There is no doubt, the coverage needs to be improved and they need to add more towers. I have had many times when I've been in the middle of a conversation in the metro Atlanta area (should be a strong signal in a major city, right?) and have lost my signal and had to call the person back. Or, it gets choppy and the person can only hear fragments of what I am saying. This happens to me on a regular basis. Also, when I try and make a call during "heavy traffic" hours on their network, I end up having to hit redial multiple times until I finally get a signal. I get an annoying, loud beeping sound over and over until I finally get a signal. These are definitely issues to consider before getting their service.

The one plus is that they are a nationally recognized brand and and have fairly strong customer service. I have had multiple AT&T phones replaced due to wear and tear and every time they have been willing to help me get a replacement phone of the same or different brand. However, when I switched brands, going from Nokia to Motorola, they made me pay for the new phone but gave me 3 free months of service to offset the charge. With customer service issues, it's all a matter of who you talk to. If you get a stubborn one, hang up and dial again until you get someone that is willing to work with you. Remember, we consumers are always right. They want our business, remember.

Also, when they advertise $89.99/month for 600 minutes, they fail to let you know there are taxes and surcharges on top of that that jack your bill up to over $100/month when all is said and done. I didn't know this when I signed up and was not happy when my first bill came. Additionally, when you call directory assistance they charge you and it's definitely not cheap. It ranges from $.50 to $.75 each time. It's not included as part of the total plan.

Overall, the service is pretty good nationwide and I have never had any trouble using my phone when traveling. It's expensive if you go over you minutes (it's better to pay more initially and get more minutes that you may not necessarily use than pay less and go over your allotted minutes, the extra minutes really cost). If you can afford it and want solid national coverage do it. But if you are just going to use your phone in one city and rarely travel, go with a more cost efficient local plan.




Recommended: Yes