Cell Phone providers in the southeast - best bang for the buck?

remarcable · 11-01-2001, 10:14 PM

I currently have two phones with Suncom ATT, and am really sick of paying $30/mo for only 150 minutes. This appears to be their cheapest plan and their "family" plans are even worse in terms of cost. $150/mo for 4 phones!

I used to have Bellsouth service, and my parents still do. It is much cheaper at $15-$20/month, however the service is just plain lousy - the phones hardly work anywhere and forget about travelling around the country. The bellsouth phones don't even work in Florida. At least with Suncom you can get access anywhere on the ATT network even if you do get charged for roaming.

Also used to have Powertel, and those bastards stole from me and are just plain idiots.

Also my mother had to have a lawyer get involved way back in 1996 when she had an Alltell account, those bastards refused to cancel her service despite 3 notarized letters and a dozen visits to their office. They even sent a collections agency after her!

So ... Other than the providers listed above, what would you suggest? Buying new phones would really suck - I have about a half dozen of the damned things sitting around here and currently have a Nokia 6162 and a 5165.

Despite being assured of it at the time of purchase, my rather expensive 6162 is incapable of e-mail messaging and yet the bottom line "$1" 5165 I got for my girlfriend has no trouble sending e-mail. I really am pissed at Suncom over that.

I really hate the damn things. But they are quite handy to have around in an emergency. I use around 10 minutes a month max. My girlfriend uses more, but would never go above 400 minutes. Ideally I'd like a plan for two (or four... then perhaps I can get my parents to foot the bill!) phones that share a fixed number of minutes.

Anyway, fire away - What do you use and how much do you pay?

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Blindeye_03 · 11-02-2001, 09:16 AM

if you dont want to buy a new phone just got to who ever company that you got them from...they are SOC locked (all new phones are), in other words you cant take them from company to company. If you change companies you gotta get a new phone.

-justin

JPatrick · 11-02-2001, 09:56 AM

Biggest thing to watch for is the long contracts they like to lock you into or charge you fees if you break it.

Think Verizon and Cingular might be good for you in the SE, but you said you didn't like the Bellsouth service. Proving again you pay for what you get, there will have to be trade offs.

Since I use mine a good bit for business travel and get reimbursed, I choose AT&T. Mildly expensive, but works everywhere, everytime. Even in Hong Kong. I am on a 700min, no LD, no Roaming, for 60.00. (corporate discounted rate tho). Believe they might have some regional rates as well, but I know Verizon and Cingular kinda rule that market.

Good luck.

remarcable · 11-02-2001, 01:34 PM

Verizon looks like my best bet, however they do not have local service yet.

Guess I will stick with overpriced under-featured suncom for now, since their phones at least work when travelling.

Also the buying a new phone everytime you change service providers is a real scam.

Imprezed_Driver · 11-02-2001, 05:16 PM

Suncom works everywhere alright.. except in western NC where you end up with terrible packet loss if you venture even slightly away from the center of town. That's the only thing I hate about Suncom here. Get a dual mode GSM/TDMA phone if you can. True GSM is soon to be the next big event in cellular within the next few months... imagine a phone with GPS and broadband internet hookup smaller than the phones we have available now. Soon the united states will be up to the phone technology they are already using in other parts of the world... sad isn't it?

STiTuner · 11-03-2001, 01:13 AM

NEXTEL!!!!

I pay a lot fo my service but I get a whole lot of use out of it.. or could get it rather.
80 a month for either free incomming calls or free nights and weekends
+ free nextel direct connect (the two way radio)
+ free wire less web
+ Free voice mail / caller id
+ free Long distance
+ BEST SINGAL!!!

they do have a lot cheaper services..

