Just gave up my Droid.

[boatman2220]

Need a call to Customer Service, and replacement for a faulty phone. You get a CDMA signal it should pick it up as well as the other person beside you. I'm not going to knock anyone one for a personal choice that they've made. I'm not in his shoes.

 

[Backnblack]

i would rather use a beeper and payphones

I can't name 5 places that have pay phones...lol

 

[JayMonster]

I have a T-Mobile G1 as well as my Droid. The G1 is nowhere near as bad as some of you make it out to be (of course I am in a NYC metro area so I have 3G most of the time... one of T-Mobiles... good spots, I guess).

Unlike at&t, Deutche Telekom (parent of T-Mobile) looks like it is actually TRYING to make improvements to their network (rather than asking people to not use the data plans they pay for).

That being said, even in the best of areas, there is no comparison between the networks, download speeds, connections etc. VZW wins out by a mile. T-Mobile just isn't there yet, like Sprint, it is the choice of those that care more about price the QoS. (Like my company, which is why I have a G1)

like JessiesGirl said... something sounds... off. Was it the coverage? The Price? Was any effort made to rectify the problems (*228 does wonders in rough coverage areas when updating the PRL)? It sounds more like excuses used to change rather than actual problems. Which is fine too Lbecause boatman2220, I don't judge anybody for their choices. If the service is too much, it is too much. That is fine. (But tell it like it is)

 

[Danjitsu]

I liked the phone. It was snappy, it was fun. All the apps were great.

The problem was the value of the Verizon plan.

My business partner (we are both real estate agents in the Pittsburgh PA area) has T Mobile and the G1. When we were out and about the last 3 weeks since I got my droid, I was dropping more calls than her, and getting less bars than her more often than not - especially indoors. So with all due respect to big red maps, I wasn't seeing any kind of network advantage over her when it counted most.

It wasn't a real big difference though, and certainly nothing remotely significant enough to make me even consider giving up my new baby. The real kicker was the plan. I got my first bill, and for the sake of this argument I will even be generous and not consider the additional fees and the charging ahead that Verizon does - causing my first bill for 35 minutes used to be $297 and change. POW! Ok, so for monthly unlimited texting and 1400 minutes between my wife and I, I was paying $119.99. This was a consumer (non business) account and since I was getting a smart phone, I had to pay for the $45 separate data plan, rather than Verizon packaging it for me to take some of the bite out of that price. So before taxes and fees I'm looking at about $165 for 1400 min and texting for my wife and I, and data for my device only.

On T-Mobile, it was cheaper to get sep lines for my wife and I. Pretty basic too. I pay $79.99 for unlimited minutes, texting and data for my new HTC Touch Pro 2, and got my wife another texting based non smart phone and a plan that includes 500 minutes (plenty for her) unimited texting and data for $49.99 for a total of approx $130 before taxes and fees.

If I wanted unlimited minutes on Verizon (as all my colleagues kept insisting I would need) I was looking at adding about another $90 to a plan that was already $35 higher than what T-mobile was going to charge me for unlimited minutes and that was not even counting the data for my wife!!! No comparison. Especially since I seem to be getting a stronger T Mobile signal here in my home than what I was getting with Verizon - admittedly I live in a "dead zone" and need to get a repeater either way, but the bottom line is that Verizon wanted to charge me $120-$140 per month MORE than what T-Mobile was going to for comparable plans.

I was at first lamenting that I could not take my beloved Droid with me and was looking at the Moto Cliq, the MyTouch and the Samsung Behold 2. None of them were really doing it for me when compared to the Droid I was having to give up. That is when the salesman at T Mobile asked me if I considered altering my focus and looking at a Window's Mobile device - specifically the HTC Touch Pro 2.

He described it as a laptop and I have to say that after spending a couple days with the device I have to agree. The being able to use it as a tethered modem out of the box for no extra charge is a huge bonus and the ability to manipulate excel and the other microsoft office programs is also key for me in my daily business. While not as snappy, bright or fun as the Droid and other up coming Android devices, the trade off is more business and general functionality imo - and it's one I am having to say I am feeling good about making, ESPECIALLY considering the price.

Just thought I would share.

Did you consider talking to anyone at Verizon about your plan? I can't imagine how you managed to spend roughly $300.

The unlimited call plan is $119.99 per month. But you can also use Verizon 'friends and family' to make calls to your most frequently or most heavily used numbers outside of Verizon free to you. Verizon wireless to Verizon wireless calls are always free. The data plan (which is unlimited and includes texting) is $29.99. I don't see how anyone is spending more than $150 + taxes/fees per month. Most could go with the step below unlimited voice by using friends and family for their heavy call out-of-network friends/clients.

If you didn't have good reception in your area, that's another matter.

But something about this story sounds off to me...

