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Wireless carriers in the United States operate over three different networks: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), and Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN). There's no need to bore you with all of the tech. differences between the systems, but each technology has distinct advantages. Generally speaking, CDMA carriers have better coverage in the United States, GSM service has a larger global footprint (it's the standard in Europe, for example), and though iDEN is used solely by Nextel, it will disappear in the next few years due to Nextel's merger with Sprint.
With that in mind, if you frequently travel overseas, for example, a tri- or quad-band GSM phone will do the trick; look for GSM 900/1800/1900 or GSM 850/900/1800/1900 when shopping for a world phone. CDMA use is growing around the world, but its coverage area is more limited. Sprint and Verizon Wireless are the major CDMA carriers, Cingular and T-Mobile use GSM, and as mentioned previously, Nextel takes iDEN. The other smaller and regional carriers such as Virgin Mobile, U.S. Cellular, MetroPCS, and Alltel use CDMA.
Another issue to consider is analog roaming. The major carriers now operate mostly on digital networks, but some CDMA providers support a limited number of phones that can operate on the older and more widely available analog networks (Advanced Mobile Phone System, or AMPS 800MHz). Analog calls use more battery life, some services may not be available, and roaming charges can be hefty, but if you find yourself in a rural area and absolutely have to make a call, they can be a lifesaver. Analog roaming won't be around forever, but in the meantime, it is a plus. On the GSM side, carriers mostly have phased out their older (but still digital) TDMA networks, a technology on which GSM was based. Still another important distinction is how the CDMA and GSM carriers are rolling out their third-generation (3G) data networks, which offer broadband-like data speeds to mobile devices.
In addition to choosing the network--GSM or CDMA--that best suits your needs, customer service and network reliability are likewise very important. With that in mind, word of mouth can be an essential tool when selecting a provider. Since reception varies sharply by location, ask your friends and family what carrier they use. Also, ask to borrow a friend's phone, and test it in your house and your workplace. The quality of the high-speed data network will also depend on your location, but remember that carriers have a grace period, during which you can test the service and return the phone without voiding the contract. If you return a phone, however, you may have to pay for calls made during the usage period. The following guide covers the major carriers and is for reference only--there's no substitute for real-world experience.
Cingular Wireless
Pros: Lets you roll unused minutes over to the following month; can pay an extra fee to expand night and weekend hours; 3G UMTS and 3.5G HSDPA data network; streaming video content from cingular videoand music downloading from Cingular Music.
Cons: High-speed networks are limited to urban areas.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide; also offers widespread international roaming in more than 180 countries.
What should I know about this carrier? Cingular remains the largest wireless carrier in the United States. It has a large and varied selection of handsets, and its UMTS network is growing and expanding into 3.5G HSDPA services as well.
Sprint Nextel
Pros: 3G high-speed EV-DO data network includes sprint power vision premium video service and sprint music store music downloading; push-to-talk service; can pay an extra fee to expand night and weekend hours; Fair & Flexible plan adjusts to monthly usage; unlimited plans offer free incoming minutes; Nextel phones offer a strong set of business-friendly features (including adding a second line to a handset) with durable, rugged phones.
Cons: 3G network limited in rural areas; casual consumers may find the Nextel-only rate plans limited and expensive; no prepay plans.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but Alaska has analog roaming only; CDMA roaming in 32 countries but more coverage is available with a combination CDMA/GSM phone; Nextel iDEN roaming available in eight countries.
What should I know about this carrier? Once the oddest of odd couples, Sprint and Nextel are now married after a 2005 merger. Though they will retain separate brands for the time being, Sprint has said by 2010 it will phase out Nextel's iDEN technology by folding it into Sprint's growing EV-DO network. Also, the carrier has begun to introduce dual-mode GSM/CDMA phones that use Nextel's iDEN for push-to-talk calls and Sprint's CDMA network for voice calls.
T-Mobile
Pros: The myFaves feature gives you unlimited calling minutes to any five numbers on any network, even landlines; extensive international roaming with reasonable rates; highly rated customer service.
Cons: Network coverage can be spotty in the United States; short weekend hours; 3G high-speed data network still in development.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but limited in Alaska; offers international roaming in 180 countries.
