Stay sprint or go ATT/Cingular?

[scriz]

Heres my situation. I replaced my house phone with a cell phone, due to my job needing to get ahold of my 24 hours a day, and I'm hardly ever home when not on duty, so I need a phone with a huge chunk of minutes..ie F&F plan w/ free pcs-to-pcs, which is what I have..but I found a ATT/Cingular plan with Navy sponsorship for 80.99 for 1600 AT minutes with 450 bonus minutes, bringing the total minutes to 2050 for 80.99 a month with free att-to-att, nights starting at 7..now cingular also gives discounts for handsets to military of 39%, taking the motorola v551 to 74.99, which is a better "sounding" phone then the phone i have currently..the 8200. which would you recommend? right now i'm paying about 100-120 a month for my F&F with pcs vision with rl and 7pm nights, just wondering which soundslike a better plan?

[BillybathGate]

Hey man... that's your call. It's pretty much self explantory don't ya think? :eyebrow:

[scriz]

yeah..but with att/cingular, if you're surfing the web, you burn your minutes..which is stupid..sprint has unlimited internet, and r-link, which i use very often when me and my wife want to stay close by in a store, but go our seperate ways..r-link supports that lol

[MsRandall]

If CINGULAR works better for you then you should change...or at least do a test. I would start a line with them without doing a port first...so your Sprint account will not be screwed up if you dont like their service. Then you can really compare services...

[Matt]

Wirelessly posted (SHARP-TM-150/1.0 Profile/MIDP-1.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0 UP.Browser/6.2.2.6.c.2.102 (GUI) MMP/1.0)

If CINGULAR works better for you then you should change...or at least do a test. I would start a line with them without doing a port first...so your Sprint account will not be screwed up if you dont like their service. Then you can really compare services...

That is excellent advice.

[SL10]

Cingular is the "bomb" esp. in Denver. :hee: Check 'em out! ;)

[studboy69]

yeah..but with att/cingular, if you're surfing the web, you burn your minutes..which is stupid..sprint has unlimited internet, and r-link, which i use very often when me and my wife want to stay close by in a store, but go our seperate ways..r-link supports that lol

not true cingular does not charge by the minute, they charge per KB if you dont have a package just like sprint does, i have 6 lines at cingular and 1 at sprint so i can give faith on what i say

[madsexy]

not true cingular does not charge by the minute, they charge per KB if you dont have a package just like sprint does, i have 6 lines at cingular and 1 at sprint so i can give faith on what i say

Stay away from cingucr@p data... I gave my BF a Sprint phone for Xmas with the whole nine yards included (he has cingular) and in a last attempt to give cingular a chance, he ordered one of the data packages... $7.99 a month for 25 picture mails and I believe 1MB of data, per kb charges after that... and he is only able to send picture mail to att/cingular... what a ripoff!!! I can go through that in one day. He today agreed that even at $15 (I pay $10) vision is an unbeatable deal.

He's been carrying both phones since 12/24 and by this point he makes about 90% of his calls on the SPRINT phone... I did this as an experiment and today he announced he is porting his number over.

What your employer needs to do is REIMBURSE you for your work-related calls or give you a company-paid phone. My former employer would not pay for my entire bill, but they would reimburse my business-related minutes at a rate, the same way as mileage. They cannot possibly expect you to be on-call 24hrs a day and bear that expense on your own. The least they can do is give you a pager...

[SL10]

My question here is: Why would anyone post that they are switching carriers? I mean that is a personal choice, right? Like PDXMatt he switched without posting a thread on it. But, what I am curious about is does SU have a retention dept now? LOL!

[Bumble]

Stay away from cingucr@p data... I gave my BF a Sprint phone for Xmas with the whole nine yards included (he has cingular) and in a last attempt to give cingular a chance, he ordered one of the data packages... $7.99 a month for 25 picture mails and I believe 1MB of data, per kb charges after that... and he is only able to send picture mail to att/cingular... what a ripoff!!! I can go through that in one day. He today agreed that even at $15 (I pay $10) vision is an unbeatable deal.

He should be able to send pictures with the media basic to t-mo and verizon. I help cust do it every day at my store. I haven't been able to send a pic from sprint to cingular or vice versa yet tho.

