3/13    ok.  My year long lease with verizon just expired.  I'm shopping
        around for new long distance cell phone carrier.  Besides the
        other variables I'm considering, there is customer service.
        Any input on verizon, sprint, voicestream, etc?  I'm doing my
        homework, but just wanted to hear other stories.  thanks.
        \_ I have verizon since y2k and renewed it last year and recently
           changed to $25 plan which is all I need since....my
           gf has AT&T with free domestic long distance.  AT&T network
           and rate plans are comparable to verizon.  Don't let Cingular
           plans lure you.  It sucks.  Sprint sucked 4 years ago when
           I had it.  Don't know now.
           \_ Unfortunately Sprint still sortof sucks. Here in Contra Costa
              County, there are plenty of blind spot, esp. along I-680. I
              have been an AT&T Wireless customer for 5 yrs and happy. Can't
              comment much on Cingular although they're the only one that
              provides GSM service, if you're into it. Verizon seems to be the
              cream of the crop according to most people.
        \_ Just last week I switched from Cingular to AT&T. With a 2 year
           contract, you get 50% more minutes, which makes AT&T way better in
           terms of price than any of the other players. Quality is also
           quite good (way better than Sprint or Cingular).
        \_ My wife had a Samsung SCH-210 phone under Verizon and the reception
           around Downtown SF was very good.  Now she has a Nokia 8260 under
           AT&T and the reception at the same locations is noticeably worse.
           Don't know if it's the phone or the network, but Nokia phones can't
           be that bad.
           \_ Nokia 8260 is bad in general.  When my sister got hers, the
              saleperson warned her that this model had many complaints from
              his customers.
        \_ I've had AT&T for about 1.5 years now.  Service has been
           consistently good.  Reception was so-so with my old Nokia 8860.
           The 8260 has the same internals as the 8860, but is cheaper to
           produce.  I now have an Ericsson R300LX, which has much better
           reception.  Don't get Cingular.  They're WAY oversubscribed.
           Ditto for Sprint (plus, Sprint network has lots of gaps).
           Oh, yeah, Ericsson's usability engineers suck.  UI on the Nokias
           is MUCH better. -dans
        \_ Anyone use Motorola phones?  Are they any good?
          \_ I use Motorola StarTac ST7797, which AT&T Wireless supports BUT
             no longer resell (I bought one from E-Bay for under $50). I've
             always liked it; was on ST7790 for 2 yrs until AT&T Wireless stop
             supporting it. Verizon supports another version of the StarTac,
             can't remember the model #. AT&T Wireless (if you decide to go
             with them) would try to sell you the Motorola Talkabout, which is
             a brick-looking thing that's kindof awkward. Reception on my old
             ST7790 sucked but the ST7797 totally rocks! - jthoms
        \_ if you don't need a local number, i've met people happy with
           voicestream gsm they bought from the northwest.  they are always
           roaming but who cares if the price is right... i use cingular
           and have found very even roaming coverage all over the US,
           including chicago which was a dead spot for years.