EmailBest Reviewed
Cell Phone Plans
- Best cell-phone plans T-Mobile *Est. $30
- Best call quality Verizon Wireless *Est. $40
- Top regional cell-phone carrier U.S. Cellular *Est. $40
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Best cell-phone plans
- Good scores for customer service
- Cheaper plans than Verizon
- More plans to choose from
- Lower scores for coverage
We consulted large owner surveys to gauge customer satisfaction with cell phone service. One such survey was conducted by Consumer Reports, based on responses from about 52,000 subscribers in 23 major cities. Additionally, J.D. Power and Associates polled more than 21,000 users, and PC Magazine solicited feedback from about 20,000 of its readers.
In large owner surveys, T-Mobile often finishes neck and neck with Verizon Wireless. Subscribers say Verizon Wireless has slightly better call quality (especially in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Western states), but T-Mobile earns better scores for service plan options, billing and cost of service in nearly every region of the United States. Also, it's possible to get a T-Mobile world phone that works in the U.S. and abroad, whereas Verizon phones will only work in the U.S. T-Mobile's least-expensive plan costs $30 per month, which gets you 300 anytime minutes and unlimited weekend minutes, while the $40 plan gives you 600 anytime minutes, plus free nights and weekends -- a better value than Verizon's cell phone plans.
Our Sources
J.D. Power and Associates measures customer satisfaction by region in their large survey. T-Mobile receives high scores in most regions for its cost of service, billing and service plan options, and it wins for overall satisfaction in the Southwest region.
Review: Wireless Service Ratings, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, Oct. 2008
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports polls nearly 52,000 of its subscribers, asking them to rate their cell service for call quality, handling of calls and complaints and billing problems. Results are grouped by major cities.
Review: Best Cell Service, Editors of Consumer Reports, Jan. 2009
PC Magazine polled about 20,000 readers to find out how happy they are with their cell phone service. The Readers' Choice award goes to Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular; readers are also happy with T-Mobile's plan options, cost and customer service, but it rates lower for coverage.
Review: The Best (and Worst) Tech Support in America: Cellular Services, Eric Griffith, July 29, 2008
The editors of this site compare cell phone services according to features and costs, but not call quality. T-Mobile rates third, mainly on the strength of value.
Review: Cell Phone Providers Review, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
5. Phonedog.com
The frustrating thing about user-review sites like PhoneDog.com is that most of the ratings are at the extreme: either four or five stars, or one or two stars. As with Verizon Wireless, folks posting here either love or loathe T-Mobile, which isn't particularly helpful.
Review: T-Mobile User Reviews, Contributors to PhoneDog.com
DeadCellZones.com is one of several sites that offers localized cell phone coverage maps. You can pinpoint coverage and dead zones down to the zip code, even to a specific address. This link leads to the T-Mobile coverage map.
Review: T-Mobile Cell Phone Coverage, Contributors to DeadCellZones.com
Cell Phone Plans Runners Up:
3 picks including: J.D. Power & Associates, Phonedog.com…