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Carrier What is your favorite carrier?
- Thread starter Jacksonc
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What is your favorite carrier?
I'm on Verizon (work pays for it) but I prefer AT&T.
When I first got Verizon their talk coverage was the best in my area. Now AT&T is equivalent. So that's a wash.
Why I prefer AT&T is because it's a GSM network with equivalent talk and data coverage (in my area now).
They offer HPSA+ data fallback so data speeds are great. 3G CDMA sucks. Plus GSM iPhones can do talk and data simultaneously which is something that's important too me. Plus I find GSM phone offerings to be better (iPhone can do talk and data, Nexus line, Samsung CDMA phones suck or at least used too).
Just my personal preference. That said, work gives me a free Verizon plan which trumps all (free > $$$$).
I'm on Verizon (work pays for it) but I prefer AT&T.
When I first got Verizon their talk coverage was the best in my area. Now AT&T is equivalent. So that's a wash.
Why I prefer AT&T is because it's a GSM network with equivalent talk and data coverage (in my area now).
They offer HPSA+ data fallback so data speeds are great. 3G CDMA sucks. Plus GSM iPhones can do talk and data simultaneously which is something that's important too me. Plus I find GSM phone offerings to be better (iPhone can do talk and data, Nexus line, Samsung CDMA phones suck or at least used too).
Just my personal preference. That said, work gives me a free Verizon plan which trumps all (free > $$$$).
I use T-Mobile
I like T-Mobile mainly because they seem to have brought competition back to the phone carrier industry. Up until a couple of years ago the cell phone industry was like gasoline. As soon as one carrier raised their price on something, all the others followed suite. My phone isn't worth $50, $60 or $70 a month to me. I have a cheap, $40 Wall-Mart T-Mobil account with unlimited everything and it suits me fine. I'm uning it on an Apple unlocked 5S. So far so good.
I like T-Mobile mainly because they seem to have brought competition back to the phone carrier industry. Up until a couple of years ago the cell phone industry was like gasoline. As soon as one carrier raised their price on something, all the others followed suite. My phone isn't worth $50, $60 or $70 a month to me. I have a cheap, $40 Wall-Mart T-Mobil account with unlimited everything and it suits me fine. I'm uning it on an Apple unlocked 5S. So far so good.
I have had T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. I like Sprint the best for their customer service, price and service.
I voted for ATTWS despite being a VZW customer. I'm in PDX OR, data speeds were worse today than EVDO ever was in my area as I switched to EVDO and had better throughput - voice quality has been crap for weeks. Went to a new market (in rural Mason Co. WA) over the weekend and data speeds were 10+ times what they are here, and they're 6-8 times faster in Wahkiakum Co. WA (where?!) where I'm doing some charity work.
There's a few thousand people in Mason Co. and a few hundred in Wahkiakum Co., and those areas were upgraded recently, but here in PDX The Network just keeps getting suckier by the week. They just don't give a ***** IMO.
ATTWS voice isn't that great but at least the network is much better in PDX and I can make VOIP calls over that network that sound much better than VZW's.
I've got 36 lines in my company that have their contract ending in June. IMO, not too many are going to be on the (not-so-great-anymore) Big Red.
There's a few thousand people in Mason Co. and a few hundred in Wahkiakum Co., and those areas were upgraded recently, but here in PDX The Network just keeps getting suckier by the week. They just don't give a ***** IMO.
ATTWS voice isn't that great but at least the network is much better in PDX and I can make VOIP calls over that network that sound much better than VZW's.
I've got 36 lines in my company that have their contract ending in June. IMO, not too many are going to be on the (not-so-great-anymore) Big Red.
I think T-Mobile offers the best overall value in terms of price, customer service, and coverage. Unlimited data, good speeds, and the ability to talk+surf.
I'd give Verizon 2nd simply because their coverage is unmatched. I drove halfway across the country last year on a trip and only lost LTE in the Appalachian Mountains. That was impressive.
I'd give Verizon 2nd simply because their coverage is unmatched. I drove halfway across the country last year on a trip and only lost LTE in the Appalachian Mountains. That was impressive.
T Mobile
Not because I use them (I don't) but because they forced AT&T out if it's lazy corpulence.
I may still move to T Mobile later this year. Customer loyalty isn't rewarded any more: On the contrary, it's seen as a sign of weakness.
