10 cell phone service providers in USA
There are several dozen American cell phone service providers, but they each fall differently on a scale from poor to excellent in what they cost, what services are provided, and how easily those services can be utilized. Here is a look at the top ten cell phone service providers in the United States.
Verizon Wireless - With plans starting at $39.99, Verizon Wireless has grown popular for offering a wide spectrum of different plan options with different features and minutes. Verizon Wireless has also gained a name for itself for providing one of the largest networks available in the United States, boasting that wherever you go, your network will follow. Verizon offers National and Regional calling plans as well as prepaid plans, individual calling plans, family plans, mobile to mobile plans and data or business plans as well. Verizon also offers free nights and weekends beginning at 9:00pm, and offers free mobile to mobile minutes in most of its plans as well. Verizon is one of the top three cell phone service providers, offering excellent service and a supportive network for a great price.
ATT - Often regarded as the second best cell phone service provider in the United States, ATT has been in the game for a long time and has a product offering that reflects that. Cell phone service plans through ATT begin at $39.99 and range significantly in price based on the options available. ATT is one of the largest cell phone service providers in the United States, striving to provide a type of plan to suit every need and lifestyle. AT&T offers a wide range of cell phones as well, including budget cell phones and smart phones, and is the only carrier that is selling the iPhone from Apple.
T-Mobile - T-Mobile ranks in third of the top ten United States cell phone service providers, offering an extensive line of cell phones and a wide variety of plans. Additionally, T-Mobile has built a strong name for itself because it has a wide area of coverage. T-Mobile has more than 180 roaming partners and offers international calling in more than 80 countries and territories all over the world. T-Mobile offers an extensive range of cell phone calling plans, including standard plans, individual and family plans, prepaid phone plans, business plans and even data plans. T-Mobile also offers a MyFaves option that allows for non-network calling of up to five pre-specified people.
Sprint / Nextel - In the middle of 2005, Sprint and Nextel merged to form what is a formidable opponent in terms of cell phone plans. While the network offered by this up and coming cell phone service provider is not as extensive as with the top three providers, the Sprint and Nextel combination is providing excellent service with an adequate number of minutes and a lot of excellent plans for customers to choose from. What has allowed Sprint / Nextel to become popular is the fact that their nights and weekends minutes begin at 7:00pm rather than 9:00pm, which is outstanding for people who really need those extra two hours of guilt-free talk time.
Qwest - Qwest Wireless has become most prominent on the West and East coasts, but then also in the Midwestern United States as well. Coverage becomes a little harder to come by in the mountain states, but reception is still fairly easy to find. Quest offers 500 anytime cell phone minutes for only $39.99, which is cheaper than most other providers. They also offer a $59.99 plan that offers 1000 minutes for any-time use. Unlike most providers, Qwest Wireless offers single year plans, but their termination fee is a little costly at $200. Perhaps not as good as the larger cell phone providers, but Qwest is still pulling its own in the cell phone service provider war.
AllTel Wireless - AllTel is an up and coming wireless service provider that has released a number of different cell phone plans, including prepaid plans, family and individual plans, data plans and even business plans. AllTel is most widely known for its My Circle plan, which allows users to designate up to twenty phone numbers that can be called for absolutely free, regardless of what network those numbers are on. For people who talk to a select few numbers more often than not, the My Circle plan is an advantageous one.
US Cellular - US Cellular is a slightly different cell phone service provider in that they do not offer free phones in exchange for contracts. Instead, US Cellular offers all incoming calls for free as long as they meet certain restrictions. US Cellular offers excellent coverage all throughout the entire country, especially in areas classified as major metropolitan areas.
Cricket - Cricket is another cell phone service provider that is gaining a lot of attention while working to surpass the main providers in terms of service and add on features. Cricket offers a Cricket Choice plan that offers unlimited mobile to mobile minutes, unlimited anytime minutes and unlimited nights and weekends all for $45. Right now Cricket only has coverage in about 25 different states, but their coverage appears to be growing and they are sure to have a wider selection available soon.
Virgin Mobile - Virgin Mobile is a prepaid cell phone service plan provider, and one of the best available at that. Virgin Mobile offers plans that are competitive in comparison to regular cell phone service plans, including text messaging and picture messaging plans, and free weekend and night minutes beginning at 7:00pm. Virgin Mobile may never head the pack, but for what they are and what they are offering, this particular prepaid service provider is definitely doing well for itself.
PowerNet Mobile - The tenth and final cell phone service provider is PowerNet Mobile which was founded in 1992. This particular cell phone service plan offers a wide range of talking solutions including integrated voice, internet and data solutions. For $45.99, PowerNet Mobile offers 700 anytime minutes and a number of bonus features that make the plan worthwhile. PowerNet has substantially more coverage in the eastern half of the country, with some coverate in major metropolitan areas in the west as well. PowerNet is working on expanding, but has yet to reach a number of western states.