After two weeks with the new cell phone and Cingular service, Jeff ordered me a new phone and service plan with Verizon.

The reason for this switch is that callers on certain networks continue to get "all circuits busy" or "number not in service" when they try to reach me.

Obviously, this problem, which has existed from the start, is not going away especially since Cingular doesn't even acknowledge that a problem exists. I mean, if coverage is poor in my area (as they say), then the call ought to go to voicemail instead of failing to complete.

I noted that the new phone from Verizon shipped ... an improvement over the last time we tried ordering a phone from Verizon when days went by without the order shipping. And the porting of my number is in process, 'though I told Jeff that I would take a new number, if necessary.

My suspicion is that Cingular will do a better job handing off my service to Verizon than AT&T Wireless did in handing it off to Cingular two weeks ago. Let's hope so, anyway.

I don't know what type of phone Jeff ordered with this service and I frankly don't care. I mean, the equipment itself is really not an important piece of the service do me. I'm sure that most people would be surprised by that. But a phone is a phone is a phone.