[scriz]

not true cingular does not charge by the minute, they charge per KB if you dont have a package just like sprint does, i have 6 lines at cingular and 1 at sprint so i can give faith on what i say


i talked to the rep at the ATT store right after the merger was finished, and asked him if they had an unlimited web option, and he said no, unless you coun't being in the unlimited nights and weekends as unlimited web, because it burns minutes. now he either misinformed me purposely or he was misinformed himself. not sure which one..but thats what I was told, now if you're telling me they charge per kb? thats just as stupid. would probably be .01 cent per kb..the ringtone downloader downloads about 10-15 ringtones..at 40kb a pop, thats 4.00, to 4.50..guess its an easy way for them to make money..i'm staying sprint lol

[mcurtiss1970]

My question here is: Why would anyone post that they are switching carriers? I mean that is a personal choice, right? Like PDXMatt he switched without posting a thread on it. But, what I am curious about is does SU have a retention dept now? LOL!
the OP wasn't saying goodbye; just asking for advice on other carriers.

[FloorMatt]

As far as Cingulars web charges go, it's EITHER OR.......you can get a KB plan per month, or have it just use your minutes. (My lady has a phone with Cingular, that I helped her to get)

[madsexy]

He should be able to send pictures with the media basic to t-mo and verizon. I help cust do it every day at my store. I haven't been able to send a pic from sprint to cingular or vice versa yet tho.

He is able to send to cingular and at&t... we don't know anyone that uses tmo, but I'll have him send a test picture mail to my dad's verizon phone. Whatever he sends me (or the Sprint phone I gave him) never gets anywhere, even though he gets a confirmation of "message sent". However, he can receive from our Sprint phones on his cingular phone...

[bluecoyote]

Cingular's data options are horrible- and their GPRS network is not as reliable as Sprint's CDMA 1xRTT (although relatively close.)

You're paying significantly more for significantly less. Furthermore, Sprint has better content with Vision than Cingular has with MEdia (pictures on CNN, etc.)

If you plan on using data, do not go with Cingular- Sprint is your best choice. If calls are important, you might want to give them a look.

[LenS]

scriz,

Why not call either Executive Services or Retention and explain to them the AT&T/Cingular offer and see what they can do for you? That is the reason these offices exist within SprintPCS, right?

Only you can determine who has better service in your area, so that question isn't one any of us can help with. But the plan and $ issue we might be able to help you with some advice like I posted in previous paragraph. The other real good advice you were given was to hit up your management for reimbursement of part of your costs for cell service if you have to be on-call 24x7.

Best of luck with whatever decision you make.

[janos]

Heres my situation. I replaced my house phone with a cell phone, due to my job needing to get ahold of my 24 hours a day, and I'm hardly ever home when not on duty, so I need a phone with a huge chunk of minutes..ie F&F plan w/ free pcs-to-pcs, which is what I have..but I found a ATT/Cingular plan with Navy sponsorship for 80.99 for 1600 AT minutes with 450 bonus minutes, bringing the total minutes to 2050 for 80.99 a month with free att-to-att, nights starting at 7..now cingular also gives discounts for handsets to military of 39%, taking the motorola v551 to 74.99, which is a better "sounding" phone then the phone i have currently..the 8200. which would you recommend? right now i'm paying about 100-120 a month for my F&F with pcs vision with rl and 7pm nights, just wondering which soundslike a better plan?

go with att if you have better coverage but don't give up your land based phone

[jaminmc]

Cingular is the "bomb" esp. in Denver. :hee: Check 'em out! ;)
Are you serious??????? Cingular in colorado Springs is horrible. There are so many times my friend asks me to use my phone because his is searching for a signal. It isn't his phone either, because his sisters phone does the same thing. It doesn't even work on the bottom floor of the park medows mall in the denver area. I haven't even had to roam in any of the area's where they don't have a signal. Now, when we go snowboarding next, I'll have to take a back way, and see how they preform.

[Quill]

Okay, data really shouldn't be a primary factor, although I disagree with some people's criticisms of Cingular's data. Scriz, what you need to consider first and foremost is coverage. Everything else is secondary.

