Coverage is usually the biggest issue and the only way to find that out is to test - and sometimes test on different devices. The company's all claim to have coverage, but you never know what that means. Right now in one temporary office I work in, i get coverage from one cube and practicly none from another 20 feet away.

As for devices, I love internet on my phone, especially now that I'm commuting by train. I write email and live journal posts on my phone as well as surf the usual places. It seems all the social network sites (and Google) have decent mobile interfaces. But current T-Mobile data speeds are frustration if you're looking for heavy duty use (i.e. I browse LoT on my phone but never sign in for fear of timing out on the new posts).

If most internet is email, Blackberries seem to have that market cornered - at the moment anyway. I'm hopefull about the iPhone but the lack of "cut & paste" has me concerned about doing my usual compose on mobile word and past into web interface/browser.

So maybe you should get a cheap phone and a limited contract till you move out? You can always port the phone number over.

What about getting a prepaid phone for a few months.

But a want a new shiny now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then you'll have to take your chances with coverage and be prepared to fork over the money to buy out your contract if it doesn't meet your needs.

AT&T iPhone then

At&T has an incredibly abysmal sales record up here- they have very spotty coverage and a really bad, bad CS rep. Maybe they're better behaved in SoCal, but up here it's Verizon all the way. Total coverage, and in a crisis they are one of the few equipped with ****loads of COWS (portable cell towers) and are usually the phone of choice by first responders for that reason. I know I'm biased in that Eric works for them, but they really do rock. I have a Blackberry Pearl and Verizon internet access, and no complaints. I've yet to ever have a dropped call or internet snafu.

OK - I'm resurrecting this thread for a little advice...

I have T-Mobile and don't plan to switch providers, but I'm looking at upgrading my phone. I'd love to get a smart phone.

I've looked at the Blackberry Pearl, the Sidekick, the Wing and the Dash.
I'm going to be doing a fair amount of traveling over the next 6 months, so I'd like to have a decent amount of features available to me.

I would rather not have a "huge" phone. I think the old Sidekick is a little on the big side but I haven't seen the new one that was released last week. The larger Blackberries would be too big too.

Here's T-Mobile's Phone Listings

Any suggestions?

Love my BB Pearl.

I have their BB minutes and more plan for is $60 for 1,000 anytime minutes, unlimited text, unlimited data. Does not include picture messages though - but since I rarely send them I don't care.

We have the old family plan rate of $49.99 for 2 lines, 1000 mins, and unlimited T-mobile to T-mobile minutes. I don't want to give that up. :) I haven't found anything that even compares to that anymore.

To add on the Blackberry email and web access it'll be $19.99 a month. It doesn't include text messaging, but I can have that added for only $4.99 for 400 messages/mo.

The Sidekick plan is only $19.99/mo and it includes unlimited email, web and text but I don't know that I'm crazy about the phone. I worry about the durability of the flip around screen.

Have you noticed any improvement in your coverage? T-Mobile has been advertising improved service, but maybe that's just here in AZ. Also, did you try the opera download that NM suggested? Will it allow for LoT access?

I don't have BB email and I don't use the BB email application to access my email. I use the Google suite to access my gMail accounts and manage my calendar.

I forgot about the Opera download NM mentioned. I'm downloading it now.

I mainly use mobile NHL, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter on the phone.

Haven't noticed any coverage changes, but my coverage is pretty good. There are 3 places I don't get coverage - at the inside bar at Tortilla Joe's, at the inside bar at TGIFriday's at the Block and in certain rooms of my friends house.

EDIT: I downloaded Opera and am exploring. It loads LoT better then the BB browser but it's still cumbersome. The Pearl screen is small and not meant for message board viewing.