Hey, folks! New to the board here...
I agree with those statements about coverage. At least in our area (SE Pennsylvania) it seems that Verizon has the best overall coverage, with Congular a close second.
One note on getting discounts: a lot of businesses have deals with Verizon, and sometimes you can take advantage of the company discount. Go to the verizonwireless site and follow the steps to see if you are eligible.
You have to be careful, though: I had a $100 credit for my upgrade. I wanted the enV, and could have gotten it for $100 through the work discount but would not have been able to use the upgrade credit. By going to a local store, I was able to use the credit and the net cost for the phone was $50. My wife and my daughter have their family share plans coming due, and I will buy their phones through the company discount because it will be cheaper than going to the store. In any event I also get 20% off my monthly bill.
Bottom line: it never hurts to ask.
