California Cellular Reviews
General California Observations: This is too large and varied a state to declare a top cellular carrier but there are some indicators of what to expect. Several years ago, the best network in southern California and the Bay area belonged to PacTel which eventually became Cingular. That network was sold to T-Mobile and Cingular moved all operations over to the old AT&T Wireless network. This gave T-Mobile one of the best networks in the state serving the heavily-populated areas. Verizon has maintained good coverage that rises above the others when travelling outside of these areas. Sprint invested heavily to become the leader in coastal California and comes close to that goal. The new AT&T got started later in the game, but has been aggressive in adding coverage and features. Metro PCS has done surprisingly well for a newcomer, but has a long way to go to catch up outside of the Los Angeles core. You can just price-shop in urban areas of California as long as you get a usable signal when you get home.

AT&T
AT&T is what was once Cingular, which was part of SBC, which took over AT&T Wireless and took AT&T's name. They have a large GSM network, but in the west, have a lot less developed spectrum than in the rest of the country. That is changing with AT&T's acquisition of Alltel Wireless in 76 markets in the western US. They claim that their Alltel purchases will all be converted to 3G GSM by July, 2011. Parts of the Alltel network already provide GSM coverage. Other areas will be converted on a market-by-market basis. With GSM technology, AT&T will roam more readily internationally, but there are areas in the US with no GSM coverage. AT&T's takeover of several cellular networks has improved their service in some areas already, including Alaska. AT&T offers a good selection of GSM phones including the Apple iPhone. Parts of what was the old AT&T Wireless network in the interior west is still not among the best. They still suffer from some coverage 'holes', but they are updating some of these areas. Most improvements will be made in the "new" markets and increasing data capacity instead of adding cell sites in older areas. In several markets where AT&T operates at 1900 MHz only, we have been disappointed, but not all AT&T 1900 MHz-only markets are equal. AT&T offers a variety of plans including Unlimited minutes and services, and 'calling circle' plans. They have extensive data coverage. One of their greatest assets is also their worst problem: the overwhelming success of the Apple iPhone that mostly uses the AT&T network. It has overloaded their system resulting in dropped calls, interrupted data and slower service.

Pros: AT&T has a large network and covers much of the nation, usage is transparent whether on- or off-network, good digital and data services, good national plans, "Rollover" for those who can use it, "Unlimited" calling plans available, a good selection of phones. Improvements in coverage have been substantial in some areas, lacking in others. Excellent international roaming capabilities, and AT&T will now supply the unlock code for all phones, except the iPhone, after 3 to 10 months. Additions of Alltel, Unicel and Centennial network purchases give AT&T substantial rural coverage improvements.
Cons: AT&T plans aren't as generous as some, customers can only access GSM networks which are not as universally available in the US as CDMA, customer service varies from above to below average, some markets have a large number of dropped calls caused by large data users.
Get Web-Only Discounts on Wireless from AT&T.

CC COMMUNICATIONS
CC serves western Nevada with additional coverage into border areas of California and Oregon. They have good coverage with plans that cover most of Nevada without roaming charges. They offer Unlimited Nevada Local plans that include a few US roaming minutes. Their National plans are expensive and they offer an Unlimited National plan. The CC Communications wireless network is owned by Commnet Wireless, however sales and support are still provided by CC Communications. You still deal with local people and you can still "bundle" your cellular service with CC's other extensive communications services. Commnet is making improvements to the CC network. Pros: Good coverage, reasonable Unlimited plans, Unlimited National plans are available. Cons: Expensive National plans, $4.95 fee for voice mail and to change plans or features, no Off-Peak or Mobile to Mobile features.
CC Communications Coverage and Cell Site Map

CELLULAR ONE-SAN LUIS OBISPO
A very good carrier with good coverage. Good customer service because you are dealing with a local company. They offer a Local Unlimited Minute plan for $40. They also offer plans that start as low as $20 a month. At these price levels, their service is very competitive. However, to compare apples to apples, they do not have a 450 minute plan like the National carriers, so if you need more than 300 minutes you'll need to subscribe to Cellular One's more expensive 600-minute plan. They don't offer very many phones. Prices for Family plans make a little more sense.

