Best Cell Phone Service @ Berkeley

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>So I've been using an LG CDMA phone with Verizon service until now, but my uncle just bought me a V3 Razr...but we got it overseas and its GSM. So now I have to switch providers. Right now I'm between T-Mobile and Cingular. Cingular is more expensive, has less minutes- but it has rollover, more texting (though I probably don't need that much) and my friends who have it say its pretty good service. T-Mobile is a relative unknown as far as reception, etc... go.</p>

<p>So- any advice for which would be the best to have at Cal? And if you have another provider option, feel free to share.</p>

2

<p>I've mostly heard that Cingular and Verizon/T-Mobile are the best providers. I'd go with Cingular.</p>

3

<p>My son uses Cingular and we have had no dropped calls in the past six months and great reception. There was a problem with dropped calls sometimes while in his dorm room (Foothill) at the beginning of the school year, but out on campus and off, no problems.</p>

4

<p>Cingular is the best in the Bay Area according to some recent study for fewest dropped calls.</p>

5

<p>So you guys and all the friends I've asked so far have recommended Cingular. Mostly though this is because they all have it and don't know about any others.</p>

<p>Here's the thing- T-Mobile is cheaper and has more minutes, and I'm thinking I want to get that right now. Only things that would keep me from it is if it's significantly worse coverage/reception than Cingular and/or the fact that Cingular has free mobile-mobile and most of my friends have Cingular...not T-Mobile.</p>

<p>So...does anyone know anything about T-Mobile or have heard anything? Good or bad?</p>

6

<p>T-Mobile is cheaper (the reason I chose) but it completely sucks here. Don't bother. I'm switching as soon as my contract is over.</p>

7

<p>Sprint works very well for us. There is a Sprint store on Telegraph next to Bank of America. They have very good customer service there. We used to have Cingular but I had such bad customer service experiences with them (always being put on hold forever, getting overcharged) that I didn't want to give them my business anymore.
Sprint has free mobile-mobile also, plus a good nation-wide calling plan (free long distance for an extra $5 per month. We have the family plan with 4 phones on it which costs less than when I had 2 phones on Cingular.</p>

8

<p>Cingular Plan: 54.99/mo</p>

<p>450 Rollover minutes/mo
5000 Nights/Weekends
Free Long Distance and Cingular Mobile-Mobile
1000 Text Msg (I think)</p>

<p>T-Mobile: 45.00/mo</p>

<p>600 Whenever Minutes (No Rollover)
Unlimited Nights/Weekends
Free Long Distance but NO Free Mobile-Mobile
400 Text Msg</p>

<p>As you can see I was quite tempted by T-Mobile...but after talking to people (who mostly had Cingular) and checking the coverage maps for Berkeley and my home area...it seems Cingular is more reliable and has more service even though its more expensive and has less minutes. Plus if most people have Cingular...then the free mobile-mobile would be very useful. The 54.99 plan was apparently the cheapest according to the guy at the store, and that's a bit pricey for me, plus I wish I had at least 500 minutes minimum. Anyone have better/cheaper plans with Cingular?</p>

9

<p>Cingular sucks but you don't really have a choice.</p>

<p>Let's just give all our money to the giant AT&T monopoly</p>

10

<p>^Does it suck worse than T-Mobile?</p>

11

<p>He's joking. Cingular is the best.</p>

12

<p>No, I'm not joking.</p>

<p>The problem with wireless service is that no network can compare to the coverage Cingular provides. Except that the cover that Cingular provides sucks.</p>

<p>A few years ago, T-Mobile and Cingular shared the same networks so they weren't bad but now they are separate.</p>

<p>Be smart, get a pay as you go plan until something is done about the wireless oligopolyl/monopoly/cartel</p>

13

<p>T-Mobile worked fine for me last year. I don't know why anyone would say it "sucks." It just doesn't work in underground buildings or in the pure concrete and steel buildings like the mini-suites. I'd say you seem like you enjoy the sound of cingular more.</p>

<p>
[quote]
A few years ago, T-Mobile and Cingular shared the same networks so they weren't bad but now they are separate.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You sure? I thought T-Mobile still used the Cingular towers.</p>

<p>My friends with Verizon say it's good. Anyone hear otherwise?</p>

14

<p>Verizon is good. I'd stick with it if they had GSM network, but they are CDMA only.</p>

<p>T-Mobile was really ok?</p>

15

<p>someone was talking about how great sprint was above. i had nextel/sprint last year and it was horrible coverage. i had like no service anywhere so i switched to cingular and it's been much better so far.</p>

16

<p>Cingular traded towers in CA for towers in NY with T-Mobile. They no longer share.</p>

<p>CDMA is good if you're stuck in the basement a lot.</p>

17

<p>I have T-Mobile right now...I get full bars wherever I go</p>

18

<p>I am not having any problems with Cingular in Slottman mini suites except in the stairwell.</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
No, I'm not joking.</p>

<p>The problem with wireless service is that no network can compare to the coverage Cingular provides. Except that the cover that Cingular provides sucks.</p>

<p>A few years ago, T-Mobile and Cingular shared the same networks so they weren't bad but now they are separate.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Do you even use Cingular? I have great reception everywhere, even here in the upper floors of the mini suites. I guess Cingular just doesn't like you because it's working fine for me, and a lot of my Cingular friends.</p>

20

<p>I know DarkPyr0 personally, and yes, he does use Cingular.
I use Cingular as well and I also suffer from reception problems.</p>