Verizon vs. AT&T

0patience

Anyone have AT&T and have any input?

We've had Verizon for over 18 years and the costs keep going up and the features keep getting less beneficial.
AT&T has offered to pay off Verizon completely, give us new phones and unlimited data for almost $100 less per month than we are paying for our family package.
Plus, Directv will stream at full data according to them.

Any thoughts?

Yournamehere

It really depends where you live...I have had both at&t and Verizon. I’m with at&t now because I wanted a iPhone and not a android...had many problems with some of the early androids. Verizon had better reception in certain areas but I don’t have much issues with at&t. Also I felt like at&t’s Customer service was better so I’m sticking with them

TX98Z28

Verizon's reception is awesome almost everywhere. AT&T, horrible reception except in the city. I know a lot of people that hate AT&T, sure they might pay less but they also have no service half the time. It all comes down to reception and having service, if your rural or live in the woods forget AT&T! 

jlmarta

Until recently, I used AT&T for my cellphone and internet access. And I had Directv prior to the time AT&T bought them out. At about that time, things went south rapidly. 

First, we moved to an assisted living facility in a different part of town. The first thing I noticed was that my bandwidth speed that I was paying extra for decreased dramatically. When I called to find out why I was told that their equipment in my new part of town was unable to provide the speed I was paying for. I told them to just reduce my monthly charge to the speed I was now getting and they said they couldn’t do that. It was against their policy. 

Next, I learned that the facility we moved into didn’t have the necessary equipment to provide us with Directv so I was forced to cancel our contract early. Directv wanted to charge us a cancellation fee of $320. They waived that fee when I told them of our extenuating circumstances. But note, it was DIRECTV who waived it. AT&T still tried to collect it. And they outright lied to me twice regarding it. And when I called customer support (AT@T) for the third time the woman gave me a phone number and told me to call it and I’d be helped. I called it and it was answered by APPLE SUPPORT!!  (Sneaky bastidges)

By then I’d had it with AT@T so I decided to switch to Verizon. I had to go through the process of unlocking my iPhone before Verizon could hook me up so after I did that and signed up for Verizon I was told by Verizon that my phone was not compatible with their system so we had to unwind that whole transaction. 

At this point, I have no choice but to keep my phone service with AT&T but I’ve cancelled both Directv and my internet access. It turns out that the facility where we now live provides me with internet access included in the base price and it’s considerably FASTER than I was paying for with AT&T. 

Needless to say, I heartily DO NOT recommend AT&T under any circumstances. 

Markwell

I've got an android Galaxy through AT&T. Their prices are lower, but as mentioned their service isn't that great.

My photography takes me to some of the coolest and most remote nooks and crannies throughout PA, and I usually lose service prior to reaching my destination. This makes finding sites I've mapped on historic topography maps a huge pain in the arse, and if I'm out alone I find myself texting a friend coordinates for where I'll be in case they don't hear from me by nightfall...also scarry.  

That being said, I haven't had Verizon since I was in high school (2010). They had better service then, so I can only imagine it's still better.

dirtdude

Out in the old West, AT&T covers the urban areas very well but if you travel or live outside of urbania you have nothing. Verizon covers non urbania very well so there is your choice.

Usaf06

I have AT&T and have had zero issues. We have 4 lines, 3 androids and an iPhone. But check the coverage map to make sure your area has good coverage. Also, Verizon is the only phone company that does not provide gps coordinates to law enforcement and can only provide cell tower and distance from tower. While this may be a good thing if your up to no good, it's not so much good if your in trouble and we are trying to find you.

avengethis

Yeah I used to be on Verizon but costs got crazy. I switched to googlefi and that worked for awhile until it didnt.  When I was researching carriers last year, AT&T had the best cocerage for my area and the price was right. Have not had any issues.

silvermouse

my car has an at&t powered internet wifi hotspot, works great here in New England

NorCalR1

I have been with AT&T for 15 years never had any reception issues and their prices have always been great. I also feel like their customer service is far superior compared with Verizon

CharlieHeis

You need to ask people in your area, not us. 

jgibv

CharlieHeis said:

You need to ask people in your area, not us. 

