Cell phone carriers

[shellylh]

I thought about upgrading my iphone 5s to the 6s and then I thought that maybe I should consider switching cell phone carriers.  I've been with Sprint since around 2000 and for the last 10 years I've been on a family plan with Tim, Tim's daughter, Tim's dad and now I am off contract (and Tim's dad just passed away so I should be able to cancel his phone without penalty).  I was thinking about switching to Verizon for better/faster LTE coverage.  My phone plan at Sprint is an unlimited plan and I'm a little worried about getting rid of an unlimited plan... this is my one fear about switching.  I would probably get the 12GB option at Verizon which would be around $100+ tax per month.  My current plan with Sprint (once I get rid of Tom) is $120/mo + tax and everything (talk, data, text) is unlimited.  

Any thoughts?  

[tyrion]

I switched from an unlimited plan on ATT a few years ago.  We have a family plan with 30 gb and last month was the only time we came close to going over and the reason for that is my son has no wifi access and his only form of entertainment for now is using his phone to stream movies, netfilx, etc.  Most months we roll over extra minutes and have had as much as 42 gb per month.  I am certain I personally would never use 12 gb.  Check you Sprint data usage and it should give you an idea whether 12 gb will work for you.

[cetoole]

I don't think I have ever used more than 4gb a month on my cell phone plan (Verizon). Unless you stream a lot of content I wouldn't consider 12gb. 

[shellylh]

I usually use around 4GB a month when I don't do any streaming but there are times when I am near 6GB or more so I wouldn't feel comfortable with a 6GB plan (especially since 12GB is just $20 more).  

Do you ever find yourself in places where you don't get service or don't have LTE (in the US) Colin?

Edited November 22, 2015 by shellylh

[MexicanDragon]

Do you have wifi at work? If so, you're probably fine with 4-6, you probably don't need 12. I use 10-30/mo, but that's because I'm trying to run it up while at work. You could probably even get by with 2, but do what Mike said (also, welcome back, Mike,) and find out how much you typically use (check a few months and average out.) Get the one that's a tier or two over your usual usage for a couple months, check again, and if you can drop down a tier, do it.

**BRENT**

[shellylh]

So you think it is fine switching from unlimited to a limited plan?   I'm not going to regret this in the future?

Do you think I will get better speed/coverage?

Also, I have wifi at work but usually just leave my phone on data all the time because I forget to turn on wifi.  

I am starting to walk to work which means that I'll stream more music.  At work, I use my computer. 

Edited November 22, 2015 by shellylh

[jvlgato]

My wife and I share 3GB on Verizon, and it's been fine with some planning. I download music at home on wifi to carry in my phone's memory. I got a wifi extender to reach the part of the house where my wife was streaming music and switching over to LTE without knowing it. We don't stream video over LTE other than brief YouTube or vine clips. We do everything else with our smartphones, like look up stuff on Google, check the weather, use Google maps, sync calendars and contacts, etc...

For us, the reliability and almost always having a good signal with Verizon has been way more valuable than the unlimited data of Sprint. After switching, I realized that unlimited data wasn't so great if you can't access that data half the time. It's easy to offer unlimited data and not offer a consistent signal. Maybe they've improved, but when I switched a few years ago, it was very worthwhile. The only scenario I could see where it's worth it is if you are not very mobile , and you have a great signal in the one place you use the phone. Like when I lived in a building in downtown Chicago that had a Sprint tower on its rooftop, and I was a resident who went to work and came home and did nothing else. I was happy with Sprint for years in that situation!

[MexicanDragon]

Typically Verizon is going to be better coverage wise than Sprint. Also, you said you sometimes go over 6GB? How often do you go over and how much is the overage charge? I imagine going over 6GB a few times a year will be cheaper than the 240$/year extra the 12GB plan would cost you. Also, if you know that you'd need to travel a bit some month and would use more data, just switch to the 12GB plan that month.

**BRENT**

[shellylh]

I suppose I need to find someone with Verizon and have them check out their cell phone signal in my apartment.  

[cetoole]

Yes to no lte, though that's been more about the building I was in rather than the city. International roaming has been great too, though expensive. 

[tyrion]

Brent, on ATT, I received a text that it would be $15 for 1 gb if we went over.  Once my son gets wifi access, I will likely never see that warning again. Shelly, never say never, but I really don't think you would ever need more than 12 gb.  I typically do not stream music as I just download what I want from Tidal.  I also do not use my phone to watch video beyond the occasional youtube video.  I do using the web, FB, Instagram, mail, daily and I do not believe I go much over 4 gb.

[skullguise]

Shelly, you can likely go with a smaller data plan, and set notifications for usage thresholds.  We did that with a shared plan, and once on vacation we got notification due to Andrew's LTE usage.  I called Verizon Support and for a flat fee added a one-time 2Gig extra (and as Mike points out above, the rates can be higher if you just let it go over and bill per Gig), which they set back to normal for the next billing period.  Pretty easy.

I've actually been pretty lucky with Verizon support, I've heard some tough stories.  But always pretty good for me.

 

EDIT: 1) if you consistently hit the thresholds, just bump up the plan permanently, and 2) make sure under your plan you can do the one-time bump and reset for the next billing period

Edited November 22, 2015 by skullguise

[Grand Enigma]

I travel to random places all over the country and VZW has the most consistent coverage.

I have the 2GB plan, mostly because I only really email/message/read stuff and do little to no streaming.

