AT&T keeps getting owned... - Page 3

Gas Man · 12-09-2010, 03:33 PM

Sprint FTW

I have been with Sprint for like 17yrs. I'm talking just after digital came out.

fasternyou929 · 12-09-2010, 05:45 PM

Gee, so people spread all over the country have varying opinions on cell phone providers. Whoda thunk it?! Cellular coverage varies as much as the weather from location to location in the US.

In South FL a few years ago, if you had Nextel your radio worked about 30% of the time and your phone would frequently drop calls (if you could get through) because the network was overburdened. Rather than investing money in the aging iDEN network, Nextel cut down the resolution of your digitized voice by 50%. That made everybody sound robotic and if your parent's called, it was sometimes hard to tell which of them was on the other end of the phone.

AT&T had much better coverage down there, but has 0 coverage in the mountains of VA and NC. Verizon is better, but when my buddy crashed and broke his back, it was the US Cellular phone of a passing mailman that alerted emergency services. AT&T and Verizon were both useless.

One thing that really sold me on AT&T was international roaming. I've used my phone in Sweden and Denmark, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico without fail. Maybe Verizon has improved their international roaming capabilities, but with CDMA as their core technology it was just fundamentally limited.

Like anything, based on your location and your usage needs YMMV.

Amber Lamps · 12-09-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Gee, so people spread all over the country have varying opinions on cell phone providers. Whoda thunk it?! Cellular coverage varies as much as the weather from location to location in the US.

In South FL a few years ago, if you had Nextel your radio worked about 30% of the time and your phone would frequently drop calls (if you could get through) because the network was overburdened. Rather than investing money in the aging iDEN network, Nextel cut down the resolution of your digitized voice by 50%. That made everybody sound robotic and if your parent's called, it was sometimes hard to tell which of them was on the other end of the phone.

AT&T had much better coverage down there, but has 0 coverage in the mountains of VA and NC. Verizon is better, but when my buddy crashed and broke his back, it was the US Cellular phone of a passing mailman that alerted emergency services. AT&T and Verizon were both useless.

One thing that really sold me on AT&T was international roaming. I've used my phone in Sweden and Denmark, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico without fail. Maybe Verizon has improved their international roaming capabilities, but with CDMA as their core technology it was just fundamentally limited.

Like anything, based on your location and your usage needs YMMV.

That's true, T-mobile works almost everywhere with a signal overseas... Not exactly a major selling point for me anymore though.

You are definitely right about region playing a factor though.

t-homo · 12-09-2010, 10:05 PM

US Cellular around here is absolute garbage. I do like ATT. Probably going to stick with them when my contract comes up. Although there is a 75% chance my job will be putting me on their phone plan with an iPhone.

Rangerscott · 12-09-2010, 10:52 PM

Sprint sucks here unless you're in a huge city. I have verizon know (previous cellular one, then alltel) and dont really have complaints with cellular coverage. Wish data coverage was better, but it's better than when alltel was around. I haven't had anyone complaints on my end with voice cutouts or static on calls. My brother has a blackberry with ATT and every time he calls me, he cuts in and out or there's some type of static.

Got a guy I work with that has T-mobile and he seems to have coverage when I don't. I've never heard him complain about service and they send him letters every year for a free phone.

Gas Man · 12-09-2010, 11:54 PM

What I don't get is why the F these companies don't run the same network types so they can inner work with each other. It's F'in stupid!

fasternyou929 · 12-10-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas Man

What I don't get is why the F these companies don't run the same network types so they can inner work with each other. It's F'in stupid!

Because they didn't start out that way, just like any technology race. The difference here is each technology costs tens of billions of dollars to develop and deploy, so nobody is going to ditch one and walk away.

Gas Man · 12-10-2010, 12:41 AM

I think in other places, like Ebbs was saying in Korea I think.... they have one network and no issues. Never do they have a dead zone. That's what I'm saying...

fasternyou929 · 12-10-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas Man

I think in other places, like Ebbs was saying in Korea I think.... they have one network and no issues. Never do they have a dead zone. That's what I'm saying...

