"I am damned lucky to get a signal half the time at home and many times I have to go outside and stand in the cold."
When at&t was my carrier, the must have had a tower fairly close to my home because reception inside was excellent, even in the basement. After the cingular buyout, the tower was switched and I can rarely even use my phone in my den. If the call is important, I either need to recall on a land line or go outside. I'm investigating a new carrier, but if I have the same problem, all I've done is change problem centers.
Well you have done more, I signed a 2 year contract for this phone, If I stop using it the cost is $250 even if its the day before the contract runs out. They have you by the nuts when you sign on.