The $297 bill I received was the infamous first bill that includes portions billed ahead. I apologize if I did not make that clear. Monthly, I had the $119.99 family share plan with my wife that included 1400 minutes and unlimited texting. Because I had a smart phone, I had to get the data plan separate - they told me I couldn't package it with The Droid. So the base price for 1400 minutes and unlimited texting for my wife and I and data for me was about $165 a month. To bump it up to unlimited minutes, it was like another $90 per month, making it more like $250 a month compared to the $130 I am paying now with T Mobile. It may have been a bit cheaper to go with individual Verizon plans rather than the family share plan, but bottom line was that they couldn't touch the pricing.

 

[Danjitsu]

i would rather use a beeper and payphones before i would goto T-Mobile they have the worse service in america.

even metro PCS is rated higher for coverage......

Sentiment like this is why I did not even shop around before getting my droid. I felt the same way and went straight to Verizon and their big red maps. Then I'm out with my business partner and I'm dropping calls on my droid while she is having no problem on her T-Mobile G1. With all due respect to "the ratings", I had to go with what I was seeing with my own eyes.

 

[wil318466]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. Verizon charges a lot of money in my opinion. And, in my opinion, they are worth it. I completely can understand how the pricing can just make you kind of take a step back and say "is this really worth it?"

I absolutely despise paying a cell phone company 100 bucks a month. I have 900 minutes, unlimited text and data, and my bill is somewhere around 100 bucks a month, AND I get a 22% discount from my work!!!!!

The worst part about it? My phone doesn't get good signal at my girlfriend's house. In fact, it barely works there. I know this is a fluke, as verizon has GREAT coverage in the Philly area. Also, verizon phones used to not work well in certain casinos in Atlantic City. Its just the luck of the draw, some people have AT&T and everywhere THEY happen to go it works fine. Personally I think AT&T is horrible, but for some people it works.

If you can get "good enough" coverage and save a ton of money on the monthly plan, then by all means go with what is best for you. Is the droid cool? Yeah. Am I willing to pay for all of this? Yeah. Would I ever begrudge someone else for deciding not to? No.

Its like anything.. there are pros and cons, and if your pros are saving money and that is important to you, then do what is best for you.

Did I mention how much I hate giving 100 bucks a month to Verizon?

-Wil

 

[Danjitsu]

I have a T-Mobile G1 as well as my Droid. The G1 is nowhere near as bad as some of you make it out to be (of course I am in a NYC metro area so I have 3G most of the time... one of T-Mobiles... good spots, I guess).

Unlike at&t, Deutche Telekom (parent of T-Mobile) looks like it is actually TRYING to make improvements to their network (rather than asking people to not use the data plans they pay for).

That being said, even in the best of areas, there is no comparison between the networks, download speeds, connections etc. VZW wins out by a mile. T-Mobile just isn't there yet, like Sprint, it is the choice of those that care more about price the QoS. (Like my company, which is why I have a G1)

like JessiesGirl said... something sounds... off. Was it the coverage? The Price? Was any effort made to rectify the problems (*228 does wonders in rough coverage areas when updating the PRL)? It sounds more like excuses used to change rather than actual problems. Which is fine too Lbecause boatman2220, I don't judge anybody for their choices. If the service is too much, it is too much. That is fine. (But tell it like it is)

Thanks for the feedback, Jay. I wasn't saying that the service differences where that great - and therein lies the point. I just didn't see all this extra QoS that I was paying for so why spend the extra money? Like many of the posters in this thread though, I am not going to fault anybody for their decisions - just sharing my experience for anybody who might be on the fence.

With all that said, who knows? Maybe after a week I will be regretting the decision after I get out there and use the phone more, but even on our ride from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg PA along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, she had just as many bars as me on average every time we checked. I'll be sure to post some follow up comments in a week or two though.

 

[Danjitsu]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. Verizon charges a lot of money in my opinion. And, in my opinion, they are worth it. I completely can understand how the pricing can just make you kind of take a step back and say "is this really worth it?"

I absolutely despise paying a cell phone company 100 bucks a month. I have 900 minutes, unlimited text and data, and my bill is somewhere around 100 bucks a month, AND I get a 22% discount from my work!!!!!

The worst part about it? My phone doesn't get good signal at my girlfriend's house. In fact, it barely works there. I know this is a fluke, as verizon has GREAT coverage in the Philly area. Also, verizon phones used to not work well in certain casinos in Atlantic City. Its just the luck of the draw, some people have AT&T and everywhere THEY happen to go it works fine. Personally I think AT&T is horrible, but for some people it works.

If you can get "good enough" coverage and save a ton of money on the monthly plan, then by all means go with what is best for you. Is the droid cool? Yeah. Am I willing to pay for all of this? Yeah. Would I ever begrudge someone else for deciding not to? No.

Its like anything.. there are pros and cons, and if your pros are saving money and that is important to you, then do what is best for you.

Did I mention how much I hate giving 100 bucks a month to Verizon?