You could always take advantage of Cingular's 30-day trial and find out for yourself rather than listening to people here who are clearly biased. If you don't like it and find it doesn't fit your needs, then don't port your number. Just because it isn't Sprint doesn't mean it can't compare at all.

[madsexy]

Okay, data really shouldn't be a primary factor, although I disagree with some people's criticisms of Cingular's data. Scriz, what you need to consider first and foremost is coverage. Everything else is secondary.

You could always take advantage of Cingular's 30-day trial and find out for yourself rather than listening to people here who are clearly biased. If you don't like it and find it doesn't fit your needs, then don't port your number. Just because it isn't Sprint doesn't mean it can't compare at all.

Just as you are biased in favor of Cingular... we all know you switched. And whether you like it or not, no single Cingular data plan can compete with Sprint's vision price-wise or content-wise and for some of us data IS a primary factor, so don't try to speak for everyone here.

Leave it up to the guy to decide. In my case, I merely relayed my boyfriend's experience with both. Maybe girls like Cingular better because they mostly talk. The overwhelming majority of guys I know use Sprint and have vision, so data is a primary factor for that segment of the population. The overwhelming majority of girls I know could care less about vision.

[mcurtiss1970]

Just as you are biased in favor of Cingular... we all know you switched. And whether you like it or not, no single Cingular data plan can compete with Sprint's vision price-wise or content-wise and for some of us data IS a primary factor, so don't try to speak for everyone here.

Leave it up to the guy to decide. In my case, I merely relayed my boyfriend's experience with both. Maybe girls like Cingular better because they mostly talk. The overwhelming majority of guys I know use Sprint and have vision, so data is a primary factor for that segment of the population. The overwhelming majority of girls I know could care less about vision.
i don't think quill is biased at all. she's seen both sides of the fence and has opinions on both. and yeah, data is important to some people, but how good is it if your phone doesn't work because of bad coverage? so yeah, she was spot on when she said that coverage has to be the #1 factor.

i think quill did leave it up to the OP to decide; you just didn't like her opinion.

[madsexy]

i don't think quill is biased at all. she's seen both sides of the fence and has opinions on both. and yeah, data is important to some people, but how good is it if your phone doesn't work because of bad coverage? so yeah, she was spot on when she said that coverage has to be the #1 factor.

i think quill did leave it up to the OP to decide; you just didn't like her opinion.

I understand that and may I state for the third time that there is someone living under my same roof that is also currently seeing "both sides of the fence"... I was on Cingular (Bellsouth) for eight years, so I've also seen "both sides of the fence".

Just as she is entitled to her opinion, I am entitled to mine. Also I did not say data was more important than voice. I stated data is a "primary factor" to a segment of the population. To me, data is as important as voice. Therefore, to me, it is a "primary factor." The only carrier that was able to fill that need was Sprint.

It might be different for others. It is not my intention to impose my views. I'm merely stating what myself and people close to me have experienced as well as facts that can be easily gathered by visiting a couple of websites.

[Ted]

I still say we need an "official buh-bye sprint" thread.

[mcurtiss1970]

I still say we need an "official buh-bye sprint" thread.
you should make a poll :eyebrow:

[Ted]

no poll, I'm just saying that all these threads could be merged into one. not a section, but ONE thread. call it the "OFFICIAL BUH-BYE SPRINT THREAD"

just my $0.0000000000000002

[MsRandall]

Again this is the perfect thread for my proposed rant section...Not that is a rant.

[vporter]

Scriz,

How are you getting a 15% military discount??

[SL10]

Are you serious??????? Cingular in colorado Springs is horrible. There are so many times my friend asks me to use my phone because his is searching for a signal. It isn't his phone either, because his sisters phone does the same thing. It doesn't even work on the bottom floor of the park medows mall in the denver area. - (Hell, what part of Denver does work? Cingular just flat out sucks in Colorado!) I haven't even had to roam in any of the area's where they don't have a signal. Now, when we go snowboarding next, I'll have to take a back way, and see how they preform. - (Doesn't work around the ski areas either.)
Calm down. My post was sarcastic and had a point to it, did you notice the word "bomb" can mean many things. LOL! ;)

[SL10]

no poll, I'm just saying that all these threads could be merged into one. not a section, but ONE thread. call it the "OFFICIAL BUH-BYE SPRINT THREAD AND COME BACK TO SPRINT AFTERWARDS"

just my $0.0000000000000002
Added bold text. LOL.

