I am one of the thousands of people in metro Atlanta who rely on the technological services of MetroPCS. A few years ago, when someone informed me of a plan that did not require a monthly contract, I was ecstatic. I’d benefited from other cellular plans before. But I fell into the trap of overspending on my cell bill each month due to roaming charges, “hidden” fees, and plans with too few free minutes. At the risk of sounding like a television commercial, I must admit that I was fed up. Upon purchasing the phone and getting started, I was immediately thrilled with the freedom that the “Pay-As-You-Go” plan offered. But over time, I realized that MetroPCS still had a long way to go as far as servicing its customers were concerned. Fast forward a couple of years and things have changed a bit for MetroPCS customers. But is the plan really worth the money? Here’s a closer look…
THE PRODUCTS
When I first tried MetroPCS, I really didn’t care what kind of equipment I used, as long as it made and received calls. I believe the first brand of phone used was the Kyocera. This proved to be a pretty effective piece of equipment-that is until a few months passed by. I noticed that the face plate would not remain lit after certain periods of time, no matter what setting it was on. Sometimes, the light would remain on, but the display would go completely blank. Though I will admit that I am one of those clumsy people whose cell phone has seen the ground on more occasions than one, I did a little checking around. And it seemed that I was not the only MetroPCS customer with these particular issues. Upon inquiring at one of the stores, I was indeed informed of this minor malfunction by one of the helpful clerks. After a while, they ceased marketing this brand of phone. Eventually I ended up with one of their basic flip designs from manufacturer, LG. The LG flip phone at this juncture is pretty much a thing of the past. While they still carry these versions, they are not as popular. For me, it has held on longer than some of the older Kyocera phones. But the face on these things tends to waver at times as well.
Currently, MetroPCS has upped their “ante” so to speak with regard to the latest technology. At this time, they rival many other cellular product carriers with their impressive list of phones. Customers may now opt for the Motorola v323i, with built in camera and Bluetooth connectivity. Fashionistas” will go crazy for the Motorola v3m RAZR. Many of the phones have cameras. Some, like the Nokia 6265, even have memo recorders and MP3 players in them. At any rate, I’ve been extremely impressed with the substantial roster of phones available to MetroPCS users.
SERVICE COVERAGE
One of the most publicized concerns about MetroPCS’ service is the number of dropped calls. I can remember that when I first signed up for the service I was slightly annoyed by having to move to certain locations in the house in order for my calls to be completed. Also, driving was a hassle because I could rarely get service in some of the rural areas of metro Atlanta (where I’d need the service the most.) I suppose the age old adage about things improving with time holds true in this case. With a little patience, I soon realized that the coverage areas would increase. As a matter of fact, the MetroPCS service has expanded into Florida, California, Dallas, TX, and Detroit, MI. As far as Atlanta is concerned, I’ve noticed that I can pretty much travel to any part of metro Atlanta without my calls being interfered with.
MetroPCS is also great in the sense that I have unlimited minutes. There is no checking of any bills to make sure that the minutes balance correctly against the fees. Currently, the company is offering no activation fee-and even is promoting its service by offering the first month of service free. Indeed MetroPCS has really come a long way in the area of coverage.
PLAN OPTIONS
Ok, so the phone options are pretty extensive. And we all know that there are no contracts involved with obtaining service. But how are the plan options? Again, when I first signed up, all I really cared about was the fact that my bill was going to be the same each month. That has remained the main attractive feature of having a MetroPCS plan.
I believe the company first offered a general plan with only a few options in the beginning. The plan was a basic $40. This price attracted many new customers. But some (including myself) grumbled at having to pay the extra fees in order to have basic amenities like caller ID, 3-way calling, voice-mail, text-messaging, and all the other accoutrements. The good news is that MetroPCS has gotten “hip to the game.” Beginning at only $30 per month, new customers will be treated to basic service which really amounts to incoming and outgoing calls. The plan prices increase in increments of $5, to include various combinations of services, called Freedom Packages. The really neat feature recently added, is the ability to make calls outside of the “metro” area. This service is called TravelTalk, which allows customers to have access to their phone use when they are traveling. TravelTalk is a fairly neat feature in which users add money to their MetroConnect accounts. Before traveling, the phone is set to the TravelTalk setting, and calls can be made. I have yet to use this function. But I think it’s neat that MetroPCS is attempting to remain competitive in these brutal cell phone wars.
Thankfully, I haven’t had to utilize the skills of the MetroPCS in-store customer service department too often. Nothing against “Metro,” but sometimes I do prefer automated assistance over human interaction. These stores have also improved. In the Marietta, GA store, products are placed in areas where customers can peruse without interrupting the sales/service lines. I have particularly fallen in love with the automated payment machine kiosk, which miraculously accepts checks and debit cards, in addition to cash payments. I have marveled at being able to pay my bills in literally seconds.
There is a downside to bill payment at MetroPCS-the service fee. I suppose in an attempt to promote automatic bill payment (where the money is debited directly from a credit card or checking account), the company has imposed a service fee of $2 for all transactions not handled either online, or via the automatic payment. Personally, I feel that paying an extra $2 just to talk to a specialist is a little far-fetched. I can understand having a convenience fee for automated services which use the latest technology. But paying the extra couple of bucks just to “talk” feels kind of sleazy. It’s like giving an involuntary tip just to pay money that’s due anyway. At any rate, I usually pay my bill online to avoid all that commotion.
So what’s the verdict on MetroPCS service? Well, it’s a mixed response. If you’re in the Atlanta area, don’t travel very much, and happen to be a blabbermouth, then this is the cellular option for you. I wouldn’t advise getting set up on any of MetroPCS’ plans if you are an avid business traveler, or like to take frequent road trips. The coverage is not going to be as comprehensive as other major plans.
Whether or not you’re “into” technology is a moot point, as MetroPCS tends to have a type of phone to please everyone’s cellular palate. You can have the extra fancy, or the basic-fancy. The pricing is pretty reasonable too. Some phones begin at $129 all the way up to at least $359, depending upon the model and features.
My experience with MetroPCS service has been somewhat of a love/hate relationship. I must declare that in the beginning, I found the service somewhat restrictive in terms of coverage and products. But as technology improves 100-fold with all the other carriers, I see that MetroPCS always falls slightly behind. For me, that is fine-as my phone needs are very simple. For those of you out there like me, you’ll find that MetroPCS has made drastic improvements to its service – and is a pretty solid option overall.
