In a Quandry...

[seb1230]

My At&T contract is out and I'm up for a new phone. I'm debating between At&T and Verizon and need advice. So, the classic, WWYD! Here are the pros and cons as I see it:

At&T Pros:

• AT&T just sent me an email for a free iPhone 5 with a new contract
• Being able to talk and surf at the same time. I do it often...
• I know AT&T. Been with them for years.

Here's the problem. I relocated for work and am returning this month to the house I own in another town for good (hopefully). My At&T reception there is horrendous. As in, really bad. WITH a booster I can use a bluetooth to talk and leave my phone in this one spot where I tend not to drop people. But I miss calls and texts often. Friends' Verizon phones work fine in my house.

So... Do I pay an extra $200 bucks and have a phone that works at home or stick with At&T and surf and talk (when I'm out)?

 

[cynics]

That's a tough call. I have Verizon and I'm not a fan. But I think a cell phone that actually works in the area you use it is more important.

 

[ucfgrad93]

A phone that you can't use in your own house is rather worthless. When we first moved to Colorado, we were on Verizon. However, the reception in our house and neighborhood was awful. So we switched to at&t. Saving $200 on a phone that isn't reliable isn't worth it to me. Go with Verizon.

 

[maflynn]

Go with the carrier that provides the best network, and if ATT is not that great whee you are now, then its time for you to find one that does. I understand that you're happy with ATT but if you can't get a good connection you're paying money for a service that you can't really use.

 

[hexomega]

AT&T and Verizon are two sides of the same coin. I don't prefer either company over the other. I would go with the company that gives you the best service in your area. I made the switch from AT&T to Verizon years back and never looked back because I actually had service on my phone for once (I lived in a very rural area and AT&T's service was laughable, while verizon had 5 bars everywhere).

 

[Mrbobb]

U know, there are Customer Retention departments at these companies, and often they sprint into action when you want to cancel and start offering you deals. What is the opposite department called? Customer Stealing department? Talk to the Verizon's counterpart, tell them, give them proof that AT&T is giving you a free deal, say, Wouldn't you like to take another customer from AT&T? and see what they say. Put on your used car salesman hat.

 

[Applejuiced]

You gotta decide what works best for you and provides you the better service at the places you spend 90% of your time receiving calls, texts and using carrier data.
There's always a 30 trial period also so if you decide to switch you got a month to decide if you want to stay or go back to your old carrier.
Best of luck to you.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

I've been on Verizon for a few years now, and I have to say I've had fewer complaints than many of my friends on other networks. I don't find that I need to talk and surf at the same time as it only serves as a distraction. As for the cost of the phone, you might be able to get them to price match, or wait for the 5S to come out and get the 5 for a discount.

 

[Applejuiced]

I don't find that I need to talk and surf at the same time as it only serves as a distraction...

LMAO
Tell us another one...

 

[KUguardgrl13]

LMAO
Tell us another one...

To each their own. I prefer to have fewer dropped calls.

 

[lordofthereef]

Call up AT&T and see if they will give you a free wifi extender (there is a name for this but I don't remember what, maybe someone else will chime in). Be honest. Tell them what you said here. They may help you out seeing as how there is no longer any sort if obligation for you to stick with them.

Of course, this is all if you even care to stick with AT&T at all. I'm juggling swapping to tmobile with basically the same issue as you. I have no reception in the house with them, elsewhere it seems fine. My motivation is money savings, really.

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To each their own. I prefer to have fewer dropped calls.

What does dropped calls have to do with surfing and talking at the same time. You pulled a complete non sequitur here man!

 

[ItBeMe22]

I don't find that I need to talk and surf at the same time as it only serves as a distraction.

I do both while driving.

Go with Verizon, you will be very happy you did.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

[/COLOR]

What does dropped calls have to do with surfing and talking at the same time. You pulled a complete non sequitur here man!

I was under the impression that Verizon phones are unable to talk and surf because both antennas are used during calls to boost call quality. I could be wrong though. I've never found a desire to multitask on my phone. I don't call very much these days anyway.

 

[lordofthereef]

I was under the impression that Verizon phones are unable to talk and surf because both antennas are used during calls to boost call quality. I could be wrong though. I've never found a desire to multitask on my phone. I don't call very much these days anyway.

You are right about not being able to make calls while surfing. Has nothing to do with call quality, but rather how the radio actually receives signal. There are actually a few phones on Verizon that can hold both signals (voice over CDMA and data over LTE ) simultaneously. One such phone is made by HTC, don't remember the name. Verizon and AT&T both have plans to launch voice over LTE in the not terribly distant future. This will mean that, while on LTE, both networks will have the ability to surf and talk at the same time. As it currently stands, even AT&T reverts to HSPA data when on a voice call.

I'm saying that "I would rather have fewer dropped calls" in response to being questioned about not wanting to surf and talk at te same time is a non sequitur. Simply put, dropped calls has nothing to do with your first point, so why even bring it up?

 

[KUguardgrl13]

You are right about that. I'm saying that "I would rather have fewer dropped calls" in response to being questioned about not wanting to surf and talk at te same time is a non sequitur. Simply put, dropped calls has nothing to do with your first point, so why even bring it up?

I accept the trade-off of not being able to talk and surf in order to get better call quality. As for my original point about distraction, that's a personal preference. A problem of the ADHD generation