The Key Variable Is Where You Travel!
Written: Dec 23 '06 (Updated Dec 23 '06)
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Pros: Simple phones are still available: Customer Service is far better than reported.
Cons: There ARE black (dead) spots in ALL cellular systems. Users need to learn them.
The Bottom Line: At least as good as any other plan available in my area - and, with the Rollover Minutes, the winner for me and my family.
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| marindavid's Full Review: Cingular Mobile Phone Service in San Francisco/San... |
I have had/used car cell phones for nearly fifteen years. The original ones were large and 'hard wired' to the car (not portable and far too big to put in your pocket even if/when they were!) and were 'analog', resulting in good, overall, reception and voice quality, but easy stealability - my number could be stolen, cloned and abused relatively easily bu any ill-intentioned person with a relatively simple scanning device. This resulted, one year, in my having to change my number three times!
Since those earlier days, I have made the switch to much smaller and completely portable digital technology - generally more coverage, poorer voice reception and far greater security - and have, for one reason or another, had service with four different carriers. Whenever my job or commute changed, I would change carriers to find the one that provided the most reliable service over the map of my own routes and travels. These companies have included - both in their present and previous incarnations - the ones now known as Verizon, Sprint, ATT and Cingular. For the past four years, I have been a Cingular user. Changing carriers has become easier in recent years as the numbers are now 'portable' and can be moved from one company to another. The company that is right for you today might not be the best one tomorrow - it depends on your locations, travel and use patterns.
Whenever cellular providers are compared by national or regional magazines or newspapers, Cingular seems to wind up on the bottom of the list for customer service and general customer satisfaction. I am here to offer an alternative experience and point of view. I have been pleased with my Cingular service - I use a National Family Plan with Rollover minutes. This means that my family has two phones and two numbers on one account. For a total of under $100. per month (including all misc. fees, taxes, etc.), we have functionally unlimited anytime calling. Our plan provides 1300 minutes per month - with unused minutes rolling over for a twelve month accrual bank of anytime minutes - More minutes than we generally need or use. Consequently, we have a Rollover 'basket' containing several thousand available unused minutes in addition to the regular monthly allocation. (Shop each company for special 'deals' on minutes - once you sign up, the bonus minutes stay in your plan for as long as you remain a customer!) PLUS, this Cingular plan provides officially unlimited night, weekend, holiday and Cingular-to-Cingular user minutes anywhere within the United States. I even bring my phone to Hawaii when we vacation there - and, having entered numbers into the phone's memory so that their area codes - preceded, of course, by the number 1, are included, I can memory dial everyone in my phone book from wherever I am.
As a matter of preference, we have very simple phones (currently, Nokia 6010s) that are just phones - they don't take pictures or double as MP3 players - we have the voice mail deactivated (voice mail boxes at both home and work seem more than adequate to have to check!). You will discover that 'simple' phones-only are not as generally available as one might think. Most of the companies, including Cingular, would rather that you purchase and use all of a more complex devices features. We have successfully resisted this - so far. There are several active technologies in play in cellular phones - the GSM-type used by Cingular is the most commonly compliant with other carriers around the world. This can be important of you travel overseas a lot and want to be able to use your own equipment rather than renting local phones in other countries. Usage rates overseas are, however, staggeringly higher than usage rates at home in the US, so be sure to ask about this when you are shopping around. Surprises like big bucks for 'extra' minutes, roaming fees or out-of-area costs vary considerably from carrier to carrier and should never be presumed.
Regarding the Customer Care and General Service issues Cingular seems often faulted for poor performance in - I have simply found this to not be the case. Calling 611 from the cell phone brings Customer Service. Of course, if you call them during the middle of the day, you will wind up waiting longer to talk to a live person - just like most other things. Because their Customer Service has live reps available 24/7, I try to call them when I need something either early AM on my way to work or early on weekend AMs - the middle of the night is perfect for insomniacs with phone problems or issues. It isn't always easy and the first person I speak with cannot always solve the problem or answer my question - but this has been the case with each of the companies I have used.
On the regular route I travel, I pass through a couple of areas where my calls are regularly dropped. One in which there are many high-tension electrical lines, and the other in a hilly residential area where there are simply inadequate cell relays installed. Again, this variable is one I have found with ALL the carriers. The trick is to find the one that works most of the time for you and to try to remember to not initiate calls right before entering one of these annoying 'dead' zones. Every company has them - no matter what their advertising or ratings indicate.
I have found the reception to be pretty reliable and, even using a simple headset mike/cord while driving, the clarity of both the send and receive has been entirely satisfactory.
So - by all means, read the ratings in consumer magazines and other places - including, of course, here at epinions - but then be sure to try out several systems for yourself using the drop the service without penalty time from offered now by ALL carriers to experiment. The key variable, I believe, is quite individual and subjective - having more to do with your personal use and travel patterns than it does with the particular company. All companies provide free - basic or close-to-basic phone with one or two year service plans. Mine is a Cingular National Family Plan - one I suggest you consider including in you trial and error search for the best carrier for you!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 90. month
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Epinions.com ID:
marindavid
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Member: David Reinstein
Location: San Anselmo, CA
Reviews written: 197
Trusted by: 47 members
About Me:
Ex-Bostonian,therapist,grandfather; guitar player, poet, reader, wedding officiant and inveterate on-line shopper.
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