Speaking of cell phones....

[unixronin]

(Well, I wasn't, but mazianni was.)

Anyway ... since we moved to Hudson, our Nextel phone service has been terrible.  Poor signal, awful voice quality, often can't get a connection at all, just a "USER UNAVAILABLE" message.  We figured it was just due to weak signal here, since Nextel's coverage maps online show us well within their Boston-area coverage, or maybe due to service changes since the takeover by Sprint (since it seemed it got worse around then or shortly after).  I typically get only one bar of signal here, at best.

So, yesterday, I was talking to Nextel customer service trying to find out when our contract expires, and I mentioned the signal and clarity issues and our dissatisfaction with same.  "Oh," says the NXTL rep, after looking up our location, "that would be becuase we don't have any service at your location.  As a matter of fact, we have no service in a six-mile ... no, twelve-mile radius of you."

Look at that map link I posted above.  On that scale, we're maybe an eighth of an inch east of Nashua.  Does that LOOK as though there's no service within twelve miles?  We checked before we moved here that they had coverage.  Their site says they do.  Now their customer service says that they don't.

They also say that the fact they have no coverage anywhere near us, although their site says they do, is no reason for any latitude in their early termination fee.  (Speaking of which, the issue I was calling up to check on in the first place is that the one-year contract I thought we signed up for has somehow turned into a two-year contract at some point along the way... probably some piece of small print we missed along the way.  When we did a market switch from Bay Area to Boston area, I think the customer service rep said something about it extending our contract by a year, so maybe that's it.)

So, color me very unhappy with Nextel right now.

---

Update:  Calling them again today, I'm told that they can't verify what coverage we have or do not have because their systems are down, and that contrary to what the rep who did the market switch for us did NOT extend the contract, but "could have, depending"; this rep claims we were on a two-year contract from the start.  I'm getting closer and closer to just saying "Fuck the early termination fee, I don't want to do business with these people any more."

Comments

[mazianni.livejournal.com]

Though I loathe Verizon, I've been thus far happy with their cell phone service. Previously I had AT&T and Cingular and their coverage was spotty around here, plus I couldn't call home to MA when I was anywhere in MI. Verizon's coverage has been much better.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, general opinion seems to be that Verizon has the best cellular overage in the northeast (which is to be expected, them being the regional Baby Bell), and their coverage maps seem to bear it out. Though as Nextel's shows, the coverage map isn't necessarily to be relied on.

What we need is to find someone around here with a Verizon phone and ask how much signal they get. Signal along cymrullewes' commute is a major factor too; for a lot of the route, she has ZERO signal, period.

[darthgeek.livejournal.com]

Yeesh. Just yeesh. If I ever have to buy cellular service at market price, I may go with Verizon or Cingular.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we're looking at Verizon. Nice phones, a semi-ruggedized flip phone available, not too much mandatory bling, good network coverage.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I forgot to mention unlimited in-network free calling.

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

t-mobile.com has nice street level coverage maps, just make sure to get a good phone, I'd stick with a Nokia, I'm upgrading soon from the cheap one to the 6101, which is suposed to be even better reception wise. Lots of minutes on their plan, nice customer service (unlike, say, Verizon or Cingular).

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Uh ...... I betg to differ. I looked at T-Mobile's while I was considering alternate providers, and outside of major metropolitan areas, their coverage footprint is practically nonexistent. They have less coverage than Nextel.
As for plan minutes, it's rare we use 10% of our minimum plan airtime anyway. I don't need a plan that'll sell me more minutes; I need a plan that'll let me buy less.

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

I didn't say they would work for you, just that their coverage maps were not likely to lie to you.

It would seem they would suck for you, but at least have the guts to let you figure that out before they have your money.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I didn't say they would work for you, just that their coverage maps were not likely to lie to you.

OK, true, point taken. I misinterpreted your meaning.

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

Verizon has been bastards to me on occasion, but in general they have always provided me with signal. And you know where I live, and the sort of places I travel through.

-Ogre

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Indeed.