Alltel/AT&T areas waiting to convert

**rhuss1** · 12-06-2010, 04:00 PM

Just wondering if the recent reviews in Consumers Reports that rates AT&T dead last in all areas has anyone concerned?

Should we take the opportunity to jump ship without ETF's ?

I have to admit, the thought has crossed my mind.

**bigpapa30** · 12-06-2010, 06:38 PM

In my area Alltel was really the only reliable service. So if AT&T can at least match what Alltel had around here I will stick with them. Verizon has spotty service around here and mainly only along the main highways and I am not sure Sprint or T-Mobile have ever heard of this place. Would I rather have just kept my Alltel service? Sure, but I am hoping that AT&T can at least be as good as Alltel was if they are getting all of their towers.

**uli2000** · 12-06-2010, 08:03 PM

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I live in one of the already converted areas, and so far, service has been the same or better. My Aria doesn't have all that great a radio and my indoor coverage at work is spotty, but everywhere else I have been, it's been great. Only problem I have had so far is with partner roaming coverage in east and central Oregon along I-84. Data service sucked in both Hermiston and Baker City, OR.

**Guest547** · 12-06-2010, 08:53 PM

AT&T bought these Alltel markets because they know they suck in some areas. They're in this to win it, and you should have no worries!

**tim33** · 12-07-2010, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by Mark Uhde

AT&T bought these Alltel markets because they know they suck in some areas. They're in this to win it, and you should have no worries!

I sure hope AT&T is in it to win, because somebody has to keep Verizon in line. I know Verizon should have made some of these converted Alltel areas that they kept better as far as the coverage goes than what Verizon has allready done.

**mick662** · 12-07-2010, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by tim33

I sure hope AT&T is in it to win, because somebody has to keep Verizon in line. I know Verizon should have made some of these converted Alltel areas that they kept better as far as the coverage goes than what Verizon has allready done.

Well look who's changed their tune as of late! Welcome back to reality, tim.

**tim33** · 12-08-2010, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by mick662

Well look who's changed their tune as of late! Welcome back to reality, tim.

Well Mick I never expected Verizon to ruin the coverage like Verizon did in parts of Michigan in areas where the conversion is complete. Verizon said they were going to make the two networks better once converted. I can tell you Verizon has not been that truthful about this.

**Guest547** · 12-08-2010, 03:09 AM

Well, tim, you finally understand the Verizon Flavor-Aid (it WASN'T Kool-Aid in Jonestown!) isn't all it's cracked up to be. Around here, Verizon's consistently pretty bad. Alltel is much better, and still poor. AT&T's making Alltel network improvements, and will blow away anything else. When I travel, at least in Oregon and California (the only states I'm in often) I can tell you that AT&T's network in the parts of those states I'm in (Salem, OR area; central California) blows away Verizon coverage-wise.

**The WB** · 12-08-2010, 09:40 AM

My experiences with the converted alltel/VZW area in NW Michigan has been nothing short of horrible. The conversion was completed in July of 2010. That being said, over the last 18 months, coverage with VZW has steadily slipped from bad to almost usable. I see this more as a severe capacity issue than anything else. One person is on a call and another starts their phone, the call is instantly dropped when the second phone connects to the tower! My signal levels up in NW Michigan is at -105 dB or worse.

Having my primary service with VZW, the one carrier who boasts of we have coverage here dropped the ball on this conversion. One point I did see is the coverage map of my area is properly displayed and they know they have an issue. The $64K question -- when will something be done?

My work around to this problem was purchasing a AT&T goPhone for when I'm up in NW Michigan. I have near perfect coverage at the place I stay with AT&T, where VZW is more miss than hit.

**redline1** · 12-08-2010, 11:00 AM

In Eastern MT, I see AT&T coverage being poor at best. Currently on Alltel, we are able to roam onto Verizon and 2 different co-op cellular systems. From my understanding our new AT&T phones will not have this capability.....FTL. Could be why they have shut down 4 long time Alltel dealers in the area....