CLEAR WIRELESS
Clear, also known as Clearwire, is primarily a Wireless Internet Service Provider using "WiMAX" technology in the 2.5 GHz band. Clear provides a faster broadband service than those provided by cellular carriers. Clear calls its service "4G", but their actual speeds vary considerably based on the newness of their network and the development of the technology. Clear's service is also being offered by other communications companies like Comcast, Time-Warner, Google, Sprint and others, often under their own brand name. Clear is available in limited areas and you can use it for your mobile data needs as long as you are within their coverage, and that may also include your home data usage. There is no service available away from your home area, unlike broadband provided by cellular carriers who can offer service over much of the country. They don't currently support typical cellular data devices, instead, they provide home modems, Voice over IP, USB modems for mobile devices, or a WiMAX-ready laptop. Clear can offer a competitive price to most cellular services, including a "$50 For Life" promotion, which can mean long-term savings if you can accept their limitations. For now, Clear has aggressive expansion plans.

CLEARTALK
Cleartalk serves small communities in several states. If you live there, you'll be doing business with locals. They offer some of the features of an all-digital system, but no data. They have Unlimited plans starting around $30 with add-ons like Calling features and Long Distance available. Some customers have roaming service available on Sprint, but most plans are for regional service only. No National plans. Their phone selection is rather small and dated.

COX WIRELESS
This is the new wireless service being offered by Cox Communications. They are testing their service and are scheduled to make service available to the public in Hampton Roads, VA, Omaha, NE and Orange County, CA, soon. They claim they are going to offer wireless with fewer 'penalties' than the other carriers, and will "bundle" their cellular service with other Cox Communications products. Following the Cox Wireless link gets you to their sales pitch, a free movie offer, and links to share with them what you want in a wireless service. Telling them what you want may or may not affect how they operate their new service, but it will affect how it is marketed. They will be using completely new wireless spectrum which will limit the types of phones available. They are using CDMA technology to take advantage of increased roaming potential.

CRICKET
Cricket offers Unlimited wireless usage for one price, but coverage may be a little spotty. For the price, it may work well for you or your family. They have a variety of plans. With Unlimited usage, the circuits may become overloaded. All plans now feature "Nationwide" service through roaming partners, which includes Unlimited Talk & Text. Roaming partners include most of the Sprint CDMA network. Cricket is the largest "Unlimited' carrier and is adding many new markets of their own. You can use Cricket to replace a home wireline. Plans start as low as $30 ($25 in some markets) with Family plans starting at $95 for 3 lines. Cricket also offers reasonable Unlimited Broadband access which is currently limited to their own markets, and supplies a simple USB modem that plugs in to your laptop.
Pros: Talk as much as you want, no contract, most data & digital services are included, good Broadband service, Unlimited coverage now includes all US metro markets. Cons: You must pre-pay, "unlimited" broadband is limited to Cricket markets, off-network roaming is available at an extra charge, some dropped calls when circuits are busy. Their pay-as-you-go plans aren't available for more than a month at a time.
Get Online Discounts from Cricket

GOLDEN STATE CELLULAR
Golden State's service area is within the counties in and around Yosemite National Park. Their plans are all "National" plans and are priced about average. They sometimes offer reasonably-priced promotional plans. At last report, their Unlimited plans were still priced well above the national carriers. Their Mobile to Mobile calls now apply nationally. They have very good coverage within most of their service area which includes Yosemite Park. They have a moderate selection of phone models including several Smart phones. They offer high-speed broadband, and fixed wireless service for locations out of reach of land lines.
Golden State's Coverage Map.

