See if any of the carriers in your area give you a "test drive" period. Then try each carrier in all the places you'll normally be. Choose the one that gives you the best coverage or, if there's more than one, the one of those with the best pricing plan for your needs. (If you're new to smartphones, always figure that you'll use more data that you think yo will.) The best carrier for one person may not be the best for another. Even if you live next door, your work or school locations may have different coverage with different carriers. (And the best phone with no coverage is just a pocket weight.)