Another Phone Thread - Need Advice (Greenville: home, taxes, price)

[roadpony]

We moved to Greenville a year ago and chose not to install a land-line telephone in our home. I have always had just the basic (450 min/mo) plan with AT&T Cellular. I am one of those in a growing minority who uses my cell phone only as a phone - no e-mail, internet or texting.

Used to never use all my minutes. I now work from home and am needing to upgrade my plan ASAP. Since my current contract with AT&T is expiring in August, I decided to shop around.

Looks like AT&T, Alltel, and Verizon have similarly priced basic plans, with the exception being that Verizon gives you 5 free numbers with the 900 min/mo, Alltel gives you 10, and ATT&T none. Is there much appreciable difference among these three in the G'vile area in coverage, dead zones, reliability, etc?

I'm also considering Vonage or MagicJack as a land-line alternative. Anyone here in Greenville use either and have any recommendations? If you don't already have a land-line, how do you get a local number assigned?

[Rapunzll]

I have Verizon and haven't noticed any problems with dead areas. I will say though, that Verizon customers can call Alltel customers for free since they are now owned by the same company.

I have a landline because I have to for work, I have been shocked at the amount of my bill that is taxes. I have one of the cheaper plans which is something like $21.00, and the taxes are half again as much! I don't use ATT for LD, I use ECG which is really cheap if you sign up for auto bill pay.

[christopherinsc26]

I use MagicJack for a land line works fine. Have never really had a problem with it. I know my brother used Vonage as well and he never had any trouble with that either. As for cell phone I have Verizon works fine as well.

[roadpony]

Thanks for your replies. I found the Technology forum on C-D and it looks like Vonage is hands-down the favorite over MagicJack, despite christopherinscx26's endorsement.

Hubby thinks it would be easier for me to stay with just one phone # (he's got his own separate cell phone) so I'm leaning toward that alternative.

[ckeegan]

First of all, I know many people who are satisfied with Vonage, and probably close to the same amount satisfied with MagicJack.

OK, onto cell service. I personally have Verizon, and I do not have a single complaint. My wife had Sprint when we first met, and she had dead zones all over the place, including the 17th floor of a glass building in downtown Greenville, while standing 2 feet from a window. Needless to say, she switched to Verizon. However, she also has a work phone with AT&T, which has fewer problems than her Sprint service, but still far more than her personal Verizon phone.

As for price, you mentioned the different carriers giving you a certain number of free numbers to call, but it is equally important to note subscriber numbers, since most carriers allow you to add "IN-calling" or free "Mobile-2-Mobile". Verizon honestly controls this market, or at least it seems that way. My rate plan allows for 1,350 minutes, but I also have unlimited IN-calling to Verizon subscribers. My last bill showed 1,530 total minutes used, but 783 of those were to Verizon subscribers, and therefore free. Needless to say, I'll be dropping down to the lower rate level soon. I guess the point is that because Verizon has a such a huge subscriber base, you can usually go with a lower plan, if you add IN-calling.

Just thought I would share my experience. I use Verizon for all personal and business calls, including the replacement of home phone.

[Rapunzll]

Originally Posted by ckeegan

First of all, I know many people who are satisfied with Vonage, and probably close to the same amount satisfied with MagicJack.

OK, onto cell service. I personally have Verizon, and I do not have a single complaint. My wife had Sprint when we first met, and she had dead zones all over the place, including the 17th floor of a glass building in downtown Greenville, while standing 2 feet from a window. Needless to say, she switched to Verizon. However, she also has a work phone with AT&T, which has fewer problems than her Sprint service, but still far more than her personal Verizon phone.

As for price, you mentioned the different carriers giving you a certain number of free numbers to call, but it is equally important to note subscriber numbers, since most carriers allow you to add "IN-calling" or free "Mobile-2-Mobile". Verizon honestly controls this market, or at least it seems that way. My rate plan allows for 1,350 minutes, but I also have unlimited IN-calling to Verizon subscribers. My last bill showed 1,530 total minutes used, but 783 of those were to Verizon subscribers, and therefore free. Needless to say, I'll be dropping down to the lower rate level soon. I guess the point is that because Verizon has a such a huge subscriber base, you can usually go with a lower plan, if you add IN-calling.

Just thought I would share my experience. I use Verizon for all personal and business calls, including the replacement of home phone.

Now I'm confused. I thought that with Verizon, any incoming or outgoing calls were n/c and we didn't add anything to our acct.

[ckeegan]

Originally Posted by Rapunzll

Now I'm confused. I thought that with Verizon, any incoming or outgoing calls were n/c and we didn't add anything to our acct.

You're right, I haven't changed my rate plan in a while, but IN-calling used to be $10/month. Now it's included.