Can you hear me now? Find the plan that fits you
By Michelle Murphy
Today, more than ever before, cell phones are everywhere. A technology that began as a car phone has now transcended its original form. A cell phone can be as tiny as a matchbox and it is generally glued to its owner's ear. As the world saw on video, there is nothing that can keep Paris Hilton from answering her phone, and the rest of us aren't far behind.
However, as much as we love our phones, we also love to hate them. Invariably, we whine about lack of service, roaming charges and subsequently outrageous bills. As we slam our palms against our trusty phones, hoping to knock a signal into it, perhaps our time would be better spent looking at our options. There are countless providers out there to choose from, and the one Mom or Dad chose isn't necessarily the most worthy. In our old age, we've come to realize their flaws and this might just be another of the occasions when they have failed us.
The bottom line is, for most of us, what we think we're getting for coverage and what we're actually getting for coverage are two different things. There are several reasons for this. Most of the general public does not have carnal knowledge of cellular plans, phones, or services. Thus, in many cases, clients would rather trek over to a store or a kiosk and actually talk to an "expert" than try to figure out the whole business online. The trick is, the employees are generally so busy sweet talking you into a deal that they neglect to give you the essential information that you don't know you need: a comprehensive coverage map that tells you where exactly you'll get service, where is considered roaming, and where you'll get no more than half a service bar.
"I never remember being shown a comprehensive coverage map. I went to several stores exploring my options, and they always talked about how many minutes you get for 'x' amount of money," said senior Breanna Salvatore. "I ended up going with ATandT because they had the best rates and options I was looking for, but lo and behold, the whole thing sucks. I don't get service anywhere, I get charged all these extra fees, and I probably would have been better off paying a bit more to get something that actually works. Maybe if I had seen a map of services I would have made a better decision."
Luckily, the place where we go for the bulk of our queries (our best friend the internet) does offer these maps if you know where to look for them. Generally speaking, each provider's website offers not only basic pricing charts covering a variety of different options, but also a link to a color-coded map of service and roaming areas. The results are shocking.
As it turns out, two out of the three most popular service providers have guaranteed, non-roaming service in less than one-third of the entire country. Looking only at the provided financial statistics available online or with sales personnel, Sprint and ATandT might look like more appealing options, but realistically speaking, it turns out that, Verizon is a much better option.
So if you're looking for a provider or are unhappy with your current one, do your homework. Look at prices, explore statistics, talk to your friends and compare, but whatever you do, don't forget about the maps. They could prove to be the most invaluable part of your quest and ultimately make or break your satisfaction.
û Contact Michelle Murphy at (408) 554-4546 or mdmurphy@scu.edu