What should I know about this carrier? A division of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile is ideal for world travelers, yet it operates the least comprehensive GSM network in the United States. On the upside, however, it has a decent selection of phones, and its service plans are priced competitively.
Verizon Wireless
Pros: 3G EV-DO high-speed data network; vcast video service and v cast for music downloading; push-to-talk service; prepaid plans.
Cons: EV-DO service not nationwide; Bluetooth features are disabled on some phones.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but not all services available in Alaska; CDMA roaming available in 11 countries but more coverage is available with a combination CDMA/GSM phone.
What should I know about this carrier? In the United States, Verizon has widespread coverage and offers an extensive 3g network. Though it used to be a bit limited, the carrier's handset selection has improved greatly over the past year.
Smaller carriers
You don't have to play with the big boys to get wireless service. There are carriers that focus on prepaid plans in addition to plenty of smaller, local carriers. The following four have greatly expanded their reach over the past few years. Here are a few.
Alltel
Alltel's coverage now reaches 13 million wireless customers in more than 33 states. Along with a variety of local, national, and prepaid calling plans, Alltel offers video and picture messaging over its Axcess data service, a solid selection of handsets, including EV-DO phones, and a push-to-talk service.
MetroPCS
Serving 1.5 million customers in several markets in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Michigan, and Northern California, Dallas-based MetroPCS features local calling plans for $30 or $35 per month and national plans for $40 or $45 a month. Its roster of phones from Nokia, LG, Samsung, and Kyocera tends toward the basic, but the calling plans don't require a contact or place restrictions on minutes or the time of day you call.
Amp'd Mobile
An entirely 3G, EV-DO carrier, Amp'd is aimed toward a hip, urban audience that wants more from a phone than just the ability to make calls. At the moment, the handset lineup is limited to rebranded Motorola and Kyocera models, but all models come with digital cameras and a selection of streaming video content. Service is nationwide.
U.S. Cellular
Based in Chicago, U.S. Cellular serves more than 5.3 million subscribers in 25 states in the Midwest, the Southeast, and the Northwest. The handset selection largely mirrors Verizon's phone lineup and includes BlackBerry smart phones. Available features include e-mail and messaging, push-to-talk services, and wireless entertainment options.
Calculate your usage
Before you sign anything, think carefully about how much you'll actually be on your phone, as usage time is the basis of every calling plan. In short, the more minutes you need each month, the more you pay. And if you go over your minute allotment, you'll be saddled with wallet-busting fees of 40 cents per minute or more.
The Kyocera Switch Back is a phone for prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile.
With most plans, you'll mainly be limited to anytime minutes, which are calls that can be placed during peak periods (typically, Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.), while off-peak minutes, which are calls placed during weekends, nights, and holidays, typically are unlimited. Be sure to think carefully about how many minutes you'll need and pick a plan accordingly.
By and large, you're better off overestimating the number of anytime minutes you'll need rather than paying hefty airtime charges each month. If you find that you've miscalculated your usage, you can easily change your rate plan, although that will likely result in your contract's expiration date being pushed back to the date you started the new plan.
Figure out what you need
While the national carriers used to over local or regional plans, national plans without roaming fees and long distance are now standard. Also, mobile-to-mobile minutes, or minutes between cell phones on the same carrier's network, are now common as well.
Before you sign on the dotted line
* Know how long the grace period is for trying a service, how long your contract lasts, and find out how much it costs to break a contract. When your contract expires, your carrier cannot force you to sign a new one, nor can it prevent from leaving your contract.
* Know how many minutes you have (peak, off-peak, and mobile to mobile) and when off-peak hours begin and end. In addition, know where you can track your usage.
* Be aware of all extra fees (activation, roaming, overtime, 411 and so on).
* Every time you adjust any of your services with your carrier or buy a new phone with the carrier-sponsored rebate, your contract will be extended. Conversely, if you purchase a phone from the carrier without the rebate, you don't need to sign a new contract.
* If you're going to use text messaging, multimedia messaging, and Web browsing on a regular basis, it's best to get a data plan that covers these features. Also, be sure to ask whether download times are deducted from your allotment of anytime minutes.
* If you're a parent purchasing a phone for a teenager or a younger child, you may want to consider special handsets with restricted features. Alternatively, you can ask your carrier about how to limit features, such as picture messaging, on other handsets.
