Alternatives to Verizon for local phone service? (Staunton, Waynesboro: to rent, loan)

[inshortpump]

Does anyone have experience with any other local phone service providers? I signed up for Comcast phone and Internet when I moved here 6 months ago and kept the internet but went to Verizon for phone after calls kept dropping out on Comcast. Verizon 'customer service' on a billing issue has been awful though the service has been good. I am looking for a company that has decent customer service and reliable service. Thanks for your help.

[Erma]

I have never had a problem with verizon. You can communicate with them thru their website.

[richmondpics]

Cavalier Telephone might be an option?

[TrueVCU]

Ntelos is serviceable, depending on your needs. They're a lot better than theyy were 4 years ago at least

[jhrichmond]

Ntelos is cell phones and their customer service mekes Verizon look like Nordstrom. I can not wait until my contract with them is over. They sold us 2 high dollar Krazr phones and my husbands never worked. He took it back to them 2 days after buying it and they refused to replace it. They insisted that it had to be sent into Motorolla, while he got a loaner phone that looked like a toy Barbie phone. It took them over 2 months to send it back, and it was not the same phone. It was all scratched, and clearly used. We argued until we were blue in the face, both in the store (where, by the way, the girl in line behind us had the same problem) and on the phone.
Also, Ntelos doesn't cooperate with many other networks. We are the only people I know who get no phone service when we travel out of the country.
Verizon's customer service is crap too, however. Last time we moved, it took 2 weeks and endless calls for them to get our phone service straight. I've had several clients with problems, as well.
Maybe Cavalier or Vonage.

[inshortpump]

Thanks for your replies and the heads up on Ntelos. Cavalier might be a possibility. I will look into them. I spend a small fortune on Verizon phone and wireless and am sick of getting the run around. I have tried the online customer service.

[Trevor92]

nTelos does operate wireline, traditional phones, but they only provide this service to Botetourt County, Covington, Clifton Forge, Staunton, and Waynesboro. That might clear up some confusion. They also offer DSL to these areas, so they are more than just cell phones, in some places.

Definitely give Cavalier a look. They also have bundle packages with tv and hi-speed internet. The only problem that you might experience with Cavalier is delayed time in resolving issues. This is because they're a Competetive Local Exchange Provider and have to rent some equipment from Verizon. So, with some problems they have to get Verizon's permission to make some changes. I tried to sign up with Cavalier previously and have heard good things about them overall because of their prices, but I didn't live in an area that the lines were upgraded to provide tv, so I went with the cable company.

You may also want to consider dumping the landline altogether and going to just cell phones (depending on your situation). This may be much easier to do, and you may feel more comfortable doing this with a provider that that offers some form of unlimited calling. You may want to check out alltel's plans with their my circle unlimited calling. It's also still just $10 to add lines on it rather than another $99 like the unlimited plans offered by Verizon, Sprint, etc. And they've got pretty good customer service in my experience and the coverage is every bit as strong as it is on my work line through Verizon. If you do much traveling you shouldn't notice much difference either as Alltel and Verizon have a roaming agreement so that customers of one company can use the other's towers for free if needed, so the national coverage should also be very similar.

[j1n]

Embarq might be an option

[inshortpump]

Thanks everybody for your input. Embarq is not available in my location. I do need a land line. I looked into Cavalier and switched over. The cost for local service is lower and hopefully the customer service is better than Verizon's. It's nice to have choices.

[richmondpics]

A little disclaimer... I did suggest looking into Cavalier, but I've never had any interaction with them so I can't say what the customer service is like. Good luck nonetheless!