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Best or least worst choices for cell phone service?

Opting out of ATT seems like the most obvious no-brainer, but are there options for phone service that are actually halfway decent?

Or as an alternative, would it be feasible to get some kind of internet phone/texting service, use that over wifi, or maybe have a basic data plan to go with it at most?

24 comments
  • It's kind of a moot point if you're in the USA. There are only 3 companies that actually own and operate cell towers: ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile. I'm speaking in terms of privacy, not coverage or quality.

    Any other company just leases usage of the towers from one of them.

    • PureTalk = ATT
    • Mint = T-Mobile
    • Cricket = ATT

    Then you have T-Mobile that gobbled up a bunch of smaller companies and kept the names to trick you into thinking it's a different company (kinda like Nestle and their local bottled water companies). T-Mobile also owns Sprint and MetroPCS.

  • US Mobile is a self-proclaimed "supercarrier" which offers SIMs across all major networks (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile), so you can change as you like according to your phone's compatibility. However, the CEO (who is active on /r/usmobile) has been known to kick existing customer loyalty to the curb in favor of new members, and their customer service centers are in Pakistan, where he's from.

    These may or may not be good or bad things depending on your threat model, but one thing's for sure: their price is unbeatable! Come to think of it, I have a referral link for anyone who may be interested, but that's up to you. I actually dislike the CEO's practices, but I'm already locked in for a year and didn't know until later...

24 comments