Cell Phone Plans: Reviews

J.D. Power & Associates: Verizon Wireless ranks highest in the northeastern United States.

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org polls more than 66,000 subscribers nationwide, asking them to rate their cell service for value, voice/texting/data service and various types of customer support.

PCMag.com: Despite its high fees and poor plan options, PCMag.com readers rank Verizon Wireless best among national cellular service providers, thanks to its best-in-class coverage, good call quality and top-notch handsets.

TopTenReviews.com: This site names Verizon as the best cell phone provider overall, with the highest ratings for plans and support, but call quality is not rated.

Computerworld.com: Verizon Wireless's 4G network again proves the fastest in this test.

Laptop Magazine: Laptop Magazine gives Verizon Wireless an A- for its fast-but-expensive 4G network.

Engadget.com: On the iPhone, Verizon Wireless is so much more reliable for voice calls than AT&T that Joshua Topolsky concludes it makes "the best smartphone in America just a little bit better" -- even though Verizon's 3G data speeds aren't quite as fast as AT&T's.

PC World: Verizon Wireless's 4G network is the speediest among major carriers, Jared Newman concludes, but "the data caps are a downer." PC World rates the Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, MetroPCS and Clear/Clearwire 4G networks based on data from its own tests, the networks themselves and third-party sources.

Viewpoints.com: Over 600 people have given Verizon Wireless and average score of 77 out of 100, rating it higher than the overall average of the other service providers.

J.D. Power & Associates: U.S. Cellular is the top-ranked wireless service provider in the north-central United States, according to the more than 27,000 wireless users who responded to J. D. Power and Associates' annual survey.

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org polls more than 66,000 of its subscribers, asking them to rate their cell service for value, voice/text/data service and customer support.

PCMag.com: U.S. Cellular earns a Readers' Choice award here, along with Verizon Wireless.

TopTenReviews.com: This site's best feature is its detailed comparison chart, examining the features of 10 cellular service providers, including U.S. Cellular which earns 3 out of 4 stars, but comes in at eighth place.

CNET: CNET doesn't actually review U.S. Cellular, but the site provides a good overview in this buyer's guide, which outlines the pros and cons of several major nationwide and regional carriers.

Viewpoints.com: About 70 people have rated U.S. Cellular here, giving it an average of 77 out of a possible 100 points -- the highest for any contract cell phone carrier.