<p>I recall this being asked last year, but don't recall the answers. Our family plan is up with Sprint and are considering moving the whole enchilada because son's service is pretty spotty at MIT. What works well in Cambridge? T-Mobile? Verizon? </p>
<p>Current students? Parents? Can I get a witness?</p>
<p>Verizon. </p>
<p>When son was a freshman we researched this and Verizon was the hands-down winner. We asked here and even called MIT. He never has a problem with reception. He also said some people with other providers have to go outside (in the freezing cold and snow and wind . . . ) because they can't get reception in the dorm. </p>
<p>There are a couple of places on campus where there's no service at all for any cell phones, but he apparently doesn't go to those places. I've talked to him from all over campus and even the Star Market when he's shopping!</p>
<p>Edit: found this thread on the old forum.<br>
<a href="http://www.collegeconfidential.com/discus/messages/70/76472.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeconfidential.com/discus/messages/70/76472.html</a></p>
<p>Yes Verizon is really good. T mobile is the worst; they don't even have an antenna in some parts of MIT (like Stata).</p>
<p>I also found this but don't know much about it. I think this is for employees, but maybe you can get some information. 2 years ago this site listed both AT&T and Verizon, now apparently it's just Verizon. Seems Verizon is the way to go there.
<a href="http://web.mit.edu/ist/services/telecommunications/verizon.html%5B/url%5D">http://web.mit.edu/ist/services/telecommunications/verizon.html</a>
<a href="http://web.mit.edu/ist/services/telecommunications/verizon-student.html%5B/url%5D">http://web.mit.edu/ist/services/telecommunications/verizon-student.html</a></p>
<p>Okay, this is useful. I'm too computer illiterate to know how to link to a pdf file, but if you go here <a href="http://gb-server.mit.edu/search?client=mit&site=mit&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=&oe=&as_dt=i&proxystylesheet=mit&num=15&restrict=all&as_q=verizon%5B/url%5D">http://gb-server.mit.edu/search?client=mit&site=mit&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=&oe=&as_dt=i&proxystylesheet=mit&num=15&restrict=all&as_q=verizon</a> and go down to "Student Survey Results" near the bottom, and go to page 19 of the pdf, you'll see the results of a student survey about cell phones. Whew! That made my brain tired.</p>
<p>I don't know about any of the others but have never had a problem with Verizon.</p>
<p>not cingular. I repeat. NOT cingular.</p>
<p>Verizon is #1 in area for coverage. Nextel and/or Sprint are probably #2 but Nextel has a few dead spots around MIT which are supposed to be fixed by summer. Nextel coverage lapses at many remote vacation areas. Not sure whether Verizon and Sprint are comparable in those vacation spots (mostly ski resorts). Nextel's newest phones have off-network walkie-talkie built in (2 miles in good conditions) which can be useful for families/freinds at a mountain resorts for example, but your probably better off with separate $50 set for stuff like that.</p>
<p>Rates are all pretty comparable, and MIT students get a discount (15% on Verizon) but account must be in student's name.</p>
<p>Oops, sorry, student are only eligible for discount if they also work for MIT. So get that student job next spring and change plans....;)</p>
<p>
[quote]
There are a couple of places on campus where there's no service at all for any cell phones, but he apparently doesn't go to those places.
[/quote]
This is what happens when your entire campus is made out of brick and concrete. :D</p>
<p>Would his UROP count for MIT employment?</p>
<p>I believe so -- my paycheck officially comes from MIT, and my W-2 does too.</p>
<p>If I'm not mistaken, Verison uses CDMA :(.</p>
<p>As a prefrosh I have only the limited experience of CPW, but my coverage with T Mobile didn't seem any better/worse than at home.</p>
<p>T Mobile has been fine for us.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Would his UROP count for MIT employment?
[/quote]
Any paystub that is from MIT will do to prove employment.</p>
<p>Is Cingular that bad at MIT?</p>
<p>sorry to revive such dead posts, but can mit students comment about this now? is verizon still the best? is cingular good?</p>
<p>Cingular just sucks in general. The whole no unlimited text messages option thing is ridiculous.</p>
<p>hm? neither verizon nor cingular offer unlimited texts. they each offer unlimited texts within their services. the one detractor for verizon is that its phones just suck.</p>
<p>T-Mobile gets reception on the red line, and it's groovy too</p>
<p>I have Cingular, and I can't complain. It doesn't seem to be any better or worse than Sprint, which I used to have.</p>
<p>Honestly, any cell phone service is fine for MIT -- Boston is a major city, and it's well-covered by any provider.</p>