**Guest547** · 12-08-2010, 12:54 PM

redline, you will lose the ability to roam on CDMA systems, that is correct. You may or may not gain the ability to roam on MTPCS (Cellular One). I'm not sure on that, AT&T customers definitely used to be able to roam on MTPCS, but when the network build is complete that may be turned off, AT&T tends to frown on home-on-home roaming. I wouldn't be shocked either way.

Also, from my understanding AT&T is aggressively building the network so that their new UMTS network will surpass the coverage of the existing CDMA, and cover many areas that are currently no service or roaming within 60-90 days of network launch.

**mick662** · 12-08-2010, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by tim33

Well Mick I never expected Verizon to ruin the coverage like Verizon did in parts of Michigan in areas where the conversion is complete. Verizon said they were going to make the two networks better once converted. I can tell you Verizon has not been that truthful about this.

That's the thing, tim. VZW said. That's what they do, and the sheep eat it up. Everyone goes running to them blindly because they have the "largest nationwide network"; and for some reason, everyone thinks that is the be all, end all. There is one problem that most of these people don't understand: 95% of the people in this country probably don't even need it. They are probably like me and rarely leave their market.

**sprke81** · 12-09-2010, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by redline1

In Eastern MT, I see AT&T coverage being poor at best. Currently on Alltel, we are able to roam onto Verizon and 2 different co-op cellular systems. From my understanding our new AT&T phones will not have this capability.....FTL. Could be why they have shut down 4 long time Alltel dealers in the area....

I recently did a job in Williston, ND and traveled right through Sidney a lot. I have VZW and Alltel, it seemed to me that Alltel had the edge in coverage in that area but my only complaint with Alltel was the terrible data speeds. I might be wrong but I didn't think Alltel relied on VZW at all in that area. The only area I see as a problem is the market that VZW kept in Northern MT..I think ATT phones will read no service there..unless there was a gsm system there before that VZW will keep running...

Originally Posted by Mark Uhde

redline, you will lose the ability to roam on CDMA systems, that is correct. You may or may not gain the ability to roam on MTPCS (Cellular One). I'm not sure on that, AT&T customers definitely used to be able to roam on MTPCS, but when the network build is complete that may be turned off, AT&T tends to frown on home-on-home roaming. I wouldn't be shocked either way.

I recently talked to a Cellular One employee and I asked him if Cell One and ATT would be able to roam off of each other in MT. He said it was still being negotiated and MTPCS was pushing for it to happen..obviously they need something in eastern MT bad. He also said Cell One was going to take a serious look at 3G in 2011.. I don't know if he knew anything just passing on what I heard

**Guest547** · 12-09-2010, 01:54 AM

unless there was a gsm system there before that VZW will keep running...

Which there was.

I recently talked to a Cellular One employee and I asked him if Cell One and ATT would be able to roam off of each other in MT. He said it was still being negotiated and MTPCS was pushing for it to happen..obviously they need something in eastern MT bad. He also said Cell One was going to take a serious look at 3G in 2011.. I don't know if he knew anything just passing on what I heard

How much have you looked into the people behind CellularOne? They're a build-it and sell-it operation. The problem is WHO do they sell to here... maybe T-Mobile. That's my guess, eventually. They don't really seem to me to know what they're doing.

**tim33** · 12-09-2010, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by mick662

That's the thing, tim. VZW said. That's what they do, and the sheep eat it up. Everyone goes running to them blindly because they have the "largest nationwide network"; and for some reason, everyone thinks that is the be all, end all. There is one problem that most of these people don't understand: 95% of the people in this country probably don't even need it. They are probably like me and rarely leave their market.

Mick I wish you the best with AT&T, hopefully you will get better service with AT&T than what Verizon has in your area. Mick you should go on the Verizon website and read in the support forums on there, under former Alltel customers and you will see many negative compaints about how Verizon is treating former Alltel customers.