[InPocket]

I currently have verizon and im seeing the carriers pass me by in terms of devices. I have a few questions that I hope can be answered by my tri state brethren.

I have unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited data, and 650 week minutes, also 250 texts for 79.99.

1) Which carrier in your opinion, has comparable coverage to Verizon tri-state?

2) Can a comparison be drawn between EV-DO and Edge?

3) Is 1000 minutes (the T-Mobile plan) enough minutes for a normal phone user?

I basically want to know if I can get a compariable service as Verizon, with the same benefits (no dropped calls, etc) without the hassle of an increased amount of roaming etc.

Thanks to everyone who replys!!

P.S. as an added question, is anyone waiting for the new blackberry to drop at either tmobile, cingular, or CDMA carriers?

[mistWalker]

Originally Posted by InPocket

I currently have verizon and im seeing the carriers pass me by in terms of devices. I have a few questions that I hope can be answered by my tri state brethren.

I have unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited data, and 650 week minutes, also 250 texts for 79.99.

1) Which carrier in your opinion, has comparable coverage to Verizon tri-state?

2) Can a comparison be drawn between EV-DO and Edge?

3) Is 1000 minutes (the T-Mobile plan) enough minutes for a normal phone user?

I basically want to know if I can get a compariable service as Verizon, with the same benefits (no dropped calls, etc) without the hassle of an increased amount of roaming etc.

Thanks to everyone who replys!!

P.S. as an added question, is anyone waiting for the new blackberry to drop at either tmobile, cingular, or CDMA carriers?

Cingular gets comparable coverage, though Edge is slower than EV-DO.

[InPocket]

Originally Posted by mistWalker

Cingular gets comparable coverage, though Edge is slower than EV-DO.

But cingular is coming out with 3g, correct? In terms of pricing, also comparable?

[joaquin654]

Originally Posted by InPocket

But cingular is coming out with 3g, correct? In terms of pricing, also comparable?

a word of advice from a cingular customer ... don't do it ! just my .02 cents but consider it . i just paid 400.00 in contract fees just because i was so pissed . they over charged me every single month i was with them except the first month which they actually billed right . i called and called and i can say about 50% of the time i got charges reversed but when they insisted on charging frivalous charges for roaming when i never did i said enough . i went to t-mobile and although there coverage isn't as wide as cingulars i can say i have never had a drop call and there customer service is superb ! second to none in customer treatment and respect . i recieved my BB 7290 in 1 business day with and extra 200 min to get me started plus a free car charger , free case , and free shipping .... props to t-mo . in the end , cingular had a wider coverage area .... but t-mobile had better overall service so t-mo stole me away ....

[InPocket]

Originally Posted by joaquin654

a word of advice from a cingular customer ... don't do it ! just my .02 cents but consider it . i just paid 400.00 in contract fees just because i was so pissed . they over charged me every single month i was with them except the first month which they actually billed right . i called and called and i can say about 50% of the time i got charges reversed but when they insisted on charging frivalous charges for roaming when i never did i said enough . i went to t-mobile and although there coverage isn't as wide as cingulars i can say i have never had a drop call and there customer service is superb ! second to none in customer treatment and respect . i recieved my BB 7290 in 1 business day with and extra 200 min to get me started plus a free car charger , free case , and free shipping .... props to t-mo . in the end , cingular had a wider coverage area .... but t-mobile had better overall service so t-mo stole me away ....

wow! sorry for your experience!

So T-Mo? The thing is 1000 minutes might not hold me over... and if T-Mo doesnt have that great of coverage in the tri state then it wont make sense...

anyone?

[pgrokkos]

Seems like I'm in a distinct minority but I love Cingular.

Just switched over about 10 days ago from a Q on Verizon to a 7130C on Cingular. Had a lot of worries like coverage and Edge vs EVDO speed. But its great.

Coverage - I live in central Jersey and work in Northern Jersey and NYC. Coverage has been fine in all of NY and NJ, haven't tried CT yet. At home in central Jersey, I used to have a huge problem of EVDO and 1X switching back and forth on Verizon. This supposedly caused a horrible battery drain. A Q can barely make it through the day without that as well. Never had a problem with Cingular. Edge coverage everywhere I've been with pretty clear solid data and voice.

EVDO/Edge - Was really worried about this one as I use the internet a lot. Seriously considered the 7130E on Verizon instead. But I think CDMA phones get worse battery life for some reason. Plus, EVDO is super fast, definitely faster than Edge. But EVDO goes in and out on me. Seems like in one spot (not just in NJ but even in NYC), you can have lightning fast access and turn around and you get nothing. Edge seems much more consistent although definitely slower. EVDO, I often went to regular web sites (if I had stable coverage), for Edge I tend to only go to mobile sites if possible.

Minutes - you know your own minute usage - figure it out.

Dropped calls - Haven't lost a call yet with constant usage moving about. Plus I have yet to have a call go straight to voicemail rather than ringing, a constant problem with Verizon.

Got my phone quick and easy at the Cingular store. They seem to have a shorter trial period (7 days) and a bigger termination fee, but whatever.

Haven't gotten a bill yet so can't comment on overcharging. Haven't seen anything on a new blackberry coming out. Seriously doubt anything will come out for rest of summer. I think i read that fall/October is their typical release date - with a Wifi unit in the works and probably a push towards more consumer freindly items like MP3 player or even a camera.

[pemabuk]

Originally Posted by InPocket

wow! sorry for your experience!

So T-Mo? The thing is 1000 minutes might not hold me over... and if T-Mo doesnt have that great of coverage in the tri state then it wont make sense...

anyone?

