Expert: Denny Adams - 4/8/2010

Question
Dear, Denny Adams
My name is Alex B. and I'm a 6th grader at Miller Middle School. I was assigned a project for school and my topic is "What is the best cell phone providers?" In my project I need to contact an expert for the project. I found out that you had done some research in this field and I want to ask you a question. My question is "Considering all of the grading criteria, what do you think is the best phone provider company overall?" If you do not have time, you do not have to respond but it will be very great if you responded. Thank You!

Sincerely Alex B.

Answer
Alex, thank you for taking the time to ask me this question.  I do work for one of the 2 biggest companies so my answer may seem one sided, but I will do my best. Verizon and ATT are the 2 largest companies and therefore my answer will be one of these 2.  This is because they will both have the most covered areas where people can make and receive calls, therefore not being left stranded somewhere without the ability to call for help.  For the calling plans both companies have the same minutes for the same prices, however att lets you rollover your unused minutes each month to the next month, therefore allowing you to not waste minutes.  This is a key difference between the companies and gives att the advantage.  I believe this next point is the most important, customer service.  How any company treats their customers,  not just cell phone providers, is important to their business. The company I work for has a solid plan in place to constantly improve customer service and the value customer's have in us as a company.  I know I take customer service very seriously, and work everyday to make sure I take care of the customers in front of me.  Att has the iphone, this phone changed the way people look at phones and what they can do. Att also uses the technology that is standard across the world.  this is called GSM(Global System for Mobile Communications).  Taking all this into account for finding the best cell phone provider, I will say it's easily Att.  Some may say what about Verizon's ads on TV showing maps of each companies coverage that clearly shows Verizon is ahead of att?  If you read the fine print under the att map in those commercials it says that it's an old map.  It's actually 2 years old, so it's not a clear indication of the maps of today.  Others may ask what about the other providers.  Tmobile, Sprint, and many others, that have lower pricing.  My answer to that is to never shop on plan pricing or phone pricing.  A plan or phone is only good if you have the cell coverage to use them.  Those companies coverage areas are weak at best.  Alex, I hope this helps in your project, please let me know the grade you receive, and I'd also be interested in reading your entire project.  Check with your parents and if they will allow you to, email it to me.  my email is dennis.adams@yahoo.com. By the way, I do work for Att and have been in the cell phone business for 11 years now.  

Denny