For All WashU Students

Colleges & Universities Washington University in St. Louis
1

<p>What type of cell phone plan are you using?</p>

<p>I’m debating whether to go with Cingular or Verizon. Verizon doesn’t have rollover minutes but is cheaper by about 20 bucks a month (500 minutes a month, free night minutes)</p>

<p>I just wanna ask so that if people call me on my cell and we have the same phone company, then I don’t have to pay money.</p>

<p>Also, what sort of laptop do I neeD? I just bought a Dell Inspiron 600 (heavily modified of course). Are there any certain requirements?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

2

<p>are you planning on keeping an area code from your home state or getting a new st. louis area code?</p>

3

<p>i really don’t know. i think i’ll have a st. louis area code most likely</p>

4

<p>The area code doesn’t really matter since it doesn’t cost any more to call “long distance” from a cell phone. The advantage of keeping your home area code is that if your parents call your cell phone, they won’t have to pay long distance. The disadvantage is you need to give people three more numbers when you give out your phone number.</p>

<p>I’m keeping my home area code.</p>

5

<p>I’ve been debating the same thing recently (cingular vs verizon), and I decided to go with Verizon. The main reason is because of their family share plan (so much cheaper!), but also most people I know use Verizon and it’s a pretty big company. I think a lot of people will have it. Also, I’m keeping my home area code-- long distance is free in the plan I’m getting, and probably is for most people.
Good luck!</p>

6

<p>Verizon tends to be better for people for some reason - better service and reception and the free long distance.</p>

<p>Most people keep their home area codes.</p>

<p>No requirement for laptops. Some people dont even have computers. They are just useful. There are TONS of computers ALL over the campus and the dorm room areas. There are computer labs in almost evty dorm building and school building for you to use. Printers are free in the dorms and libraries. However I think they might make the main library into pay per print soon due to public overusage by the outside community. Personal computers are generally for people who want privacy while they work, or for entertainment. I have a desktop due to my jobs and work for graphics and programs. </p>

<p>It depends on what you want to do. Do you plan on working outside in random places? or do you think your just going to type and surf the web occasionally? Dell laptops are good in general even if they are a bit slow (mid range prices) and they have good service technicians. </p>

<p>Good Luck</p>

7

<p>Hmm… anyone have Sprint? My parents told me we’re staying with our old plan, which is 800 minutes split up between my dad and I. So basically, I plan on getting unlimited texts and texting everyone when I run out of minutes.</p>

8

<p>gl7-so you don’t think a printer is essential in your room as there are so many around and free?</p>

<p>kdos</p>

9

<p>i’d get a printer. when i did governor’s school, the UT printers were notoriously unreliable</p>

10

<p>I’d recommend Verizon. It’s been rated the highest by Consumer Reports.</p>

<p>About switching area codes… if some switch and some don’t, won’t most people be giving out the extra 3 digits anyway?</p>

11

<p>actually, i have heard that the cell phone companies that have the best reception in wash u are sprint and t-mobile. verizon etc are not supposed to be as good as these two.</p>

12

<p>i have t-mobile and it worked pretty well when i visited washu.</p>

13

<p>verizon is horrible around campus.
i used cingular and it was fine, but much, much of the campus is on Sprint b/c they used to have some pretty affordable plans worked out through the cell phone place on campus. t-mobile’s rising in popularity, but it’s really not as good.</p>

<p>so, bottom line…although sprint is awful overall nationwide, it’s big in the campus area. cingular’s great just about anywhere. verizon is horrible in st. louis. go with cingular or sprint. i’d take cingular.</p>

14

<p>I personally got my own printer because Im lazy and I print tons of drafts so im not in the mood of running downstairs all the time with a disk or sending myself the file over and over again so I can print on another computers and I do art etc etc. </p>

<p>It depends on what you need and if you can afford or even want to spend money. If you print alot right now then i suggest you get one. If you print only final documents then theres no need because you can just stop by a computer room a few minutes before you go to class.</p>

<p>The main library has free printers, but I heard a rumor they would start charging due to the abuse of the service by the public. However Im not sure.</p>

<p>I also make alot of copies so I decided to go with the HP combo and guess what the ink cartridge lasted me the whole year without replacement and I printed alot!</p>

<p>Most people dont bring a printer because of the availability of printers on the South 40 and on campus, but if you are use to using your own and need it for specific things you do such as art or alot of writing, then yes!</p>

<p>Hope this helped</p>

<p>Good Luck</p>

15

<p>aww crap. I just got a 2 year verizon plan. Its okay, I talked to some people and they’re putting up towers near saint louis within a few months</p>