National carriers

These carriers offer nationwide service. They offer a broad range of services with standard monthly plans that require contracts. Most offer prepaid plans and though some offer "unlimited plans," data use typically is capped at several gigabytes per month.

Verizon Wireless
After acquiring Alltel in January 2009, Verizon Wireless became the biggest wireless carrier in the United States, with 78 million subscribers. It was one of the first to offer a 3G network, a music store, and GPS services, and it launched the first MediaFlo mobile TV network for a carrier. A joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodafone, Verizon Wireless was formed in 2000 through a merger between GTE Wireless and Bell Atlantic. Although its phone lineup was once limited and somewhat ordinary, in the past few years it has grown rapidly to include several popular, high-end handsets.

Things you should know about Verizon wireless:

• This carrier offers unlimited calling and data plans.
• High-speed 3G networks are limited to urban areas.
• Uses BREW instead of Java for games and other applications.
• Of the major carriers, Verizon has received several awards from J.D. Power and Associates for the best network.
• It offers the widest selection of LG phones of the major carriers, and is the only major carrier to have offered Kyocera phones. Its smartphone selection is varied and includes Palm, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry devices.
• Its Friends & Family option offers unlimited calling to a select group of numbers, even landlines.
• As a CDMA carrier, Verizon's international coverage is limited to a handful of countries but it offers dual-mode CDMA/GSM handsets.
• This carrier offers prepaid plans.

What do CNET users think of Verizon Wireless? Fans praised its "killer service" and "perfect coverage," while detractors complained of "poor customer service" and called it "locked down and overpriced." To leave your own opinion and for more information, see our Verizon Wireless carrier page.

AT&T
AT&T is the second largest wireless carrier in the United States after Verizon Wireless, with 73 million subscribers. Today it offers a widespread network and arguably the largest and most varied selection of cell phones and smartphones. Services include 3G streaming video, MediaFlo mobile TV, music downloads and GPS. Originally formed in 2001 as Cingular Wireless, it changed its name to AT&T in 2007 to reflect its parent company. In 2004, Cingular acquired the now defunct AT&T Wireless. It offers 3G, mobile TV, and GPS services.

Click here to see to see AT&T's coverage map.

Things you should know:

• This carrier offers unlimited calling and data plans.
• AT&T's "rollover" plans let you roll unused minutes over to the following month.
• A GSM carrier, AT&T offers extensive international roaming.
• Customers can pay an extra fee to expand night and weekend hours.
• AT&T has picked up some of the trendiest phones soon after their release date. It was the first carrier to offer the Motorola Razr and is the exclusive provider of the Apple iPhone.
• It offers the most Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones of the major carriers but also offers LG and Samsung handsets. It has a varied selection of smartphones and is the largest provider of BlackBerry service.
• High-speed 3G networks are limited to urban areas.
• This carrier offers prepaid plans.

What do CNET users think of AT&T? Fans said it offers "great service with cool phones" and the "best coverage out of the top carriers," while detractors complained of "bad product and worse customer service" and said it is "epically terrible." To leave your own opinion, and for more information, see our AT&T carrier page.

Sprint
Once the oddest of odd couples, Sprint and Nextel merged in 2005. The combined company is now the third largest wireless carrier and the second largest CDMA carrier in the United States, though it is retaining separate Sprint and Nextel brands for the time being. Sprint began wireless service under its brand in 1995, and Nextel was founded in 1987. It offers a 3G network, a music store, and GPS services. Prepaid service is available only through its Boost Mobile subsidiary.

Click here to see Sprint's coverage map.

Things you should know:

• This carrier offers unlimited calling and data plans.
• Sprint was the second major carrier to offer a 3G (EV-DO) network. However, coverage is limited to urban areas.
• Nextel phones offer a strong set of business-friendly features, including adding a second line to a handset. Also, the carrier pioneered push-to-talk technology with its Direct Connect (aka Walkie-Talkie) service.
• Among the major carriers, Sprint is the sole provider of Sanyo phones. Its handset lineup also includes a fair number of Samsung and LG handsets, with a varied selection of smartphones including the Palm Pre.
• Sprint's Power Pack plans have extended night and weekend hours.
• Sprint's CDMA network and Nextel's iDEN network are distinct technologies that use separate networks with different coverage areas.
• International CDMA and iDEN coverage has a smaller footprint than GSM, though the carrier now offers dual-mode CDMA/GSM handsets and a dual-mode iDEN/GSM device.
• Sprint has extended night and weekend hours.

What do CNET users think of Sprint? Admirers said it has the "best bang for your buck" and "flawless service." On the other hand, a critic complained of "hideous service and billing with stores manned by zombies" and another said "what a joke!" To leave your own opinion, and for more information, see our Sprint Nextel carrier page.

T-Mobile
The second largest GSM carrier, T-Mobile, grew out of the former VoiceStream Wireless in 2001 when VoiceStream was acquired by Germany's Deutsche Telekom. T-Mobile operates one of the smaller U.S. networks of the big four carriers, but it has roaming agreements with AT&T and other smaller operators. Though different from AT&T's, T-Mobile's phone lineup is still quite varied and includes a number of smartphones. In 2008, it finally launched its 3G network, but other services like GPS and music downloads are lacking.

Click here for T-Mobile's coverage map.

Things you should know:

• This carrier offers unlimited calling and data plans. Its calling plans are some of the most competitively priced among the major carriers.
• T-Mobile's myFaves feature gives you unlimited calling minutes to any five numbers on any network, even landlines.
• As a GSM carrier and a subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile has extensive international roaming and thousands of Wi-Fi hot spots in the United States and Europe.
• Of the major carriers, T-Mobile has received the highest customer service rating by J.D. Power and Associates for several consecutive years.
• It offers mostly Samsung, Motorola, and Nokia phones. It is the exclusive provider of the Sidekick and it was the first carrier to offer a Google Android device with the T-Mobile G1.
• T-Mobile is the only major carrier not to offer push-to-talk services.
• After a long wait, T-Mobile finally released its 3G high-speed data network in 2008. Coverage remains somewhat limited, however, and the network is incompatible with AT&T's 3G.
• This carrier offers prepaid plans.

What do CNET users think of T-Mobile? Opinions ranged from "best service with least amount of problems" and "the least evil cell phone company" to "irresponsible, unethical company" to "too many dropped calls." To leave your own opinion, and for more information, see our T-Mobile carrier page.

	AT&T	T-Mobile	Sprint Nextel	Verizon Wireless
Technology	GSM	GSM	CDMA	CDMA
3G network	UMTS, HSDPA	AWS	EV-DO	EV-DO
Data plans	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Streaming video network	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Music download service	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Mobile TV service	Yes	No	No	Yes
Push-to-talk	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Prepaid plans	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Family plans	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

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