With Verizon but thinking of switching to AT&T

[njsweetP]

I've been w/Verizon since the beginning - like over 10 years. Lately I've been toying with the idea of moving over to AT&T, mainly because I want the iPhone and want to access emails (hence, a data plan). Anywho - I priced out a family plan for myself and two DD's. If I'm doing things correctly my monthly bill would be about $140 a month with a data plan thru AT&T. With Verizon right now I'm paying about $126 without a data plan. Here's the problem: when I upgrade my phone thru Verizon (which I'm eligible to do in the next few months) I will be required to get a data plan that's going to add on another $30 plus taxes a month. I would be saving like 10-15 dollars with AT&T and am just wondering if it's worth it???
Has anyone made the switch? What are some other options? Thanks!

 

[Psychodisney]

I made the reverse switch last year. In our area, the ATT wireless coverage was poor. I was constantly dropping calls..I'm talking several a day.
Don't forget to see if you are eligible for a discount through your employer. I was able to show my work ID and saved 25% of my bill!

 

[jedijill]

ATT coverage is awful here in Colorado and when we travel for business in Philadelphia. Much rather stick to Verizon or Sprint.

Jill in CO

 

[Nayan]

I am thinking of dropping Verizon and going pre-paid with AT&T. I will say that back in 2004 when the hurricanes hit here in Florida and everything was out, Verizon was the only one up and running in my area. I've never had any service issues with them and I am sad to give them up, but after evaluating our needs and what we use AT&T is the better deal. I've heard of quite a few issues with the Iphones and dropped calls/no signals, so if you rely on your cell as a primary phone I'd really be careful and make sure it really works well in your area before laying out that amount for it.

 

[scrapquitler]

I've been w/Verizon since the beginning - like over 10 years. Lately I've been toying with the idea of moving over to AT&T, mainly because I want the iPhone

Can you wait a few months? Rumor has it that Verizon will have the Iphone beginning in January.

I think the main thing you need to figure out is the coverage in your area...I know for me, AT&T has lousy coverage in the area where I spend the most time, so I am sticking with Verizon.

 

[wgwtgb]

I have never had a problem with AT&T. Customer service has been wonderful and coverage is great here in Louisiana. I love the fact that you can go to att.com and chat with an "agent". They can tell you exactly what your bill should run monthly if you go there. I would suggest doing that before you switch just to make sure.

 

[Soon2B4]

We also get a discount through my DHs work. Don't forget that with Verizon you have Friends and Family numbers that can be out of network, but not use minutes. Att doesn't. We pay $148 a month (including all fees and taxes) for 2 smartphones with data,1400 minutes, texting, and 10 numbers. I used to have ATT and left them due to poor coverage.

 

[Green Tea]

I have ATT because of the iphone. Everyone else has Verizon. I REALLY wish Verizon had taken the iphone when offered. Verizon has such better coverage in my area. I upgraded to the iphone 4 which has less network than my original issue iphone had. Mostly I can't use the phone or text inside my house.
I loved the first iphone, but for all the upgrades, the new one ought to be better, and its not.

Stick with Verizon.

 

[Sadie22]

We have a family plan through AT&T. About five years ago I had some problems when it was Cingular with dropped calls and poor coverage. I got a new phone on the same plan and no more dropped calls and great coverage everywhere I went. It was the phone, not the carrier's coverage. We travel up and down the East Coast with generally great service except in very remote areas where there are NO cell towers.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I live in the South and coverage with AT&T is much better than any other provider. I have 3 phones on a family talk plan - no data plan right now. AT&T does give you the "roll-over" minutes and a new offer (at no cost) is the ability to indicate your "Top 10" - you select the people you talk to the most often - no matter what carrier or even a landline phone. All Calls to that number are not taken out of your block of minutes! I love it and rarely ever use any of my real minutes anymore - I have a gazillion rollover minutes now. Best of luck!!

 

[sam_gordon]

My .02...

#1 in my book is coverage in your area. As has been mentioned in this thread, it will vary by carrier and by area. You have Verizon, you know if you have problems. Find someone (coworker?) who has ATT... do they have connection problems? The iphone, as nice as it may be, does you no good if you don't have coverage.

#2 make sure the rates you are seeing aren't "introductory" or some junk that's going to change in 6 months or something. DW & I switched to Verizon in January. Added DD in in June. For all three of us (700 min talk, unlimited text, limited data each), we're running ~$140-$150 a month.

#3 If you want to stay with Verizon (because of #1), I'd look at the Droid. It may not have as many aps as the Iphone, but may still take care of what you need.

 

[JB2K]

I've been w/Verizon since the beginning - like over 10 years...Has anyone made the switch? What are some other options?

No matter what you hear from everyone, here (including the "iPhone collective"), your situation (phone reception) is going to be unique to your home, workplace, and every other place you visit.

Since AT&T tends to be more hit-or-miss on this sort of thing than Verizon, I would recommend buying one of AT&T's no-contract "GoPhones" and give it a test-drive in all the places you frequent most.

Or better yet, you could ask your neighbors and friends.

IMO, since your user name hints you are from New Jersey, I would definitely stick with Verizon as they have a dominant position (translated: lots and lots and lots of towers) in that state.

As for data plans with any carrier, they're here to stay - if you want something that even remotely offers access to the internet, you're going to pay extra for that perk...

 

[justintime]

I live in New Jersey, and we switched from Verizon to AT&T years ago because of coverage problems we were having with Verizon. I have not had any problems with AT&T. We have a plan where calls to other AT&T phones don't count against your minutes.

 

[JB2K]

I live in the South and coverage with AT&T is much better than any other provider.

As it's been said, it really depends-upon where you live.

Case in point - AT&T has been in the South for many years (as their "legacy" cell phone carrier was originally BellSouth Mobility). Same for Verizon and the Northeast, as their roots were with Bell Atlantic and NYNEX, which were the first cell phone companies in that part of the country.

 

[texasmousketeer]

Like the other said, it depends a lot on where you live. I would check and see what the actual coverage is where you live. Check out http://www.deadcellzones.com/ to see where people are reporting dead zones around where you live.

 

[lnh'smom]

Don't forget that with Verizon you have Friends and Family numbers that can be out of network, but not use minutes. Att doesn't. .

Actually, AT &T does have this! There is a package for 700 minutes (not enough for me) and then goes to a 1400 minute plan where you get 10 numbers for free!

 

[windycitymom]

I have the iphone and want to upgrade to the iphone4. I'm eligible now, but want to wait until Jan. because I'm thinking of switching to Verizon if they offer the iphone. In downtown Chicago, I've noticed that I get dropped coverage whereas those who have Verizon still have service....maybe it's because there are more people with iphones?? I have noticed that AT&T is better than US Cellular, but maybe Verizon will have issues too if they start to offer the iphone.

 

[tink_lover]

I switched to Verizon due to the bad AT&T coverage in the number of states I was working in at the time. I like the Droid also. Can't compare to the iphone because I never had one of those, but I like the touchpad. Have a friend who switched from Verizon to the iphone/AT&T, but ended up back with Verizon due to coverage issues also.

 

[Jaime4004]

I love my iphone! I also switched from many years of verizon, knowing that AT&T wasn't as good in my area but it's still worth it. Dropped calls and all.

 

[floridascgirl]

We have a few friends with ATT and it's so frustrating to talk to them because of the dropped calls.