Verizon / Alltel dilemma - help needed

[Walt VanRheen]

So, everyone knows that Verizon purchased Alltel. I am looking for wireless internet service in the plains and Alltel seems to be the best for “coverageâ€￾ in the fringe areas. Being form Oregon, we don’t have Alltel here. We have Verizon.

The people working the Verizon kiosk at the local mega mall tell me “now that we have purchased Alltel, we have all of Alltel’s towers and that signing up for our service would be identical to signing up for Alltelâ€￾

Well, I did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday, and know that just like dealing with used car salesmen; I should not take what these commissioned employees of Verizon say without verification.

Does anyone have the true lowdown on this situation? Your help would be appreciated.

 

[Brian Hurst]

The full swich over will be in august is what thet told me at alltel about a week ago then there will be no alltel just verizon.Yes and they are pushy!They try to push you into a blackberry.I asked them if verizon would do away with tethering and they said no that verizon does it too.I would say that is true about the towers.

 

[cedwards]

I was told that Alltel will still remain as it was, just owned by Verizon. I have Alltel and was inquiring about getting the blackberry Storm that is exclusive to Verizon. According to the rep, who called someone to verify the information, I would have to wait until my current contract ran out then switch over to Verizon.
I would not bet on Verizon having cell tower coverage of both Verizon and Alltel.

 

[John Wetter]

It doesn't really matter... Sprint, Alltel and Verizon all have tower sharing agreements anyways. You should just get the Verizon one if that's what you have in your area. Even before Verizon bought them, they all shared towers. VZ and Alltel didn't share EVDO coverage, but they did share 1xRTT coverage. So, the sale is really a moot point.

 

[Brian Hurst]

I know from the talk at the alltel store they were changing there store to verizon store.I wish they would have never sold out. there is a link on the alltel page for verizon wireless intergration.
http://www.alltel.com/

 

[Scott Roberts]

It doesn't really matter... Sprint, Alltel and Verizon all have tower sharing agreements anyways. You should just get the Verizon one if that's what you have in your area. Even before Verizon bought them, they all shared towers. VZ and Alltel didn't share EVDO coverage, but they did share 1xRTT coverage. So, the sale is really a moot point.

Not completely accurate, from my experience. AllTel has run EVDO on AllTel and VZW as long as I've had it, and I've had EVDO indications from capable VZW phones in an AllTel area (rural SW Kansas norhteast of Liberal) before that. Never did try the actual data on the VZW phone, as I hadn't enabled data service on it. But the AllTel phone and data card have both gotten EVDO just about everywhere (except the KC metro) for ever since I've had 'em.