The only problem I've had is that it can take a while, perhaps 10 minutes, to get through to their customer service line. Formerly Airtouch Cellular, Verizon provides decent service and reasonably priced programs that allow you to use your cell phone anywhere in the L.A. area for free. L.A. area coverage extends from the western end of the San Fernando Valley out to Riverside and all the way to south Orange County Discounted specials are offered to entice sign-ups that include various free time allotments, both weekday and weekend, and a free phone. The phones offered are of very poor quality, however, so spend the extra money for a higher-end phone. The phones are less expensive when you commit to one of their contracts, but it is unwise to commit to more than a one-year contract given the flux of the cell phone market.
Reception is usually decent, even in spite of low phone quality.
You can choose between digital and analog service, but a combination is not offered. Nearly every grad student who has a cell phone has one from Sprint, largely because of the price. It doesn't make a good replacement for a land line, though. Reception is good in the Cats, on Wilson, and on Del Mar, and degrades as you move toward the Ath. A cell phone certaily won't work in your basement lab.