Question:
Hey all, What would be the best Cell Phone Service out there for a Trucker? I will need something where I can sen text messages to an email account because my wife is deaf and calling her on the phone does not bring much without calling a relay service. Any good tips on who I should Choose?
Drafter
Keep the wheels rolling

Answer:
most companies offer incab e mail. u shouldn't have a problem. jn anycase. i use verizon and got pretty good signal. i hear sprint is best coverage wise.

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If you can not get AT&T, then get Verizon, they have a plan similar to AT&T's 1Rate.
Whatever you do, Try to Stay Away from in-cab email that is offered from the carrier.(it's usually a bit expensive...from what I've been told)
(4pgs)Past Posts about Cell Phones(click here)

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AT&T worked great for me everywhere. The phone I had worked on any cell system(Nokia 3560 I beleive). Even worked in the desert where I never seen any cell towers. I had nationwide, no roaming charges,no long distance charges.

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I had AT&T also. They had the widest coverage and for a Nationwide Package. Not all cell phone carriers have a Nationwide coverage. Locally, we had used U S Cellular, but they did not offer a nationwide package. There were some pockets where AT&T didn't have agreements with local carriers (Rome, NY) but the coverage was excellent. I also bought an external attenna (Wilson) and it increase my range and signal strentgh. I started with a 300 minute package and increased it to 800. Didn't have to worry too much about time available when calling the house. I also deducted 65% of cell phone bill since I also used it to call customers and driver manager etc.

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BAD BAD BAD.............these baste....ds ,get as far away from this company as you can. I had a dream about raming there cell towers.......it was just a dream, notice I didnt refer to it as a nitemare.

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I have had Sprint for 6 yrs and find it to be much better than AT&T. (Had them for about 6 months when I was thinking about changing, they sucked as far as quality of signals and service.)
Sprint now has a plan that I have and it gives me 2500 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited pcs to pcs calls, unlimited roaming(this used to be Sprints downfall), unlimited web access, with the Vision plan.I'm probably forgetting something, bt what the heck. This plan costs me around $ 150 per month. My night coverage starts at 9 pm, but for $ 5 more you can have it start at 7 pm. The best thing about Sprint is the coverage. It's WAY bigger than AT&T. Second place in coverage goes to Verizon. BUT I'll still keep my Sprint PCS.

Answer:
When it comes to cell phone coverage, the saying "You Get What You Pay For" couldn't be closer to the truth!
I'm an Owner-Operator who runs an older truck that has very few problems that I can't fix on my own, but when one's out in Timbuk 3 with a mechanical failure (and not everyone has Qualcomm in their trucks), it's justified to pay a bit more for a cell phone subscription that will work when you need it! I know quite a few who have switched from AT&T to a different carrier, only to go back a short time later. I won't say that AT&T is perfect, but they are closer to it than everyone else I've dealt with (Nextel, Verizon, and a friend has Sprint PCS with lousy coverage).
"Creatin' Chaos- Coast to Coast!", but doin' it safely!
ASE Certified Diesel Technician who found a love for the road!Not liable for any information posted.

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ATT good
Nokia Phone is worst on the planet

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Nov 24 found the company that lost the most customers after the law went into effect allowing customers to change cell phone companies and keep same number was AT@T. Sprint PCS lost as many as they gained. Have never had a time that I could not make a call any place with Sprint PCS with roaming package. I am really no fan of Sprint though and long for the day when Nextel gets bigger and can offer a plan that agrees with me as well, that would be my next choice.

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I had at+t one rate for the first 2 years i drove, thinking they were the best, then after an unfortunate incident and then running my bill up with no way to know how high it was getting and no warning from them i had a run in with at and t customer service and basically wound up telling them to stick it, i switched to sprint's free and clear across america (basically the same as at and t's one rate..no roaming, free nites and weekends and unlimited pcs to pcs, unlimited vision service with pictures and guess what..i have better service now than i EVER did with att. I get a signal in areas now that i never did with att (like kentucky on i-24 for example and i-80 across wyoming (although it is a little static-y (new word...lol)i at least have service where i never did with att. I was nervous about going back to sprint at first having had nightmares using them for local wireless years ago. Whatever they did they did it right. I am now happy with my cell service, no roaming, no contract and all is good. Hope this helps someone decide.

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TAXIBOBNOMORE,
First just wanted to say I have enjoyed reading your other threads about your experiences at different companies and am glad to here you have found your "niche".
Got a question about Sprint Free and Clear `tho.
On their Coverage Map, it looks like 90% of America is "out of the PCS network" and would have Roaming charges or some such.
Would you clear this up for me?
Thanks!

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on sprints free and clear across america there is NO roaming charge even if it is "roaming", so you dont have to worry about it. Now u know

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I have coverage almost everywhere. Dont run out of minutes though or it gets expensive.
Be good and you will be lonesome.~M Twain~

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purchase a tri-mode phone. This is very important to get service where all digital phones can not. The tri-mode phone has two digital bands and that very important analog band which is still used in the remote areas of this country. This phone will cost more, but the additional coverage in non-digital areas are worth it. Guys spend a little extra for a quality telephone rather than the cheapest on sale junk you can find and then getting upset over the service providers service when it was the type of phone you bought.
I use Verizon Wireless and have no problems running coast to coast in all the states south of I-80. The only other service I would even consider to use would be AT&T due to nationwide coverage is more important than price of the plan.
Has anybody bought one of those 3 watt amps for the phone hooked up to an external antenna?