Cell phone providers?

Sprint finally pissed me off. And Im tired of dealing with idiots who make promises that they have no intention of keeping. I had Nextel for years, a bit pricey..but it worked. Every time, the phones were rugged as hell and they had good support.
Then they merged with Sprint..and the phones got fancier, less rugged and far more expensive every month.
Ive been a Nextel customer since 1994. I think Im going to switch to someone else, after this last round of bullshit with customer support.
14 yrs with the same provider shows that Im not one of the cheap kids that bounces around from provider to provider
So whats a good cell phone service? Boost? I of course need to keep my same number and if possible, my same phone. I understand that the numbers are transferable and the phones MAY be.
Anyone have any suggestions? I DONT need internet, texting and all the bullshit. I need to be able to make a call, receive a call and have voice mail. Period. End program
Im currently paying $99.95 a month for all the bells and whistles..which I do NOT want. I pay both my ex-s phone for $99.95 a month..and my daughter in laws phone..for....$99.95 a month. The bills every month, with all the bullshit taxes and what not..come to damned near $400 a month.
Anyone have a cheaper provider they can recommend?
I just got off the phone with Sprint support..and Im pissed as hell.
Gunner

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Problem I had with Sprint was lack of coverage. Sucks up in Kernville.
Try: http://plans.boostmobile.com/monthlyunlimited.aspx
Flat $50.00 per phone unlimited. My Bro-in-law has it and is happy. He travels around for business and has had no problems using a Blackberry. That's my next plan after my Verizon ends. The price can't be beat even if your not a text/web guy. Be aware they use the Sprint network.
-- Bill

On 6/8/2010 1:27 PM, Gunner Asch wrote:
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I take it your on the downside of the hill, so you might want to look at jitterbug.com lol
But in all seriousness..
First and formost you want good reception wherever you are.. If you spend most time at home, then check with ppl around there.. You'll be able to gauge your choice by if they have good service or not.
Second, look at the plans.. Do you need 100 mins a month, or 1000 mins a month. Sometimes it's cheaper to pay as you go than to get a regular plan. Especially when your not looking for anything other than a telephone.
Third is picking the phone. You defiantly want something rugged, My suggestion is Motorola, but that's just my opinion.

Gunner Asch wrote:
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I believe you have incorrectly spelled "Billing Department".
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That's a lot of money for a guy with your stated financial limits. Did it ever cross your mind to have your "retinue" get phones of their own?
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Sounds like it's them that's done with you.
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This sounds like the Gunner hallucinatory version of your distress over a creditor that wants to get paid before you get to far into their pants. Eh whot?
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Your phone number won't be transferable on an unpaid account.
You really have to go over your made up BS more carefully before pushing the send button Gunner. <eye roll>

On 6/8/2010 1:27 PM, Gunner Asch wrote:
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I use TracFone. I seldom use it but like to have in an emergency. Minutes are not cheap but for my seldom use, they keep accumulating and it only costs me $99/year to re-up for a year and roll over minutes. Also don't think you're bound to providers service as they rent what's available, so service may be better. My only concern is phone is getting a little long in the tooth and I may spring $19.95 for a new one.

On Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:08:48 -0400, Frank
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I used to buy my Nextel phones off Ebay. When I was using the 550s and 700s...Id buy 2 of them, for $5 each off ebay, and when Id bust one (seldom), simply swap sim cards and batteries and be off and running.
I see tracphones on ebay regularly.
Gunner

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You've got to check on the Tracfone site to see what phones are supported in your area, any old phone off eBay may not work. If you buy the right model from them, you've cut your per/minute cost in half, "double minutes for life". Supposedly, you can transfer your existing number to their service, all I've ever done is transfer the same number from phone to phone(both Tracfone), can be done on the web site with both phones in hand. Downside to Tracfone is they jigger their phones so that only the one SIM can ever work in it. No swapping SIMs to use on another service. Might be some way to program the thing to get around that, not commonly available knowledge, though. Can be had for as little as $10 new, plus whatever time you buy for it. And if you hate the service, you can drop it and take up with somebody else, all you're out is the cost of the phone and you could probably sell that on. Another downside is if you don't keep up on your time and let it expire without buying more, your phone number goes with it. Phone keeps track of time and days for you and you CAN set it up to buy more over the phone itself. I usually run out of service days long before I run out of talk time. I use it mostly for long-distance calls, same rate as local if I'm in the same service territory. If I go visit my sister in another state, the per-minute rate doubles. No other roaming charges. They use whatever service is in the area I'm in, usually pretty good, except for 8 blocks from here there's a service hole, don't know why.
Stan

Gunner Asch wrote:
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The tracfone site generally has good deals on the models that work in your area. I had a Nokia refurb that was basically free for buying minutes. It died after about 4 years, so I bought a LG at RadioShack and had the minutes transferred. At home, it uses Verizon, which is the only carrier that reliably works where I live.
I've been happy, but I am a very light phone user, literally about 10 calls a year. I got it mostly so my brother can contact me in an emergency, since my landline is basically a modem connection.
One problem is customer service. It's rumored the service center is in LA, not TJ, but English is a distant second language. I had it activated at RadioShack because I figured they knew the ropes, but it still took about an hour to get my minutes transferred. I felt bad, because I know the woman at RS from the ham club, but she has much, much more patience than I.