-Wil

Another big factor for me was the tethering. The Touch Pro 2 tethers right out of the box for no additional fee. My understanding is that Verizon is going to be charging ANOTHER $30 per month for that service when it is made available on the Droid. Nickle dime nickle dime...it adds up quick.

 

[calpilot7]

Windows mobile sucks. T sucks.. At least there is consistency there. DROID rules. I hope your money situation improves so you can upgrade to a better quality option soon.

 

[Danjitsu]

Windows mobile sucks. T sucks.. At least there is consistency there. DROID rules. I hope your money situation improves so you can upgrade to a better quality option soon.

Thanks for the well thought out reply, Calpilot. It is obvious you read the entire thread before responding with such insightful commentary. My money situation is just fine, thanks - I attribute part of that to ability to recognize when I am throwing it away, though I am sure that point was completely lost on you as well...

 

[mrdroid]

I'm sorry but anyone in Pittsburgh that says T-Mobile is better than Verizon is either on drugs or trolling. T-Mobile is very close to not even being usable in Pittsburgh. Anyone I know with T-Mobile downtown can't even use their data plan.

 

[JessiesGirl]

i would rather use a beeper and payphones before i would goto T-Mobile they have the worse service in america.

even metro PCS is rated higher for coverage......

Sentiment like this is why I did not even shop around before getting my droid. I felt the same way and went straight to Verizon and their big red maps. Then I'm out with my business partner and I'm dropping calls on my droid while she is having no problem on her T-Mobile G1. With all due respect to "the ratings", I had to go with what I was seeing with my own eyes.

I've always had the sort of job that required me to visit manufacturing plants all over the country. So yes, lots of time in the boonies. Verizon has always been the best choice for me because of the areas I frequently find myself visiting. I was once forced to use Sprint for my work phone and just stopped giving clients my cell number since I couldn't use it a lot of the time.

But I know that for some people, depending upon where they live and how much and where they travel, other networks are just fine. All of them are cheaper than Verizon, no question.

If you are a very local user, you may do better on a different network. I'm still confused about how you had a $300 usage bill with Verizon though. Verizon isn't inexpensive, but that charge seems very high to me.

 

[Vulcan1600]

I live in Pittsburgh, Droid works flawlessly. I work downtown.

Born in Braddock, Lived in Turtle Creek...Now in MD

Do you know Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick (Mike Lange - Penguins)

As for VZW Coverage in Pittsburgh - it's fantastic, unless you're in some rural areas in Butler County or in Greene County in the boondocks. The areas you are talking about where you dropped a call had to be just a fluke. The Pittsburgh area is so well covered by VZW they have a Call Center in Cranberry Twp. and other major facilities in Bridgeville. Any time I went to Ross Park Mall and talked to the T-M reps they were almost apologetic when they would show me the best coverage areas.

You say how high your first month bills were, but you didn't bother to tell us how much of that first month was pro-rated and then the month ahead was a full month. The following bill would have been a regular bill.

I don't think you were trolling, I just think you gave up to quickly. With T-M yes, you might get it cheaper, but you certainly are going to get what you pay for. Heck, you might have checked out Cricket unlimited plans before going back to T-M. They're even cheaper yet, but good luck with reliability.

Edit: After I replied I read the rest of the posts and I see you do mention that your first bill was higher because of the pro rates.

 

[Vulcan1600]

I'm sorry but anyone in Pittsburgh that says T-Mobile is better than Verizon is either on drugs or trolling. T-Mobile is very close to not even being usable in Pittsburgh. Anyone I know with T-Mobile downtown can't even use their data plan.

You're exactly correct MrDroid.

 

[JessiesGirl]

I live in Pittsburgh, Droid works flawlessly. I work downtown.

Born in Braddock, Lived in Turtle Creek...Now in MD

Do you know Arnold Slick from Turtle Crick (Mike Lange - Penguins)

As for VZW Coverage in Pittsburgh - it's fantastic, unless you're in some rural areas in Butler County or in Greene County in the boondocks. The areas you are talking about where you dropped a call had to be just a fluke. The Pittsburgh area is so well covered by VZW they have a Call Center in Cranberry Twp. and other major facilities in Bridgeville. Any time I went to Ross Park Mall and talked to the T-M reps they were almost apologetic when they would show me the best coverage areas.

You say how high your first month bills were, but you didn't bother to tell us how much of that first month was pro-rated and then the month ahead was a full month. The following bill would have been a regular bill.

I don't think you were trolling, I just think you gave up to quickly. With T-M yes, you might get it cheaper, but you certainly are going to get what you pay for. Heck, you might have checked out Cricket unlimited plans before going back to T-M. They're even cheaper yet, but good luck with reliability.

That could be it--if you are new to Verizon, that forward billing is a big shock for sure. I've been on Verizon so long I had almost forgotten that on Verizon, you pay ahead. Makes that first month seem astronomical.

But he did say his coverage wasn't good, which I also find surprising. I haven't been in that area for years, but ten years ago Verizon had great coverage there and I can't see why it would have gone down.