Phone

[bilchak]

I'm just getting started. Right now I'm not going
to have an office/shop, so I want to go solely with
a wireless phone.

Is this a good idea?

I can get 400 anytime minutes and 1600 weekend/nights
minutes for 49.99 with Sprit PCS. That is all free
long distance as well.

Think that will work?

Thanks,
John

[mdb landscaping]

i just got a cellular a little while ago and i dont know how i did without it. 400 minutes sounds like a good deal. i dont think youll need more than that for mowing. 49.95 sounds like a fair price too. you wont regret getting a phone. youll find yourself in hundreds of places when youll need it. good luck

[LoneStarLawn]

I would advise against using Sprint because of the trouble it can cause. Here check this out...

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=7772


[Edited by LoneStarLawn on 02-13-2001 at 06:35 PM]

[Dillon]

Check out Alltel if its in your area, I get unlimited minutes for 49.95 but it doesn't cover long distance.

[Turfclippings]

You might be running a solo operation, but i would go with Nextel. Eventually get one for the house or wife. They have free incoming calls, 2way radio and pager all in one unit. weeekends can be added very cheap. and the package price are comparative to everything else. Hopefully u will have alot of incoming calls. Plus u can talk on the radio with other business that use the sytem, if u n know anybody else with them.

[Runner]

Nextel is just too limited in most areas they are sold. In most cases, they tell you how much they have improved, when in all reality, they only work in a about a third of the the places you need them to. Many people I know that have them (or had) are going back to cellular. They just aren't worth the money.

[JML]

i have had my nextel for about 6 months now. i have the unlimited plan. $99 a month for unlimited minutes, i have nothing but good things to say about nextel and their service..

[bilchak]

LoneStar Lawn,

I already own a Sprint PCS for personal use and I just
love it. I have had no problems at all with my
Sprint phone or the service.

I hunted around some more and can now get 400 anytime and 1000 nights/weekends with Verizon for 39.99 a month. That
includes a free phone and activation.

John

[LoneStarLawn]

If you have had the service for awhile then ...go for it..you won't get a better deal, but from experience their service stinks..wait until you have your first problem then see what they do.

[Randy Scott]

Lots of deals always going on, check around!

[eslawns]

I wouldn't advertise a cell number. You can get a seperate basic line for about $20 or a number that is different than your house, but rings in on the same line for about $10. If you advertise the mobile number and change service providers, you'll need to change the flyers or whatever, and the yellow pages only come out once a year.

[David Hickerson]

I have had Sprint for 3yrs now. I must admit the first phone I had gave me many problems. 5 months ago I paid $200 for my new Samsung and all the problems I had disapeared.

Left phone on top of car and ran over it. Had new phone in my hand in 2 days.

Houston

[JimLewis]

I am with eslawns. Get a seperate number added to your existing home line. Call this the business number. Sure, go ahead and use a cell phone. It's a great idea. Even forward your home/business line to the cell phone when you are gone. But I would advise against going with ONLY a cell phone. You'll find that you will change your service or carrier within a year or two in most cases. All of those old clients who had your number and now all of a sudden it's disconnected. You'll lose business.

[65hoss]

I would probably get more than 400 min. During the heat of the cutting season you can easily use up more than this. Just a thought. You might not use it as much as I did last year. But several months I had over 650. People calling for estimates due to paper and flyers can really start to add up.

[smburgess]

Don't go with just a cell phone as previous responses have said, in a year or to you'll be changing providers. What I have works out great, When a call comes into the office and no one is there (which is half the time) the computer picks up and gives a menu of options; 1- "To have your call forwarded to Steve, Press 1" (This of course forwards the call to my cell phone, and we talk) 2- They can leave a message. 3- They can send a fax. 4- they can hear a prerecorded message of services we provide.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by LoneStarLawn
I would advise against using Sprint because of the trouble it can cause. Here check this out...

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=7772


[Edited by LoneStarLawn on 02-13-2001 at 06:35 PM]

Hey....that's my thread!! And they still stink. Just remember, you have 14 days to decide if the Sprin PCS is going to do what you need it to do, after that it's yours. I hated mine so bad I ate the phones and paid the early cancellation fee just to get away. Nextel http://www.lawnsite.com/images/icons/icon14.gif...I have my office phone forwared to my Nextel, haven't missed a call yet.

[Acute Cut]

Seeing as how i have a "little knowledge" in this matter i thought i would offer my .02 cents worth.

I use Verizon wireless for everything. My number is my home number and business answer. My friends are used to me answering it "Acute Services, Jr speaking, how can i help you?"

I WISH i could get away with 400 or even 650 minutes. I use about 1700 of my available 1800 minutes per month. 9/10ths of that is business.

Having the cell has gained me ALOT of business. If the customer calls 10 companies to come and bid the lawn. If i can call her back between residential jobs (approx 15-20 minutes max) then i have a good chance of being the first one on site to do a bid. Early bird gets the worm and all.

By being able to call back faster i am also showing that i understand that the customer has other things to do during the day and i know that they dont want to sit around all day and wait for the "lawn guy" to show up to do a bid.

BUT! I am entering my fourth year now as a self employeed owner. I would have tried Nextel 2 years ago if i could have switched my number over. The radio feature seems real nice to use. Some day i am gonna be hurt with this cell as my only contact point. What happens if i cant get a replacement for a "Busted" phone in the spring? 10 jobs lost? 20?

A home phone forwarded to the cell seems like the option that would gived you the largest variety of things to try.
(By home phone, i dont mean the one your kids answer. Get a second line for work only!)