* Alternatively, get only what you need. Don't be pressured into purchasing a data plan if you won't use it. And if you can't get direct answers to your questions, go somewhere else.
With that in mind, if you frequently travel overseas, for example, a tri- or quad-band GSM phone will do the trick; look for GSM 900/1800/1900 or GSM 850/900/1800/1900 when shopping for a world phone. CDMA use is growing around the world, but its coverage area is more limited. Sprint and Verizon Wireless are the major CDMA carriers, Cingular and T-Mobile use GSM, and as mentioned previously, Nextel takes iDEN. The other smaller and regional carriers such as Virgin Mobile, U.S. Cellular, MetroPCS, and Alltel use CDMA.
Another issue to consider is analog roaming. The major carriers now operate mostly on digital networks, but some CDMA providers support a limited number of phones that can operate on the older and more widely available analog networks (Advanced Mobile Phone System, or AMPS 800MHz). Analog calls use more battery life, some services may not be available, and roaming charges can be hefty, but if you find yourself in a rural area and absolutely have to make a call, they can be a lifesaver. Analog roaming won't be around forever, but in the meantime, it is a plus. On the GSM side, carriers mostly have phased out their older (but still digital) TDMA networks, a technology on which GSM was based. Still another important distinction is how the CDMA and GSM carriers are rolling out their third-generation (3G) data networks, which offer broadband-like data speeds to mobile devices.
In addition to choosing the network--GSM or CDMA--that best suits your needs, customer service and network reliability are likewise very important. With that in mind, word of mouth can be an essential tool when selecting a provider. Since reception varies sharply by location, ask your friends and family what carrier they use. Also, ask to borrow a friend's phone, and test it in your house and your workplace. The quality of the high-speed data network will also depend on your location, but remember that carriers have a grace period, during which you can test the service and return the phone without voiding the contract. If you return a phone, however, you may have to pay for calls made during the usage period. The following guide covers the major carriers and is for reference only--there's no substitute for real-world experience.
Cingular Wireless
Pros: Lets you roll unused minutes over to the following month; can pay an extra fee to expand night and weekend hours; 3G UMTS and 3.5G HSDPA data network; streaming video content from cingular videoand music downloading from Cingular Music.
Cons: High-speed networks are limited to urban areas.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide; also offers widespread international roaming in more than 180 countries.
What should I know about this carrier? Cingular remains the largest wireless carrier in the United States. It has a large and varied selection of handsets, and its UMTS network is growing and expanding into 3.5G HSDPA services as well.
Sprint Nextel
Pros: 3G high-speed EV-DO data network includes sprint power vision premium video service and sprint music store music downloading; push-to-talk service; can pay an extra fee to expand night and weekend hours; Fair & Flexible plan adjusts to monthly usage; unlimited plans offer free incoming minutes; Nextel phones offer a strong set of business-friendly features (including adding a second line to a handset) with durable, rugged phones.
Cons: 3G network limited in rural areas; casual consumers may find the Nextel-only rate plans limited and expensive; no prepay plans.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but Alaska has analog roaming only; CDMA roaming in 32 countries but more coverage is available with a combination CDMA/GSM phone; Nextel iDEN roaming available in eight countries.
What should I know about this carrier? Once the oddest of odd couples, Sprint and Nextel are now married after a 2005 merger. Though they will retain separate brands for the time being, Sprint has said by 2010 it will phase out Nextel's iDEN technology by folding it into Sprint's growing EV-DO network. Also, the carrier has begun to introduce dual-mode GSM/CDMA phones that use Nextel's iDEN for push-to-talk calls and Sprint's CDMA network for voice calls.
T-Mobile
Pros: The myFaves feature gives you unlimited calling minutes to any five numbers on any network, even landlines; extensive international roaming with reasonable rates; highly rated customer service.
Cons: Network coverage can be spotty in the United States; short weekend hours; 3G high-speed data network still in development.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but limited in Alaska; offers international roaming in 180 countries.
What should I know about this carrier? A division of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile is ideal for world travelers, yet it operates the least comprehensive GSM network in the United States. On the upside, however, it has a decent selection of phones, and its service plans are priced competitively.
Verizon Wireless
Pros: 3G EV-DO high-speed data network; vcast video service and v cast for music downloading; push-to-talk service; prepaid plans.
