A Little Honesty...

[SpawnHyuuga]

I must be really crazy asking for some honesty on the internet, but I figure I couldn't die trying, right?

I'm currently with MetroPCS. Don't get me wrong, they're not a terrible carrier I just feel that for $50 I should have 3G, maybe I'm wrong.

I've been looking at Cricket recently. It seems like they've magically just showed up around here, which at first glance doesn't sound like a good thing. I'm very interested in the Huawei Honor / Mercury so I've been browsing that section a little bit, however I need some info on Cricket...

1. Are they actually a good carrier?
Browing the internet I've heard it all, "They're great!" "They f[CENSORED] SUCK!"... I really like this community so I'm hoping I can get a good answer even if it's from somebody who finally switched to contract.

2. If I get an Android phone, do I HAVE to have the $55 / mo. plan? I thought that was exclusive to Muve-Music phones and that I could get it for $45 / mo.

3. How bad is the roaming?
Charges? Data?

Thanks guys/girls!

 

[TampaShooters]

Well, if you saw my post, above yours it may help. But, anyway, I tried Cricket because they use Sprint as a backbone service, so my coverage is great. What I didn't like was the "Unlimited 3G Data" which they boldly proclaim on everything, is actually Unlimited to 500mb, then throttled down, so that was a killer instantly for me. The plan price depends on the phone you get, so look on the website. There are no roaming charges nor extra data charges, since it is prepaid, if there is no coverage on Sprint or Cricket, you get no data or calling, simple.

My experience so far has been less than stellar with Cricket customer service (3 different reps lied to me and had no clue about what they were talking about). So I cancelled and returned the phone.

Your best bet is if you have Sprint coverage, go with Virgin Mobile or Boost Mobile and get unlimited 3G and Texting with every Android Plan.

 

[kcivts]

sales rep. for cricket lied to me too. when i got my huawei ascend (2.1) they promised it was a phone that could be updated to a higher operating system & if it wasn't they would give me one that was. i'm still stuck with a ascend running on a 2.1 os. if they promise you anything, get it in writing before you believe it. as for the huawei honor, i heard from this forum that it was the first huawei phone to recieve the 4.0 ice cream sandwich operating system update.

 

[Dewmik]

First to answer your questions.
1)Here in Denver metro and the front range (east foothills of the Rockies)They are an OK provider. The service is good, I don't drop calls except where other CDMA phones do and my mobile web is fast as anyone else's. As Tampa said Cricket piggy backs on SPCS but so dose Boost who is kind of a nephew to SPCS. I believe that Metro PCS also uses SPCS so your coverage with all three should be similar. However that depends on the agreement that Cricket has with SPCS in your area. For instance my Cricket roams when I go to Cheyenne WY, Boost dose not.
The place that Crickets lacks is in Customer service. You won't get the same quality that you get with one of the big four (SPCS, VZW, AT&T, Tmob). Because of cost Cricket and the smaller providers outsource and don't have a retentions department. I don't know Metro's CS but on Cricket just assume that you are on your own. If you call you will be frustrated and disappointed. The stores are primarily sales stores and staffed by kids, although in Denver we have one service and repair but he usually just swaps out the phone, if it's not to old. I have been to independent stores before but repairs are usually as costly as a new phone.

2) Cricket offers their $55 plan as a data plan, not a Muve plan. If you have a smart phone or a phone that you use to accesses the web you need the higher plan to do so. Basically Mauve is a free bonus for buying a Mauv enabled phone.

3) As far as the roaming and data charges I can't really speak to that. The data plan that comes with my phone is adequate for me, I don't tether but if I you want to that is an additional $10 and has the 500mb limit, that they call unlimited (yes that's BS, they should define what they are selling better.)
As I said when I go to WY my phone roams. My solution to that is I have an old Tracfone that I can add a $20 card to so I can call out and check messages. If I need web I get it at the hotel.

I would suggest that if your only desire is to get 3g, you talk with an independent dealer who sells both Cricket and Boost. Boost is also on SPCS network and is kind of a nephew to them. In fact because of the relationship to SPCS Boost often has a larger coverage area hence my WY issue, but I would venture to guess that you would do as well either.

You may also want to look at Walmarts Strait Talk Service or Net10. Both owned by Tracfone but I believe Strait Talk is piggy backed on Verizon and Net 10 is on AT&T's. They also have smart phones with data plans however I don't know the rates they have what the conditions for tethering are or even if they address it.

