An impossible quest for something I don't even want: Cell Phone (1 Viewer)

[Max Leung]

Hey Vince, when are you moving to Canada? Cell service may actually be better up here..compared to your horror stories! Although, I suspect things are getting worse...isn't capitalism great?

 

[Mark Murphy]

live approximately 1/4 mi from 495, and about 1 mi from 93, and my Sprint phone wouldn't work at my house!!! I'm not in the city, but these highways should be blanketed for several miles in all directions.

Tim,

The reason why you can't get any acceptable reception at your house is because Andover won't allow any cell towers. When I'm at Shawsheen Plaza grabbing a Pizza or hitting up Radio Shack, I don't get anything. I have Cingular, by the way. The signal doesn't pick up until I get across Rt. 114 into North Andover. I know someone tried to sneak towers at the high school football field on the lights but when the townsfolk found out, they were removed.

 

[Jay H]

Speaking of TracFones, should I expect to have any difference in coverage quality between say the TracFone and say ATT? Don't they all kind of share the same cell towers, etc? I have a Nokia 5165 but with ATT Wireless under their Free2Go system. I also have noticed they advertise the same phone under their plan, I emailed them to see if I would be able to use the same phone but does anybody here know if I would be able to simply convert my wireless provider to TracFone? Their cheapest plan seems like $18 for 60 days whereas ATT has a 45 day limit but you can buy a $10 card.

Jay

 

[Matt Butler]

Vince,
Run away from Cingular! Run far away!

Seriously I had them a few years ago and they wouldnt fix my phone when I dropped it. I was already pissed at them anyway for their bullshit billing.

I went with AT&T and they've never pissed me off.

 

[Chris_Morris]

I emailed them to see if I would be able to use the same phone but does anybody here know if I would be able to simply convert my wireless provider to TracFone?

Most likely not. My Simple Freedom phone is programmed to only work with that service and is the only phone that can be used with the service. TracFones are cheap though, the Nokia version is only $40 at Wal-Mart and comes with 10 min of airtime (20 if you activate online) and the Motorola version is $70. Simple Freedom is $70 and comes with a Nokia 3585i which is a great little phone, and cost a flat $.25 a minute as long as you are in the local coverage area, anywhere in the states, $.50/min when in the 'roaming' areas and $.08 per text message.


Chris

 

[Rob Speicher]

How about you stop dealing with Cingular? It took my family all of 15 minutes to get a phone and plan with Verizon for 4 people.

I'm not sure what services are available where you are, but Cingular can't be the only one. Verizon and Nextel are the best.

 

[Mark Murphy]

Seriously I had them a few years ago and they wouldnt fix my phone when I dropped it. I was already pissed at them anyway for their bullshit billing.

I have Cingular and they tried the same thing on me. My then two year old dropped my phone in the toilet and because I wasn't "upgrade" eligible, they wanted $300 to replace the phone. I told them that it would be cheaper for me to early terminate my contract ($175) and go to another provider (free phone) than to purchase a replacement phone through them. Needless to say, they replaced my phone that very moment.