What cellphone service do you use? Help me decide what to do
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free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:04 pm

Hey everyone!

Well, lets start off with a bit of background. Every year, I purchase a Family Time Plan from T-mobile, sign up for a 1 year contract , and we all get new phones, while we do opt for the free ones available (meaning myself, my mother and my father). We share 1000 whenever minutes, unlimited weekend/nighttime minutes, and unlimited T-mobile to T-mobile minutes all for about $60 (we live in the States, mind you). Now, we have been with T-mobile for a loooong time. I'd say years upon years upon years. And they have always had one year contracts. The reason we always sign up for the one-years, is basically because their cellphones run out of 'juice' by then. The battery starts loosing power very quickly, the charger doesn't charge the phone anymore because of poor connection, the service connection becomes more and more horrible.

So, OK, I understand that by getting the free phones, I am basically 'risking this'. However, I'm OK with that, as long as I can renew my contract the following year, and get a set of new phones once again. And the cycle continues. My contract has been over with T-mobile for more than a year now. And all of our phones are really just crapping out. I have been searching and searching (including kiosks at the mall/ websites/ etc.) for a set of free phones with a one year contract. I've considered buying unlocked phones off of EBay but even then it turns out pretty pricey. Well I have found that the catch with T-mobile is, there are no more 1-year contract agreements! I went ahead and called T-mobile to ask WTH they're thinking, and as the sales associate stated, "we are trying to stay competitive within the cellphone industry, and keep our customers."

Now, there are locations that are still offering one year contracts with T-mobile, however they charge insanely high per new cell phone.

So my question is, who uses what on this board, and who has found them to have an exceptional variety of plans, free phones, and one year contracts. I would love to stay with T-mobile, as everyone I know has it thus we use T-mobile to T-mobile minutes, but they are just abusing their customers at this point, I think (or maybe everyone is doing this now Confused

).

So, please chime in with your experiences and indulge me with some new and fresh ideas. And please excuse the rant Embarassed

-Marianna

free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:24 pm

Hi Marianna,

We have been on T-Mobile for almost a year now and our one year contract will soon be up. The reason we choose T-Mobile was because they let us have a one year contract. We shopped all over the place, tried about 5 different Cingular stores (corporate and privately owned) and they weren't nice or flexible. On our second T-Mobile attempt we found a store manager who let us get our 1 year deal, free phones and all. We got them by telling them we had heard from a consumer adviser that you should never sign a two year contract (which was the truth). I think they are more willing to give you what you want when you come off well researched, persistent, and polite. If you live in a big enough city I would keep trying different stores. I really hope T-Mobile hasn't completely cut off one year contracts. Practically everyone we know is on Cingular but we chose T-Mobile because they were friendly and willing to be flexible. If this is no longer the case, then there is nothing keeping us from switching providers. Good luck and please keep us updated! Smile

free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:26 pm

There doesn't seem to be too many players in the market. I have used Sprint and now Verizon. I switched to Verizon b/c my good friend and my boyfriend have Verizon, and we don't get charged minutes for calls from other Verizon customers. Also Verizon has the best signal. But I think most companies do require a 2-year contract. Verizon phones seem to be ok with 2 years. I've not had problems with the battery issue or the phone going bad. I do like Verizon better than sprint. Never tried T-mobile. The other one you can check is AT&T/Cingular, but I heard that their signal is not that great. By the way, Verizon has LG phones, and they're great.

free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:39 pm

I think most carriers have 2 year contracts. I know Cingular and Verizon do. Have you tried Sprint?

free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:43 pm

bkkgirl wrote:

...LG phones, and they're great.

That's good to know, as I've never used those before and have always wondered. Ive been through the Nokias, Motorolas, Samsungs, and Sony Ericssons. Nokias keep crackling and making funny sounds, Samsungs were pretty basic with no stand out or bad things about them, Motorola lasted this one year Rolling Eyes

, and Sony Ericsson has been an old standby in the case of my current phone breaking (although it isn't current, it's quite reliable). The Ericsson and the Samsung are both standbys in the case of something happening to my new phone (what a concept, right).

And just like you, the reason I am with T-mobile is because calls between people with the same service are free (thus having the family time plan with my mom and dad included in the service plan). As well as having the SO and friends with T-mobile as well.

Nope, I have not tried Sprint. In fact, the only service I've had would be T-mobile. So I'm pretty curious how Verizon, Sprint, and ATT/ Cingular measure up Think

. Wow am I the only one wanting/ complaining about having 1-yr contracts available?

free skin care · Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:58 pm

Sundew wrote:

On our second T-Mobile attempt we found a store manager who let us get our 1 year deal, free phones and all. We got them by telling them we had heard from a consumer adviser that you should never sign a two year contract (which was the truth). I think they are more willing to give you what you want when you come off well researched, persistent, and polite. If you live in a big enough city I would keep trying different stores. I really hope T-Mobile hasn't completely cut off one year contracts. Practically everyone we know is on Cingular but we chose T-Mobile because they were friendly and willing to be flexible. If this is no longer the case, then there is nothing keeping us from switching providers. Good luck and please keep us updated! Smile

OK, as I was typing my last response, my screen decided to flash and change sizes on me. I completely didn't see your response until after my first one was posted Confused

.

Anyways, I'm glad to see that you were able to find a 1-yr contract and free phones from a store manager from T-mobile then. I live in Colorado, so I do believe that it will be worth my while to just keep asking around. All I have found so far is people just telling me the exact same thing, that I can get a 1-year contract, but will have to pay about $80 for their cheapest phone/ per phone. I will have to try that, bringing up the thought that signing for a 2-year contract is just not a highly recommended thing to do, thanks for that tip!

I'm also hoping that their contract time will remain on 1- year status Pray

.

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