I just used to use the two way radio for work and free nights and weekends to talk to the friends out of state

11-01-2001, 10:14 PM	#1
remarcable Scooby Specialist Member#: 2362 Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: South Carolina, USA Vehicle: 1999 Legacy Outback Blue w/ Paint Chips & Mud	Cell Phone providers in the southeast - best bang for the buck? I currently have two phones with Suncom ATT, and am really sick of paying $30/mo for only 150 minutes. This appears to be their cheapest plan and their "family" plans are even worse in terms of cost. $150/mo for 4 phones! I used to have Bellsouth service, and my parents still do. It is much cheaper at $15-$20/month, however the service is just plain lousy - the phones hardly work anywhere and forget about travelling around the country. The bellsouth phones don't even work in Florida. At least with Suncom you can get access anywhere on the ATT network even if you do get charged for roaming. Also used to have Powertel, and those bastards stole from me and are just plain idiots. Also my mother had to have a lawyer get involved way back in 1996 when she had an Alltell account, those bastards refused to cancel her service despite 3 notarized letters and a dozen visits to their office. They even sent a collections agency after her! So ... Other than the providers listed above, what would you suggest? Buying new phones would really suck - I have about a half dozen of the damned things sitting around here and currently have a Nokia 6162 and a 5165. Despite being assured of it at the time of purchase, my rather expensive 6162 is incapable of e-mail messaging and yet the bottom line "$1" 5165 I got for my girlfriend has no trouble sending e-mail. I really am pissed at Suncom over that. I really hate the damn things. But they are quite handy to have around in an emergency. I use around 10 minutes a month max. My girlfriend uses more, but would never go above 400 minutes. Ideally I'd like a plan for two (or four... then perhaps I can get my parents to foot the bill!) phones that share a fixed number of minutes. Anyway, fire away - What do you use and how much do you pay? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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11-02-2001, 09:16 AM	#2
Blindeye_03 Scooby Guru Member#: 4418 Join Date: Feb 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: NKY Vehicle: 2019 CTR White	if you dont want to buy a new phone just got to who ever company that you got them from...they are SOC locked (all new phones are), in other words you cant take them from company to company. If you change companies you gotta get a new phone. -justin

11-02-2001, 09:56 AM	#3
JPatrick Scooby Newbie Member#: 7942 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Duluth, GA Vehicle: 2002 Impreza WRX Silver	Biggest thing to watch for is the long contracts they like to lock you into or charge you fees if you break it. Think Verizon and Cingular might be good for you in the SE, but you said you didn't like the Bellsouth service. Proving again you pay for what you get, there will have to be trade offs. Since I use mine a good bit for business travel and get reimbursed, I choose AT&T. Mildly expensive, but works everywhere, everytime. Even in Hong Kong. I am on a 700min, no LD, no Roaming, for 60.00. (corporate discounted rate tho). Believe they might have some regional rates as well, but I know Verizon and Cingular kinda rule that market. Good luck.

11-02-2001, 01:34 PM	#4
remarcable Scooby Specialist Member#: 2362 Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: South Carolina, USA Vehicle: 1999 Legacy Outback Blue w/ Paint Chips & Mud	Verizon looks like my best bet, however they do not have local service yet. Guess I will stick with overpriced under-featured suncom for now, since their phones at least work when travelling. Also the buying a new phone everytime you change service providers is a real scam.

11-02-2001, 05:16 PM	#5
Imprezed_Driver Scooby Specialist Member#: 3672 Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Morganton, NC Vehicle: 2002 WRX Aspen White	Suncom works everywhere alright.. except in western NC where you end up with terrible packet loss if you venture even slightly away from the center of town. That's the only thing I hate about Suncom here. Get a dual mode GSM/TDMA phone if you can. True GSM is soon to be the next big event in cellular within the next few months... imagine a phone with GPS and broadband internet hookup smaller than the phones we have available now. Soon the united states will be up to the phone technology they are already using in other parts of the world... sad isn't it?

11-03-2001, 01:13 AM	#6
STiTuner Scooby Specialist Member#: 5778 Join Date: Apr 2001 Chapter/Region: South East Vehicle: 09 135i Jet Black	NEXTEL!!!! I pay a lot fo my service but I get a whole lot of use out of it.. or could get it rather. 80 a month for either free incomming calls or free nights and weekends + free nextel direct connect (the two way radio) + free wire less web + Free voice mail / caller id + free Long distance + BEST SINGAL!!! they do have a lot cheaper services.. I just used to use the two way radio for work and free nights and weekends to talk to the friends out of state