Alltel offers unlimted mobile broadband (500kb/s+) for $25 a month

Anyone had the oppurtunity to test out the connection in the Southern areas of SD or even extreme NCNTRL NE? I have yet to use alltells data plan in that area but looks like it may become quite important on Wed, and I am just going to venture a guess that the area does not have much of a constant data stream. I tried to get an idea by examining the coverage maps but it seems SD map may not be updated or at least I hope that is the case.
 
Anyone been having some serious data issues through Alltel lately? It's getting old fast. I'm using it in town here and the connection is fine. The data rate is garbage pretty much every night around 9 and 5, among other times. I'm on EVDO and current download rate switches from 0 to 12k....with a blazing peak of 15k! Sigh. I already know of two people who are dropping theirs now.
 
Anyone had the oppurtunity to test out the connection in the Southern areas of SD or even extreme NCNTRL NE? I have yet to use alltells data plan in that area but looks like it may become quite important on Wed, and I am just going to venture a guess that the area does not have much of a constant data stream.

I had near constant data when driving south from Yankton,SD on 81, then west to Oneil, NE.
 
No real problems with the data signal in town, and as for the areas that they have mapped...well, I have been able to connect in many of the areas showing "Not Available", but I usually have to be at a complete stop. I just upgraded phones as well (yesterday), and I have noticed one particularly annoying problem already, and that is that the signal strength droppes out in places that it did not with my RAZR, so we will have to see how it goes. I may end up getting a seperate card for the computer.

I upgraded to the HTC PPC6800, which...other than a lower signal strength (yeah, this could end up getting annoying)...is an absolutely incredible phone. Also, with this type of phone (EVDO?) the data/messenging plan for the phone is included in the plan instead of being $20 a month extra, and the unlimited data for laptop is only $10 a month.

alltel-ppc6800.jpg
 
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Alltel data on Highway 166 east of Arkansas City, KS is no good till Coffeyville, and slow at best near there. I think we saw towers every 2 miles, and it would give you that error "Can not connect to remote computer." Or it would connect, and wouldn't pull any data at all. I think this happened MOST of the day, all over the place. I called them and evidently Sprint is having trouble with their towers (which Alltel shares with). Fix your *****!!!
 
I have turned the phone as modem with alltel on and off 3 different times now in October, so I am actually only getting charge a couple dollars total instead of the 25 a month. I may do it during the spring now to to save money. There is no need to have it on all the rest of the time. Gotta love unlimited internet for only a couple dollars.
 
Joe's post was actually in response to mine from several days back, not Willoughby's. I had inquired because Alltel could not sell me a contract over the phone or online becuase I live in Austin. Alltel does not serve the Austin area, or several other bigger cities in Central/Southern TX. This is because of some 'agreement' carriers apparently maintain between each other. Joe was checking to see if I could get the plan by personally going into a store, even though my billing address will be Austin.

The answer was yes! My original plan to finally dump Verizon is back in play. Actually, I never had a problem with Verizon, fwiw. Excellent customer service, good coverage, and NEVER a surprise on my bill in 3+ years. They are offering a tether plan also, but it is $60/month. Yikes!

Alltel it is! Thanks, Joe.

TonyC

I may have to check this out Tony. I'll probably be in touch with you for this coming Spring and see how you've been liking Alltel. We'll have to schedule a Happy Hour meeting!

I currently have Verizon, but I'd like a faster flat rate plan. Gene is always talking about how good his Cingular $25 flat rate deal is, and I have seen it in action on the road. So for me it will be between Alltel and Cingular (ughh AT&T). I wish AT&T hadn't bought Cingular. I think I preferred them better before.
 
I decided to make my own "Alltel coverage map" in Kansas, based on chases last year, the areas marked are the areas I chased in 2007, feel free to add or dispute. The non-colored areas are places I have yet to chase in (or can not remember). Blue = good, teal = good to spotty, red= evdo (that was really good for me) black/gray- spotty to no connection.

alltelkansas.jpg
 
On May 5th I pick up a decent connection at ColdWater, and I thought I had a connection all the way up to St. John but since I was driving I really dont remember well. I know Coldwater has a good connection though because I have 3 GRlevel3 images saved from when we near there on the 5th. I could have just been in one of the spotty areas that worked. There use to be no connection South of Coldwater, but since they have added service in NW OK that may be different now. Nice map by the way.
 
No real problems with the data signal in town, and as for the areas that they have mapped...well, I have been able to connect in many of the areas showing "Not Available", but I usually have to be at a complete stop. I just upgraded phones as well (yesterday), and I have noticed one particularly annoying problem already, and that is that the signal strength droppes out in places that it did not with my RAZR, so we will have to see how it goes. I may end up getting a seperate card for the computer.

I upgraded to the HTC PPC6800, which...other than a lower signal strength (yeah, this could end up getting annoying)...is an absolutely incredible phone. Also, with this type of phone (EVDO?) the data/messenging plan for the phone is included in the plan instead of being $20 a month extra, and the unlimited data for laptop is only $10 a month.

alltel-ppc6800.jpg


Your phone has an antenna port for a direct connection if you decide to get an amp and an external antenna. I have noticed that HTC's reception is not the best in the world.
 
Just thought I'd tell anyone who is trying to sign up or their old phone crapped out...the new Razr V3a is not EVDO compatible (a few LG's aren't either). I purchased this phone and found out that Motorola decided not to make it EVDO compatible and after arguing with supervisors for over an hour, they still wouldn't let me return my phone (they have a 15 day return policy and it's been 25 days).

No clue why the latest models wouldn't be EVDO capable while they continue to roll this out, but they're not. It seems pretty f'ing stupid to me, and for Alltel to not advertise this, but I guess I should have researched it more. Yay for 1xRTT.
 
Anyone know if that area of w KS is fixed yet? The area they said they had problems with the sprint towers? That's got me wondering about tomorrow down there.
 
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