Alltel/Verizon not working?

[gopowercat]

I have been an Alltel customer for many years. My family goes to Atchison, Kansas many times a year.

My sister is a Verizon customer and she is there many times, too.

In the past, my phones have always worked in that area.

In the last six months, my phone (and other Alltel customers who go to that area), just will not work. There is NO SERVICE.

My sister's Verizon phone (and it is a Curve, too) works while she is in that area.

I was told it was because Verizon can't get a deal worked out with a "roaming partner" in that area. I know that AT&T and another carrier (that I just can't remember which one) work there just fine.

If my sister's phone as a Verizon customer work, why wouldn't mine as an Alltel customer work (when they have in the past) or continued since we are slowly becoming Verizon customers?

I have updated roaming towers when I was at home before going into that area and that did not solve the problem.

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

[digitard]

AT&T is a GSM carrier. Their service, and roaming agreements, wont apply to your phone as they are different technologies. They could have 5 bars of completely perfect service, and it wouldn't matter as you can't utilize their system, and vice versa.

Anyhow... most likely, as you've said, Alltel's current roaming agreements have nothing in that area (hence they have blocked it out) and Verizon has it.

If you're in a Divested area your PRL is going to be different than a Verizon user as Divested is still stand alone.

The fact your sisters Verizon phone makes me think you're divested, and your PRL is different since you wont automatically get Verizon as the newly acquired Verizon markets did with the last PRL update.

[gopowercat]

Ok ... if I talk in circles here, I'm sorry.

I know the local Alltel rep here and he says our area is going in with Verizon, not being "sold off" to another company.

So ... is there a chance that in the future, it could work?

Is there a way to confirm I'm going to be a Verizon customer?

And ... I did know that I wouldn't be able to use AT&T, it was just a reference that it was a carrier in the area.

Thanks.

[digitard]

There's a map you can use, which I'm sure someone will post as I don't have it offhand.

Otherwise just call up Alltel and ask. They've already split up the Divested (ATT/etc), and non-divested (Verizon) groups internally. So if you call 611 and speak to a rep they'll know immediately since if you're a Divested customer your phone # will route you to the group handling your transition.

[gopowercat]

OK. I will do that.
Do you have any other thoughts on the area I mentioned?

Is it possible (assuming I'm going to be a VErizon customer) that it could work itself out and I could go back to working?

[digitard]

If you have the current PRL (40052 which you can check by hitting #4357* + send) then you should already have most of their agreements in place I believe as of that PRL. I'm not 100%, though, on that as I really haven't kept up with the transition much.

[Hydrogenman]

Originally Posted by gopowercat

I have been an Alltel customer for many years. My family goes to Atchison, Kansas many times a year.

My sister is a Verizon customer and she is there many times, too.

In the past, my phones have always worked in that area.

In the last six months, my phone (and other Alltel customers who go to that area), just will not work. There is NO SERVICE.

My sister's Verizon phone (and it is a Curve, too) works while she is in that area.

I was told it was because Verizon can't get a deal worked out with a "roaming partner" in that area. I know that AT&T and another carrier (that I just can't remember which one) work there just fine.

If my sister's phone as a Verizon customer work, why wouldn't mine as an Alltel customer work (when they have in the past) or continued since we are slowly becoming Verizon customers?

I have updated roaming towers when I was at home before going into that area and that did not solve the problem.

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

Maybe all that terrible purple is what the problem is.


Rock chalk.

[forkup]

To answer your question if you are definately going to be a verizon customer then yes eventually you should have service in that area. It surprises me that you don't now.

forkup

[gopowercat]

Originally Posted by Hydrogenman

Maybe all that terrible purple is what the problem is.


Rock chalk.

If I am up there next time and I thought wearing red and blue or that fictitious bird would fix it, I might be willing to give it a shot.

[tsguy52]

I believe what actually happened is there was Sprint coverage there and that's what you would normally roam off with.. but since VZW's latest PRL's for Alltel non-divested they have pretty much kicked Sprint out of the picture. Which has diminished service in some areas...

I'm not 100% sure - I just remember seeing something about this. I will double check though!

[gopowercat]

Originally Posted by tsguy52

I believe what actually happened is there was Sprint coverage there and that's what you would normally roam off with.. but since VZW's latest PRL's for Alltel non-divested they have pretty much kicked Sprint out of the picture. Which has diminished service in some areas...

I'm not 100% sure - I just remember seeing something about this. I will double check though!

I called Alltel and my account is one that will be making the switch to Verizon, and not be sold off to another company.

So ... this should work itself out as the merger goes through? Am I correct in thinking this through this way?

[tsguy52]

Originally Posted by gopowercat

I called Alltel and my account is one that will be making the switch to Verizon, and not be sold off to another company.

So ... this should work itself out as the merger goes through? Am I correct in thinking this through this way?

I would think that if VZW has coverage there, then you should have coverage as well. Although it may not be their towers so this could mean you would need to have a VZW device with a PRL. Your Alltel plan may not include roaming agreements with everyone VZW has. Which is probably the reason why they are able to get VZW coverage and you can't.

[sarivers]

Originally Posted by forkup

To answer your question if you are definately going to be a verizon customer then yes eventually you should have service in that area. It surprises me that you don't now.

forkup

The bad news is that it will cost you more. I've been an Alltel customer in South Carolina since my Alltel bag phone. I've been converted to Verizon and the coverage is not as good. The Verizon store wants me to convert all 4 of my family's cell phones from Alltel to Verizon equipment. They say I can not convert just one. And of course the Verizon plan will cost more than what I pay now. I'm not a happy customer.

[big.daddy]

Has the OP tried looking at the network selection settings and see if its set to home only or automatic? That could be the problem, maybe?

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