Verizon is the best deal out there money-wise. Verizon is average when it comes to clarity and "dropped" calls. Verizon has good customer service at the stores, but stay away from buying equipment and plans over the phone or on the Net.

The breakdown:

Verizon is inexpensive.
My plan is 30 bucks a month and I get free long distance, no roaming fees in the surrounding 5 states (I live in California) and 250 anytime minutes coupled with a 1000 Verizon cell phone to Verizon cell phone minutes; which is great if your friends and family have Verizon phones as well, which mine do.

Verizon has decent sound quality.
I had Cell One (now AT&T) for 2 years and although their customer service was poor and it was WAY more expensive than Verizon, the clarity was much better. But I use my cell secondary to my home phone and email and the internet, so I'd rather save the money with Verizon.

Verizon has good service AS LONG AS YOU DON'T BUY OVER THE PHONE OR FROM THE INTERNET.
The problem with buying your phone and accessories over the net or by phone, is that if you have equipment problems, you must send them back to those that sent them to you.
I had a problem with my new phone and spent at least 4 hours on hold and with different service reps. They couldn't help. Eventually, I was told I needed to send the phone back from where I got it. And wait anywhere from 3 days to 6 weeks for a new one...6 WEEKS? That's ridiculous. I complained so much they sent me to my local Verizon office and although "it is against policy," they replaced my malfunctioning phone; which was very appropriate and thus the reason they don't get such a poor service rating.
But what I learned and pass on to you is that you must go into a Verizon store near you and do your buying that way. If you have problems down the line, you'll know where to go and who to talk to you.

I need a cell phone service to be cheap, to have reasonably clear reception when I make calls (especially local ones 'cause I make them the most) and I need the customer service to be good and available since I inevitably talk to my cell phone provider (at the least) a few times a year. So far, Verizon is graded a "B" in my book. and that isn't too bad.




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 30