METROPCS
MetroPCS is a 'flat rate' carrier available in most major cities. They offer unlimited minutes wireless coverage for one price including text messaging, but their coverage area is limited. For the price, it may work well for you, or your family. Plans start at $35 per month and Family plans as low as $100 for 4 handsets. Metro PCS allows "unlocked" CDMA phones from other sources to be activated on their network. They have roaming agreements with other small carriers which allows Unlimited service in those markets. They have some useful options like fixed-rate calling to Mexico and a Group Ring for families.
Pros: Talk as much as you want, and they have all the digital features. Roaming is available, some of it unlimited. Cons: You must pre-pay, and Unlimited coverage is limited just to specific markets. Other Roaming is available at extra cost, but is free in "Extended Home" markets. Off-network Roaming must be activated and deactivated each time you travel, Roaming is not available outside the US. They are still growing so there are still some areas with poor or no coverage. Many features are not included in the cheapest plans.
Get Discounts on Metro PCS

NEXTEL
Nextel is a of part Sprint and in some offers, Sprint hides Nextel's features. The combo has allowed the two networks to start sharing cell sites to improve coverage. Nextel's spectrum is made up from a bunch of 2-way radio channels, and they suffer from marginal audio in some markets. Their coverage is more robust in certain areas than others. They cover urban areas and some interstates, but there is little roaming elsewhere in the state. They have an efficient '2-way' radio feature which is handy for businesses and families who want to contact each other as quickly as possible. Some of their plans aren't very competitive, but they do offer free incoming calls. They use 850 MHz so they have a strong signal in most areas. Sprint has announced they are not improving or expanding the Nextel network. Boost Mobile uses the Nextel network and it a good option for Unlimited Voice and Text. Rumors come up from time to time that Sprint wants to sell off the Nextel network, which may or may not include Nextel customers.
Pros: The Direct Connect is a handy 'walkie-talkie' service, robust coverage within their service area. Cons: Some markets have poor audio, they also have coverage limits and very limited roaming, most of their phones are big and lack variety, Nextel does not have fast broadband features, neither the network nor the coverage are being upgraded. Sprint has not treated Nextel customers as well as those using the Sprint network.
Get Online Discounts on Nextel Phones

SPRINT
Sprint has a national, feature-rich digital network. Their coverage is a little "fragile", but where it's good, it's very good. Sprint has a good selection of phones. Their plans include the ability to roam in many systems when away from their own coverage, as well as any National plan. They offer an inexpensive "basic" plan for only $30 per month. They also offer a few Unlimited plans with lots of features included. Sprint has added service by taking over parts of some carriers' networks, and "sharing" spectrum with others. Sprint merged with Nextel which has created some beneficial network configurations, including sharing of cell sites. Sprint phones normally prefer the network which, where available, gives Sprint customers the best data throughput. Some Sprint phones have the ability to force the phone to "Roam Only", helping you use the strongest network, however there is a limit to how much roaming you can do, generally 50%. Also, newer phones lack that feature. Sprint does not offer their own branded prepaid service but owns Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile prepaid. Pros: Sprint gives you good value for your money, but is not necessarily the cheapest. Sprint covers every urban area in the US, maintains local stores, good roaming capabilities, their digital and data features work very well, they have a good selection of phones. Sprint has good roaming agreements. Cons: You might find a weak area right where you want coverage, some of their plans are not very competitive, customer service is a notch below average.
Get Online Discounts on Sprint Phones
More Sprint Pros & Cons

T-MOBILE
T-Mobile works very well within their service area. While they have a slight disadvantage with their higher PCS frequency, they make up for it with strategically-located sites. T-Mobile doesn't serve many rural areas, but provides coverage along most interstates. They offer roaming in rural areas, and the network is still growing, although often they're just 'filling in'. They offer some handy features like "My-Favs" which includes Unlimited calling to your choice of five numbers, regardless of network, "Kid Connect" which helps you limit the amount of charges your kids can rack up, and an Unlimited "Hot Spot" plan using your home wi-fi connection. They have plans that include unlimited voice and messaging.
Pros: Generous included-minute plans, National and Regional plans, "Unlimited" calling plan available, good urban coverage, good choice of phones, good pre-paid plans, good roaming capabilities, including internationally. Good customer service. Cons: Some weak spots, limited data bandwidth, high international roaming charges.
Get Online Discounts from T-Mobile

