[Earl]

Do you use? I wonder if AT+T really has " the worlds biggest network" Especially since Verizon recently bought All Tel. Take my poll and maybe in comments let me know if you like the service they provide.

I use Verizon. I am happy with them but wish I could have an iPhone.

[mrsD]

our criterion was coverage and roaming costs in a very rural remote area.
Sprint was the first major company to give us coverage in
the eastern UP of Michigan. (we live on an island in the summer with no power etc).
But times have changed recently. The tower near us just went digital!
So things are much better than they were.

My son has AT&T now, and runs an iPhone with it.
He had pretty good response with it last year at our place.
It was a bit slow. But then my Sprint sometimes goes down up there too, if the towers get overloaded.

Our contract is up on that Sprint, and we may switch to AT &T
eventually. My husband likes the Nokia we have, and really our needs are small. Coverage was the biggey always for us.

To recontract Sprint would cost us MORE money monthly. If we keep contract-less we pay the old rate. (until they change that, which they might).

Switching means activation of two phones on a family plan.
But my friends have switched to AT &T and my son is on it so free talking with them is becoming attractive, along with the
roll over minutes, etc.

Decisions, decisions! always something new to figure out!

[Kitty]

I qualified for a free cell phone with 68 minutes per month through Safelink Wireless. Just log onto www.safelinkwireless.com and you can complete an application.

If you are on SSDI or even SSI, any type of public assistance like food stamps or Medicaid you automatically qualify.

The only thing I am on is SSDI and I was approved. The great thing about this phone is that the minutes roll over if you don't use them all in one month. It has voice mail and caller ID, too. I really like it and it saves me money!

[ali12]

I have an iPhone and I love it!! I got it for Christmas from my mum and dad and I haven't put it down since I got it ... it is sooo cool and has the internet and I-Pod all in one so I don't have to get up and go on my laptop to use the forum if I don't feel up to it lol.

My phone is currently on 02. It was the only phone carrier that we could get the iPhone on without having to get a contract phone. It is really good though as I get unlimited weekend calls on a night and an 100 free text messages for each $10 we put onto the phone.

[azoyizes]

I voted Other, because we have a Motorola Tracfone. There is no plan, we just buy minutes. The only thing I don't like about it, is that sometimes it won't work in the house for some strange reason. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it says "no service".

However, we got it mostly for driving trips in case of emergency, and it works great in the car.

Thanks for the info, Kitty. I'm going to look into the Safelink phone for myself, as I'm on disability.

[Riverwild]

I'm a Tracfoner too.

I don't have a message box set up, so it says not in service or out of area when someone calls and it's not on. I only turn it on when I need to use it. It's cheap and it works almost everywhere I need it to work, when I need it to work.

We have a landline since we have dialup internet, can't afford the newfangled DSL being offered and no cable co. will touch a small rural town, so no broadband either.

[kicker]

Both (17) kids have cell phones, for 9.99 added self, bought cheap (29.99) phone for me and house, discontinued Landline, should save money. Twice I have called a kid (all out of yelling distance) to come pick the fallen mom up. Like MC says - priceless.

[Dejibo]

I have a pre paid T-Mobile phone. I almost never turn the thing on, and only want it for travel, or emergencies. The first year, I put a $100 dollar card on it. That was almost 2k in minutes. After that, as long as I put $10 a year on it, the phone remains active, and the minutes roll over. $10 a year sure beats $49 a month for the cheapest verizon plan. I almost never have a signal issue, and its a nice lil phone. if it breaks, I take the lil card out of the inside, and slide it into a newer phone. I have upgraded twice in the last 4 years. I am quite happy with my cheapo phone.

[Debbie D]

AT&T-disclaimer-DH works for them...can't wait to get an IPhone...they are the bomb (oops, I didn't mean that literally!)

[NurseNancy]

consumer reports ranks verizon very high. that's what i considered when i got mine because i was starting from scratch. i don't use my phone much and have been very satisfied.