Thinking About The Big Switch
I currently have us cellular in the chicago suburbs.
I live in a garden apartment (1/2 above ground, 1/2 under) and us cellular gets me about 2-3 bars depending on where I am.
When i had sprint, I had 1 bar, but could never really get or make calls that well.
They are both CDMA providers, not sure why they were so different. I'm sure it has to do with tower proximity and equiptment and all that good stuff...
I'm just wondering how verizon will fair... I know they have the 30 day test drive, they want a $400.00 deposit from me and I want to make sure it will be atleast close to us cellular for coverage, but I don't know anyone that has verizon, only t-mobile and sprint. I just don't want to pay the 400.00 (Plus 200.00 for the ...
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I live in a garden apartment (1/2 above ground, 1/2 under) and us cellular gets me about 2-3 bars depending on where I am.
When i had sprint, I had 1 bar, but could never really get or make calls that well.
They are both CDMA providers, not sure why they were so different. I'm sure it has to do with tower proximity and equiptment and all that good stuff...
I'm just wondering how verizon will fair... I know they have the 30 day test drive, they want a $400.00 deposit from me and I want to make sure it will be atleast close to us cellular for coverage, but I don't know anyone that has verizon, only t-mobile and sprint. I just don't want to pay the 400.00 (Plus 200.00 for the ...
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I know that Chicago is one of VZWs strongest coverage areas in the nation by far. Ranked #1 there all the time.
VZW (and Us Cellular I believe) has towers that transmit in the 850mhz spectrum. Sprint is PCS only (1900mhz). Its a commonly accepted view that 850 mhz has better penetration in buildings. this probably explains why sprint fails miserably at indoor coverage in many areas that VZW and others get signal in.
It should be pretty good I would say. But no one knows for sure. if you want to know for sure and no one you know has VZW I would suggest getting an Inpusle Pre Pay phone at walmart for cheap and try it, or even better do the 30 day test drive (which is refundable for most things unlike the inpulse phone)
VZW (and Us Cellular I believe) has towers that transmit in the 850mhz spectrum. Sprint is PCS only (1900mhz). Its a commonly accepted view that 850 mhz has better penetration in buildings. this probably explains why sprint fails miserably at indoor coverage in many areas that VZW and others get signal in.
It should be pretty good I would say. But no one knows for sure. if you want to know for sure and no one you know has VZW I would suggest getting an Inpusle Pre Pay phone at walmart for cheap and try it, or even better do the 30 day test drive (which is refundable for most things unlike the inpulse phone)
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Be sure to verify the return policy on the contract plan concerning the deposit. It may be different in Chicago from my area, but in the western US we can refund the deposit but it takes our Financial department a couple weeks to send it as a check.
Because of this, I agree with the notion of dropping $0 to $50 on one of our Inpulse phones at WalMart. The signal would be on Verizon's network (or roaming on someone else's). If you get "Verizon Wireless" on screen, and you have good bars, go pay the $400 deposit and get a contract - then you have Verizon's signal AND anyone else you can use as "Extended" (roaming you don't pay for). If you get "Roaming" on the Inpulse phone, you might not get the Verizon signal either way. Also, get th...
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Because of this, I agree with the notion of dropping $0 to $50 on one of our Inpulse phones at WalMart. The signal would be on Verizon's network (or roaming on someone else's). If you get "Verizon Wireless" on screen, and you have good bars, go pay the $400 deposit and get a contract - then you have Verizon's signal AND anyone else you can use as "Extended" (roaming you don't pay for). If you get "Roaming" on the Inpulse phone, you might not get the Verizon signal either way. Also, get th...
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Actually, it's Verizon and AT&T that have the 800 licenses for the Chicago area. US Cellular must be 1900 in that area.
But, I've had a similar experience with Sprint vs Verizon. Where I live, Verizon is 800 and Verizon's and Sprint's towers are equally as far apart, but Verizon gets perfect reception even with 1 bar but if Sprint has 1 bar, it sounds like a GSM phone at 1 bar!!! I'm not sure why Sprint is like this. Usually CDMA is supposed to be good at any "bar" level. I thought this was true until I tried out Sprint. Maybe it's the way they have their panels set up or something.
But, I've had a similar experience with Sprint vs Verizon. Where I live, Verizon is 800 and Verizon's and Sprint's towers are equally as far apart, but Verizon gets perfect reception even with 1 bar but if Sprint has 1 bar, it sounds like a GSM phone at 1 bar!!! I'm not sure why Sprint is like this. Usually CDMA is supposed to be good at any "bar" level. I thought this was true until I tried out Sprint. Maybe it's the way they have their panels set up or something.
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michael_herc said:
Actually, it's Verizon and AT&T that have the 800 licenses for the Chicago area. US Cellular must be 1900 in that area.
But, I've had a similar experience with Sprint vs Verizon. Where I live, Verizon is 800 and Verizon's and Sprint's towers are equally as far apart, but Verizon gets perfect reception even with 1 bar but if Sprint has 1 bar, it sounds like a GSM phone at 1 bar!!! I'm not sure why Sprint is like this. Usually CDMA is supposed to be good at any "bar" level. I thought this was true until I tried out Sprint. Maybe it's the way they have their panels set up or something.
You're right about the Chicago market being Verizon & AT&T having the 850 licenses. USCC is 1900 on...
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Go for it! You have 30 days to try verizon out anyway! take advantage of the 30 Day Test Drive.
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try it out with any phone, if you port out in 3 days you pay nothing, after 3 days you just pay the activation fee 🙂
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