Agreed. 
Don't forget about T-Mobile & Sprint as well. 

Best option (IMO) is to buy an unlocked phone up-front, then you can shop around for the best service & rate for your area and compare "apples to apples".

And you won't be stuck with a **** carrier if you want to switch down the line.

Once you start including things like "free" phones, contract plans, etc the water gets a lot murkier. 

0patience

@CharlieHeis
Already did.
Pretty much a similar consensus as here. And we travel quite a bit, so getting input from folks out of the area helps to make an informed decision.
After spending a couple months down the coast in areas with little to no cell coverage, I've learned that none of them are great in all areas.

jd50ae

I worked for the monopoly when it was broken up.
I did not think it was a good idea, it worked and it worked well.
All it did was make AT&T angry, they are getting even.
The first thing they did was to take all the youngest and brightest techs.
The second thing they did was to take all of the prettiest women (sexual harassment?)
When they scarfed up DTV they ignored the billing and payment arrangements I had with DTV.
The prices are going up.
Right now I am forced to stay with AT&T because there is nothing else.
When you call "customer service" they read from a script and you can tell from the voices of the DTV holdover folks they don't like it.
As soon as possible I am changing, but I am in a rural area and God only knows when that will be.
The days of respect for the customer and "the customer comes first" are gone.

Our little telephone company (TEC) has far and away demonstrated that their customer service is superior in every way. And, you can talk to a real live person face to face with no script.

Dark_Roast

^^ I worked for MCI during that transition. It was an exhilarating and exciting time. Unfortunately MCI's CEO Bill McGowan died and things went to hell in a hand basket after that. 

dirtdude

jgibv said:

CharlieHeis said:

You need to ask people in your area, not us. 

Agreed. 
Don't forget about T-Mobile & Sprint as well. 

Best option (IMO) is to buy an unlocked phone up-front, then you can shop around for the best service & rate for your area and compare "apples to apples".

And you won't be stuck with a **** carrier if you want to switch down the line.

Once you start including things like "free" phones, contract plans, etc the water gets a lot murkier. 

An unlocked phone is the way to go in most of the world, drop in a Sim card from your provider and off you go. But there are service providers that won't let you bring that to the game, I think @jlmarta ran into that as I have in the past.

jgibv

dirtdude said:

jgibv said:

CharlieHeis said:

You need to ask people in your area, not us. 

Agreed. 
Don't forget about T-Mobile & Sprint as well. 

Best option (IMO) is to buy an unlocked phone up-front, then you can shop around for the best service & rate for your area and compare "apples to apples".

And you won't be stuck with a **** carrier if you want to switch down the line.

Once you start including things like "free" phones, contract plans, etc the water gets a lot murkier. 

An unlocked phone is the way to go in most of the world, drop in a Sim card from your provider and off you go. But there are service providers that won't let you bring that to the game, I think @jlmarta ran into that as I have in the past.

Ahhh yes!!  You are right since there's 2 network standards in the US (GSM & CDMA networks), phones will only work on 1 or the other. 

Most unlocked "world-phones" use the GSM standards which only work on ATT & TMobile towers. 
While CDMA phones will only work on Verizon & Sprint towers. 

So as an example, if you have a GSM phone and want to move it to Verizon you're unfortunately S.O.L.

jlmarta

jgibv said:

So as an example, if you have a GSM phone and want to move it to Verizon you're unfortunately S.O.L.

Evidently this is why we had to unwind the deal when I tried to switch from AT&T to Verizon. Wouldn’t ya think the yokels at Verizon shoulda known about this and been able to tell me up front that my phone wasn’t compatible??  What a bunch of horse pucky (referring to Verizon).......

jgibv

jlmarta said:

 Wouldn’t ya think the yokels at Verizon shoulda known about this and been able to tell me up front that my phone wasn’t compatible?? 

LOLOLOL  now that's funny! 

haha marty @jlmarta ; nothing against the regular employees working the sales floor at the cell phone shops.... because i'm sure they  know all about the features & capabilities of the phones....but outside of that, no I never expect them to have much technical knowledge.