Cellphone Service

[dorwrath]

I have been with AT&T - Cingular -AT&T for almost four years and now I am planning on changing my wifes and i carrier when my contract runs out in October.

The service has been good, but frankly they crossed the line when they changed our contracts without informing us, sorry informed us after they did it.
Our phone bill this month is doubled because they wanted to charge us two months worth so we would be paying a month in advance.

Let me get to the point. Who has experience with other carriers around south etc etc and who would you recommend?

[Bahlk]

I probably won't be much help but I was with Alltel and HATED it...i switched to Cingular in December and haven't had any problems but then again my contract isn't up for renewal. Only problem I have with cingular is at my wife's parent's house the signal is bad.

[IGID]

Around here, Cellular South with the unlimited plan is the only way to go.

[dorwrath]

Around here, Cellular South with the unlimited plan is the only way to go.

I used to have Cellular South before I had AT&T(Before they went Cingular). I had problems sending stuff to people not using CDMA. I'm presuming that has changed now.

I also had problems when my parents called me from England or I called them. I'm guessing that shouldn't be an issue anymore.

[Fishing Girl]

We have been with Cingular for several years. But I think we are fixing to change to Cell South. Since Cingular went to AT&T (you know the fewest dropped calls) HA!!! I have had more dropped calls since they went to AT&T.

Plus during & after Hurricane Katrina Cell South was the only one that had any type of service.

So we will be switching soon.

[SouthChic]

I've been with Alltel since around 1998 and have never had any problems. I've never considered changing because I'm on a corporate plan of only $20/month.

[dorwrath]

We have been with Cingular for several years. But I think we are fixing to change to Cell South. Since Cingular went to AT&T (you know the fewest dropped calls) HA!!! I have had more dropped calls since they went to AT&T.

Plus during & after Hurricane Katrina Cell South was the only one that had any type of service.

So we will be switching soon.

I know what you mean. Since my phone changed it's logo from Cingular to AT&T the service has been dire. I can drive from Ellisville to Laurel up 59 and have no signal between the two towns. When it was Cingular I never lost signal between them, hell I never lost signal anywhere except at my in-laws out on three mile stretch in Ellisville.

The excuse they gave me was that they were taking down old towers and replacing them with new ones.

[dorwrath]

I've been with Alltel since around 1998 and have never had any problems. I've never considered changing because I'm on a corporate plan of only $20/month.

My in-laws are with Alltel and they seem to have good service

[SouthChic]

My in-laws are with Alltel and they seem to have good service

Now that someone mentioned Katrina, that was the only time I ever had any problems. The reception was on and off, but most of the time it was working.

[Michelle]

I know what you mean. Since my phone changed it's logo from Cingular to AT&T the service has been dire. I can drive from Ellisville to Laurel up 59 and have no signal between the two towns. When it was Cingular I never lost signal between them, hell I never lost signal anywhere except at my in-laws out on three mile stretch in Ellisville.

The excuse they gave me was that they were taking down old towers and replacing them with new ones.

My parents have Cingular / AT&T and 99% of the time when I call them I have to hang up and call back at least once because I can't hear anything

My in-laws are with Alltel and they seem to have good service

We have had Alltel since Cell One switched and I don't have any complaints abouts the service. Carguy might tell you otherwise because he likes to break phones and argue with them about getting a new one.

[threekidspa]

Coverage at my home (which is where I am the most) has improved significantly since Cingular switched back to AT&T. When I travel locally, it goes out when I'm places that I've gotten used to losing coverage with my old carrier. Travelling out of state, it always works, at least in the places I travel to.

[carsalesguy]

i love alltel more than you will ever know

[No-Halo]

The only service that works at my house is CellSouth and only on a Nokia phone. :(

[sparrow]

I've had T-Mobile on the Gulf Coast for about four years now with absolutely no problems. All the towers blew down here during Katrina but the cell guys got together and shared with one another until services were completely restored. I might have to switch (to AT&T) if I break down and get an iPhone. The T has worked fine for me when visiting Hattiesburg. Will be moving to Petal early September and I guess I'll have to see how it works there long term. But, I'm happy with my service as of now.

[ynotme297]

i've had sprint for several years with sanyo phones and i can use most everywhere i go with no problems.

[mac]

I've had Cingular (AT&T) for several years, and haven't had any problems. I have a signal when others do not. If they changed my contract without my permission, I'd be looking for a new provider.

Whatever you do, stay away from Sprint. My mother, father, sister, and brother in law all have Sprint, and have had them for a couple of years. Their phones CONSTANTLY drop calls, you can never hear them, they have trouble getting a signal in many places, etc. They live in DeSoto County, just south of Memphis, so I guess it's a possibility that the crappy service has something to do with their location. It might be better down here, but I wouldn't chance it.

I have heard good things about Cell South. I'd check into them.

[Lamar Elephant]

Cingular has the best phones. Cellular South has the best plans. IMO

[Sir Mickey Mouse]

Never had any problem with Sprint and I've always had cheap phones.

[Guru]

I probably won't be much help but I was with Alltel and HATED it...i switched to Cingular in December and haven't had any problems but then again my contract isn't up for renewal. Only problem I have with cingular is at my wife's parent's house the signal is bad.

