Originally Posted by
Pete838
Don't expect much in the way of reception off of the well beaten path. If you want decent coverage pretty much anywhere you almost have to stick with ATT or VZW.
For a discount carrier, you might check out Straight Talk or Tracphone. They piggyback the major networks but cost less, albeit with much simpler phones. Again, you get what you pay for.
My brother has had good experience with NTelos, including nationwide usage. IIRC, they roam on Sprint. NTelos is a regional company, though, in Virginia, WV, KY, and OH.