When we first got Nextel a few years back, they seemed to work great, we even recommended them to everyone. However, in the past year or so it has gone downhill. Not just the phone service, but the walkie talkie. At least in the past, if there was a reception problem with the phone we would use the walkie talkie. But now that cuts off all the time too. Plus suddenly in the past year we are always going over our minutes even though our normal phone habits haven't changed. It's probably because we have to keep calling over and over to try and get reception. Plus we have unlimited walkie talkie, but when they won't work, we're forced to use the phone service (when it works) instead and end up using up more minutes. So we are being penalized for their lousy service. Our contract is just ending and we are trying to find a new company with decent service, but after reading the reviews on this site, I don't know what to do, it seems like they all suck. I do know that Palatine, parts of Lake Zurich and Deer Park are dead spots for Nextel. It frustrating when you have to plan your calls around dead spots.

Little to no signal inside or outside my house. Most attempted calls result in "call failed" message. On rare occasions when a connection is made, the reception breaks up so badly that it's impossible to hold a conversation.

this is not the phone's problem. Verizon in mt. morris is garbage. inside / outside it doesn't matter. other people with Verizon with same problem. they keep saying it will get better. when my contract comes up in august 05 I WILL go with somebody else. 5 years of this is enough

Both Verizon and Cingular have virutally no signal coverage in this area. I tested with Verizon, a relative tested with Cingular. This situation has not improved in over a year. The dead zone extends at least 1 mile eastward on Batavia off of Route 59.

I am at my wits end. I cannot receive or make calls in my home (and I don't have a land line) - but the call will still connect, so even though I can't hear them nor them me, Cingular can still charge me for the call. ATT phones, however, work fine - don't believe them when they say ATT and Cingular are the same. Things have gotten significanly worse in the last 3 weeks. Calls are constantly dropped (although they deny this). I went to BestBuy where I bought the phone, and was told that in this area, they discourage customers from signing with Cingular due to the level of complaints. I have called customer service tens of times, and each time I get a different explanation, but no offers for any solution. Do NOT get Cingular if you are in Chicago, particularly the Lincoln Park / Lakeview area.

Very poor reception in this area... Absolutely no reception in the houses west of Janes and north of 83rd..

Absolutely no signal anywhere in the house with AT&T. Friend with Sprint in same house has no problem connecting.

Cingular. No reception on I-64 from about milepost 34 to milepost 41 (Okawville Exit).

We call the stretch of Route 59 from Miller Road down to south of Route 22 into Barrington proper the "Dead Zone". I don't know about the other carriers, but T-Mobile coverage is not poor, it's non-existent.

I have had Nextel for about 5 years and was very happy with the service but now the service is so bad I can't stand it. All my kids have Nextel and they are also mad because they can not use the phones in and around our home. Nextel told us that it may be the phone, but all four of us have diffent phones well they told us that they were building new towers. That still has not happen. Nextel has not made any impovments to they'er service in two years except combining with Sprint. I wish I cancel because they're service was and still is so bad. I have no contact with Nextel so I am looking for a new carrier and so are my kids. So if you our looking to do not get Nextel.