On 2/17/2017 3:34 PM, The Real Bev wrote:

snip

I've used T-Mobile for years just because of their (now defunct, but
grandfathered in for us previous customers) $10/year
unused-minutes-rollover plan.

I have one T-Mobile phone with that plan still. I hate to let it go
because it's only $10 per year.

Coverage is limited to interstates and
big cities, but I can live with that. My Verizon friend gets coverage
on the ski slope, but I have to drive to 2 miles away in town before I
can get signal. Minimal, but the incremental jump to a better plan is
far bigger than I'm willing to make.

I recall driving to Yosemite in the winter one year. It was snowing. We
arrived at the place we were staying and they hadn't left the key out
for us. I called the caretaker who brought over the key. No big deal.
But in this area there is only Verizon coverage (native Sprint customers
can roam though). There is no AT&T coverage and no T-Mobile coverage. A
pay phone was probably a 30 minute drive away. This was not out in the
middle of nowhere, it was in a residential development just off one of
the main park roads.

Glad I had a phone that worked on Verizon's network. Even though there
apparently is some spotty AT&T coverage nearby, it would not be
practical to drive around searching for it. See the map at
http://oi66.tinypic.com/nywmrn.jpg.

Now, even though I am on an AT&T MVNO, with roaming, I take along a
Verizon network phone on trips. It's worth the $30 per year to keep it
active. I have found several areas in Oregon and California, that are
not terribly remote, where only Verizon works.

Speaking of ski slopes, my wife once foolishly decided that she was
going to ski some moguls at Homewood Ski Area. She injured herself. She
was able to call me to call the ski patrol to come fetch her. On other
carriers, i would not have been possible for her to call me, but on
Verizon it was. That might have saved her life. So remember, if life is
valuable, use Verizon.