 

[afgrisel2011]

Wow I thought that I was the only that was having issues with these people. The dealer where I bought my phone has bent over backwards doing all he can to try and help me. I strongly advise against doing anything through these people. Brief overview. Oh I almost forgot this one, if you call in and get this message"I am sorry but there is no one available to take your call, please try your call later" you just need to push for the spanish speaking, because they don't have the software for that and watch your accounts, they will get into them without permission, the on-line likes to not allow you access unless you get a text to reset password everytime (atleast this is what has been going on with mine, as well as if you plan on moving and you have them and have credit you can count that good - bye if you are moving out of the area they service. I am going to insert what I have written so far that has been happening to me with these people.


(22) reps,managers,supervisors
720 miles
$540.00
2 weeks today
what does all this get you? Leap/Cricket



OK so I got service with cricket on 2/25/12. that has been the biggest mistake of my life. The phone that I originally purchased the ZTE Score didn't work properly not even in the beginning 24 hours. I called in they said to take to a corporate store and so I drove almost the 30 miles there. I was unable to get a hold of them at all at that location so I called their calling center, again. they then informed that location was closed on Sundays so I asked for the next closest one and was told then that I would have to take back to the dealer where I got it from, so i had my daughter calling for me while I was driving I got within 15 miles if that 75 mile one-way trip and I pulled over so I could leave a message that I was on my way there and that cricket customer service had me quite upset. Only for me to listen to the entire message saying that they were closed on Sundays contrary to what cricket had told me. By this time I have spoken to 4 people being tossed around and them not listening to what I am trying to get across to them. the last one of that 4 was supposedly a supervisor and yet he refused to assist me and would not transfer me to someone else until he had me so mad, frustrated that I had my daughter take the phone and I started cursing (I know not the right thing to do.) so then Michelle gets on the line and she actually tries to assist me. To no avail, I tried stressing to great lengths that I had a four drive the next day to travel and I would not go if I didn't have a phone to take for in case of emergency. Well I lost money that next day. So I call in again to cricket about hanging the same issues still with my phone. They tell me to go to the location that is 30 miles away again. So I try to call that store again and no answer still, So I decided to call cricket back again and that is when I was reassured that they were open . so I called that store location before I left and left a voice mail for them saying I was on my way and I was very dissatisfied. when I got to that location they were packed. had to sign in on a computer screen that did not work and so the wrong info got put there . they called my name and when I said who I was I got the brush off and still i waited until they called my name. I was being helped by a young lady and she asked me what I was wanting to do so I told her that either switch to a different phone or get a total refund of all my money that I had spent. the manager came over and was very rude and I became pissed to the point that I was crying he said that they would not assist me and I needed to return to the dealer where i got the phone and that the only thing they could reimburse me for was the money for the phone once service is activated there is no refund on it. I stated that I wanted a higher ups number and he reluctantly gave it to me. I decided then that I would call corporate and so I found where it is located in California and I called 411 to get the number. I was told a number that took me to the customer service. So I make the 150 mile round trip to where I purchased the phone got a different one and called 411 again this time I told the operator that if I wasn't given the right then their name would go down as well as not assisting me. I got a hold of corporate and was sent to the escalation department and she tried to assist me, I was doing fine until about about the 3/5/12 and then the phone was screwed up, started the cycle all over again being lied to as well as now if I try and call about my number I get a recording stating that no is there to assist me and to call back later but I use a different phone number it connects me right away, and the same if I try and use a different phone once my number is confirmed I get that message no matter when. so I called them again last night to change my plan to the more expensive after I had purchased a new phone again. and I was told that if I changed my number to where I am moving I will lose all of my downloads everything. and also that I can not keep my account here and have the number for local calls there. also that my daughter would no longer be able to be on my account because we would not be in the same area, she will be joining me in two months after she finishes the school year, I tried call corporate this morning while typing this up with my regular number guess what I got, yep that recording. So I used a different number and was transferred to where I had to leave a voice mail. I am going to put this on every place I can and call in a news station for assistance. So in total I have made 4-150 mile round trips, 2-60 mile round trips, lost 200.00 due to them not assisting me, spoken to about 22 different reps and customer service , tech support, corporate 3 people contacted and now I want to have some answers and some satisfaction because if I didn't live up to my part of the deal I would not have any service. and for the phones and services 540.00 and figure that gas is 3.50 a gallon with getting 17 miles to a gallon it is approx. 150.00 and 200.00 for the money I lost out on and that isn't including all the feelings and lack of sleep and stress but the total is 990.00 I have put into becoming a customer for them and for what? I truly hope that they don't treat anyone as they have and are still treating me.

 

[THE W]

metro will be scrapping 3g altogether for 4g LTE. it wont be around for long if its still around at all.