I understand. And if the FCC would've mandated it at the beginning of the cellular technology race, we would too. But with 11-12 digit numbers sunk into the network each technology in the US, nobody is going to let one of them stop generating money.

The flip side: had the FCC dictated technology in the US, everybody would be up in arms about it (and by up in arms, I mean bitching about it on message boards).

FCC controls spectrum and puts safety measures in place, but saying what technology is used would be WAY overstepping their bounds.

This was no different than beta max vs. vhs, hd-dvd vs. blu-ray... except the costs are too tall for anyone to bow out.

Rangerscott · 12-09-2010, 11:55 PM

Just like any company. They aren't gonna want to be the same or share.

12-09-2010, 03:33 PM	#1
Gas Man Trip's Assistant Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Imported from Detroit Moto: 2009 HD Street Classic Posts: 12,149	Sprint FTW I have been with Sprint for like 17yrs. I'm talking just after digital came out. __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?" Run Amsoil Product

12-09-2010, 05:45 PM	#2
fasternyou929 SFL Expatriate #2 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Moto: CBR1000 Posts: 2,043	Gee, so people spread all over the country have varying opinions on cell phone providers. Whoda thunk it?! Cellular coverage varies as much as the weather from location to location in the US. In South FL a few years ago, if you had Nextel your radio worked about 30% of the time and your phone would frequently drop calls (if you could get through) because the network was overburdened. Rather than investing money in the aging iDEN network, Nextel cut down the resolution of your digitized voice by 50%. That made everybody sound robotic and if your parent's called, it was sometimes hard to tell which of them was on the other end of the phone. AT&T had much better coverage down there, but has 0 coverage in the mountains of VA and NC. Verizon is better, but when my buddy crashed and broke his back, it was the US Cellular phone of a passing mailman that alerted emergency services. AT&T and Verizon were both useless. One thing that really sold me on AT&T was international roaming. I've used my phone in Sweden and Denmark, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Mexico without fail. Maybe Verizon has improved their international roaming capabilities, but with CDMA as their core technology it was just fundamentally limited. Like anything, based on your location and your usage needs YMMV. Last edited by fasternyou929; 12-09-2010 at 05:47 PM..

12-09-2010, 11:54 PM	#6
Gas Man Trip's Assistant Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Imported from Detroit Moto: 2009 HD Street Classic Posts: 12,149	What I don't get is why the F these companies don't run the same network types so they can inner work with each other. It's F'in stupid! __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?" Run Amsoil Product

12-10-2010, 12:41 AM	#8
Gas Man Trip's Assistant Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Imported from Detroit Moto: 2009 HD Street Classic Posts: 12,149	I think in other places, like Ebbs was saying in Korea I think.... they have one network and no issues. Never do they have a dead zone. That's what I'm saying... __________________ -Chris "Why pay somebody else to fuck up your bike?" Run Amsoil Product

12-09-2010, 10:05 PM	#4
t-homo WSB Champion Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 7,146	US Cellular around here is absolute garbage. I do like ATT. Probably going to stick with them when my contract comes up. Although there is a 75% chance my job will be putting me on their phone plan with an iPhone.

12-09-2010, 10:52 PM	#5
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	Sprint sucks here unless you're in a huge city. I have verizon know (previous cellular one, then alltel) and dont really have complaints with cellular coverage. Wish data coverage was better, but it's better than when alltel was around. I haven't had anyone complaints on my end with voice cutouts or static on calls. My brother has a blackberry with ATT and every time he calls me, he cuts in and out or there's some type of static. Got a guy I work with that has T-mobile and he seems to have coverage when I don't. I've never heard him complain about service and they send him letters every year for a free phone.

12-09-2010, 11:55 PM	#10
Rangerscott Viff6N Mutated Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Texas Moto: '01 Honda VFR 800 & '09 ER-6N Posts: 8,704	Just like any company. They aren't gonna want to be the same or share.