Re: tv/cell phone/internet
We have been satisfied customers of Cingular since we went full-time nearly ten years ago. Of course, since the merger it is now AT&T and our experience has been that we have twice been in locations for volunteer work-camping where AT&T worked and Verizon did not and once we were in an area where Verizon worked and AT&T did not. We have also been several places that both worked poorly, or neither worked at all. If you spend most of your time near the cities, it probably doesn't really matter. If you spend a lot of time in remote areas as we do, then it just depends upon where you happen to go.
As to internet, tethering the phone to the computer is not a great method but it will work fairly well. The only way to have internet anywhere you happen to go is to get satellite internet from either Starband or Hughes. In that case if you can see the southern sky, you can also get internet. Cellular internet direct to the computer via an "air card" is coming on very strongly and now comes near to being as good as the dish system. In fact, we just converted from a dish to the air card system. For it I did choose Verizon because at this time they are the best coverage of the companies that have it available. Sprint is pretty good also and AT&T is now in second and coming on strong. Like the cellular phones, the competition is strong and it is changing and improving all of the time.
For TV, we use Dish TV and All American Direct for networks but have considered changing to Direct TV. I think it mostly just depends upon who is currently giving the best deal.