[Ted]

hey you're putting words in my mouth

[RemusRM]

yeah..but with att/cingular, if you're surfing the web, you burn your minutes..which is stupid..sprint has unlimited internet, and r-link, which i use very often when me and my wife want to stay close by in a store, but go our seperate ways..r-link supports that lol


you do not burn your min, learn more before you post. only verizon does that...

[RemusRM]

Stay away from cingucr@p data... I gave my BF a Sprint phone for Xmas with the whole nine yards included (he has cingular) and in a last attempt to give cingular a chance, he ordered one of the data packages... $7.99 a month for 25 picture mails and I believe 1MB of data, per kb charges after that... and he is only able to send picture mail to att/cingular... what a ripoff!!! I can go through that in one day. He today agreed that even at $15 (I pay $10) vision is an unbeatable deal.

He's been carrying both phones since 12/24 and by this point he makes about 90% of his calls on the SPRINT phone... I did this as an experiment and today he announced he is porting his number over.

What your employer needs to do is REIMBURSE you for your work-related calls or give you a company-paid phone. My former employer would not pay for my entire bill, but they would reimburse my business-related minutes at a rate, the same way as mileage. They cannot possibly expect you to be on-call 24hrs a day and bear that expense on your own. The least they can do is give you a pager...


check it, you have the media value pack, but the works included unlimted internet, 200 mms and 1500 sms. also you can send to other carriers but phonenumber@carrier.com email type, sprint is the same...

[FloorMatt]

As far as Cingulars web charges go, it's EITHER OR.......you can get a KB plan per month, or have it just use your minutes. (My lady has a phone with Cingular, that I helped her to get)

Quoting myself :hee:

I don't know if they have taken that option away.

[SL10]

hey you're putting words in my mouth
Hey, it does make sense and does reflect what happens around here with "some" users.

[madsexy]

check it, you have the media value pack, but the works included unlimted internet, 200 mms and 1500 sms. also you can send to other carriers but phonenumber@carrier.com email type, sprint is the same...

When I use Sprint's picture mail I don't have to use "phonenumber@carrier.com" just the phone number. As you pointed out, the works is limited to 200 picture mails and their cost is $19.99. Exactly my point, you pay more money and you get less.

[Quill]

Just as you are biased in favor of Cingular... we all know you switched. And whether you like it or not, no single Cingular data plan can compete with Sprint's vision price-wise or content-wise and for some of us data IS a primary factor, so don't try to speak for everyone here.

Leave it up to the guy to decide. In my case, I merely relayed my boyfriend's experience with both. Maybe girls like Cingular better because they mostly talk. The overwhelming majority of guys I know use Sprint and have vision, so data is a primary factor for that segment of the population. The overwhelming majority of girls I know could care less about vision.

Do I detect a hint of hostility? I have made no secret of switching. I just didn't post a thread. I am not biased at all, but thanks mcurtiss for defending me.

And you're right, data is a deciding factor for some. I just think that coverage should be the first thing you consider and then go from there in terms of features.

I dunno about GPRS, I have EDGE in my market and an EDGE capable phone and my data is faster than my Vision service was.

As for pricing, I get slightly less for the same price. With Sprint I paid $15 a month for Vision (I liked having the content download credits) and I paid the extra $5 a month for Video Mail. So, for $20 a month from Cingular, I get 1,500 text messages a month. For me, that's fine. Now, if someone like Hte2W8 looked at that package, it wouldn't be enough for her since she texts 4,000 a month. :D But, not everyone with Sprint has unlimited text messaging. For a new customer you get 100 messages included or pay an extra $5 a month for unlimited text messaging.

I'm perfectly happy with Cingular's MediaWorks package. I don't need more than 10 or 15 MMS messages a month, so I'm getting what I'm paying for. I believe it to be very comparable to what I was getting from Sprint. And I only got more from Sprint because I had a grandfathered Vision option.

