Cellular Companies in the Upper Peninsula of MI.

[Gambler72]

Hey everyone Im looking for some information on cellular companies in the Marquette area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am currently living in the chicago land area and my Nextel service works fine, but Im not sure Ill be able tot take it with me when I moive to the U.P. Any suggestions on companies to go with up there, or companies to stay away from? Thanks

[CDMA]

Originally Posted by Gambler72 Hey everyone Im looking for some information on cellular companies in the Marquette area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am currently living in the chicago land area and my Nextel service works fine, but Im not sure Ill be able tot take it with me when I moive to the U.P. Any suggestions on companies to go with up there, or companies to stay away from? Thanks

You only have two choices. Alltel or Dobson's CellularOne.
I am very happy with Alltel's network, rate plans, and customer service. I recomend them. Dobson just bought RFB and they will be in the middle of a big converson to GSM in the eastern U.P. and N.E. lower penninsula. N.W. is already converted.

(www.alltel.com) (www.cellularone.com)

[neilson]

Yeah it'll be nice to see GSM in the upper reaches of Michigan, and Verizon customers finally get non-roaming, all-digital coverage on Alltel. Everyone's happy, though I guess if you're really desperate for GSM and you're in the Sault, then cross the border to Ontario, get a Rogers prepaid SIM card, and I suppose you'd be set for that very small coverage side on the American part.

[Gamer03]

I agree with CDMA.

When I roam off of them with Sprint, my signal is usually 3-4 bars. If you get a Alltel Plan (National Freedom) then you can have nationwide coverage to use anywhere you get a signal...but you still have to watch your phone and make sure you aren't roaming when you place or receive a call.

Plus for a limited time, their add on lines are $9.99 for each additional line on plans $59.99 and up I believe.

Here is Alltel's map (National Freedom):

[svanwormer]

I don't think either of them will have outstanding coverage unless more towers are added. It will be difficult to have great coverage due to the terrain. I roamed on both Alltel (1332) & Cell1 (1333) AMPS when I was up there snowmobiling in Paradise last week. I have a GAIT 6340i and am able to program either carrier into it, whichever had a better signal. GSM will be nice though.

[jayatmtu]

Originally Posted by Gambler72 Hey everyone Im looking for some information on cellular companies in the Marquette area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am currently living in the chicago land area and my Nextel service works fine, but Im not sure Ill be able tot take it with me when I moive to the U.P. Any suggestions on companies to go with up there, or companies to stay away from? Thanks

Or you could get Verizon down in Chicago if you have friends that use that service (for m2m calling), or if you prefer a chicago telephone number. Verizon has an excellent roaming agreement with Alltel and it works great in the UP..especially in Marquette

[CDMA]

There is a 10-15 mile bad spot somewhere up there on US2. but I can't remember if it was Paradise or Christmas. Other then that, it is what it is fo UP cell service. You really need a 3-watt amp like mine. (www.criterioncellular.com)

[svanwormer]

Originally Posted by CDMA There is a 10-15 mile bad spot somewhere up there on US2. but I can't remember if it was Paradise or Christmas. Other then that, it is what it is fo UP cell service. You really need a 3-watt amp like mine. (www.criterioncellular.com)

US-2 follows the southern edge of the U.P. Paradise is on M-123 on Lake Superior and Christmas is by Munising on Lake Superior. Anyway, I had a few dead spots on the way back from Paradise, but I was happy with the coverage in general. I have traveled the US-2 route over to 77 a bunch of times and found the coverage to be about the same.

[CDMA]

Originally Posted by svanwormer US-2 follows the southern edge of the U.P. Paradise is on M-123 on Lake Superior and Christmas is by Munising on Lake Superior. Anyway, I had a few dead spots on the way back from Paradise, but I was happy with the coverage in general. I have traveled the US-2 route over to 77 a bunch of times and found the coverage to be about the same.

Sorry, I didn't mean to say US-2, but whatever highway runs along Superior between Christmas and Munising? I forgot what it is. Other then that my coverage was good all the way to Houghton.

[Shizam76]

CDMA--

I may be going to Mackinac Island this coming spring.....probably will be staying in St. Igance on the UP side. Do you (or anyone) know how the coverage will be? I know Cingular doesn't have native coverage there.....I'm wondering about roaming up there....

