Verizon or Sprint?

[nluchau]

I am thinking about switching cell providers (currently with cell one) and am wondering which one would be best in the Detroit Lakes area, the occasional trip to URL or Lake of the Woods out of Warroad or Baudette. Also wondering about an all digital phone or tri-mode. Give me your experiences with these providers in the areas I have specified

Thanks

[Valv]

Not Sprint for sure. After my son got charged for calls while his phone was in for repairs, for 2 weeks, they lost all the little respect I had for them. They are the crappiest company I've ever seen. I had all the carriers around here. I don't know with the new merge but Nextel was ok, right now I have Midwest Wireless and it's the best I had for coverage, I have it for past 3 years and cannot complain at all. They DO have real people customer service, that's a seller to me right there....and they answer right away.

Definitely get a dual or tri mode phone, some areas don't have digital and phone has to switch to analog

[Neiko]

I have Verizon and I get reception on URL no problem. I don't know about the other lakes. I get reception in areas where my friends can't. I would say the 2 best for recption are Verizon and AT&T.

[DEADhead]

I think you are going to get a mixed bag on this one...

In my opinion, all the cell phone companies are a bunch of crooks, who will stop at nothing to rip you off, and ALL of them have POOR customer service. I will tell you this much though, if you're going to mainly use your phone around DL, go with Sprint. I haven't had any problems getting signals around town. The other thing, is that Verizon put in for permits to install a bunch of new towers in Becker Co. Sounded like they were going to get better coverage in town, until the county put a hold on their tower installations pending further review... Don't know exactly what the deal was with that.

I work all over the state, and I have had great reception with my sprint phone. my work phone is a unicel, and while it is great in some of the roaming areas, the coverage is spotty and I am plagued with dropped calls all the time. The only way I can make outgoing calls is with an external antenna. Now my Sprint phone, meanwhile, had a good signal...

Sprint has quite an extensive coverage of cell towers in MN, I'd go with them over Verizon.

[Wave Runner]

I've never had anything but Verizon over about five years and I travel northern Minnesota regularly. Verizon has great coverage as far I've experienced.

[minneman]

Another vote for sprint in the DL area, not much service after hwy 2 going N, verizon ive heard will work up that way as well as unicell...(cringe)...

[ChuckN]

5 years with Verizon myself and customer service has been excellent, up until last week some questionable stuff with my bill that is getting worked out....

I will say the coverage and reception is great in MN (all over, even had reception waaay up on LOW). I have a Cell One phone for work and I would rather have a tin can with a string attached....

[fishin789]

might want to check out cingular. With them buying out AT&T wireless they have all them extra towers. If you look at thier coverage map there are very few dead spots in mn. Not to mention that you can get roll over min. that means if you do not use all your min for the month what is left rolls over into the next month. so you end up with more min.

[iffwalleyes]

Nick in the area you will be traveling you probably will want to go with Verizon. I have been with them four 4 years and have had no problems with them. They have the by far the best coverage in ND. Sprint is suppose to be good but they are still pretty spotty in rural areas which where you mentioned you would be traveling. The cingular and AT and T are great for the cities but you won't find them in ND. So again in ND our only real options are Cell One and Verizon and Verizon is far better than Cell One. My work phone is Cell One and my phone is Verzion and my phone is far better. Also my phone is only digital I bought it by accident but it actually has been very good for me. There are few spots with Verzion that I don't have coverage. However if I were to do it again I would make sure to get the tri mode phone.

[PierBridge]

No comparision in the overall coverage between Sprint and Verizon, Verizon blows Sprint out of the water.

[metrojoe]

I've got Verizon and have been very happy with them. The digital only has caused some problems here and there. I've run into some dead areas surprisingly close to the twin cities, mostly along the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. I would definitely get the dual mode phone.

[nluchau]

Thanks everyone for the replies. This phone will be primarily used in Fargo but when I go fishing I'd like to make calls while having signal and no roam. I'm leaning towards verizon from the get go. I will continue my research and pick one soon. I will be switching my phone number from cell one to another carrier. Does anyone know if I have to give Cell One like a 30 day notice for this change or not?

Thanks again

[Valv]

I just thought one thing....Verizon bought Cellular One last november, so you might not have to do much...same as Alltel bought Midwest Wireless.

I think they'll keep the same name for a while, but the network will be together.

Think about all these guys following you.....especially the one that slides down with the rope from up above somewhere....

[nluchau]

Valv,

Alltel bought Cellular One. I haven't heard that verizon bought Cellular One also.

