Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel falls behind national and regional competitors like Verizon Wireless (*est. $40 per month and up) and U.S. Cellular (*est. $40 per month and up) in all of the top surveys, often finishing in last place. Consumer Reports shows that Sprint Nextel ranks last for call quality in 20 out of 23 major cities; Verizon Wireless, on the other hand, places first for call quality in 20 cities. Sprint Nextel also receives the lowest ranking in the PC Magazine reader survey, scoring either below or significantly below average in nine out of 11 categories, and the J.D. Power and Associates survey reports similar results. TopTenReviews.com and Consumer Reports, however, note that Sprint Nextel has a good selection of cell phones and minute options. The carrier offers free unlimited evening and weekend minutes starting at 7 p.m., which is two hours earlier than providers like Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile. Sprint Nextel also has a "Simply Everything" flat-rate plan for smart phones (*est. $100 a month) that includes unlimited voice, messaging, data and direct connect. A comparable plan at Verizon Wireless starts at $149.

Large cell phone user surveys from Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and Associates, and PC Magazine offer the most comprehensive information and reliable methodology for evaluating cell phone service. These surveys poll large numbers of users and gather feedback about key service areas, such as call quality, network coverage, customer service, plan options and cost. Consumer Reports tallied responses from nearly 52,000 subscribers in 23 major cities; J.D. Power and Associates polled more than 21,000 users; and PC Magazine gathered feedback from nearly 20,000 readers. Additional sources include TopTenReviews.com, a site that compares cell phone plan features, and user opinions at PhoneDog.com.