Cellular Telephones

[Snively Bandar]

I'm finally going to rid myself of my ancient and crappy old Nokia cell phone that I've had for about 4 years now, but don't know jack about cell phones.  I'd like to find something mid-range ($50-$100) that doesn't necessarily have all the bells and whistles like some of the higher end phones these days (cameras, etc).  Just want something that's reliable, gets a great signal, and hopefully has a few decent games on it for when I'm sitting around waiting for something and bored.

Also, what do you guys (and gals) prefer more - the flip phone types, or just a regular/non-opening phone?  Any benefits to one over the other?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[sp00ky]

I am a technician for a wireless service provider in Canada so I know a little

IMO flip phones can be prone to breakage, and the flips are damn expensive.  

Talk to your current provider (if you are happy with your plan, coverage etc. etc.) and see what models they offer you.

If you can provide some examples I might be able to answer you better.

If you go here Howard Forums ...  One of the biggest cell phone user groups on the net ask around in either your provider forum, or the manufacturer forum.

These guys are cell phone freaks and will qucikly point out all the good and bads.

Scott

[Snively Bandar]

C'mon, anybody else?  

Thanks for the info Scott.

[JoshEEE]

My girlfriend works for a cell phone company, so I get to play with lots of phones.

What provider are you with? (Each provider has different phones as you know)

[Jesse James]

I prefer flip only because you're less apt to accidentally make calls, and don't need to use key locks really, as opposed to regular phones.

With that said, I was with Verizon since about 1996...  I had a crappy old phone, I mean a huge old WW2 Walkie Talkie looking phone...  People thought I was calling in airstrikes with the thing.

I decided just last year around September to get a new phone...  So I went to the Verizon store, and they about messed themselves when they saw how long I'd been with them on the same plan and never upgrading.  

They were so in awe of what they considered dedication but I considered laziness, that they upgraded my plan's minutes by a ton, and offered me any phone I wanted for $50, and also to add anyone I wanted to my plan and they could have a phone from a simpler group of phones for free.  

So, since my mother never got a cell but I figure she could use one I added her to my plan and she got a nice little regular phone to use...  At the same time I got a camera phone (It's a Verizon phone) that works great and was only $50.  It was the best phone they had, and I always sort of wanted to have a cam phone for the novelty of it...  Especially being on a college campus.  

If you've been with your carrier a LONG time with never upgrading, they may give you a great deal like that where you can get a great phone for next to nothing.  $50 for a cam phone just was a great birthday present for myself.  

My only problem is I can't find an Imperial March ringtone...  So I go with "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" instead...  *shrugs*  

[Jeff]

Time to drag this bad boy up from the depths...

Well, I'm looking to upgrade my cell phone (hopefully before C3 even). 

Currently, my wife and I each have a phone and we have the cheapest plan you can get - 30 min per month, no long distance, no frills - just $10 a month for each phone.  The only reason we have the phones now is for roadside assistance / emergencies.  They are nice to have in case you break down on the road, lock yourself out, whatever.

Lately, we've both been using our phones more often especially during the summer when we are out and about trying to meet up with friends.  I know that we would both use them even more if we had a better plan, so we've kind of decided to ditch the home phone (long distance and all) and go the wireless route. 

I mean, if for $60 a month we can have 2 wireless phones that I can use anywhere with 450 minutes, why the heck am I paying $40 plus Long Distance each month to Qwest instead?  Just so telemarketers can bug me?  It's not like we need the landline for Tivo or anything (since we don't have Tivo) and I can switch from DSL to Cable for the modem/internet.


So, I guess what I want to know is...

Anyone else ditch the land line in favor of going wirelss at home?

Anyone have a "cellular telephone" that they just LOVE having?

Can anyone recommend Verizon over T-Mobile over Cingular?

 

Jeff

[Brian]

We went the same route you are considering Jeff, when we dropped our "land line" last fall.  We just considered the cost as well, in comparison to how much we actually used it.  We paid around $50 a month just to have a phone in our house (with caller ID too I guess), didn't use long distance, and basically the land line was only used for people to call us or for the occasional call to get pizza.  At that time we shared a cell phone, and a really basic one at that...just the "$1 phone" that comes with their cheap plan at our service dealer (which is Alltel here in Nebraska).  We ditched the home phone, and decided to get two phones....so we could either both have one, or just to have one to leave at home (a more basic model), and then a nice flip model that we take with us.  We're rarely apart outside of the work day, so this works out pretty well for us.  And, if we are, we have two cell phones now.

Initially we were a bit concerned that we would miss having the phone in the house, but as long as you are good about keeping the cells charged and within hearing distance, there aren't any problems at all.  We're saving quite a bit of money this way (instead of paying $50 for a phone that isn't used, plus cell phones), and it was a good decision for us personally.  I guess I can't provide much insight on Verizon, T-Mobile or Cingular.  They do exist here in Nebraska, but hardly anyone has them, so we have stuck with Alltel (which is the biggie around here).  Our families have the same provider, so we save on mobile to mobile calls to them this way too .  Good luck in your search Jeff.

[Mikey D]

Anyone else ditch the land line in favor of going wirelss at home?

Yep.  Internet is through the cable company.  You want to reach me, you call my cell phone.  No unwanted phone calls, no unnecessary bills.  You just have to be careful on who you give your number out to.

Can anyone recommend Verizon over T-Mobile over Cingular?

I have Verizon and have no complaints.  Their coverage is pretty good and their rates are pretty reasonable.

[Brian]

That's something I forgot to mention too, that Mikey brought up.  Our internet is through the cable company as well, and we couldn't be happier with it really.  Never any problems.  We're the same way, you want to get a hold of us, call our cell phones.  Plus, you don't have the telemarketing calls, or other unwanted callers.

[Scott]

Colman needs to read this thread

[Jeff]

Colman needs to read this thread

Dissing the giant, "need to squeeze it just right" shoe phone?   

Besides, we were talking the other day and he already said he's thinking about updating to a newer model, in fact he's got his eye on one of these:



 

[JediMAC]

 

Dissing the giant, "need to squeeze it just right" shoe phone?   

You know what really sucks, is that I basically can't talk to anyone for more than about 5 minutes, 'cause my hand totally starts cramping up from the damned squeezing.  Just ask Jared, he'd tell you that I usually have to get off the phone with him due to hand cramps...   

But I'm getting a new one before C3 too.  I swear!!!   

[jokabofe]

I just picked up a new cellphone from Cingular. Coverage is pretty good in my area, and I love the phone. I picked up the Sony Ericsson S710a - pretty much the only thing I need to carry around anymore.

1.3 megapixel camera/digital video recorder/mobile email/AIM and Yahoo!/mp3 player... oh yeah, and I can make phone calls too 

[Ben]

I just have a cell phone as well. Don't have to screw with a phone line or anything. Internet service comes through cable too.

I still don't know how my # got to telemarketers. I bet it was when I gave Best Buy my number a couple of times without even thinking. Dammit.

[Morgbug]

We've been thinking of unloading our land line as well.  What is the point of having one for $50-60 a month?  With a kid though, it won't be long before we would have to get her one as well and I'm really not keen on that idea. 

Having spent the last five days in the US, youse guys are obsessed with your cell phones.  Worse, it seems that in lieu of having cameras, MP3 players and everything else, no one has a vibrate mode on their phone anymore.  Contrary to what many seem to believe, having La Dolce Vita played at 130 dB is not entertaining in the slightest to me.  And your dumb ass is not supposed to be using it on the airplane while in flight, ****tard.

What's that?  Oh, the complaint thread is a few down.  Right, sorry