Cell Phones & Miles...

bhatnasx · Sep 22, 03, 10:39 am

Currently, I have a Sprint PCS Corporate Plan where I pay about $38/month (after taxes) and I get 500 daytime and 1000 night's & weekend minutes. My N&W minutest start at 8PM - I usually use almost all of my daytime minutes & about 800 of my N&W minutes.

I'm tired of Sprint dropping my calls, but it's such as perfect plan for me & also it lets my earn UA Miles, so I haven't cancelled it. Now with the fact that you can change providers & keep the same number, I'm thinking about switching cell companies.

Any recommendations on service providers & plans? I live in the DC area (live in Arlington, work in Bethesda, go out in DC) & I would need something that has free long distance & can be used in major cities & on major highways.

I would prefer to earn either UA/NW miles, but would earn DL or BA miles if the plan was right.

I think that limits me to Nextel & Sprint - unfortunately, I haven't heard great things about Nextel in the DC area (although the NW Dial for Miles promo seems like it's a pretty good promo). Does anyone know if Verizon partners with any airline? I've heard great things about them in the DC area.

Thanks!

**xyzzy** · Sep 22, 03, 11:32 am

All cellphone providers suck, it's just that some suck more in areas you need coverage than others. I would NOT pick a carrier based on FF miles. I'd pick based on coverage and plan price. If you then discover two that are almost identical, use the miles to make the decision.

I'm partial to T-Mobile, by the way, because my GSM phone works all over the world.

bhatnasx · Sep 22, 03, 11:44 am

Quote:

Originally posted by xyzzy:
All cellphone providers suck...I would NOT pick a carrier based on FF miles.

I agree with that. I was just hoping there'd be something worthwhile that earns miles in the DC area.

f00sion · Sep 22, 03, 2:02 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by bhatnasx:
Now with the fact that you can change providers & keep the same number, I'm thinking about switching cell companies.

How do you do that ?!

**xyzzy** · Sep 22, 03, 2:48 pm

You wait until November 24, 2003 and then (assuming it's not delayed yet again) you can switch.

bhatnasx · Sep 22, 03, 2:51 pm

Do a search on Google for "Cell Phone Portability Number Switching" and it'll bring up more info...

f00sion · Sep 22, 03, 3:41 pm

very cool, too bad i switched providers yesterday

yanxfann · Sep 22, 03, 4:08 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by bhatnasx:
...it lets my earn UA Miles, so I haven't cancelled it...

I've had a similar Sprint PCS corporate plan for about 4 years BUT I've never earned miles for it. Do you know if they are partners with any airline Freq Flyer plan other than UAL (used to be a 1K in the mid 1990's but haven't flown them for years so would prefer almost ANY other airline program)? If not do you know of a link that would point me to where I could get more info about how to get the UAL miles. Thanks

kdinino · Sep 22, 03, 4:15 pm

I actually will be ordering a new plan/phone on that date...I cannot wait. AT&T is an absolute joke here in NYC. My cell phone has no signal in my apt., yet my roomie's with Verizon works great.

f00sion · Sep 22, 03, 5:15 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by yanxfann:
I've had a similar Sprint PCS corporate plan for about 4 years BUT I've never earned miles for it. Do you know if they are partners with any airline Freq Flyer plan other than UAL (used to be a 1K in the mid 1990's but haven't flown them for years so would prefer almost ANY other airline program)? If not do you know of a link that would point me to where I could get more info about how to get the UAL miles. Thanks

http://www.attwireless.com/aa
AAdvantage miles for at&t plans, plus a nice bonus for signing up.

bhatnasx · Sep 22, 03, 10:09 pm

YANXFAN -

Here’s how to sign up for miles through Sprint partnerships:

United Mileage Plus: Call toll free: 888-645-3749 or register online at www.sprint.com/united.

US Airways Dividend Miles: Call toll free: 800-421-5989 or register online at www.sprint.com/usairways.

America West FlightFund: Call toll free: 877-382-8410 or register online at www.sprint.com/americawest.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: Register online at www.sprint.com.

Midwest Express Frequent Flier: Register online at www.sprint.com.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Register online at www.sprint.com.

Got this from:
http://www3.sprint.com/PR/CDA/PR_CDA...111514,00.html

Also if you do a search on the Sprint Forum & the UA Forum with my username (on the UA forum do a search w/ my username & the term Sprint for better results) you'll see the number to call for corporate accounts.

PhilC · Sep 23, 03, 4:55 pm

If you decide to go with AT&T Wireless, good luck trying to get them to actually award you miles. It's been 6 months since I activated service and about a dozen calls and faxes to customer service and still no miles. On the plus side their coverage in my area is better than my former carrier.

StSebastian · Sep 23, 03, 7:27 pm

NexTel has a US partnership as well. 5K miles per phone up to 25K miles.

Still, I'd only take the miles if that was the plan I would have bought anyway.

martino · Sep 24, 03, 11:25 pm

already have an account with sprint.2000 min @ 150$. IF I SIGN UP WITH UA WILL RATE BE SAME?

bhatnasx · Sep 25, 03, 8:20 am

Quote:

Originally posted by martino:
already have an account with sprint.2000 min @ 150$. IF I SIGN UP WITH UA WILL RATE BE SAME?

the price won't change - all that will happen is that you'll get 1000 miles for extending your contract 1 year & then 5 miles per dollar spent (750 miles a month for you)