TRACFONE
Tracfone isn't an actual cellular carrier but is a major supplier of wireless phones and service. They are the largest prepaid cellular company and arrange for their phones to use whichever wireless carrier is available in a given geographic area. As a result, Tracfone actually has more included roaming coverage available than perhaps any other single company. They offer price points that start below $9 a month and offer all the advantages of prepaid services. They also feature monthly plans and offer promotions with bonus minutes, and plans with 365-day expiration. Their service is mostly limited to Voice and Text but does support data use of their web-capable phones. They offer the option of having the charges deducted from your credit card or charge account automatically, eliminating the need to renew on an exact expiration date. TracFone offers Free international calls to about 60 countries by calling a special number, and with their International Neighbors features, can provide a local number in Mexico or Canada for incoming calls from those countries at Local rates for both callers. Tracfone offers additional plan options through NET10.
Pros: Coverage and Local service, available virtually everywhere in the US, good price plans with no roaming or long distance charges, Local numbers in all markets, included Long Distance calling to 60 countries. Cons: They have a small selection of phones, no smart phones, coverage is determined by the phone model (CDMA or GSM) which may limit your roaming coverage, no roaming outside the US.
Get Online Deals on TracFone

US CELLULAR
US Cellular is a good company that offers good coverage, good plans and lots of features, and a good selection of CDMA phones. Unlimited incoming calls are available on most plans. In some plans, Nights & Weekends begin at 7pm, others start at 9pm. They offer a large selection of phones including Smart phones. They have fairly good roaming capabilities. They have a $20/100 minute "Piece of Mind Plan." In Chicago they use 1900 MHz frequencies which has more dead spots. They have a number of customer-friendly features like usage notifications and free battery swaps.
Pros: Their price plans are competitive, and they offer National and Regional plans, "Unlimited" calling plan available, good customer service, National plans appear to be all-inclusive and roaming has good coverage, mostly with Verizon Wireless. Cons: Mobile to Mobile minutes are extra on lower-tier plans, Unlimited Nights & Weekends have confusing start times.
Get Discounts on US Cellular phones

VERIZON WIRELESS
Verizon is the largest cellular carrier in the US. They have taken over a large portion of the Alltel network and are now dominant in rural America. Cellular service in a few of Alltel's local markets are being sold to other companies, but no Verizon coverage will be lost. Their claim to fame is superior coverage, especially in the west. They use PCS frequencies only in a few areas, but they have constructed those networks well. In the few places where they don't have their own coverage, they have roaming agreements with other carriers, normally ones with superior coverage. Therefore, their "National" plans, which include almost all of the country, are about as close to "wall-to-wall" as you can get. Their reasonably-priced plans have no roaming or long distance charges, and they also throw in Unlimited Night and Weekend minutes as well as Unlimited calls among Verizon Wireless users both on and off their own network (there are a few exceptions). They offer fairly competitive prices, and often have promotions. They also offer plans that include Unlimited Voice and other features at various fixed price levels. Data service is excellent with various price plans. Verizon forces their phone manufacturers to offer a "standardized" user interface, limiting menu and font variations. This could mean the screen appearance may not be to your liking or the fonts may be too small. Smart and data-type phones require a per-Mb plan. They have the largest area of 3G coverage in the US.

Pros: Verizon has reasonably-priced plans, "Unlimited" calling plans available, extensive coverage, wide-ranging National plans, excellent customer service and 'customer-friendly' policies. With such a large coverage area of their own little roaming is necessary, but their roaming partners normally have superior coverage. Cons: Some Verizon plans are a little more expensive, Customer Service closes at 11pm, but technical assistance is available 24/7, there are some billing transition concerns as they take over other carriers, they don't offer as many "cute" phones, they 'cripple' some User Interface functions like larger fonts: make sure you can read their submenus before buying. Some of their data services are not available while roaming.
Get Online Exclusive Discounts from Verizon Wireless