Prompted by Adam’s search, I took the time to look at the big four wireless carriers in the US. The pricing differences between them is startling. Here is the monthly cost of 900+ anytime minutes, 300+ text messages, wireless data, BlackBerry support and the ability to use the phone as a modem with unlimited data:
- Cingular - $136.97/month. 900 minutes, 400 text messages, unlimited EDGE data.
- Sprint - $104.98/month. 900 minutes, 300 text messages, unlimited EVDO data.
- T-Mobile - $59.99/month. 1000 minutes, unlimited text messages, unlimited EDGE data.
- Verizon - $134.99/month 1350 minutes, 500 text messages, unlimited EVDO data.
All plans include BlackBerry and tethering.
Now the EVDO data is a lot faster than EDGE data, so Sprint and Verizon offer a better value there. I just don’t see why folks pony up so much for Cingular - though from what I hear, their coverage is better in other areas of the country. In the Bay Area and areas around Denver it is rather poor. I suppose a lot of this is dependent on where you spend your time and which carriers happen to work best there.
I currently use T-Mobile, which does not have good coverage at my house. It is OK a block in either direction - I must be right in between 2 towers. T-Mobile’s coverage spectrums do not penetrate buildings as well as the spectrums used by Cingular. I used to be on Sprint (which had better coverage), but switched when I ditched the Treo for the BlackBerry and didn’t want to pay the extra $40/month. Steve’s Cingular phone got slightly better coverage at my house than I get with T-Mobile.
Cingular and T-Mobile can be easily used overseas (and Sprint and Verizon cannot), which can certainly be handy as well. T-Mobile’s $20/month international BlackBerry data roaming package is a real steal and I really loved having it while in Italy earlier this year.
T-Mobile is the clear winner on price and features, however the coverage issues and slower data speeds have me considering returning to Sprint (when Sprint gets the QWERTY BlackBerry 870x series). Frankly, I just don’t see how Verizon and Cingular compete.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Weiran Zhang adds this Comment:
T-Mobile is the cheapest in the UK too, it’s unlimited data plans aren’t matched by any other provider at the price (extra £7.50 a month), and you can get 900 minutes a month for £35.
Is the “slightly” extra coverage worth an extra $55 a month though?
BTW, whats the length of those contracts?
September 13th, 2006 at 1:19 am
Alex adds this Comment:
The difference between Sprint and T-Mobile is actually $45/month, and I would also get EV-DO data rates (which is a little more important as it looks like I’ll be doing some regular travel in the future). If you dropped about 30% of your calls, would you consider paying more to fix it? I’ve almost stopped using my BlackBerry as a cell phone because of this.
The length of the contract gives you a discount on hardware here in the states, it doesn’t affect the monthly rate.
September 13th, 2006 at 6:55 am
Geof F. Morris adds this Comment:
Alex: V&C survive by having passable service outside of America’s major metropolitan areas.
September 13th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
stephen o'grady adds this Comment:
agree to some extent, but don’t forget the UMTS service available from Cingular. that’s far more comparable to EV-DO than EDGE, though VZW’s EV-DO is available in a lot more markets.
September 14th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Alex adds this Comment:
Geof - good point.
SOG - UMTS does look nice, but I’m not going to include it in the conversation until the coverage is in the major metros and they have phones that utilize it. Any bets them charging extra for it when it’s available?
September 14th, 2006 at 12:35 am
stephen o'grady adds this Comment:
my LG CU320 actually gets UMTS 3G right now, and i don’t get charged extra for it. so does the CU 500, AFAIK.
metros that i’ve travelled to that have UMTS so far are Boston / DC / Bay Area / Raleigh Durham and - i think - NYC.
no Denver yet.
September 14th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
Alex adds this Comment:
Good to know, thanks. I wonder when/if T-Mobile will get in the UTMS game.
September 14th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Carlos adds this Comment:
Well, how important is tethering?
For me, the math works out to this for Cingular…
$60 for 900 Anytime, M2M, UNW, ect.
$5 for 250 Text Messages
$30 for Unl. BlackBerry
So, if you don’t have to tether, you can get by for $95; T-Mobile still kicks butt in price, but in many many locations, their service just plain stinks (ahem, southern California)…
September 15th, 2006 at 2:28 am
Alex adds this Comment:
Tethering is important.
September 15th, 2006 at 6:43 am
alexking.org: Blog > Sprint BlackBerry 8703e Ordered adds this Pingback:
[…] One thing I learned in my week in the Bay Area, T-Mobile’s coverage is actually better in the Denver Metro than it is in some areas. I’ve put in an order for an 8703e from Sprint. Sprint’s pricing1 was enough better than Verizon’s to tip me in their direction. […]
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:39 pm
iPhone | alexking.org adds this Pingback:
[…] only is a real bummer. Not just because their service is so expensive, but also because their coverage at my house is rather […]
April 18th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
BlackBerry Curve First Impressions | alexking.org adds this Pingback:
[…] I priced cell service a little while ago, I really couldn’t even consider AT&T/Congular, but now that I have an […]
August 3rd, 2007 at 5:42 pm