Sign a contract with T-mobile for a G2 or sign with Verizon to get a Droid Incredible?

[durps]

I like both phones a lot. Each has something that it can do better than the other. Now I'm just kinda picking by the carrier.
With Verizon, I will most likely have better coverage everywhere I go, which is important because my dad is a truck driver.
I will be paying $180 for for 2 lines with 1500 mins, web on both phones, and unlimited texts.
I will be stuck on 3G, not 4g. i heard that verizon's 3G is still prett fast though.

With T-mobile I will prob have worse coverage everywhere I go.
Paying $150 for 3000 mins, unlimited texts, web on both phones, and will be getting DOUBLE the amount of minutes from Verizon AND 30 BUCKS CHEAPER.
I will also have access to t-mobile's "4g", which isn't too good, but will get better over time.

So at first glance, it's obvious I should go with tmobile, but because my dad travels all over the place, I don't think he'll always have coverage compared to Verizon. I am located in North New Jersey and my dad usually goes to PA, NY, VA, ML, and CT. So which carrier is best for coverage in the North East?

THANK YOU GUYS FOR ANY INPUT!

 

[durps]

Anyone? lol

 

[Clementine_3]

Look carefully at the coverage maps
I live in NY (Albany) and have driven through PA to VA and then down to NC. I never hit a dead zone, I was able to make/receive calls the entire way and used Maps/Navigation to get there and back again. I have Verizon and would not think about changing to another carrier...I get coverage where I go! I've been all over NY, gone to to Boston, gone to ME and have found coverage almost all over, very few (if any) dead spots.
My son has done extensive traveling (Maine, GA, AL, TN, FL, NC, SC, WV, VA) and has mapped/navigated everywhere...there just seems to be Verizon coverage all over!
I vote Verizon.

 

[chawski]

id say the G2 is probably the better hardware, but the better hardware is nothing more than a paperweight for a map if he doesnt get signal. If you were the kind of person that stays home most of the time and gets good signal with t-mo, the g2 would be my vote, but given the travel needs, I think Verizon is really the only feasible option.

 

[durps]

Let's say I sign up for t-mo and the service ends up not being good, can i cancel the contract if i cancel it before our first month or no?

Oh, and Clementine_3, is that your leopard gecko?

 

[Clementine_3]

Yes and yes.

Not sure exactly what T-mobile's return policy is but you should be able to return phones and cancel the contract within -X- days, be sure to ask them how many. It's 30 days at Verizon.

That is one of my Leopard geckos, I have four (and 2 snakes, a tortoise and a German Shepherd too!)

 

[durps]

Yes and yes.

Not sure exactly what T-mobile's return policy is but you should be able to return phones and cancel the contract within -X- days, be sure to ask them how many. It's 30 days at Verizon.

That is one of my Leopard geckos, I have four (and 2 snakes, a tortoise and a German Shepherd too!)

Oh ok, so I guess I'll try out t-mobile first, then switch to verizon if their service isn't doing me well.
I'll get my money back for the phones if I return them right? lol

That's awesome, I have a crested gecko and 2 bearded dragons

 

[lordofthereef]

Yeah you will get your money back. In my experience, TMO has the best customer service of any US carrier, but their coverage is abysmal. I tried my hardest and just couldn't live with it. Often times I would get no reception indoors, which is a problem when you use your mobile as your main line. I had 6 months left on my contract, and they were willing to just terminate the contract since I was having such terrible reception issues. THAT is customer service if I ever heard of it! That said, their plans are wonderfully priced. Equally well priced plans (comparing upper tier plans not base) come from Sprint and I have had a surprisingly lovely experience over the last two weeks. I have not been able to go anywhere that DIDN'T get reception. This includes underground, parking garages, etc. where even VZW was getting 0 bars. Never thought I would recommend it, but if you haven't eliminated Sprint, I would give them a look. They also waive all fees if you return the phone for whatever reason within 30 days (this means you don't even have to pay for the usage fees, which I don't think any other provider offers).

 

[durps]

^Thanks for the info lordofthereef, but I am currently leaving from Sprint lol.
But I guess i'll just give t-mo a try, if their service doesn't suit my needs, then I'll cancel and move over to verizon and settle for 3g.

 

[toomuchgame441]

Stay with Sprint and get an Evo 4G

 

[wayrad]

I had a dumphone with T-Mobile for years and never managed to get coverage at both work and wherever I was living at the time. Changed to Verizon when I got my DInc and couldn't be happier. My 3G signal isn't wonderful at home, but it sure beats having a brick that I have to remember to power down every night to avoid waking up to a dead battery.

 

[lordofthereef]

^Thanks for the info lordofthereef, but I am currently leaving from Sprint lol.
But I guess i'll just give t-mo a try, if their service doesn't suit my needs, then I'll cancel and move over to verizon and settle for 3g.