* Bahlk, what were your major gripes with Alltel? I have been thinking of switching to them and don't want to wade off into a bunch of trouble.

[carsalesguy]

they are good for people with brains guru. hahahahahahahahahahaha

huh?

[Bahlk]

* Bahlk, what were your major gripes with Alltel? I have been thinking of switching to them and don't want to wade off into a bunch of trouble.

No real major gripes, just had rude customer service. With cingular I have rollover minutes so if my wife gets chatty one month, I don't have a 350.00 cell phone bill in my mailbox

[Maggie-Doodle]

I have had Alltell since the late 90's...I have a Nokia phone...I have never had any problems with them...always had good customer service...no dropped calls...even after Katrina...the only problem I had with my phone was trying to get a line...all the circuits were busy...the second day after the storm I had no problems making local calls...couldn't call the coast though but I couldn't call on the cell south phone I have either.

[TRIXR4KIDS]

I first got sprint it was okay but when i moved to hattiesburg the phone service got a little more shi*** as the months went by... I then moved to cellular south and i love it great service just need to work on their roaming thingy

[Engelbert Humperdinck]

I first got sprint it was okay but when i moved to hattiesburg the phone service got a little more shi*** as the months went by... I then moved to cellular south and i love it great service just need to work on their roaming thingy

They have a roaming thingy? Sounds almost painful. :ohnoes:

[IGID]

No real major gripes, just had rude customer service. With cingular I have rollover minutes so if my wife gets chatty one month, I don't have a 350.00 cell phone bill in my mailboxThat's why you get the unlimited plan at Cellular South. I have unlimited, voicemail, call waiting, 3 way calling, and text messeging and my bill is $70.00 a month no matter how many minutes I use and it's usually over 2000 a month. Btw, after Katrina, Cell South was the only carrier that had service for several days.

[fuzzis]

That's why you get the unlimited plan at Cellular South. I have unlimited, voicemail, call waiting, 3 way calling, and text messeging and my bill is $70.00 a month no matter how many minutes I use and it's usually over 2000 a month. Btw, after Katrina, Cell South was the only carrier that had service for several days.

I have unlimited everything now (even text messaging), complete with nationwide roaming (which means I don't have to worry about changing my plan when I go to visit friends in Atlanta...or my grandSner...or wherever I may roam), and I'm now paying $62/month.

[dorwrath]

That's why you get the unlimited plan at Cellular South. I have unlimited, voicemail, call waiting, 3 way calling, and text messeging and my bill is $70.00 a month no matter how many minutes I use and it's usually over 2000 a month. Btw, after Katrina, Cell South was the only carrier that had service for several days.

How good is thier coverage once you get north of Houston etc?

[IGID]

How good is thier coverage once you get north of Houston etc?Don't know. Out of Ms., Al., or Fla., I'd probably go with a national carrier.

[OGRepub]

Cell South. I have the nationwide unlimited plan which carries some long distance minutes. My wife and two teenagers share 700 minutes and have free mobile to mobile and unlimited text. My bill is always $70 plus tax and theirs is never more than the planned rate. (I can't remember what that rate is but it's cheaper than mine.) I used my phone in DC, Las Vegas, Seattle, LA, Dallas, Baltimore and all over the south. I've never had a problem with roaming or billing. You can by "buckets" of long distance and roaming minutes and can do this online. Sometimes they are late getting the good phones but the service is great. I was Cellular One and then Altell and will never leave Cell South under the current conditions.

[countrygirl]

I have nationwide roaming with Cingular and since both my kids have Cingular also, I can talk mobile to mobile with them without using my minutes. I get 350 minutes with free weekends and free mobile to mobile for about $50 a month

[Engelbert Humperdinck]

How good is thier coverage once you get north of Houston etc?

CellSouth piggybacks off the Verizon network. If there's Verizon where you're going, you'll have service.

[dasmybaby]

i'm with cell south now, and the RECEPTION is great. the customer service is the pits though.

[58ford]

The reason I went with Cingular in the first place was that they had good coverage in large areas on the MS sound where I sailed. I've never had any problems with them, never a dropped call, and I like my plan. The only complaint I have is their coverage in the French Quarter, very poor reception. I heard a rumor that there is a cellular antenna in the steeple of St. Louis Cathedral, I don't know if it's true or not, but if you can get in line of sight with the steeple you will have good reception, it works.

[Bahlk]

I got cingular combined with my home phone with bellsouth.

[BlueDogDemocrat]

Due to my remote location, I am forced to use the only carrier with reliable service in my area, Cellular South. If there was another reliable provider out here, I'd use them. I have had terrible experiences (one very recent) when having to deal with their customer service representatives. The last sales girl we dealt with acted like we were bothering her when asking about phone feautures. I wanted to say to her" don't work at a sales desk with 100 different phone technologies if you don't want to answer questions about them."

Only through monopoly do they have my business.

[omie2]

We have been pleased with our Cellular South service. It was a blessing after Katrina. We haven't had much contact with customer service so I don't know about problems there.