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I think it's time I finally join the 21st century and get a cell phone, just to make calls (nothing fancy, just the most basic service). I was wondering what people's experiences have been with stores on 7th Avenue or elsewhere. Any places/plans to recommend? Thanks.
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I have Cingular/AT&T and have been happy with their service. I've had it now for almost seven years. No major complaints. I've only dealt with two of the cell phone stores on 7th Avenue for Cingular. My comments: The one between 3rd & 4th Streets was not so good. I think it's called Cell Tel or CelTel or something like that (next to the laundry place). They sell phones/service for multiple providers I think. I tried going in there a couple times and I got the impression that I was bothering the sales people by browsing. They didn't seem like they wanted to be bothered with helping people. Then one time when I went in to buy a phone knowing exactly which plan and phone I wanted and they told me my account wouldn't let me get a new phone under that contract, it would cost extra, etc..., etc... But when I called Cingular/AT&T they said that wasn't true and immediately FedEx'd me the phone I wanted at a good price with a rebate. The guys in that store seem fairly clueless. There is another store that just has Cingular/AT&T phones and service. It's on 7th Avenue between 4th & 5th Streets (next to the pet supply place). I have only bought accessories from them so far but they seemed pretty knowledgeable about the phones and service. I was with someone else who upgraded a phone there once and it was fine. Nothing special in there but they get the job done. If you're looking for good solid phones I would also recommend Nokia phones… especially if it's your first cell phone. I've had a number of them in the past and they have been easy to use, sturdy, and generally seem to have good battery life. Some models are fancier than others but they make fantastic basic phones. If you need help researching cell phones I would recommend these two sites for reviews and such... CNET - here's a link to their cell phone section: http://reviews.cnet.com/Cell_phones/2001-3504_7-0.html Phone Scoop - they have good user reviews and let you search in many different ways (by cell phone, by carrier, by phone feature/type, etc...): http://www.phonescoop.com Hope this helps... good luck in your search! Holly
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I have Sprint....I really don't know what to say about those bastards. I have been with them for almost 7 years now. Cell phone companies are all the same , it's the deals that they give you and the kind of phones they offer that make them good or bad. My husband renewed his contract last year , I didn't renew mines , because they said he was allowed two phones under his name on the family plan , and we got two Samsung Camera phones w/ internet caps. for free , and our contract is 2 years , 1200 anytime minutes to share a month , free nights/weekends starting at 8pm. We pay about $83 bucks a month with taxes added. We just got our bill down this low , for while we were being charged $200+ a month , for text messgs. , picture sending and internet usage , so we canceled all that crap. One problem we had was that we were being charged for shit that we didn't even order. They would automatically add it , and if we didn't want it we'd have to call those customer service freaks and wait on hold forever to cancel that shit."Some people make their goals the stars,
They may live and die never reaching them,
but in the darkness of the night, those stars will guide them to their destination,because they put them in their sights." -
They do that all the time on Verizon, so beware, I know because a friend of mine worked there. However, verizon has better coverage (more bars) than Sprint --Which I have-- There's part of my apartment that I don't get any reception, it's crazy. Otherwise, I've used the Sprint store on 7th, (Before 1st St???). The guy was nice enough, but they're always rushed and don't really have time for you. You can also get for I think an extra $60 a wireless internet chip thing that you plug into your computer and it's pretty sweet! My brother has it. Family plan rates are good with Sprint, dispite the whole weak signal thing, I trust Sprint Waaaaaaay more than Verizon. Those bastards keep screwing over all my friends.(\__/)
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I did not have a good experience with Sprint at all. When I first moved to NYC I bought a Sprint phone for no other reason than their cell store was closest to my office building and I went out at lunch to get it. I returned it three days later because I never got consistent reception and my calls were always getting dropped. I was within the "money back guarantee" time so they took the phone back and credited my purchasing credit card with no problem. However, about a month later I got a bill from them for service. I called and they assured me that a couple weeks after I returned my first phone I bought another phone in New Jersey and activated it (somehow with the same phone number even). I told the guy I hadn't even been to NJ in months. Somehow to him that meant I had a problem with NJ and he was offended because that's where he was from. All I said was I hadn't been there. So he made the rest of my phone call impossible. After many arguments I got the guy to close the account and remove the charges because I had not bought another phone. I told him they had to get it cleared up right then and there because I was getting ready to move (locally... but either way I wouldn't have the same address). He wanted a forwarding address which I refused to give. I didn't have a phone with them so they had no more reason to contact me. After I had returned the Sprint phone is when I got the Cingular phone (then AT&T Wireless... now Cingular/AT&T... whatever). I haven't had any problems to speak of. I've always liked their cell phone selections and been more or less happy with the service. None of the providers out there are perfect... that's for sure. It does what I need it to do.
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I have had Verizon Wireless for nine years and like them very much. Bought the first phone at PC Richard, then subsequently at true Verizon stores (the ones run by the company) or online at Verizon Wireless. Be careful of those storefronts that sell a variety of plans. Someone bought a phone using my identity at this store: Garden Communications Inc 339 7th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215 I had a warning on my account and everything but they processed the request anyway, so you never know who is working at these stores and if they are in cahoots with identity theives or not. I'd just be very careful giving out my social security number and information to some store that looks like it was put up yesterday and could be gone tomorrow.
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I had Sprint and they were awful. I couldn't make or receive calls and my voicemail was constantly down. The customer service sucked as well. I have Cingular now. Customer service with Cingular is also pretty bad, however I have only had to use them once a year. I can make and receive calls in most of the States, even in the boondocks such as Gerritsen Beach or Vermont and they have great roaming. Both Cingular stores on 7th Ave are shit. Run by bored HS students or wannabe Russian mobsters."Clamato! Straight Up! No chasah!