Not because I use them (I don't) but because they forced AT&T out if it's lazy corpulence.
I may still move to T Mobile later this year. Customer loyalty isn't rewarded any more: On the contrary, it's seen as a sign of weakness.
AT&T. Been with them since the days of Cingular. They have good coverage at my house and good speed.
^^^this is exactly what I remember 3 years ago. AT&T stopped offering unlimited data and not that long after, Verizon stops. Then, Verizon starts the ridiculously expensive Mobile Share plans, which also gave a small amount of data. Then, AT&T soon followed. It seemed like costs were increasing with no end in sight. I'm glad T-Mobile is finally prompting AT&T to adjust their offerings, which then forced Verizon to make a move.
I put T-Mobile but I use Verizon. Let me explain.
Verizon's superiority is rooted solely in the fact that they're one of the old stalwarts and so the network is gigantic. Nothing else about them is good. They use a different band so you can't use a lot of devices on them (hi there, Nexus 5!) they're stupid expensive, they have no interest in innovation for the customer's benefit, the list goes on.
T-Mo, meanwhile, is really trying to shake things up. They're doing what cell phone companies should be doing. Contract-free plans, great prices, new ideas that actually benefit me as a customer.
So why do I use Verizon? Because I work across a rather large stretch of geography and I can't afford to have my signal drop out while I'm on a job. If it's true that T-Mo is expanding their coverage by mid-year? I'm on it.
Verizon's superiority is rooted solely in the fact that they're one of the old stalwarts and so the network is gigantic. Nothing else about them is good. They use a different band so you can't use a lot of devices on them (hi there, Nexus 5!) they're stupid expensive, they have no interest in innovation for the customer's benefit, the list goes on.
T-Mo, meanwhile, is really trying to shake things up. They're doing what cell phone companies should be doing. Contract-free plans, great prices, new ideas that actually benefit me as a customer.
So why do I use Verizon? Because I work across a rather large stretch of geography and I can't afford to have my signal drop out while I'm on a job. If it's true that T-Mo is expanding their coverage by mid-year? I'm on it.
Gentleman's agreement. The big carriers realized that they could both earn more money if they followed each other's price hikes rather than undercutting.
AT&T because it's the GSM carrier with the best coverage. I can have the widest choice of phones and use voice and data simultaneously.
T-Mobile.
They bought out my Verizon contract with their uncarrier campaign. I sold my old iPhone to pay off Verizon, and then put T-Mobile's refund toward paying off their iPhone 5S.
Now I'm unlocked and on the $30/"unlimited data" plan. Greatly enjoying it, surprised at how good T-Mobile is in Wisconsin. The interstates are Edge, but anywhere near cities is 4G and LTE in major areas. Even the 4G can hit 6-10MBps and so I end up hotspotting on it when my home wifi (!) isn't sufficient.
It's not perfect with buildings, I go from LTE outdoors to 2G in the hallway to 4G in my office, but for the value it's amazing.
They bought out my Verizon contract with their uncarrier campaign. I sold my old iPhone to pay off Verizon, and then put T-Mobile's refund toward paying off their iPhone 5S.
Now I'm unlocked and on the $30/"unlimited data" plan. Greatly enjoying it, surprised at how good T-Mobile is in Wisconsin. The interstates are Edge, but anywhere near cities is 4G and LTE in major areas. Even the 4G can hit 6-10MBps and so I end up hotspotting on it when my home wifi (!) isn't sufficient.
It's not perfect with buildings, I go from LTE outdoors to 2G in the hallway to 4G in my office, but for the value it's amazing.
If I still had T-Mobile, I would say them. My grandparents do though and they've been loyal for like 10 years already. Just got this email from them today. Pretty cool.
I actually like Sprint for Voice only. Hardly ever any drop calls which has been reliable for work.
I'll stick with AT&T. I have always preferred a GSM carrier, and T-Mobile just can't compete with them for data coverage.
Verizon
Extremely fast LTE that's almost everywhere and LTE coverage footprint is leaps and bounds above the other 3.
Extremely fast LTE that's almost everywhere and LTE coverage footprint is leaps and bounds above the other 3.
Agreed. Sprint has really stepped up in the last year or so. I wouldn't even consider going to a different carrier considering the fast unlimited data I get at a cheaper price than AT&T and Verizon.