I’ve had alltell now for years and there really isn’t much (if anything), I can say bad about them. In fact, I’ve had a great experience with them, they’ve always provided amazing coverage in a variety of places - but they don’t have the Apple iPhone and it really stinks.
What’s hard about this whole deal is that I really want to get the Apple iPhone but I don’t want to switch services. Of course, right now it doesn’t look like the iPhone will be on any other network for quite a while yet (please let me know if I’m wrong).
So i’m looking to possibly switch (sorry Alltell). Before I get much closer to switching however, I need to know what your experience(s) are with AT&T (previously Cingular). Do you love them, do they cover everywhere you go and do you like their plans and customer service?
This is a big deal and I’m guessing AT&T isn’t going to be as cool as Verison with their (current in 2007) “Try us for 30-days FREE” promotion but make me sign a 1-2 year contract to lock me into their possible crappy service.
So - let me know if you have AT&T, especially if you’re in the West Michigan area.
posted on June 18, 2007 | 8:58 PM EST
Add to the discussion.
I had an awful experience with Cingular. I switched to them (from Verizon) just before moving to Michigan on the sales person’s word that there was great coverage in West Michigan. Not only was their coverage terrible in Omaha where I bought it, I found when I got to Michigan that I couldn’t have a conversation for longer than a minute without getting cut off. It got to the point where my family and friends wouldn’t call me because they knew we would just get cut off.
I tried everything to improve my signal, including buying 2 new phones (one of which happened to be an AT&T locked phone that Cingular wouldn’t unlock for me to use) at the recommendation of Cingular’s customer service.
In the end, after waiting to see if Cingular would make good on their threat to send me to collections (which they did), I had to pay the $360, $180 per phone, to get out of my 2 year contract which I was only a couple months into. Cingular’s customer service was awful. They had no sympathy or concern for my situation.
This puts me in quite a dilemma, because I also really want to get an iPhone. I will probably just wait until a few other people in the area get one and see how it works out for them.
We like AT&T here… I was extremely annoyed when I moved to Oklahoma City and found that Verizon had no service, i.e., dead signal across the City basically… so I had to switch to Cingular (now AT&T). Here in OKC, coverage is great and customer service isn’t too bad…
But, when we go home to West Michigan, forget about it. AT&T signal is absolutely horrible. We’d have to drive in to town just to get a signal, and even then it wasn’t a strong one…
Unfortunately, you’ll have to stick with Alltell, in my opinion.
I think the reception is some what hit or miss. I don’t recall what band the iPhone will operate on (3G, edge, or whatever else) but I think that may impact the reception in this area. For my fiance, her new Blackberry gets great reception, in Holland and in GR.
I don’t have AT&T myself, but her whole family does, and the only place where service goes out is on the north side closer to the beach.
I used to have Cingular over a year ago and I loved it. I almost never had dropped calls and the reception was always good.
I also want an iPhone but I don’t think I can switch from Alltel. In my experience they have the best coverage in MI. I have been up to Oscoda on the East side and my parents Verizon phones wouldn’t work but my Alltel worked fine. That was a couple of years ago so Verizon could have improved coverage? Also I have National coverage with Alltel.
Does anyone know if the iPhone AT&T plans are, or offer National coverage?
Hey, I talked with a guy who works for AT&T yesterday, and he has Verizon service. He actually went to AT&T and showed them how their service (now Cingular) didn’t work well in the area, and he requested a Verizon plan. They paid for it. I don’t know how long ago this was, but he still uses Verizon while working for AT&T.
Brandon Keepers Says:
I had an awful experience with Cingular. I switched to them (from Verizon) just before moving to Michigan on the sales person’s word that there was great coverage in West Michigan. Not only was their coverage terrible in Omaha where I bought it, I found when I got to Michigan that I couldn’t have a conversation for longer than a minute without getting cut off. It got to the point where my family and friends wouldn’t call me because they knew we would just get cut off.
I tried everything to improve my signal, including buying 2 new phones (one of which happened to be an AT&T locked phone that Cingular wouldn’t unlock for me to use) at the recommendation of Cingular’s customer service.
In the end, after waiting to see if Cingular would make good on their threat to send me to collections (which they did), I had to pay the $360, $180 per phone, to get out of my 2 year contract which I was only a couple months into. Cingular’s customer service was awful. They had no sympathy or concern for my situation.
This puts me in quite a dilemma, because I also really want to get an iPhone. I will probably just wait until a few other people in the area get one and see how it works out for them.