26 replies to this topic

[azntechguy]

I've been using T-Mobile so far until last week when my dad decided to close the account to save on monthly bills (underusage and my dad not working didn't help).

Cingular looks promising to me, cool phones aside (since most of the cell phones here in the US are horrible in comparison to phones I've seen in Europe/Asia), how's the service quality in NY?

Comments appreciated.

[Josh]

Cingular doesn't have particularly good service.

Best to worst, reception-wise:
Verizon
ATT
Sprint
T-Mobile
Cingular

Cingular and ATT just merged, so Cingular may jump ahead of T-Mobile. But as of now, it looks like they merged to increase their range by combining towers, but not reception.

[z2z007]

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Cingular doesn't have particularly good service.

That is not true. I have no problems with Cingular. They have good customer service also. I used to be with Sprint and I couldn't stand their service. It was so annoying and all those dropped calls. However, I will admit Verizon has the best service overall but their phones are ehh...

[Josh]

Yes, all the good cell phones are being made for GSM and PCS network phones, the only companies who try to make decent phones for Verizon are LG and Samsung.

The reason Verizon doesn't have great phones is because their service is what attracts most people.

Cingular doesn't drop calls, but their current service coverage, and overall reception is comparably the lowest in NY.

[wretched]

I hate Cingular. I have horrible signal in my house (2-3 bars out of 6). I drop 50% of calls in my house. And I got gyped. I was told I could roam anywhere in the USA without roaming charges, but the bill was not pretty...

I plan on switching to Sprint PCS ASAP. What's the difference between GSM and CDMA technology?

[azntechguy]

Okay, so I heard too much bad comments about cingular. In that case I should stick to T-mobile if my dad reopens the account. I get decent signals all around anyway

Well GSM phones, have a SIM card somewhere in the phone. CDMA doesn't. To get more specific, you'll have to google it. There are some difference in the way calls are handled and all.

BTW, LG and Samsung tries to make the best phones for Verizon because of one reason imo, it's easy to do so! LG and Samsung are both Korean companies. In South Korea, the cellular services there (from SK Telecom, LG Telecom, etc.) are all 1xRTT/CDMA (aka CDMA2000) and EV-DO/CDMA, so Samsung and LG have to make phones that uses that standard. Verizon uses 1xRTT too, so it's easy to port it. 2nd BTW: There's no GSM service in South Korea. I've learned it the hard way bringing my GSM T-Mobile phone over there. A nice "No Service" in my R225M while my cousins were enjoying a 6 bar with their SK Telecom.

[z2z007]

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I hate Cingular.  I have horrible signal in my house (2-3 bars out of 6).  I drop 50% of calls in my house.  And I got gyped.  I was told I could roam anywhere in the USA without roaming charges, but the bill was not pretty...

I plan on switching to Sprint PCS ASAP.  What's the difference between GSM and CDMA technology?

Hahaha... it is probably because your freebie Samsung phone doesn't live up to your expectations.

[dannyyboii]

If you didn't know. Cingular borrows/uses T-Mobiles reception lines. So it's similiar to T-Mobile and if they borrowed it, technically, it might even be worse. Verizon is indeed the best for reception. I think nextel ain't bad either. i heard it's expensive and Verizon has a 2 year contract instead of 1.

[z2z007]

...and vice versa, if you didn't know. All the GSM and CDMA networks share a lot of their lines with their respective bands. Your phone has a huge factor on reception also. If you have a lousy phone, don't plan on having good reception.

[wretched]

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Hahaha... it is probably because your freebie Samsung phone doesn't live up to your expectations.

No... I've looked at my friends' phones in my house. Same problem.

[Josh]

Speaking of cell towers...

For reference, Verizon owns all the phone towers on the East coast, and is required by law to rent out space to other companies (monopoly laws and whatnot).

When they rent them out, they're allowing the company to attach a box to the tower, like a parasite.

Any company other than Verizon (on the East coast) will never come close to Verizon, reception-wise.

Almost all phones except Motorolas have problems getting reception inside homes (as in, Brooklyn, SI, Queens, not Manhattan, because it's less residential by comparison).

[wretched]

I had bad signal using a Motorola.

[z2z007]

Though I hate the fact my Sony Ericsson T616 is a candy-bar style phone, I always get 3 bars or better reception inside my home. The one good thing about some Motorola phones with Verizon service can do is get reception in the subway in certain areas.

[Frightcrawler]

I heard Cingular sucks (though don't take my word for it). The only thing it has for it is rollover minutes. And I think Sprint already has something like that now.

Now, about phones, I like Samsung phones the best. Nice and sleek, yet still feature-filled. They are the coolest. I wish I had one.

[ShadOh]

T MOBILE IS THE BEST

[Josh]

ACTUALLY, NO IT ISN'T.

[Elyubarov]

lol, shad0h you cant say something is the best just on your opinion. you did the same thing with windows over linux. anyways, i see to be the only one my age w/o a cell phone. meh I use a pay phone and/or friends cell :-)

[sweetandsour]

i have verizon and i have overall good service. BUT my friend has t-mobile, and at 6 flags i have NO service and she has FULL service.

[Frightcrawler]

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lol, shad0h you cant say something is the best just on your opinion. you did the same thing with windows over linux. anyways, i see to be the only one my age w/o a cell phone. meh I use a pay phone and/or friends cell :-)

Wrong! Also, odds are that you are older than me. Unless you were born in September, October, November, or December. :wink:

[Elyubarov]

damn straight, cell phones are for cool people :-)