Cons: EV-DO service not nationwide; Bluetooth features are disabled on some phones.
Where can I use this service? Nationwide but not all services available in Alaska; CDMA roaming available in 11 countries but more coverage is available with a combination CDMA/GSM phone.
What should I know about this carrier? In the United States, Verizon has widespread coverage and offers an extensive 3g network. Though it used to be a bit limited, the carrier's handset selection has improved greatly over the past year.
Smaller carriers
You don't have to play with the big boys to get wireless service. There are carriers that focus on prepaid plans in addition to plenty of smaller, local carriers. The following four have greatly expanded their reach over the past few years. Here are a few.
Alltel
Alltel's coverage now reaches 13 million wireless customers in more than 33 states. Along with a variety of local, national, and prepaid calling plans, Alltel offers video and picture messaging over its Axcess data service, a solid selection of handsets, including EV-DO phones, and a push-to-talk service.
MetroPCS
Serving 1.5 million customers in several markets in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Michigan, and Northern California, Dallas-based MetroPCS features local calling plans for $30 or $35 per month and national plans for $40 or $45 a month. Its roster of phones from Nokia, LG, Samsung, and Kyocera tends toward the basic, but the calling plans don't require a contact or place restrictions on minutes or the time of day you call.
Amp'd Mobile
An entirely 3G, EV-DO carrier, Amp'd is aimed toward a hip, urban audience that wants more from a phone than just the ability to make calls. At the moment, the handset lineup is limited to rebranded Motorola and Kyocera models, but all models come with digital cameras and a selection of streaming video content. Service is nationwide.
U.S. Cellular
Based in Chicago, U.S. Cellular serves more than 5.3 million subscribers in 25 states in the Midwest, the Southeast, and the Northwest. The handset selection largely mirrors Verizon's phone lineup and includes BlackBerry smart phones. Available features include e-mail and messaging, push-to-talk services, and wireless entertainment options.
Calculate your usage
Before you sign anything, think carefully about how much you'll actually be on your phone, as usage time is the basis of every calling plan. In short, the more minutes you need each month, the more you pay. And if you go over your minute allotment, you'll be saddled with wallet-busting fees of 40 cents per minute or more.
The Kyocera Switch Back is a phone for prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile.
With most plans, you'll mainly be limited to anytime minutes, which are calls that can be placed during peak periods (typically, Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.), while off-peak minutes, which are calls placed during weekends, nights, and holidays, typically are unlimited. Be sure to think carefully about how many minutes you'll need and pick a plan accordingly.
By and large, you're better off overestimating the number of anytime minutes you'll need rather than paying hefty airtime charges each month. If you find that you've miscalculated your usage, you can easily change your rate plan, although that will likely result in your contract's expiration date being pushed back to the date you started the new plan.
Figure out what you need
While the national carriers used to over local or regional plans, national plans without roaming fees and long distance are now standard. Also, mobile-to-mobile minutes, or minutes between cell phones on the same carrier's network, are now common as well.
Before you sign on the dotted line
* Know how long the grace period is for trying a service, how long your contract lasts, and find out how much it costs to break a contract. When your contract expires, your carrier cannot force you to sign a new one, nor can it prevent from leaving your contract.
* Know how many minutes you have (peak, off-peak, and mobile to mobile) and when off-peak hours begin and end. In addition, know where you can track your usage.
* Be aware of all extra fees (activation, roaming, overtime, 411 and so on).
* Every time you adjust any of your services with your carrier or buy a new phone with the carrier-sponsored rebate, your contract will be extended. Conversely, if you purchase a phone from the carrier without the rebate, you don't need to sign a new contract.
* If you're going to use text messaging, multimedia messaging, and Web browsing on a regular basis, it's best to get a data plan that covers these features. Also, be sure to ask whether download times are deducted from your allotment of anytime minutes.
* If you're a parent purchasing a phone for a teenager or a younger child, you may want to consider special handsets with restricted features. Alternatively, you can ask your carrier about how to limit features, such as picture messaging, on other handsets.
* Alternatively, get only what you need. Don't be pressured into purchasing a data plan if you won't use it. And if you can't get direct answers to your questions, go somewhere else.
Guide created: 02/09/07 (updated 12/15/08)
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