Cell phones

[BUDU]

So...random question for people who graduate college and head off to flight school.

Where do you get your cell phone plan based out of? Wherever you lived when you were in college? Parents' home? Pensacola? Also, what providers seem to be most prominent?

I ask because my plan is about to run out and I'm wondering whether I should renew it, look for a new plan, or go with a pay-as-you-go until I get commissioned and find a more permanent plan then. I also ask because I think too much and it's 1 AM during final's week.

 

[Swanee]

Verizon. Mine is out of Phoenix, Wifey's is out of Northern Va. Hasn't ever been an issue not having a local number. In fact, we haven't had a house phone in about 4 years. The only reason before that was because it was needed to open the gate for people at an apartment complex.

 

[sfrankie08]

Verizon (based out of Va Bch, VA) - Have had it in MD, VA, FL, TX and 0 issues... I know in Pensacola a few people had some issues with AT&T as far as signal goes. As did T-Mobile (my roommates couldn't get a signal for either carrier in our house outside the back gate in Pcola). Reception was fine most everywhere else though. (T-mobile had a lot more issues in P'cola than AT&T).
I haven't had a house phone yet - (only stinks if your cell phone is acting up / runs out of battery)

 

[SynixMan]

AT&T drops an occasional call here in Pensacola. Data service also isn't that awesome, but oh well.

Most cell phone plans have unlimited long distance, so you can call any number in the US without extra charges. So the answer is, it doesn't matter. As long as you don't go with some kind of non-national carrier (Cell South, Cincinatti Bell, etc).

Oh, and get an iPhone. You won't be disappointed. Maybe wait until summer when the new ones come out though.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I have used Verizon (based out of OR) throughout flight school and haven't had problems. Meridian could be a little spotty in terms of service, but generally I always had a useable signal outside of base. If you have the means, get an iphone or a droid......really comes in handy for reading the flight schedule if you aren't at home and 6 pm or so rolls around.

 

[BUDU]

Thanks guys. I have thought about an iPhone...my only qualm is that it would be a huge "D'oh!" moment since I bought a touch a few months ago, haha.

 

[OUSOONER]

Concur with the whole T-Mobile sucking in PCola..since then, I have an ATT iPhone here in North Mexico with no problems.

 

[JollyGood]

Here is a website that has user-submitted dead zones and a few comments. http://www.deadcellzones.com/full.html You can just plug in the zipcode and the carrier and it will bring it up.

In my experience, the feedback has been very accurate when there is some, but some zip codes are lacking on the amount of feedback.

Hope this combined with the everyone here can get you the info you need.