Cell Phone Provider ?

[CatFish Driver]

Verizon works fine here in Ohio. I do some limited traveling and they have always worked for me.

I would also add that Sprint/Nextell sucks!

X2 on both counts.

I had Verizon and had to drop it when I went to flight school. Enterprise, AL is the only place in America I think that Verizon has shitty service in. So I was forced to pickup either Nextel or Alltel. I got Nextel which blows. I am much happier living somewhere that Verizon works again and promptly switched back.

[Bravo57]

I have NEXTEL and no issues what so ever. The only place I have not had coverage was at the ranch.

[scubask]

I used to travel all over the country for work, and I work in the healthcare industry, so I've been to hospitals from NYC to a tiny clinic that looks like a house in the middle of nowhere. I've had Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular/AT&T.

Sprint and Verizon uses CDMA technology, which has the fastest data transfer rate as long as you're on their network.

AT&T and T-Mobile uses GSM technology (phones that have the removable chip that hold your account info), which is what the rest of the world uses. Pros to GSM is that you can use it in any country - in case you go to Canada, Mexico, Europe, or wherever.

As for the coverage, here's my experience:
Sprint absolutely blows - so many roaming areas or no coverage areas.
Verizon and AT&T were about the same in the U.S.

Of the major providers, T-Mobile has the fewest towers in the U.S. according to a friend of mine that worked for Sprint a couple years ago. I can't comment on T-Mobile since I have never subscribed with them.

Bottom Line: For what you plan to use it for (just talking and texting), I would go with either Verizon or AT&T because of the coverage. I have AT&T now because of international travel, and with the merger last year with Cingular, they have the most towers in the U.S. as well.

[KeyserS175]

Verizon works fine here in Ohio. I do some limited traveling and they have always worked for me.

I would also add that Sprint/Nextell sucks!

X3. I have had Verizon for he past 5 years and have not had a single issue.

[KW Driver]

I had Verison til I went to Polk and had to drop them. went to Sprint. moved to Lewis and dropped Sprint for Cingular. AT&T seems to have the best coverage I've seen.

[Draco]

Sprint has the best phones, but Verizon has the best coverage, IMHO.

I agree, I use Sprint and am TDY a lot. Sprint coverage blows at Ft Rucker, Ft Riley and North Ft Hood, to mention a few places. Only reason I stay with Sprint is because of the cost and the package HH6 and I have.

[GSXRanger]

I have Nextel.

It's given to me from work... so, it's free to me. I like the Direct Connect on it, but the service is not the best in the world. I don't have to pay the bill, but it drops calls all the time.

It's a CrackBerry... so I can't complain.

I had good luck with Verizon... my air card is Verizon.

I have used T-Mobile in the past... my one complaint about Verizon phone service though, is their billing is whacked. I could never understand their billing cycles, or their charges. I wound up dropping them once I got my Nextel from work.

[ANGRYCivilian]

My Sprint aircard works like a champ around here. I like having the aircard from one provider and the cell from another; it gives me some flexibility.

[RTO]

My Sprint aircard works like a champ around here. I like having the aircard from one provider and the cell from another; it gives me some flexibility.

Aircard. What's that? I've never heard of an aircard before. Is that like a pre-paid minutes card for your phone? Those are real popular out here.

[Draco]

An Aircard!!

An aircard is a device for a laptop, PDA or cell phone that allows the user to connect to wide area wireless Internet access.

They are connected to your mobile gadget using an available USB port, PCMCIA card slot or ExpressCard slot.

[K.Ingraham]

Verizon. No bells & whistles on my plan, just great phone service anywhere & everywhere.
Never saw fit to have to consider anything else.
Fast growing network, not many places left on this continent without Verizon service.

I go to Canada often and no issues there either, except for one mongo sized roam charge if I forget to change my plan before departure. You can subscribe for an international plan for just days at a time, which is pretty useful, no hassle at all.

[Steadfast]

I got verizon phone & USB Modem too, just before I went to Rock Island Ranger's Ranch. Service was very spotty to non-existence often. I had 30 days to try it out and handed it all in upon return with my complaint to verizon verbal and calm. Got a new blackberry from verizon with internet service on it. Using it here in NYC & surfing ArmyRanger.com (is good but there are limitations) but my callers keep telling me I am breaking up - shades of Vietnam & the PRC-25. Fucken need a relay team out here. Am locked in for two years. Only Good deal is my family is on verizon so all calls to them will always be free.

[ANGRYCivilian]

My Sprint aircard works like a champ around here. I like having the aircard from one provider and the cell from another; it gives me some flexibility.

Aircard. What's that? I've never heard of an aircard before. Is that like a pre-paid minutes card for your phone? Those are real popular out here.

An Aircard!!

An aircard is a device for a laptop, PDA or cell phone that allows the user to connect to wide area wireless Internet access.

They are connected to your mobile gadget using an available USB port, PCMCIA card slot or ExpressCard slot.

What Ranger Draco posted. Basically, it's a high-speed(256K) cell modem for a laptop. You can also use it as a cell phone if you hook up a mic and headphones to your laptop. It's a nice tool to have if you're on call 24hrs/day for tech-support crap and you're on vacation.

[smokn38]

I've been an Alltel customer for several years, and will probably never leave them. Service, and reception is great. We use them for internet access as well. We just travelled to FLorida, and DC. Had an internet connection almost constantly.

[Flesh Thorn]

I had to call Suncom this weekend over a small billing issue. As I was hanging up I asked when was the last day that I would have service as I had given notice that I would not be renewing my contract. I was guessing it would be sometime in July. The lady said it would be today( Saturday). I hung up and tried to make a few calls to let them know that my number would be dead. The bastards had already shut off my service. Good fucking riddance. :)