Now, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, just like I didn't recommend Sprint to everyone when I had it. But I'm happy and don't have a bad thing to say about Cingular. In fact, after three years with Sprint, it's a much better option for me than Sprint is now. It's all about personal preference. And I think we agree on that.

Having used both I think it's fair to provide my input. The best advice I could give to scriz is to test out coverage first and then evaluate what your data needs/wants are and see if Cingular fits. If it doesn't, then don't switch. Simple as that.

[scriz]

No offense, but i think it explains itself lol.

In the Navy, stationed at the Groton, CT Subase

Scriz,

How are you getting a 15% military discount??

[scriz]

read my second post before you post ;) would do you much good..i believe i stated before "this is what the rep told me".


you do not burn your min, learn more before you post. only verizon does that...

[FloorMatt]

you do not burn your min, learn more before you post. only verizon does that...

Burning minutes is (or at least was) AN OPTION. :) I should know, I had Cingular do that with my lady's phone.

[MuddaFlowa]

Just left Sprint for Cingular this morning. Got me and N-Gage QD (free through Amazon) and a Sony Ericsson Z500a (friends old phone). I'll be switching between the two considering the situation. I have MEdia Works and its all need. I'll NEVER send more than 200 pictures a month or 1500 SMS. Sprint was good while it lasted but I just needed a change for various reasons and Sprint was both unable and unwilling to meet does demands.

Sprint 1998-2005
Cingular 2005-?

[vporter]

No offense, but i think it explains itself lol.

In the Navy, stationed at the Groton, CT Subase

<~~~ Army at Fort Drum....5% I'll have to look into it then, Thanks.

[SL10]

Just left Sprint for Cingular this morning. Got me and N-Gage QD (free through Amazon) and a Sony Ericsson Z500a (friends old phone). I'll be switching between the two considering the situation. I have MEdia Works and its all need. I'll NEVER send more than 200 pictures a month or 1500 SMS. Sprint was good while it lasted but I just needed a change for various reasons and Sprint was both unable and unwilling to meet does demands.

Sprint 1998-2005
Cingular 2005-?
Dam, you were with SPCS for 7 years and switch? WOW!

[mcurtiss1970]

Dam, you were with SPCS for 7 years and switch? WOW!
what exactly is so surprising?

[SL10]

what exactly is so surprising?
Not surprised just taken back a little. I mean staying with SPCS that long is a career, so to speak. ;)

[mcurtiss1970]

Not surprised just taken back a little. I mean staying with SPCS that long is a career, so to speak. ;)
it's not like you need a court order to leave or anything.:eyeroll:

[SL10]

it's not like you need a court order to leave or anything.:eyeroll:
You know what I mean. SPCS was a maturing company since '96 and had many problems in its infancy. To have stayed with SPCS during those years is loyality to the max. But this just my opinion. For myself I would only leave SPCS if the merger forces me to give up my current plan and cuzs major coverage headaches in the transition.

[mruge]

Anybody that switches to Cingular will be wanting to come back to Sprint when they see how they treat their customers and all the stupid fees they like to charge.

Take it from someone who used to work for them. Cingular Sucks!!

[Quill]

Anybody that switches to Cingular will be wanting to come back to Sprint when they see how they treat their customers and all the stupid fees they like to charge.

Take it from someone who used to work for them. Cingular Sucks!!

You know, I keep hearing these horror stories, but have yet to experience that. Of course, I'm only a month in and I reserve the right to change my tune, but in the past couple months that I've dealt with Cingular, I've found it to be the best customer service of the four carriers I've dealt with (Verizon, Sprint, T-Mo and Cingular). The reps are the most honest, most knowledgeable and seem to be the most genuinely interested in helping people. But that's what I've found in my market. Who knows what it's like elsewhere.

Then again, I hear horror stories from Sprint customers as well and found them to be relatively good to deal with...company policy just forced me to justify things more and be a bit more aggresive to get things done. But reps were always pleasant and helpful, though not always very knowledgeable and fairly honest. I don't have a single complaint about CS with either company.

