I used my friend's T-mobile phone when I visited DC and it seemed to get good reception except for in the Metro. While I have heard from other friends that Verizon also has good coverage in DC and even in the Metro, T-mobile has more minutes for cheaper than Verizon, which means a lot to me for someone right out of college.

Of course, when I'm out of the DC Metro area, I might end up wishing I had gone with Verizon I guess you get what you pay for.