After 9 years with Sprint PCS, it was time for a change, and time to research the competition. I am sharing my research with you here. I seriously considered Cricket due to their simple flat-rate unlimited calling plans. However, we like having wireless phones that work when we travel outside the Cricket coverage area.

At first glance, all wireless phone companies seem to have somewhat similar plans, but there are some important differences which seem to keep changing.

AT&T / Cingular is the only one with rollover minutes that allows you to keep your minutes that you did not use in previous months. AT&T / Cingular also offers unlimited calling to or from any wired or wireless AT&T / Cingular phone (plan available only to certain customers for a premium price).

Alltel has "My Circle" which allows you to have unlimited calling to or from up to 10 phone numbers (all phones on the plan share the same 10 numbers). Alltel may be the only company that does not make you extend your contract when you merely change your plan.

Sprint night minutes start earlier than the competition, although you might be able to pay extra for earlier night calling with other carriers.

I guess like most people, I thought that I would just choose a wireless phone provider that gave me the best value for my money. It was only later that I realized that there is more to it than the price of phones and plans. Bad customer service and nonsensical contract policies nearly drove me away from Sprint.

Howard Forums can give you an idea of what to expect from customer service along with other info about wireless services. Also see Sprint Users, Mobiledia, and Phone Dog. Wikis about Alltel, AT&T Cingular, Sprint, and Verizon

This is my numbers comparison of the wireless providers in Arkansas. All rates listed are for a 1400 anytime minutes basic voice plan. Although base rates were exactly the same, there are other factors to consider; such as additional minute cost, when nights start, contract policies, activation fees, phone prices, customer service, etc. If nights start late or additional minute prices are high, you might need to have a plan with more minutes. Plans and rates change often, so check for yourself at the listed web pages.