Verizon & Cingular's basic plans versus Sprint?

[Clash]

I just posted over in the "General" forum asking about Sprint's coverage over in Columbia, SC and Ft. Jackson, but wanted to know how much some of the basic plans are for Verizon and Sprint and if there are any other activation fees other than any deposits that may be required. Thanks!

[the2ndflood]

I just posted over in the "General" forum asking about Sprint's coverage over in Columbia, SC and Ft. Jackson, but wanted to know how much some of the basic plans are for Verizon and Sprint and if there are any other activation fees other than any deposits that may be required. Thanks!



The activation fee's all depend on how long the contract you have to sign is and how good your credit is. Sprint charges a little over $100 if your credit it not so good for a deposit, but Verizon is much higher. Sprint does give that money back after a year. Sprint's early termination fee is $150, Verizon's is I think $200. Cingular's is the highest at $240!

Verizon has some pretty good No-Roaming charge plans, but they cost more then Sprint's. While Sprint also has an option that can be added to any plan for free roaming.

Sprint's best plans are their Fair & Flexible America. Which includes no roaming charges on the largest Sprint & Roaming network in the USA and no high overage fee's.
They have $35, $50, and $100 F&F.
http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/coverage/CoverageInfo.jsp?coverageFocus=false


While Verizon's best plans are their America's Choice plans. Which also have no roaming charges.
They start at $39.99 up to $199.00.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPlanDetail&sortOption=priceSort&catId=323&cm_re=Home%20Page-_-Personal%20Box-_-Individual%20Plans

Both carriers have their own advantages, but like always , I would recoommend Sprint.

Who ever you choose, I would defenently not recommend Cingular. I am not a big fan of Verizon, but I would choose them over Cingular or T-mobile any day. Both Sprint and Verizon use CDMA which is pretty much the best network technology out there. Great for cities and the best in rural area's. Cingular uses Analog, TDMA, and GSM. Both Cingluar and AT&T have rated worse when it comes to their network qualities

If you need any other help, just ask me and I will try to help you out.

Russell

[Clash]

Ah, excellent. I shall pass this information on to my sister and brother-in-law. That was quite an excellent post :)

I've been aware of Cingular's troublespots in certain areas when it comes to reception but am surprised that they are still using TDMA!

I shall possibly ask some more questions in the future if my sister and bro-in-law need some answers! Thanks Russell! :)

[Jake]

Wirelessly posted (Kyocera koi: Mozilla/5.0 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U))

Cingulars ETF is accually $150

[danny.boi]

With Sprint's extended roaming coverage, they claim to offer service to 291 million POPS; just like VZW. Roaming isn't guaranteed to be digital, but the ability to roam off network will give you more coverage than you'll ever need most likely.

If you are looking for more native service in both Charleston and Ft. Jackson beyond the highways, VZW will give it to you. Digital coverage rock solid on highways: 52, 78, 17, 21, 601, 176, 1 and of course Interstate 20.

VZW does have AC Plans that start @ $ 34.99 for 300 Anytime minutes but they are not advertised on their website and a customer most likely would not qualify for a subsidized phone discount should they sign up on that plan. Free off network roaming & free nationwide Long Distance included. $ 34.99 plans do not include unlimited "IN-Calling."

1 yr Activation fee: $ 35
2 yr Activation fee: $ 20

Early Termination fee: $ 175 per line
In Store ESN change: $ 15
Online ESN change: FREE
Defective equipment ESN change: FREE in store or online
In Store Phone Book Swap: $ 10
Phone Number Change: $ 15
Phone Number Changes for harrassment or threats of terrorism: FREE
411 Connect: $ 1.49 plus airtime
Detailed Billing: $ 1.99
Standard Billing: FREE

Trial Period: 15 days to cancel your service without paying the ETF
Equipment Purchase: 30 days to exchange your equipment for a full refund

Taxes, Surcharges and other Fees:

Tolls, taxes, surcharges and other fees, such as E911 and gross receipt charges, vary by market and as of July 1, 2005, add between [6% and 33%] to your monthly bill and are in addition to your monthly access fees and airtime charges.

Monthly Federal Universal Service Charge (varies quarterly based on FCC rate) is 2.18% per line as of July 1, 2005.

Monthly Regulatory Charge (subject to change) is 5¢ per line as of July 1, 2005.

The Federal Universal Service and Regulatory Charges are Verizon Wireless charges, not taxes.

[the2ndflood]

It should also be pointed out that with Sprint, any phone that you have on your account (New or used, purchased from Sprint, Ebay, Amazon, ect)
is covered under the replacement program. Verizon and Cingular only cover phones purchased from them.

That is another reason why I love Sprint.

Russell

[danny.boi]

It should also be pointed out that with Sprint, any phone that you have on your account (New or used, purchased from Sprint, Ebay, Amazon, ect)
is covered under the replacement program. Verizon and Cingular only cover phones purchased from them.

That is another reason why I love Sprint.

Russell


If I bought a CDMA "RAZR" phone off Ebay that worked off of CDMA 1900 MHz and I was able to program it to be used with Sprint's network, they'd replace it if I lost it?

When you change ESN's on your account by adding an used phone, does this affect your eligibility to receive a newer phone at a subsidized price in the future?

[Matt]

How did you get it (CDMA RAZR) to work on Sprints network?

[striker01]

STAY away from sprint if you are in columbia, sc. I have been on fort Jackson in the past year and the coverage is sh*ty. The roaming add on sucks also. Sprint only give you 100 minutes to roam for $10 a month. If you are looking to get a phone with good coverage "like on Fort J" then go with Nextel.

