Many of the cellular carriers are advertising "no roaming charges". I don't know which carrier initiated this misleading claim, but they all seem to be headed to make that "no roaming" claim too.
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I have a Verizon tri-mode phone which occasionally defaults to analog without roaming charges when I travel. Verizon is no longer promoting tri-mode phones. A friend of mine just received a digital only phone from Verizon on a different plan with a "gauranteed no roaming" clause. Big fradulent deal! His phone will NOT work in upper Michigan and other areas that are STILL using the analog format. (no analog capabilities in the phone) Before someone gets their shirts in a wad, I KNOW the analog format will eventtually be history. But for now, it DOES expand service in some areas.
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If my phone does go on full roam, his phone is dead as a brick. Of course there's no "roaming charges" if the phone doesn't work. What a deceptive ploy! If I'm in the middle of nowhere with a problem, a $15.00 roaming fee might surely beat a dead phone. Why, there's no roaming charges when the phone is turned off too!
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Verizon has the undisputed largest coverage area. Their claim is somewhat less fradulent than the carriers who have a coverage area that looks like an interstate highway map and major cities.
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I particularly like the cellular ads that in large font advertise something like $29.00 per month. NOT! This is followed in real tiny print "for the first three months, $59.00 (or so) after that. Most people are confused about all the different plans, different phones, different formats. That's just the way the cellular carriers want it. At one time I asked a sales person at Verizon if all the people leaving with their new phones were reasonably knowledgeable on their plan, the billing forthcoming, and phone features (which on some phones are overly extensive IMHO) his reply "most don't have a clue".
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