Whats the best Cell Service in the NYC/metro area?

[Grizybaer]

Hey, i wanna get my mom a cell phone, any one have a good deal on cell phone service in the NYC area?


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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[MD2B]

MCI has a plan (29.99)where you can get 200 min (anytime minutes) and I think free weekends. Also first incoming minute is free too. For another $10 you get an add'l 100 min, and free nights (after 9 pm). There are 4 free phones that you can choose with the plan.

Here's the UNADVERTISED part: If you (she) is willing to get a 718/917 number--she can get free LONG DISTANCE!

So for 39.99 you get 300 minutes to use during the day and unlimited use during nights and weekends. And don't forget free LD--so she can keep track of you!

But it is unadvertised, and I know the offer will be good until at least the end of June (a friend signed up yesterday). No guarantees that it willbe there in July. (I signed up in the end of May).

I had AT&T for 2 years--and I feel this service is better. ATTis great-esp their customer service--but they signed up too many people and can't handle the volume load.

Hope this helps.

[Tuvi]

verizon has a similar plan... 200 min for $29.99.. unlimited nights and weekends for a year, free long distance till aug 31. and they have a qualcomm phone for like $30 or something. and i think they were doing a offer with 3 months of free net access.. but i dunno if thats still going on or not.

[Grizybaer]

Thanks guys, i think i'll go for MCI service, do you know if it has free nights too or only free weekends? Oh do you know where i could go to see their free phones? Also, how is nextel for service? Does anyone use them? i kinda like their walkie talkie feature but i'm not sure if its worth it.

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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[Grizybaer]

Quote:
So for 39.99 you get 300 minutes to use during the day and unlimited use during nights and weekends. And don't forget free LD--so she can keep track of you

Oh i guess it does have free nights. Super, thanks


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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[Grizybaer]

MD2B
where do i go to get the 39.99 deal that has free weekends, nights, and all the other good stuff. Do i just go to any cellphone place? The one near me has a big omnipoint sign and no mci logos. Can i go there or does it have to be a special place just for mci? Yup, i'm very new to this wireless thing. Oh, how do i find out which phones are free? Are there any good sites out there that have good info?



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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[Logrus9]

You have to consider quality of service along with price. Mobile Computing tested the major carriers and Sprint PCS and Omnipoint came out on top in NY. I checked with people that have them and they have clear sound and few if any dropped signals.
http://www.mobilecomputing.com/showarchives.cgi?43

[This message has been edited by Logrus9 (edited 06-30-2000).]

[The Wiggen Boy]

What are the long distance charges on cell phones? Do they have any deals on long distance, like the free nights thing?

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When I become King of the World, I will do away with TCP/IP and install a global network of talk pipes. There will also be jeffries tubes in which ferrets will run message envelopes.

[Doofy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Logrus9:
Mobile Computing tested the major carriers and Sprint PCS and Omnipoint came out on top in NY. I checked with people that have them and they have clear sound and few if any dropped signals.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have Omnipoint. And I'm pretty disappointed with the service. Too many dead zones once you leave Manhattan. If I hadn't paid close to $300 for this dumb phone, I would switch service right away. Cuase I got no contract.


[This message has been edited by Doofy (edited 06-30-2000).]

[jaybittle]

As I've said before.. I use Sprint PCS and love it.. 500 minutes on the digital plan for $50 = no long distance, minutes can be used any time, et cetera..

It's a good plan with excellent coverage in NYC (good signal strength)..

--jb

[dannyp]

Im in NYC and used to have ATT, which sucks. I then tried a sprint phone and the coverage was better, but not nearly as good as what i have now. MCI has the best coverage in NYC by far (the use the same network as bellatlantic(Verizon)) and have gotten benn able to make and recieve calls in places where sprint and att had no signal.
MCI or bell atlantic is THE WAY to go for a cell in NYC

[styleee]

whatever you do, do NOT get att!! as soon as i have an extra 150 bucks laying around for a samsung 2500 phone (i should not be as broke as i am!!) i'm getting sprint pcs.

i've had the rat bastard at&t service for over a year, and it is so bad!! my voicemail didn't work for about a month. calls, if they actually do go through, constantly get dropped for no reason. they lie and their customer service is useless!

i'm not sure if mci is better then sprint, but the samsung phone is the coolest thing, and i have to have it!!

[Grizybaer]

Webba, Do you and your sis have two different phones, with two different numbers? Give some more info please, it sounds like a good plan for me.



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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[MD2B]

Hi GB,

sorry abt not being around. I was away for the weekend (LochNess in Scotland!)

MCI should be in most major xell phone stores. But I noticed from your profile that you are at RPI. I don't know if they have service in the Troy area. But if the phone is for your mom, then check in the NYC area (NYC, LI etc..)

I think the 29.99 deal is still on, but I can't guarantee the 39.99 one (with the 100 extra min and the free nights, and free LD) When I signed up in the end of may (literally on the last day, I was told it may not be available in June. Well it was...and as I said above, my friend signed up about a week ago. Is it still available-you will have to see. Just ask (maybe check with the MCI directly. (www.wireless.mci.com would be a good starting point.) Remember to get the LD, you have to be willing to get a 917 or 718 area code phone number. (that is the promotion you should enquire about)

If you still help on where to buy, and willing to go to LI to buy it (they might have a store in Queens, Let me know, and I will email it to you. But first check if the free LD promotion is still available.

I hope this info helps.

-MD2B

[webba]

i've got sprint pci...its really clear in ny/metro area...if you also get a cell along with the one you are getting your mother, you can get a larger plan and split the minutes...my sister and i split 1000 minutes for 50 bucks a month..not too bad.

[jaybittle]

Grizy,

Sprint PCS has an "Add-A-Phone" plan.. basically you get 2 phones, 2 phone numbers, and you share a pool of minutes..

usually it's 14.95 for the second phone/phone line..

I'm not sure how you can get 1000 minutes for 50 bux.. we get 500 minutes for 2 phones for 65..

-- i thought I left this info on the other thread you started..

peace,
--jb

[Grizybaer]

M2, Which store did you go to to get this deal?



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~Grizy
Great, so how much is shipping?

[MD2B]

GB,

I'll email it to you

[webba]

hey..
sorry bout the delay in response..
we have 2 different phones and 2 different lines...we both subscribed to one year, so we get 500 peak minutes and 500 non-peak minutes..for around 50 bucks a month..and service is great..i live in queens, ny and in newbrunswick,nj(go Rutgers!) and reception is good. Sprint is selling a really nice Samsung phone for only 25 bucks if u sign up for a year. So keep ur eyes peeled.

WEbba

[CluelessSi]

How is Nextel?
is the service good?
also I been hearing about this V phone from Motorola but isn't it analog? is it any good?

[Doofy]

There was an old V Series phone from Motorola that was smaller than a Star Tac and is only an analog phone. But the new newest V Series coming out will be a GSM phone that works worldwide. Kinda like the Timeport 7000 Series, except better looking.


</P>
I just wanna say again that my GSM service in NY sucks. I'm just hoping that one day I'll take a trip to Europe and make use of this dumb phone.

</P>
I've heard no complaints from my friends who have Nextel.


[This message has been edited by Doofy (edited 07-07-2000).]

[CiViC]

Rather than start a new thread and piss everyone off, I decided to read up on old posts...so I guess everyone pretty much thinks that sprint pcs and/or mci is the way to go? Anyone know if there are any deals (still) going on with these guys (free cool cell, etc..)?