[iffwalleyes]

Nick you shouldn't have to switch you number unless you want to. I am pretty sure that both Cell One and Verizon offer number portability. The ability to take you number with you. At least I am pretty sure you can. Something else to check out. Also I would call Cell One and tell them you will be switch and that you want to close your account with them.

[Valv]

Quote:

---

Valv,

Alltel bought Cellular One. I haven't heard that verizon bought Cellular One also.

---

Date Posted: Dec 19, 2001, 4:23 AM

Source: Reuters

Price Communications Corp. said on Wednesday it agreed to sell its wireless business to Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless telephone company, for $1.15 billion, under revised conditions. The new agreement will give Verizon Wireless more presence in the U.S. Southeast, where Price serves 563,000 customers under the Cellular One brand. Verizon will get all of Price's wireless business assets including 41 company-owned retail stores, a regional call center in Atlanta, and network infrastructure. Price's wireless licenses cover about 3.4 million potential subscribers.

Nov 18, 2005 — NEW YORK (Reuters) - Leading rural telephone operator Alltel Corp. <AT.N> on Friday said it would buy Midwest Wireless Holdings for $1.075 billion to add new customers and expand its wireless telephone network.

[sparkyaber]

deadhead you are right- all cell phone companies are horrible!

Fishin789- I had been with at&t for many many years and loved them. Now with cingular it has been the worst experience. Horrible customer service and the coverage area is horrible. Stupid gsm network, I can be in downtown st paul and the line will just go dead. I have heard similar things about all companies. When I ask why this happens they don't have an answer. Why can't I leave? 175 dollar per line(three lines) cancelation fee. Poor reception, dropped calls, poorer service. I can't wait until my year is up. Also, remember the day when you could get a new phone every six months (for next to nothing), now it is a year or more. Oh and if you break it or loose it- 250 buck for the cheapist phone. I have had only one phone last a year, they are just junk.

wow, I actually feel better after that rant.

Thanks

abe

[The_Duckslayer]

Sparky, concur 100% with the crappy coverage that Cingular has. I have had AT&T, Verizon, and now Cingular (company phone) and Verizon was above and beyone all the others in coverage. Midwest wireless has a tower right here in Hootervile yet my Cingular phone will hang on to the tower out on I35 and constantly drop calls that I am on. I would not ever go with Cingular for my own phone, it would be Verizon all the way. I have always had great coverage on trips that I have taken up north as well. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[nluchau]

Thanks Valv. I didnt know that

[nluchau]

iffwalleyes,

I've been told to not cancel my current provider and to basically let the new carrier do this when they transfer my number over. I know I would have to talk to someone at cell one to tell them I cancel though.

[18 inch Crappie]

Did not read all the replys but, I have Verizon and travel all over minnesota for work and it works the best, but make sure you get a tri mode phone.

[Gadgetman]

I also agree with 18 inch. I also travel all of MN and half of N. Wisc. and have had many other cell services. Verison is head and shoulders above the rest, and if you have to call them you can actually get a real person with minimal effort.

[caseymcq]

My wife and I have Verizon right now. It is ok. If you will talk to a lot of people who have Verizon that will help. You won't be charged for calling anyone who has it. If you have a GM vehicle with On-Star and have a Verizon plan that you can add a line you can add your On-Star phone as an additonal line and use you plan minutes with that.

I will say we have experienced a lot of screw-ups by Verizon. They eventually get fixed.

We had cell one in the past. I think they are a better company over all. We went to Verizon because they were supposed to have better coverage. My wife had Verizon and I switched over so we would have the family share plan.

Like I said I think Verizon is OK.

[walleye_dog]

Between me and the bride, we have had-Cell One,Sprint,All-Tell,Cingular,T-Mobile and finally Verizon. These have all been over the last 8 years or so, and I realize companies change hands and combine and whatnot. We live in western WI in what we call the no-fly zone, where we are right on the edge of what is considered the "Twin Cities Metro calling area" for cell use. By far the best service as far as coverage is Verizon. We travel periodically and coverage wise they are the best. I even had decent coverage as far north as upper lake Winnepeg when I traveled on a fishing trip to northern Manitoba this past summer. You will have billing issues with whatever company you choose, believe me. Thats just part of using a service that large companies provide.

Good Luck in your choice-Rob

[tashit]

I have Verizon and I have an all digital phone. I was a little skeptical about the all digital at first but it has worked great for me. Basically where my old phone used to switch over to analog, I still get digital service but it is clearer. I don't normally travel to remote areas in way northern parts of the state, but I have been pleased with my all digital. Specifically in the Ottertail/Battle Lake area my old phone would switch to analog a lot but I have coverage in those same areas with my all digital phone, and my coverage is definitely better than my buddy's Sprint.

[nluchau]

Great information. Thanks