Only you can decide if 1000 minutes are enough for you. I am in NYC, have TMobile, the 1000 minutes and mail (unltd data) plan.

It is great for me. I can't remember the last time I had a dropped call, and in my opinion the price is fair. I was a 10 year ATTWS-->Cingular user before I moved over to TMO this year. I am totally satisfied.

TMO does not have as broad of a coverage area that Cingular does, especially upstate. For me I just need it on I-87 up to Quebec, and it works fine except for a few points in the Adirondacks. That's not really "tri-state" area though.

In my experience TMO has been great all over NYC, all through Jersey down to Philly, and up to Litchfield and then east through CT, so I think you won't be held back coverage wise.

TMO also has a very detailed coverage map on their website that you can zoom down to individual street addresses, check that out.

[InPocket]

Originally Posted by pemabuk

Only you can decide if 1000 minutes are enough for you. I am in NYC, have TMobile, the 1000 minutes and mail (unltd data) plan.

It is great for me. I can't remember the last time I had a dropped call, and in my opinion the price is fair. I was a 10 year ATTWS-->Cingular user before I moved over to TMO this year. I am totally satisfied.

TMO does not have as broad of a coverage area that Cingular does, especially upstate. For me I just need it on I-87 up to Quebec, and it works fine except for a few points in the Adirondacks. That's not really "tri-state" area though.

In my experience TMO has been great all over NYC, all through Jersey down to Philly, and up to Litchfield and then east through CT, so I think you won't be held back coverage wise.

TMO also has a very detailed coverage map on their website that you can zoom down to individual street addresses, check that out.

I see what your saying here about coverage. It seems like T`Mo has better pricing on data and minutes, but Cingular has more coverage and rolling out 3g which is comparable to EV-DO.

Its going to be a toss up I guess. If Cingular brings out a new blackberry (since the 8700 has been out for over a year) then I`ll give that carrier a serious glance. If Verizon comes out with their 8700 then ill stay put...

although it seems as though CDMA is a dying breed. It seems wiser to jump ship to Cingular for price, plans, selection, and coverage

[braz]

Inpocket,

I did just what you want to do. I was with Sprint for years. We have a corp plan. Anyway I wanted the latest and greastest from Cingular.

So I leave Sprint, to go Cingular and I really tried to like them, I mean really tried. The coverage on LI and in NYC was so poor. Drop calls made me feel like I was back in 1988 with my first motorola brick cell phone.

So after three long months and countless hrs on hold with cingular I killed my contract paid the early term fee and ran back to Sprint. I dont know if its the towers near my house or the fact that its CDMA but I get coverage in places that Cingular can only dream of.

Now with that being said people are going to respond as, cingular is great and i have no problems. Thats great for them I just stating what happened to me.

Look at the places you travel to if you dont leave the US often the CDMA is great. Also look at the places you drive to and from. Lets all be honest NONE of the compaines are the "BEST" its just what company works best in your area.

laters
braz

[InPocket]

Originally Posted by braz

Inpocket,

I did just what you want to do. I was with Sprint for years. We have a corp plan. Anyway I wanted the latest and greastest from Cingular.

So I leave Sprint, to go Cingular and I really tried to like them, I mean really tried. The coverage on LI and in NYC was so poor. Drop calls made me feel like I was back in 1988 with my first motorola brick cell phone.

So after three long months and countless hrs on hold with cingular I killed my contract paid the early term fee and ran back to Sprint. I dont know if its the towers near my house or the fact that its CDMA but I get coverage in places that Cingular can only dream of.

Now with that being said people are going to respond as, cingular is great and i have no problems. Thats great for them I just stating what happened to me.

Look at the places you travel to if you dont leave the US often the CDMA is great. Also look at the places you drive to and from. Lets all be honest NONE of the compaines are the "BEST" its just what company works best in your area.

laters
braz

Thanks for that responce Braz! I was with cellularONE, even before the merge with ATT, before they were Cingular - and the converage in my area wasnt that great. It led me to startin a relationship with Verizon - which I have no complaints with (except for price, but you get what you pay for).

The reason I want to leave, like you Braz, was that if im getting a blackberry (I currently have the XV-6700 pocket pc) I want the latest - not a bb thats over a year old in normal markets!

I dont leave the country often, I work in NYC and I need it to work in the US only. Having read everyones advice and experiences with switching, I might have to hang on to Verizon. The only things I hate are how S L O W they are with new devices and ROM updates (almost a year for the PPC update!).

I heard the rumors of a camera-berry and it got my mouth watering. No I dont NEED it, but I like the idea of taking a picture with my future bb then emailing it right away.

Should I stay or should I go...

[egale]

Funny thing about coverage. On Long Island, I had problems with Verizon. I was getting constant dropped calls. Finally in desperation, I switched to Cingular. The dropped call problem stopped and in the Long Island/NYC area, have found the coverage to be equal of Verizon otherwise.

I was in a section of NJ where only Verizon had a signal but other than that, I can't complain.

You have to use the device in areas which are most important to you to decide.

[InPocket]

Originally Posted by egale

Funny thing about coverage. On Long Island, I had problems with Verizon. I was getting constant dropped calls. Finally in desperation, I switched to Cingular. The dropped call problem stopped and in the Long Island/NYC area, have found the coverage to be equal of Verizon otherwise.

I was in a section of NJ where only Verizon had a signal but other than that, I can't complain.

You have to use the device in areas which are most important to you to decide.

Its going to be either:

1 - Stay with Verizon, wait for the 8703 and old technology on a GREAT carrier

2 - Go with Cingular, comparitive, maybe has good service, new technology.. im not great with change at ALL