Does anybody here have Alltel cellular service?

[Larry Harp]

I've had AT&T cell phone servive for over ten years now and have been very happy with their service. Now along come the big merger between AT&T and Cingular. I was never a big fan of SW Bell but I thought it would be OK and anyway what could I do. Anyway recently we are informed that the Feds won't allow the merger in central Okla because it would make Cingular have too much of the market thus creating a monopoly. Instead we will be changed over to a company out of Arkansas called Alltel. I had never heard of this company and what little I've learned I'm not at all happy about the switch. What really jacks my jaws is I just got through re-doing all the cell phones in my family back in Dec. Now I'm locked in for two years and can't get out without a big penalty.



Do any of you have Alltel and what are your experiances? What should I expect?



Harpo

 

[Donald Fruge]

All I know about alltel is that Ryan Newman drives the Alltel Dodge (#12) in the nascar Nextel cup series. Had never heard of alltel until he came on the nascar circuit.





I hope you will have a signal on lake fork this weekend. If not there is a phone in the camp.

Cell phone service at lake fork is alway iffy. Last year my cingular phone had a strong signal thourghout the lake, (much to the delight of my wife). I used to be able to call her on the way in to the lake and say "I'm about to loose my phone signal so I will call you when I can"

That doesn't work any more. Although I switched my phones over to the new type of system last month and the signal is still spotty, so maybe now I use my old excuse again.



See you tomorrow Harp,

Wolf

 

[Dennis Ciccaglione]

Harpo,

You are correct in your worries (sort of); Alltel will not have the coverage that you had with AT&T day one. There are some good things that may come from this merger. Along with acquiring the cellular service they are also gaining an additional 20Mhz of usable spectrum. They are trying to compete in more markets so they will have to step to the plate with service; its how cellular companies survive.



Here is my recommendation:

Go with it for now se what happens if you are satisfied & the service meets your needs, well then great.... Stay with it

That being said if you experience a loss in service, loss in quality, or even loss in customer service (not that there is any cellular) then, get it on record. By that I mean every time (yes every time) you have any type of issue you didn't have before the acquisition, call customer service & make sure it goes on record.



It will make leave / getting out of the contract much easier.



I know this works & I deal with it all the time... My company sells 8 different cellular company's services & 21 voice & data carriers services world wide. I deal with these contracts on a daily basis. If you do have to look at making the contract go away... let me know... I can most likely help. Do it everyday..



Hope this helps, & that it works out for you.



Dennis

 

[Gene B]

We went to Alltel about a year or so ago. We tried several companys but Alltel has the best coverage around here. (Eaton County in MI, near Lansing)



Gene

 

[Larry Harp]

Thanks Dennis, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. I have been around and around with the other compainies with my familes phones. My daughter started out with Sprint...hated them...they would charge roaming for calls made right here in town, then act like it was some sort of favor for correcting it. She then switched to Cingular because her boyfriend had it and they could talk unlimited minutes...had to fight off two $600 bills to get things right but then had billing problems the whole time. She broke up with the boyfriend so I bought her out of her contract for 75 bucks and got her on AT&T...problems over. My wife had T-Moble; they were OK just couldn't use the phone outside the metro area... moved her over to AT&T for a Christmas present. Also have my son's phone on AT&T. So you can see my concern. Thanks again for the info.



Harpo

 

[William Birkett]

Have had ALLTEL here for the last three years and couldn't be happier... But living on the edge of the the Hampton Roads area (lots of folks in a small area...)



I have two sons that go to college in Wisconsin and travel to and from there at least twice per year... Coverage across the states driving has been wonderful everywhere but eastern Kentucky...



I would give ALLTEL very high marks...



Tight Lines,

 

[Greg J.]

probably too many valleys, hollows, mountains in Eastern Ky for decent reception (just guessing). . Here in Western Ky, I have occasionally have reception problems and we only have hills.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I've got Verzion. Had both Cingular and Sprint - but they didn't give any real coverage, out on the lakes. Verizon has great coverage, for my 2cents.



Tex