I've had Verison for a decade or more. 100% reliable service, no games or phony charges. No drops, either. JR Dweller in the cellar
On Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:08:48 -0400, Frank
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-------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses -------------------------------------------------------------- Dependence is Vulnerability: -------------------------------------------------------------- "Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal" "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

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Seems Verizon has better coverage out west than anybody else. They are also more expensive. As to phone choices... I have a Casio GZ'one that is about 3 years old and still works fine. I bought it used on Ebay. You have to do your shopping and find a durable phone. Mine was originally a mil spec phone, but I understand Motorola also has a model or two in the rugged waterproof department.

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I might add that I think Page Plus actually uses the Verizon network so has the same coverage. Some of their prepaid plans are pretty darn good. Check the Verizon Usenet newsgroup for more info.

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Page plus does use the Verizon network. And Verizon has the best coverage in the East too. Or at least at my house.
We use the prepaid Page Plus phones and for not many calls it is the cheapest. But you might look at the following. It has the Page Plus unlimited and the 1200 minutes a month plans info.
Dan
Standard - Our most popular prepaid mobile plan, offering rates from as low as 4¢ per minute in $10, $25 and $50 denominations. More Info
Talk n Text Plans
Unlimited Talk n Text - Our Unlimited Talk n Text monthly prepaid mobile plan is the best value in wireless. Unlimited domestic voice minutes, unlimited domestic text messages, and 20 megabytes of data for just $44.95 a month. More Info
Talk n Text 1200 - Perfect for the average cell phone user. For just $29.95 a month, this plan includes 1,200 voice minutes, 1,200 text or picture messages, and 50 megabytes of data. More Info
Text Add-On Plan
Power Text - Are you a heavy texter? Add Power Text to any plan (other than Talk n Text plans) for just $10.95 a month for 2,000 texts, or $19.95 a month for unlimited texts. More Info

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I've had Verizon for years now and am very happy with them. Their coverage is good and I pay about $38/mo for 300 minutes. I don't use anywhere near that, even with the base landline forwarded when I leave the house. The LG phone that I have seems to be pretty rugged, as I've managed to drop it several times and it's still ticking.
Jim

I had Verizon, for a while. And then went to Cingular. The phone I had, didn't work dependably. And after several visits to the repair shop, still not dependable. Went back to Verizon.
My present phone is a LG "flip" phone that's kinda like the old Star Trek Communicators. My LG has been dependable, though I've not yet dropped it.
I suggest to talk wtih contractors and repair guys in your own area. They will know more than scattered around the country Usenet posters.

--- Original Message -----
Newsgroups: alt.machines.cnc,misc.survivalism,rec.crafts.metalworking Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 11:49 AM Subject: Re: Cell phone providers?
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Thats the phone I use. It's hit cement quite a few times and has been wet and it keeps on ticking. It has a great speaker phone if you don't want any apparatus in your ear when you drive. Verizon used to have a shitty attitude but I think everyone got a memo because they got a whole lot more helpful recently. The lock screw that holds the battery broke. I had been using tape for quite a while. I brought it in and the next day they fedexed me a brand new phone at no charge. If you go to Verizon get the Casio GZ. The most industrial friendly phone I've used. Im paying about $70 for 900 minutes.

I've got Nextel and I'm not too pissed off at them. I get 900 min's per month with a second line for the wife (she shares the minutes). We have phone and that "walkey talkey" thing. I pay $81.72 per month. BTW, I've been with Nextel since ATT wouldn't renew at the new customer rate after 10 years with them. R. Wink
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I missed the Staff Meeting but the Minutes record that Gunner Asch
-0700 in misc.survivalism:
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    I've been using the Verizon Prepaid service for the last umpteen years. You buy minutes which are good for so many months. Minimum is 15, and those are good for thirty days. Last year I discovered that $100 will buy minutes good for a year. They lasted 8 months,,, which is still cheaper than by the month. Of course, if someone is a big talker (texter, or roamer), they can burn through those minutes in a very short time. But it works for me.
    More than that I cannot say.
    Oh, and the Cassio G-force phones are "bomb proof". Friend has one, has had it fall 13 feet to concrete, and fall in the coolant tank. Still works. But they come with all the bells, whistles, doodads, thinggummies. Dual overhead windshield-wiper knobs, Chrome plate muffler bearings, AM/FM UHF and ESP radio, an alarm clock with calendar, tide table, and Ephemeris, and a personal assistant to set everything up.

On 6/8/2010 4:48 PM, pyotr filipivich wrote:
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Thank you, for the tip about the $100 dollar per year Prepaid pricing. I was not aware of that pricing plan. I am going to use it next time I need to re-up. It does explain how customer service re-upped me, last fall, for a whole year, when I had a problem renewing my legacy prepaid account.
Russ

R wrote:
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To avoid problems, never give a provider a credit card number. Use prepaid. This also gives you control of the account plus a degree of privacy.
And don't forget to devise a way to disconnect the battery within the phone when ultimate privacy is needed.

Gunner Asch wrote:
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I have Cingular/AT&T myself.
4 phones all with voicemail. 5000 Night/Weekend minutes. 850 Anytime minutes a month with unused minutes that roll over. So if we use 50 minutes this month they add the 800 left over to next month. Currently I have 5,758 minutes in rollover to use up in addition to the 5000 night/weekend minutes and this months 850. This is a nationwide plan, phone works anywhere in the US that has AT&T access. Minutes are shared between phones.
$113.66 a month total. Including all current fees/taxes in NY. $59.99 for the first phone, $9.99 each for up to 4 more.