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I'm not a big cell phone fan but I have one in case I need a phone on the street. I decided a prepaid virgin mobile fit my lifestyle perfectly and I can't complain, so far so good. I got it at radio shack and I add minutes about every three months and the best part about it ...no contract.
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Anonymous
Posts: 9,622Used to have Verizon - guy on PPW and 16th St (All Page, I think). Good coverage/signal. Switched to T-Mo because I wanted a blackberry (cheapest rates) and Verizon doesn't have (or didn't at the time) many GSM (international calling network) options No problems with T-Mo....but there's a dead spot...ironically it's right near their store on 5th Ave./10th St. -
I used to have Sprint and hated it because of the lousy coverage and customer service. Ironically, the only reason I kept them at the time was that I liked not having a contract (I'm not sure if you can still do that with them). I've had Verizon for 5 years now and like it much better. The coverage is definitely the best in NYC, and I've had great coverage everywhere I've gone in the U.S. (I was visiting a friend in New Mexico and went skiing in Taos, and at the top of the mountain, I was the only one with coverage among a whole group of people from Albuquerque). The main downside of Verizon is that the phones are not GSM and have no SIM cards, which means that they can't be "unlocked" for use in Europe and Asia, although mine worked fine in Canada. Another downside is that their website kind of sucks. I can't comment much on the customer service because I haven't really had any problems over the past 5 years that required me to interact with customer service. FWIW, the people at the Verizon store on Flatbush (near the Key Food) were very nice, patient, and helpful when I went to renew my plan and pick a phone, and my wife had the same experience when she switched from Sprint to Verizon at that location.
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Lot of options here, but a lot of good advice, so thanks, all. I think I'll take a look at Verizon, Cingluar, and Virgin Mobile for now. Having all those stores plus Radio Shack (for Virgin) in the Slope certainly helps. I've always wondered, though, why cell phones require credit checks with Social Security numbers. Turtle95 is the third person I've known/heard from who's had ID theft issues through cell-phone signups. If feasible, I'll probably stick to a pay-as-you-go/no-contract plan.
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Anonymous
Posts: 9,622Getting Virgin Mobil on the phone is virtually impossible. -
i use verizon, and love the place flexi suggested on PPW/16th. the guy who runs it is nice and helpful and not at all sleazy the way cell phone sellers can be, like used car dealers but worse.what would you tell me, if i could hear you speaking?--t.r.
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If you aren't going to be using it much and for calls only, you might want to do a pre-paid/pay-as-you-go plan. I've been doing that through Verizon for years and I only spend about $20-$30 a month most months. Plus it avoids my having one more way to wreck my credit rating.
The only drawbacks are that there are fewer options for what kind of phone you can buy and I think the per-call rate is a little higher, but it's MUCH cheaper overall if you really don't use your cell a lot.
As far as Verizon service goes, I've had very few problems with dropped calls or service area problems. -
I have Verizon, it's been about 7 years. Had Sprint before that. Verizon, at least in the North East has the best coverage T-Mobile has the best prices but worst coverage but if you're not leaving the city it doesn't matter that much. Consider: What service your friends have that you will call. Verizon is free to call another Verizon phone Do you get am employee discount through your employer? Many do and don't advertise it well at all but you can get 25%-19% off your plan rate. For Verizon buy from a Verzon store. You might pay a couple of bucks more but you'll get easy service at the store. I prefer to get a 1 year contract instead of 2 and don't get the phone insurance. With the insurance you pay like $5 month and a $50 deductable. With a 1 year contract you are eligible for an upgrade in 10 months orpay full (rediculusly high) price for a new phone if you need one or watn one. With the 2 year contract you wait 22 months
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I just recently changed from sprint to cingular, when sprint decided it was proper to telemarket me 3 times in the space of a day and a half and then place in a 2 year "extension" contract i specifically told them i did not want. I went out and about the neighborhood and walked into at least 4 or 5 different stores. seeing as there as all sorts of new options i had a lot of questions. Each and every one of these stores provided me with virtually no useful info and did not seem to know a dam thing about their products and services. the only thing they cared about was giving me the hard close and making sure i didnt leave without doing the deal. (i was trying to decide btwn a palm treo / blackberry type deal or to get regular phone and a laptop) Needless to say , if you dont answer my questions , i dont buy from you. I then went in to the cingular on 7th ave at union. I was shocked when they casually answered my questions and allowed me to continue browsing without harassing the crap out of me. I asked a couple more questions and still no attempt to hard sell me ... just answers. omigosh whats going on here ? a polite informative cell phone rep ???
so of course i got the new phone there
While i am paying a bit more , the connectivity is worlds apart from t mobile and sprint. Neither of those phones worked more then about 20% of the time in my apt, which is a real problem when you get lots of business calls on your cell. Cingular ALWAYS works in my apt. I have dropped maybe 2 calls in the last 6 weeks, compared 2 a day with sprint.
Voice clarity is much improved as well.
indeed, if you have a friend with cingular and a friend with t-mobile or sprint - walk around the neighborhood and watch the "bars". often times my wifes t mobile phone will be at ZERO while im at 5 . i used to go nuts on 4th ave near union watching my sprint phone go from regular service to no service to digital roam to no service to analog roam all while trying to decide if its safe (will i drop the call ???)to answer the incoming call that first rang in while i was on the R.
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