Cincinnati Bell Wireless was a good choice for me!
Written: Jul 30 '03
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Pros: Variety of plans, less expensive than the "big boys", NO CONTRACTS
Cons: Nationwide plans limited by coverage or minutes, limited selection of phones
The Bottom Line: Overall, good customer service, good selection of plans and a good value at only $30 a month. And did I say it? NO CONTRACTS!
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| biorye's Full Review: Cincinnati Bell Wireless Mobile Phone Service in C... |
For a few years, I was a user of CintiBell's "i-wireless" phone service, which was a pre-paid plan. I soon tired of the limited network (no roaming) and having to constantly "feed" the phone with prepaid cards, so when my i-wireless phone was stolen (Thank you, thief!) I was given the opportunity and incentive to go out and get a "real" phone with a "real" monthly plan. A word to the wise: i-wireless might be a good option for your teenage son or daughter, but for an adult who travels, get the real deal.
Anyway, I shopped around the "big boys" (Sprint, Verizon) and didn't like the contracts and the high rates. I couldn't find a nationwide plan for less than $35/month. So I looked at Cincinnati Bell Wireless. They had a nationwide plan called "Hometown USA" that serves my needs nicely as a person who doesn't travel far from home: 225 peak and 1000 off-peak minutes for $30 a month. Long distance included, and no roaming in most urban areas within the AT&T network. Roaming charges do apply in "extended service" and "roaming" areas, but I don't mind paying for roaming the few times I'll use it.
They have another nationwide plan, which offers only 125 "anytime" minutes, but there are no roaming charges with this plan, ever. The nice people at the "Store@CincinnatiBell" told me that it's no big deal to switch back and forth between the plans, and I know this to be true because my wife was on the 125-National plan and wanted to switch to the "Hometown USA" plan I told her about. She called and told them she wanted to switch plans and they took care of it in less than a minute. So far I've been impressed with their customer service.
Call quality on the Nokia 2260 I purchased at the time I set up my plan has been "okay". I wouldn't rate it as high, but the only frame of reference I have is the lame-O i-wireless service. I haven't had any problems connecting or any problems with dropped calls. Despite the claims of my annoying co-worker that "Cincinnati Bell SUCKS!" I have had nothing but pleasant experiences so far.
I was a little disappointed at the small selection of phones they had to choose from, but being the cheapster that I am, I went with the lowest-priced Nokia 2260, which was on sale for $40. If you're a technophile and need the latest gadget-phone with all the bells and whistles, you'd probably do better at Sprint or Verizon.
Finally, I really like the fact that with CBW, you don't have to sign on for a three-year, a two-year, or even a one-year contract.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 30
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Epinions.com ID:
biorye
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Reviews written: 2
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