Verizon bought Unicel (Portland, Bangor, Augusta: sales, home, camping)

[Submariner]

I signed up with Unicel, because they own the repeater tower I see outside my window.

I really did not care about how good their coverage was, what mattered to me was that Unicel covers 'here'.

So I got a thing in the mail. Verizon has bought Unicel, and since Verizon uses a different technology than Unicel used, they are offering to GIVE to me a new cellphone. In march they say that they will dis-continue the previous Unicel technology, and the Verizon junk will be running at that time.

'Give' to me, with no money changing hands, and no changing of my contract.

They are offering to GIVE to me a new cellphone.

My choices are:
1. Motorola MOTO W755
2. LG vX8360
3. Samsung SCH-u430


Does anyone have any advice?

Any experience with any of these cellphones?

Is anyone else being offered a new cellphone for FREE?

Hey, this is a Maine topic, Unicel is in Maine. So how about it folks?

[retiredtinbender]

Good luck with it forest. I use a Tracfone. Only phone thatworked better that hal buttocks fro me in Maine, at least past Augusta. And we've had plentywhen DW worked for Sylvania.

[kizzy1]

We are also being offered the same promotion. Do you really believe that they will keep our rates the same. I hear verizon plans are more expensive that unicel.

[maine4.us]

I can tell you that if you are close to Canada, Verizon will put you through the ringer. There is no service close to Canada, your phone will work, but, you will be charged $0.69 per minute for every call you make or receive. You really have to be careful with Motorols phones as the roaming icon is only slightly different from the home system of Verizon. In Eastport, every call you make with Verizon is roaming! Good luck guys!

[mollysmiles]

My first phone was an LG, and I loved it! Easy to use, sounded great. The phone I have now I hate! It's a Motorola, though not the one you mentioned, but similar. I hit the buttons on the side, it turns down, the keypad doesn't press easily for some reason, and it dislikes the number 4.... big problem when most of my calling area starts with 454.... many times I end up dialing again. When DHs phone contract ended he passed his Motorola, similar to mine, to Michael. Now, teens are hard on them no doubt, but it's been sent in twice for repairs, and now we're getting a replacement. This last time he really did it in.... dropped it 20 feet, so we're sharing mine until we get the replacement for his. Amy has a Motorola too actually--newer generation than mine, and she's having trouble with the keypad. Katy and DH both have LGs, and they've had no problems at all. Katy just got hers right before Christmas, and DH has had his for more than a year. DH has his set so that when he dials a quill shows up with a piece of parchment, and writes the number down--with sound. It's just a cute little thing that adds a little to the usual stuff Anyway, I vote for the LG!

[mollysmiles]

maine4.us that's why we have US Cellular here--other companies have been know to really stick people with the international calling rates because the person can't prove to the company that they aren't in Canada. I've seen a few of those bills, it's not good! US Cell removes the charges, no questions asked, no hassle at all. It is something important to consider when moving to the border

[Submariner]

When I was shopping for land, making lots of trips up here. I had Verizon.

A Verizon sales rep in Ct, had promised me that Verizon covered all of the US and all of Maine.

But as it finally turned out their last tower was in NH. Driving up here, as I passed through Portland the signal would fade. From then on up there was no signal, until Bangor. When I was camping here, first beginning to build our house, I found 3 towers in Bangor where i could park underneath them and get good signal. To call home and speak with the Dw once a week.

It took me a year, talking to Verizon, arguing with them, fighting them, to finally get them to agree to let me out of the contract.

I went to Cook's Corner once near the Navy base and I found a Verizon store there. The sales rep had my cellphone in his hand, and it was roaming, and he insisted that there coverage was wonderful. All while standing in the Verizon store. I was so incredibly upset. But I contained myself and I performed no physical violence upon him.

I did finally get a tech to agree with me that I likely did not have any coverage in my area, he admitted that they actually did not have any towers in the state, and could only piggy back onto other companies networks. He was the guy that gave the approval for me to be released from the contract.

Paying a monthly contract fee, month after month, in an area with no coverage, was upsetting.



Alas time has passed by.

I see Verizon kiosks in the Bangor mall. So I assume that times have changed and that Verizon [the lying cheating !@#$%^&] have indeed began moving up here.

If my current contract with Unicel is being taken over by Verizon, then so be it.

I breath in, I breath out, I picture the anger leaving my body with each exhale.

I will do business with Verizon once again. sigh.

[kamorra2]

I know from personal experience that Samsung is a great phone. I think all of those phones are good phones but if I were picking, I'd take the Samsung. Maybe you should look them up and see which one has the features you'd like the best.

[corgis]

I have the LG cell phone and it doesn't 'roam' when I'm in Eastport, don't know why.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I researched all 3 phones. IF I stay with Unicel/Verizon I will get the Samsung u340. It has longer battery life and it is much easier to use at night.

You don't have to decide until April 5. In the next 10 weeks they may come up with better options. The entire Unicel network will remain in place because AT&T uses it. Unicel has always made more money from piggyback customers than they ever made from Unicel customers.

One advantage of Verizon is that they will use their own system when available, but jump to US Cellular if there is a better signal. If you accept a phone from Verizon, when you sign for the phone you will also be signing a 2 year contract.

Here are the kickers if you have read this far:

1. In order to start up, Verizon must spend $55,000,000 on towers and antennas in Maine by May 17. In this economy that is unlikely to happen. Look for the changeover to come later in the year.

2. On May 17, if you have done nothing your Unicel phone will be very dead.

3. Any Verizon phone you receive will not work anywhere in the country until May 17.

Stay tuned regarding a possible extension of the May 17 date.

NMLM, Out.