US Cellular vs Verizon

[geoff5093]

I currently pay $60.98 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data with Verizon. The downside obviously is that I need to pay full retail price if I want to keep my plan. Now I was checking out US Cellular, which has great coverage in NH (also has 4G LTE in my area), but of course if I leave NH then I will be on 3G.

US Cellular has competitive pricing, they will match my current 15% employer discount so I'll be paying $63.74 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and 2GB of data ($10 per each GB over 2) which is just $3 more per month than Verizon. Now granted it may not seem worth it to pay more for less LTE coverage, and 2GB vs unlimited, but I get to buy the phone subsidized. If you factor in the $700 vs $300 pricing for the Note 2, I'd be paying $95.98 on Verizon versus $78.74 on US Cellular.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone else have or is considering moving to US Cellular, especially since they seem to be getting the new Samsung phones around the same time (or earlier) than Verizon? In the past they always had a poor selection of smartphones, but they seem to be getting better.

FYI, I ran several speed tests both times I went into the US Cellular store and I managed to pull around 10-15Mbps down, 8-13Mbps up, and had a ping of around 100-125ms. On 3G I was getting around 1-1.5Mbps down and 0.75-1.5Mbps up.

 

[jerry12]

I currently pay $60.98 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data with Verizon. The downside obviously is that I need to pay full retail price if I want to keep my plan. Now I was checking out US Cellular, which has great coverage in NH (also has 4G LTE in my area), but of course if I leave NH then I will be on 3G.

US Cellular has competitive pricing, they will match my current 15% employer discount so I'll be paying $63.74 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and 2GB of data ($10 per each GB over 2) which is just $3 more per month than Verizon. Now granted it may not seem worth it to pay more for less LTE coverage, and 2GB vs unlimited, but I get to buy the phone subsidized. If you factor in the $700 vs $300 pricing for the Note 2, I'd be paying $95.98 on Verizon versus $78.74 on US Cellular.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone else have or is considering moving to US Cellular, especially since they seem to be getting the new Samsung phones around the same time (or earlier) than Verizon? In the past they always had a poor selection of smartphones, but they seem to be getting better.

FYI, I ran several speed tests both times I went into the US Cellular store and I managed to pull around 10-15Mbps down, 8-13Mbps up, and had a ping of around 100-125ms. On 3G I was getting around 1-1.5Mbps down and 0.75-1.5Mbps up.

In side of my house with U.S.Cellular I have -83dbm 4G signal with my Galaxy Note II and with my Verizon Razr Maxx the 4G signal in side is -115dbm so the clear winner in my area is U.S.Cellular. I live in a rural area but when you go in town they are about the same but I want the phone to work inside of my home so it is U.S.Cellular.

 

[jntdroid]

whose towers does US Cellular use?

 

[jerry12]

whose towers does US Cellular use?

U.S.Cellular use there on towers.

 

[geoff5093]

whose towers does US Cellular use?

They have their own, but they only have service in a portion of the U.S. The rest of the country is 3G roaming off Verizon towers.

 

[Caesars]

If i was only paying Verizon 60 dollars Month I (sadly) would probably be buying a new retail phone every 5 months lol.

Return of the Android

 

[jerry12]

U.S.Cellular uses Verizon towers when they are in a non USCC area's. I have heard some talk about them using Sprints towers also.

 

[liftedplane]

If i was only paying Verizon 60 dollars Month I (sadly) would probably be buying a new retail phone every 5 months lol.

Return of the Android

I'm right there with you. My goal is to get rid of every other phone but my two unlimited and cut my minutes down to the bare minimum.

Sent from my frozenly delicious razr maxx.

 

[kb1989]

I think they just use their own towers. But i know Verizon roams off of their towers here where i live now. Just wish US Cellular would share their 3G and Future 4G LTE with Verizon Wireless. Anything beats Extended 1X Data. Guess WiFi is my only option for now.

 

[Mookie]

I currently pay $60.98 for 450 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data with Verizon

I would [edited for inappropriate content] to get that deal. Not hard.

 

[Droichuck]

I purchased a gently used NOTE 2 for $400 and activated it for free at Verizon. Sure I paid more than the $200 they are now selling it for with 2 year contract, but I kept my unlimited data plan. Increase with subsidized phone, would have been $24 a month. Savings over 2 years, $280.

By the way, I love my new phone.

 

[tommyg562000]

Yeah, you don't necessarily have to buy it brand new. You can do ebay, craigslist, or swappa for used note 2's, and generally these phones are as good as new and generally still have warranty left on them.