Just curious, what has you wanting to leave Sprint? I had tried just about every carrier in the US BUT Sprint until now and I must say I couldn't be happier!

 

[durps]

Just curious, what has you wanting to leave Sprint? I had tried just about every carrier in the US BUT Sprint until now and I must say I couldn't be happier!

I have about 3 lines on Sprint and I'm paying about $160 each month for 1500 shared minutes and unlimited texting WITH NO INTERNET on any device which is a lot. With verizon i will pay around $180 and get 1500 mins, 5 free unlimited contacts on each line, unlimited texting, and internet activated on 2 lines. With Tmobile it's more minutes and for $150 with the same features.
i have generally had no signal problems with Sprint but the prices don't match up with the services and features.

 

[durps]

I had a dumphone with T-Mobile for years and never managed to get coverage at both work and wherever I was living at the time. Changed to Verizon when I got my DInc and couldn't be happier. My 3G signal isn't wonderful at home, but it sure beats having a brick that I have to remember to power down every night to avoid waking up to a dead battery.

Sorry for the double post, but i was reading that the Dinc has to be one of the worst phones with battery that is still one of the top used android phones, is this true?
i know there is an extended battery for them but the phone looks horrible with the bigger battery/new back piece.

 

[Snow_Fox]

Protip:

Tmo customer service is trained poorly.

*IF* Your getting on a contract with tmobile get on a regular contract.
DO NOT GET ON FLEXPAY.

With a regular contract, there are no issues.. with flexpay... your going to be banging your head against the wall when you want to upgrade.

When you want to do anything really..

I know this because, i sold tmobile phones.

 

[mikeyman67]

Sorry for the double post, but i was reading that the Dinc has to be one of the worst phones with battery that is still one of the top used android phones, is this true?
i know there is an extended battery for them but the phone looks horrible with the bigger battery/new back piece.

I have a Droid Incredible and happen to love the phone. The battery was horrible with the stock setup, but a few settings different made a huge difference. Search the battery life threads and you will get a LOT of helpful ideas. I am now 10 hours off of charge, slightly lighter day than normal (some calls, data and some web) and have 55% battery left on the standard battery without the bump charge.

I have run IT for a few different companies. I have used ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint/Nextel. In my experience, for coverage and reliable network its Verizon hands down. You pay a bit more, but its worth it to me. Coverage wise, ATT isn't bad but they are over capacity in most major metro areas, where you may get signal but not be able to call. Sprint has decent stuff, but their customer service is the pits and their coverage is good unless you head out away from populated areas. T-Mobile are wonderful to deal with but their coverage is abysmal when compared to all of the others.

Hope this helped.

 

[lordofthereef]

I have about 3 lines on Sprint and I'm paying about $160 each month for 1500 shared minutes and unlimited texting WITH NO INTERNET on any device which is a lot. With verizon i will pay around $180 and get 1500 mins, 5 free unlimited contacts on each line, unlimited texting, and internet activated on 2 lines. With Tmobile it's more minutes and for $150 with the same features.
i have generally had no signal problems with Sprint but the prices don't match up with the services and features.

Not that I am trying to sell you on sprint, but you can get 3 lines of everything + data for $149.99. This includes 1500 shared minutes along with unlimited nights and weekends and unlimited calls all the time to any mobile line on any network im the US. All three lines have unlimited texting and data (well, a soft cap of 5GB a month just like Verizon). This plan is probably newer than the plan you are using by the sound of it. Don't you hate that they don't alert you of new plans like this? I guess they figure if they can keep you paying, why wouldn't they?

 

[Reap]

I have T-Mobile. From experience, my advice is go with Verizon. Ask anyone that owns a T-Mobile phone,"How often do you get the latest updates if you get updates at all?" I have had three T-Mobile Android phones and non of them ever got updates and I gave up on them and moved to the next. I'm still waiting on my SGS update. Most of Verizon phones always get the newest updates fast, plus they have the fastest mobile internet. I get 3G everywhere I go in SoCal but their 3G is very slow and I don't really bother to browse the web unless I have wi-fi connection. If I had the money to spend I would go Verizon.

 

[wayrad]

Sorry for the double post, but i was reading that the Dinc has to be one of the worst phones with battery that is still one of the top used android phones, is this true?
i know there is an extended battery for them but the phone looks horrible with the bigger battery/new back piece.

I thought the stock battery was a little inadequate for the poor signal area I live in, but with the extended battery (which looks fine, by the way, although it was a bit of a pain having to mod my own case for it) it easily lasts throught the day and well into the evening - I just plug it in when I go to bed.

My old T-mobile dumbphone lasted much longer under ideal signal conditions, but went dead amazingly quickly when signal was lost (like when I went home). I had to remember to turn it off when I walked in the door. I wouldn't have put up with it as long as I did if T-Mobile service hadn't been so inexpensive.

I can't really say how a DInc would be for anyone else, since usage patterns and signal conditions vary a lot.