I warn you though. Don't let any ol Verizon person in as they might have Ebola

[MexicanDragon]

Two free gigs of data from Verizon (1 one month, one the next.)

**BRENT**

Edited November 22, 2015 by MexicanDragon

[shellylh]

In addition to getting a new phone, I am thinking of switching from Sprint to Verizon.  

I just checked to see if my current iphone 5s will work with Verizon and it says "The phone associated with the Device ID you entered is not compatible with the Verizon Wireless network."  Do you think this means that Sprint lied to me and that my phone isn't actually unlocked?  (I'm planning to give it to my niece to use on a different carrier.)

Also, what would be the easiest way to port my number from Sprint to Verizon?  Do I have to go to a store.  I plan to "bring my own device" but need to get a Verizon sim.  If I buy a Verizon iphone full price from Apple, will I be able to use it on another carrier in the future if I want?  

Edited July 18, 2016 by shellylh

[dsavitsk]

Brent is the one to answer this, but my understanding is that it won't work. Unlocked or not, Verizon is its own thing and non-Verizon phones won't work there. Also, Verizon is the worst. Avoid them at all costs.

Brent is the one to answer this, but my understanding is that it won't work. Unlocked or not, Verizon is its own thing and non-Verizon phones won't work there. Also, Verizon is the worst. Avoid them at all costs.

[skullguise]

I think Verizon USED to be worse, but some of the LTE coverage frequencies are more universal, and some unlocked phones will work on both Verizon and non-Verizon networks.

I guess the best option is to confirm with the retailer.  There is also a decent site that covers a lot, www.phonearena.com

 

[Arthrimus]

Sprint and Verizon seem to have some sort of agreement about not activating each other's devices on their networks. The Sprint Iphone 5s is technically compatible with Verizon's network, if domestically unlocked. But Verizon has to whitelist the IMEI in their database in order for you to use the phone with them, a practice that Verizon is known to refuse doing.

A workaround that seems to work for a lot of people is to activate a Verizon SIM card on a genuine Verizon phone then swap that SIM card into the unlocked Sprint phone. You should get LTE data and calling that way, but it's somewhat unclear whether you get access to the CDMA network for legacy calling and 3G data where LTE is unavailable. 

Based on what I know about CDMA and LTE (a GSM technology, hence the SIM card) I am going to assume that you don't get access to the CDMA portion of the network unless you can convince Verizon to whitelist your IMEI.

 

Fun fact, all Verizon LTE phones are unlocked for use on GSM carriers right out of the box due to an agreement demanded by the FCC when they acquired their block of LTE spectrum years ago.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Arthrimus

[shellylh]

Hmm, lots of unhappy Verizon people.  My friend who uses T-mobile is trying to convince me to use T-mobile because he can use data everywhere in the world for free.  That seems pretty useful since I travel a couple of times per year to Europe/Canada.  Does anyone else have t-mobile and good coverage.  I am tired of Sprint's poor coverage which is why I am looking to switch.   

[dsavitsk]

I have a Google Fi phone which switches between the Tmobile, Sprint, or available wifi networks, depending upon which is the strongest. And it works for free in Europe (and the rest of the world, too). It did lose coverage in parts of the mountains in MA, but to be fair, so did my old Verizon phone. Coverage via Sprint seemed to be slightly better than Tmobile. I don't actually use much data, and you only pay for what you use, so my monthly phone bill is around $25. Unfortunately, iPhones don't work.

[shellylh]

Yeah, google fi seems great except that I cannot use an iphone with it.

[Grand Enigma]

6 minutes ago, dsavitsk said:

I have a Google Fi phone which switches between the Tmobile, Sprint, or available wifi networks, depending upon which is the strongest. And it works for free in Europe (and the rest of the world, too). It did lose coverage in parts of the mountains in MA, but to be fair, so did my old Verizon phone. Coverage via Sprint seemed to be slightly better than Tmobile. I don't actually use much data, and you only pay for what you use, so my monthly phone bill is around $25. Unfortunately, iPhones don't work.

They are even better now.  They have recently made agreements with US Cellular and Three (International).

[shellylh]

16 minutes ago, dsavitsk said:

I have a Google Fi phone which switches between the Tmobile, Sprint, or available wifi networks, depending upon which is the strongest. And it works for free in Europe (and the rest of the world, too). It did lose coverage in parts of the mountains in MA, but to be fair, so did my old Verizon phone. Coverage via Sprint seemed to be slightly better than Tmobile. I don't actually use much data, and you only pay for what you use, so my monthly phone bill is around $25. Unfortunately, iPhones don't work.

Looking online, T-mobile claims to have better coverage than Sprint.  If they don't, there is really no reason for me to switch.  Anyone have T-mobile right now and have any coverage problems?  

[TMoney]

Reading this thread makes me think I need to sign up for a new plan too.

AT&T is fleecing me at $93 a month and I rarely go over 2 GBs of data. I have a grandfathered "unlimited" data plan, but I guess there isn't much point in keeping an unlimited data plan I rarely use.

[robm321]

1 hour ago, shellylh said:

Looking online, T-mobile claims to have better coverage than Sprint.  If they don't, there is really no reason for me to switch.  Anyone have T-mobile right now and have any coverage problems?  

I live in the bay area, and T Mobile coverage has been an issue. I like everything else about them, but I may have to go back to AT&T or Verizon. 

Your area may differ, but this is the silicon valley, so I don't like your odds. It's probably better than Sprint, but its not as good as AT&T. 

Edited July 18, 2016 by robm321