What is the best cellphone service?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by crazy4chrome, Aug 25, 2011.

  1. crazy4chrome

    crazy4chrome Light Load Member

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    Aug 21, 2011
    Chicago Il
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    Thanks to all who have posted. It will help me to decide on my service,phone etc. as I proceed into a new career in the trucking industry. I will take the pro's and con's and come up with something soon, as my current phone is begging me to be retired.
    I will leave this post up for a while and I hope it can help others as well.

    Thanks to people like you and The Truckersreport, people can see the good,the bad,and the ugly 24/7 . :biggrin_25514::biggrin_25514::biggrin_25514:
     
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  3. ddsindy

    ddsindy Bobtail Member

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    Aug 15, 2011
    Indianapolis, IN
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    You need to think about what you want to do with your phone. Do you need data, or will messaging (text, picture, video) be enough?

    People are always knocking Sprint, but they have come a long way. Dan Hesse, the President, is serious about turning it around.

    For $99.00/month you get unlimited everything with Sprint. $99.00 won't get you the same thing at the other companies. When they say unlimited data, that's exactly what they mean. They don't limit you like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile do. They also don't "throttle" your download speeds when you use too much data like the others do.

    You can go pre-paid, but they don't get the priority that the main companies get on the networks. Sure, Boost and Virgin Mobile utilize Sprint's iDEN and CDMA networks, but your text messages may not get there quite as fast as a regular Sprint customer.

    Pre-paid services utilize the networks of the major carriers, but you will not have access to every single tower that they use. Boost and Virgin Mobile don't have the same coverage as Sprint Customers.

    AT&T and Verizon are the largest companies, so they will have the biggest phone selection. This can be a good thing if that matters to you. Verizon's network is good, but they have Sprint to thank for that too. They all share towers. Sprint was doing digital phone service before Verizon Wireless even became a company.

    For phones, I would recommend the following two web sites for checking them out:
    http://www.phonescoop.com
    http://www.phonearena.com
    They will give you lots of info on each phone's capabilities.

    Android leads the way in number of handsets sold. Apple's IOS is second. Blackberry, Window's mobile, and HP WebOS bring up the rear. Android probably has more of a learning curve than IOS. They pretty much all have good application stores. Many of the larger banks make apps for them too which will help you with mobile banking.

    One other thing. I know that truckers are pretty patriotic and love their country. If supporting a foreign company bothers you, then you may want to use AT&T or Sprint. T-Mobile is currently owned by Deutsche Telekomm, a German company. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodaphone of Europe.

    Hope this helps. Mobile phones are sort of a side hobby for me. :biggrin_255:
     
  4. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    You really have no clue as to the birth of the cell phone.

    Ameritech is the birth of Verizion. Long before Sprint.
     
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  5. ddsindy

    ddsindy Bobtail Member

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    Aug 15, 2011
    Indianapolis, IN
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    GTE is the birthplace. Ameritech was a phone company supplying home phone service to a 5 state region in the midwest, including Indiana where I live. It was bought out by Southwestern Bell, which was in turn bought out by AT&T.

    Sprint also had long distance service. Verizon Communications also provided home service. Verizon Wireless is owned by Verizon Communications and Vodaphone of Europe.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Wireless
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2011
  6. rpc1943

    rpc1943 Bobtail Member

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    Nov 27, 2010
    lake cormorant,ms
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    I use ATT and like it, a little pricey but 95% of the time I have a good signal. I also use them for my laptop and I would say 75% of the time I get a good signal, this is in all of the "48". Might I suggest upgrading your phone with a new contract, you should get a good price on it. An android phone will get you an app called Pandora which is an internet create your own radio station by musican, I love it, and then plug the phone into your radio and enjoy. Hope this helped
     
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  7. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    My first cell phone in 1990 was ameritech. My long distance was sprint.

    I would have to do some digging to find who I paid for home phone.
     
  8. crazy4chrome

    crazy4chrome Light Load Member

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    Aug 21, 2011
    Chicago Il
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    You and a handful of others have answered my question exactly.
    I said in the begining that I was looking for advice from someone who has used their phone for work [OTR] and what kind of service,signal and phone they had. It looks like I can stay with AT&T and use it without too many
    problems. I will just get a new phone with them and unlimited text /talk and figure out all the apps.and gizmos later on. Thanks

    Thanks to all who posted their opinion.

    And thanks to those who decided to educate all of us on the history of the cell phone.
     
  9. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    For a couple of years I used ATT for cell service. There were many dead zones with it. After being left on the side of the road twice when I had no service for several hours, I returned to Verizon.
     
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  10. crazy4chrome

    crazy4chrome Light Load Member

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    Aug 21, 2011
    Chicago Il
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    Can I steal a line from the movie Ghost

    DITTO
     
  11. tndriver

    tndriver Light Load Member

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    my family has 3 straight talk phones $135 a month no contract no fees all unlimitied.mine uses att towers and only have trouble in southern KY the other 2 use verizon and no issues.
     
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