Maybe it's the benjamins I slip the reps when I talk to them. :hee:

[MuddaFlowa]

So far in the one day that I've had Cingular the two people I dealt with were fantastic. Almost felt like I was calling On-Star or something. The guys I spoke with were very professional and friendly. One guy even kept me on the phone and told me about all this cool stuff (not in the manual) that the N-Gage does. Sprint customer service wasn't bad but it seemed like no one in the eight years I was with them, ever could give me a straight answer about various questions. I can't complain much about Sprint cause it was a good eight years but Cingular has just really impressed me lately.

[FloorMatt]

Psst....speaking of On-Star....If you look on Verizon Wireless' site, you'll see that you can share your plan minutes with the On-Star phone. So, I guess that's who On-Star uses for cell service (and perhaps roaming with other carriers, I suppose).

[mruge]

You know, I keep hearing these horror stories, but have yet to experience that. Of course, I'm only a month in and I reserve the right to change my tune, but in the past couple months that I've dealt with Cingular, I've found it to be the best customer service of the four carriers I've dealt with (Verizon, Sprint, T-Mo and Cingular). The reps are the most honest, most knowledgeable and seem to be the most genuinely interested in helping people. But that's what I've found in my market. Who knows what it's like elsewhere.

Then again, I hear horror stories from Sprint customers as well and found them to be relatively good to deal with...company policy just forced me to justify things more and be a bit more aggresive to get things done. But reps were always pleasant and helpful, though not always very knowledgeable and fairly honest. I don't have a single complaint about CS with either company.

Maybe it's the benjamins I slip the reps when I talk to them. :hee:
Just wait until you have been with them and have a problem. They are nice from the start, but as soon as you need help, they will do what they can to stab you in the back. I worked in the west market here in Spokane, WA. I see you are in the Seattle area.

Good luck and I hope they dont drive you away. :)

[Quill]

Just wait until you have been with them and have a problem. They are nice from the start, but as soon as you need help, they will do what they can to stab you in the back. I worked in the west market here in Spokane, WA. I see you are in the Seattle area.

Good luck and I hope they dont drive you away. :)

I hope that doesn't happen, I mean, it's wireless, so I wouldn't be shocked. But, I had problems with my battery. They offered to swap it out, but I wanted to give it a few more days. I did and realized I wanted to swap it out. I walked in the store, asked to swap it out and they did. No questions asked. I was in and out of the store in five minutes. When I had battery problems with my Sanyo 4900, it was a three-day effort to get anything done because they had to run a bunch of tests and all that. I understand why they do it, but to know that it's so much easier with Cingular is refreshing.

I think that the reps in this market are just very good and I think the same can be said about Sprint in other markets. I've dealt with at least a dozen different reps since early November (when I first considered switching) and have been very impressed and pleased.

Of course, it helps that everything was set up right to begin with. That right there will likely minimize problems down the road.

[mcurtiss1970]

Just wait until you have been with them and have a problem. They are nice from the start, but as soon as you need help, they will do what they can to stab you in the back. I worked in the west market here in Spokane, WA. I see you are in the Seattle area.

Good luck and I hope they dont drive you away. :)
sounds like Sprint CS then. ;)

seriously, they all stink. it's a sliding scale of stink. saying one stinks less than another isn't saying a whole lot.

[Quill]

sounds like Sprint CS then. ;)

seriously, they all stink. it's a sliding scale of stink. saying one stinks less than another isn't saying a whole lot.

Just scroll the first page of any of the carrier forums at HoFo and you'll see all the same kinds of complaints there, regardless, that you see here. So, no matter what survey says which carrier has the best CS, this is totally true...it's a sliding scale of stink. Heh.

It's just a matter of finding which stink you can tolerate the easiest.

[BillybathGate]

Just scroll the first page of any of the carrier forums at HoFo and you'll see all the same kinds of complaints there, regardless, that you see here. So, no matter what survey says which carrier has the best CS, this is totally true...it's a sliding scale of stink. Heh.

It's just a matter of finding which stink you can tolerate the easiest.
well said.... :good:

[mcurtiss1970]

It's just a matter of finding which stink you can tolerate the easiest.
yup, scary that they're all graded on a curve.

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