[danny.boi]

STAY away from sprint if you are in columbia, sc. I have been on fort Jackson in the past year and the coverage is sh*ty. The roaming add on sucks also. Sprint only give you 100 minutes to roam for $10 a month. If you are looking to get a phone with good coverage "like on Fort J" then go with Nextel.


Affiliate's rock. LOL. :p

[danny.boi]

How did you get it (CDMA RAZR) to work on Sprints network?


It was just a hypothetical question. :)

[Matt]

Wirelessly posted (MOT-V635/08.48.24R MIB/2.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0)

How did you get it (CDMA RAZR) to work on Sprints network?


It was just a hypothetical question. :)

Oh. Sprint will only activate Sprint branded phones.

[Quill]

I just posted over in the "General" forum asking about Sprint's coverage over in Columbia, SC and Ft. Jackson, but wanted to know how much some of the basic plans are for Verizon and Sprint and if there are any other activation fees other than any deposits that may be required. Thanks!

Okay, based on a post further down, you mentioned brother and sis-in-law. So, you're talking about basic two-line Family Talk with Cingular. For $59.99 a month you get 500 anytime minutes to share between two lines plus M2M, rollover and I think unlimited nights and weekends. Cingular's ETF is $240 that is prorated as you get closer to the end of your contract -- I think it's 10 bucks for each month yoo complete -- in about a dozen states. Elsewhere (like where I live) it's $150. On a two-line FT plan, the activation fee is $18 per line, or $36 which is the same an individual would pay on a single line. Additional lines on the plan are $14.99. Now, there are rumors going around that the rate plans will change again the first week of September, so that's something to keep in mind. You can, as a Cingular customer, change your plan at any time during the first half of your contract without extending your contract beyond its original end date.

For comparisons sake, Verizon's base Family Share plan is $69.99 for 700 anytime minutes shared between two lines with unlimited n/w, unlimited M2M. Additional lines are $9.99. Verizon's early termination fee is $175.

It should be noted that if you add insurance to your account on Sprint or Cingular (not sure about Verizon) if must be within 30 days of the purchase of the phone. I have no clue how that works with used phones. Verizon uses Lockline and Assurion to insure phones, depending on the market, whereas Cingular and Sprint use Lockline exclusively.

My suggestion is to try out both either using loaner phones or cheap pre-paid phones - those can always be sold on ebay to recoup the cost and it's a minimal investment of money and time. I don't have any clue how either carrier's network is where you're at and ultimately the only way to make a sound decision is for your relatives to test out the service themselves and come to their own conclusions. Why? Because, I think Verizon sucks and I would choose any other carrier ahead of Verizon. But, that's based on my crappy experiences with the company here in the Seattle area. That simply doesn't extrapolate to where your bro and sis in law live.

Good luck with the research.

[dravonix]

STAY away from sprint if you are in columbia, sc. I have been on fort Jackson in the past year and the coverage is sh*ty. The roaming add on sucks also. Sprint only give you 100 minutes to roam for $10 a month. If you are looking to get a phone with good coverage "like on Fort J" then go with Nextel.

You mean go with sprint, dont you?

remember the little merger thing....yeah, where sprint merged with/bought nextel?

you should, seeing how you're phone is branded nextel.

[Clash]

Oh wow! So far I've gotten quite a bit of information! This is quite an awesome response from SUers... and shows to go why SUers are quite awesome! :D

Hmm, there is quite a bit of detail and I like that since a big problem with dealing with cell phone companies are the different fees and what not!

[striker01]

You mean go with sprint, dont you?

remember the little merger thing....yeah, where sprint merged with/bought nextel?

you should, seeing how you're phone is branded nextel.



I know, Sprint is going to ruin the best cell phone carrier out there. I wish it was the other way around, Nextel buying sprint and forcing everyone to switch to IDEN. Only time will tell.

[Matt]

Wirelessly posted (MOT-V635/08.48.24R MIB/2.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0)

You mean go with sprint, dont you?

remember the little merger thing....yeah, where sprint merged with/bought nextel?

you should, seeing how you're phone is branded nextel.



I know, Sprint is going to ruin the best cell phone carrier out there. I wish it was the other way around, Nextel buying sprint and forcing everyone to switch to IDEN. Only time will tell.

Oh thanks for that. I needed a good laugh.

[dravonix]

Wirelessly posted (MOD Sanyo PM-8200: Mozilla/4.0 (MobilePhone PM-8200/US/1.0) NetFront/3.1 MMP/2.0)

now if only iDEN has the data abilities/cap. CDMA has... besides, both may switch to EV-DO Rev. A, or W-CDMA.

[the2ndflood]

Oh wow! So far I've gotten quite a bit of information! This is quite an awesome response from SUers... and shows to go why SUers are quite awesome! :D

Hmm, there is quite a bit of detail and I like that since a big problem with dealing with cell phone companies are the different fees and what not!


Yeah, some wireless carriers don't like going into that many details. They know once you sign, you are stuck paying what ever fee's. That is why I love Sprint, because they are fair with their users.

Russell

[CDMAisGOD]

Stay with Sprint PCS. Better company, better pricing plans, better all around service.

[danny.boi]

Stay with Sprint PCS. Better company, better pricing plans, better all around service.


Chill out on the cheerleading dude... LOL.

The OP may be better helped if you can give some examples of VZW vs Cingular basic plans when compared to Sprint without the bias.