Cell Phone Advice please.

[dxkj]

Ok, so my wife and I have put off getting a cellphone for a while... now we are finally at the point where we think it would be useful.

What are the best deals/coverage for Chicago area right now? Any online resources we should check.

As always, looking to pay as little as possible

 

[Overkiller]

I would highly advise looking to buy your phone + Plan through amazon.com

Usually they offer the best phones with an almost full rebate.

At the time the Nokia 3500 (i thinkk..i dont even know what it is ) was the best phone (and most features) but it would be $300 through a store/cell phone provider.

Amazon had a $300 mail-in-rebate that came in 5 weeks for $300 ....which = free phone

Just my .02 cents!

 

[dxkj]

I totally posted this in the wrong forums sorry for cluttering the board guys

 

[Baldy18]

My advise is to only go directly through the provider. I've bought phones and plans through secondary agents before and I always got screw. Promises weren't fulfilled, billing rates were entered incorrectly, the provider was reluctant to fix anything set up by a secondary agent. Most providers will give you a phone for free anyway. Not top of the line but phones now are all pretty good quality.

If you do any traveling go with Sprint. You pay more but the features you get and the coverage area is excellent except in small towns (in my area). A low cost solution that I believe is availible in Chicago is Centennial Wireless. I have them and coverage are (local) is as good as anyone else if not better.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Baldy18
My advise is to only go directly through the provider. I've bought phones and plans through secondary agents before and I always got screw. Promises weren't fulfilled, billing rates were entered incorrectly, the provider was reluctant to fix anything set up by a secondary agent. Most providers will give you a phone for free anyway. Not top of the line but phones now are all pretty good quality.

If you do any traveling go with Sprint. You pay more but the features you get and the coverage area is excellent except in small towns (in my area). A low cost solution that I believe is availible in Chicago is Centennial Wireless. I have them and coverage are (local) is as good as anyone else if not better.

We spend about 99% of our time in the Chicago land area, so area based might be a better idea, but then when we go to visit family, I dont feel like getting screwed

 

[SoulAssassin]

I know up and down the East Coast Verizon has the best signal in 95% of the areas, out in the midwest I'm not so sure. Check the forums on phonescoop.com and howardforums.com to see what other people in your area think.

 

[jta]

When choosing a Phone:

Make sure you can do at least 3 WUs on it per day, or dont get it!

 

[dxkj]

Phones can do WU's??!?!?! How much does that reduce their battery life?