Geek Girl Report: Can You Hear Me Now? A Look at the Top 4 Cell Phone Service Providers
Looking for a new phone? Sick of your old wireless provider? Cell phone bill going through the roof? There are a lot of reasons to get a new cell phone plan. And although you've got plenty of options, the choice really comes down to 4 names: Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. Here's a quick look at each company and what they can offer you.
When you take a look at the competition, it's no surprise that Verizon has overtaken AT&T as the number one cell phone service provider in the country. Verizon has one of the largest and most reliable networks out there, not to mention the largest 4G LTE network available. And to take advantage of that large, super-fast network, they offer a wide variety of unlimited data plans as well as your traditional data plans with some reasonable prices. Although be warned, you'll have to pay a hefty fine if you decide to cancel your plan before your contract is up. Verizon also has excellent customer service, the best out of all 4 companies according to most.
Even though Verizon has taken over the number one spot, AT&T is a VERY close second place. AT&T is the first, and only cell phone service provider, to offer "rollover" minutes on it's traditional plans. That means any minutes you didn't use on your monthly plan are added to next month's minutes, so no having to pay for minutes you don't use. AT&T also offers the largest variety of cell phones. From Apple to Samsung to Blackberry, if there's a phone you want, AT&T's got it.
Sprint trails a bit behind the Verizon and AT&T powerhouses, but it still has plenty to offer. Sprint's plan are a bit more "unique" than its competitors, particularly its "Simply Everything" plan, which offers unlimited...well, everything. Voice calling, messaging, web access, all of it unlimited for around $100, so if you sue everything on your smartphone, this might be the way to go. Sprint may have some of the best individual plans, but its consistently low customer service ranking keeps me from ranking it any higher than 3rd place.
Rounding out the group is the smaller T-Mobile. This company is a bit notorious for its weak network coverage. The network is much smaller than its competitors, and service is much worse for data coverage than it is for voice. Being the "little guy" isn't always a bad thing, however. T-Mobile 's plans are considerably cheaper than its competitors, and their customer service is fantastic. But be warned, Apple fanboys: T-Mobile does not carry the iPhone.
Keep in mind that there is no cell phone company that is "one size fits all," no matter how many plans they offer. If you're looking to get a new cell phone plan, make sure you do your research and determine for yourself which plan works best for you and your family.
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