked in her dorm. I think we'll have better luck with Verizon.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

You're probably not going to like my answer, but I just switched from Tmobile to verizon in June. As the other poster said, the service and price was great but great service and price didn't help the reception. Every time dh and I got in our respective buildings at work, I would have no bars. The people in our building that had intermittent service were Cingular, and the ones who had service throughout the building were Verizon. We had Sprint a couple of years ago, and we would drop calls on the interstate....hated that. We've been pretty happy so far with Verizon.....of course, we've only had one bill come in so far so no mistake yet....

 

[MLspartansbball]

Okay I totally suggest Cingular. Do you think that your going to text any one? If so.. they have really great texting deals. You can get 250 texts for $5. The reception is great. Never really had a problem with that. The people at Cingular really try and work with you too. I think thats one reason why I like it so much.

 

[drakethib]

I am currently using cingular and have been very pleased.

 

[alite]

I have Cingular with the roll-over minutes and love it. Haven't had a high bill in two years. Also, drove from Chicago to Florida and only lost the signal twice(in Geogia?). My friend has Nextel and said that since they merged with Sprint, he has had nothing but dropped calls and no signal problems.

 

[MoniqueU]

I have sprint and have since they started. Never a problem with my bills. I have called to complain about the prices on their higher priced phones and they just ended up giving me a service for free. I never talked to anyone in india. Trust me I have had it with that crap from dell from hell. One thing I have noticed from all my friends that always get poor service or dropped calls they have the freebie or cheapie model phones that they give you to sign up. I always end up with reception places and foreign countries they don't and I think it is because of the type of phone I have. I would never take the kind of phone they give me, thats just me though.

 

[helenabear]

Not Sprint! Stay away from Sprint. Dear, sweet mother of pearl, do I hate Sprint! Our contract is up November of '07 - let's play "how many times will they screw up our bill in that time period" Or we can play "I wonder if I'll be able to understand this arrogant guy in India when I call customer service" No, they are not fun games.

not sure who you called, but I have never spoken to anyone in India with Sprint. The few times I calledM they all were American... usually with a wee bit of a southern accent.

I've had great luck with Sprint in the last six years that I have used them The service in the stores has really gone up in the last year too.

When I was dying for a new phone, they actually worked with me to get me an awesome deal.

Good service and great reception keeps me loyal.

To the OP good luck deciding

 

[MzDiz]

not sure who you called, but I have never spoken to anyone in India with Sprint. The few times I calledM they all were American... usually with a wee bit of a southern accent.

I've had great luck with Sprint in the last six years that I have used them The service in the stores has really gone up in the last year too.

When I was dying for a new phone, they actually worked with me to get me an awesome deal.

Good service and great reception keeps me loyal.

To the OP good luck deciding

You do realize that they train them to sound American, right? They have classes, it's quite funny, really. Nobody wants to hear that Rupal is taking your American call, so she calls herself Maryanne. I'll have to say though, that if you ask to talk with someone in America, they transfer you to their Virginia (I think) call center. I talk to them once or twice a month because of my billing problems and when I hit *2 (or 4, whichever it is for customer care) I always get someone in India.... named Larry.... or Susan.

 

[helenabear]

You do realize that they train them to sound American, right? They have classes, it's quite funny, really. Nobody wants to hear that Rupal is taking your American call, so she calls herself Maryanne. I'll have to say though, that if you ask to talk with someone in America, they transfer you to their Virginia (I think) call center. I talk to them once or twice a month because of my billing problems and when I hit *2 (or 4, whichever it is for customer care) I always get someone in India.... named Larry.... or Susan.

Sorry that you have seemed to get a non American, but I never have in all the six years I have called. I can tell you that there is no way they could've been trained to *sound* American. At least not these people I spoke with. I worked in telecom and spoke with people all over the country, and out of the country. You can teach someone an accent or a language (which btw, Indians sound British by nature when taught English since that is the mother country) but you can't teach them the idioms that we have.

Seriously, I am not trying to defend them, but I think your statement is totally false.

I might be mistaken, but they should be located in Nashville TN (which would be why I hear a small southern twang in some).

This is just what I know after working in my business. There isn't a lot of support of telecom overseas. For whatever reason moving call centers there just never happens. Not cost effective for that, I guess.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

We love Verizon, have had no issues for the 2 yrs. we have been with them.