Wondering which cellular phone company is right for you?   In some ways, both superficially and intrinsically, they seem more alike than different.   But there are real differences.   Here are a few of my observations and thoughts about that (but in no way a comprehensive comparison).

 

Each cellular company has different strengths and weaknesses.   And each of us customers has different needs.   So your challenge is finding the best match, for the money.   Clearly, you must start by understanding your own needs.   Only then can you look at which provider best meets your particular needs.   All I can tell you is what I learned while attempting to meet my needs.

 

I switched to Verizon Wireless, after purchasing my West Virginia home in spring 2005.    It has some of the best coverage across the country, including uncommonly good coverage in West Virginia, which is why I switched to it from Sprint.   Verizon has it's faults, but for me they were outweighed by it's pluses.

 

When I was comparing the various services, T-Mobile had the absolute worst coverage.   T-Mobile and Sprint gave you more minutes and/or features for your buck, compared to Verizon and Cingular, but the latter bigger companies had much better coverage.  For me, there were just too many places where T-Mobile and Sprint would drop my calls and/or charge me a roaming fee.   Verizon has no roaming fees.

 

But I'm somebody who spends weeks and months on the road, often far from major cities (where everybody seems to have at least adequate coverage).   I have a professional and economic need to be in touch, wherever I am.   Likewise, I don't want my need to stay in touch to prevent me from going where I want to go.   So a large wireless network was a top priority for me.   Verizon beat out Cingular by having the best coverage in West Virginia, and less confusing service offerings.   (At the time, Cingular had two different and essentially incompatible networks.   I don't know if or how that's changed since then.)

 

My only other advise is not to be swayed by the free or cheap phones offered by the various vendors.   They all do this.   First decide on the service provider that you want.   Then estimate how much you’ll be on the phone every month, and decide which service plan best meets your needs.   THEN look at that vendor's various deals on phones, and see if any of the freebies or bargains are available with the plan you want.   Finally, don’t take a shitty phone, because it’ll save you $50 bucks.   You’re spending hundreds of dollars per year on this service; pick a phone that allows you to easily use all the services for which you are paying.