[svanwormer]

Originally Posted by Shizam76 CDMA-- I may be going to Mackinac Island this coming spring.....probably will be staying in St. Igance on the UP side. Do you (or anyone) know how the coverage will be? I know Cingular doesn't have native coverage there.....I'm wondering about roaming up there....

You might be able to pull Cellular One (since they now own NPI) or Centennial Wireless from across the lake. The only towers on the U.P. side are AMPS. I think Nextel has a couple of towers over the bridge now. My buddy got good service for a little ways along M-123 too far north of the bridge to be from Mackinaw City. When I was coming back from Paradise, I think my GAIT phone stayed on AMPS until south of the bridge a little ways. I had it programmed for AMPS in the U.P. and didn't switch it back. Once I put my SIM in my V400, I had excellent GSM coverage all the way back to Saginaw.

http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_m...4&cc=us&net=dc

http://www.centennial-wireless.com/i...n_coverage.gif

[CDMA]

You will probably have GSM coverage in St. Ignace because I remember using my GSM phone in the parking lot of the Casino thanks to NPI (now cellular one), but that was stretching it for distancde since it's a few miles north of town.

[Shizam76]

Originally Posted by CDMA You will probably have GSM coverage in St. Ignace because I remember using my GSM phone in the parking lot of the Casino thanks to NPI (now cellular one), but that was stretching it for distancde since it's a few miles north of town.

Were you roaming on NPI from your Cingular phone.....or which provider was yours?

[CDMA]

Yes, I used my Cingular GSM phone. In fact, I could use it for several miles out west on US-2. The signal was probably from the lower penninsula across the water.

[Gonz]

yes, signal has been known to do that

I can pick up USCC from washington island for a 20 mile stretch along US2 before escanaba. Must be about 10 miles out, more at the furthest points.

[svanwormer]

Oddly enough, my buddy works in Arcadia, MI and he says his phone sometimes roams and picks up a Wisconsin tower which is about 40 miles away. The time changes 1 hour even. I thought that was pretty odd. Of course he would never be able to make any calls, bu the fact that it even sees the tower is wild.

[BG1811]

Does anyone have any idea when the GSM conversion will be complete? I assume at that time Verizon will roam on Alltel in the Sault. Am I correct on that?

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by CDMA There is a 10-15 mile bad spot somewhere up there on US2. but I can't remember if it was Paradise or Christmas. Other then that, it is what it is fo UP cell service. You really need a 3-watt amp like mine. (www.criterioncellular.com)

I was up in Christmas, Michigan with my family a few years ago....and our Cingular TDMA phone worked perfectly there....

[Gonz]

Does anyone have any idea when the GSM conversion will be complete? I assume at that time Verizon will roam on Alltel in the Sault. Am I correct on that?

We have no idea what the VZW arrangement will be like. Since both carriers still have amps, we cant tell for sure.

One thing is certain, the UP will have GSM within a year, on one, if not both carriers.

[jayatmtu]

Originally Posted by Gonz We have no idea what the VZW arrangement will be like. Since both carriers still have amps, we cant tell for sure. One thing is certain, the UP will have GSM within a year, on one, if not both carriers.

Well the western half of the UP already has GSM through Dobson Cellular One

[Gonz]

ik, the auestion is, when will it all be covered...

[kjmattson]

Originally Posted by svanwormer Oddly enough, my buddy works in Arcadia, MI and he says his phone sometimes roams and picks up a Wisconsin tower which is about 40 miles away. The time changes 1 hour even. I thought that was pretty odd. Of course he would never be able to make any calls, bu the fact that it even sees the tower is wild.

You have a buddy in Arcadia?!?!! PM me and tell me who it is!

[dasmengele]

Originally Posted by BG1811 Does anyone have any idea when the GSM conversion will be complete? I assume at that time Verizon will roam on Alltel in the Sault. Am I correct on that?

Verizon is going to start roaming on Alltel in the Sault all the time starting July 1st, 2005. Cellular One is still being coy about whether or not they will dismantle their CDMA services (because not all subscribers will want to go and buy a new phone right away), but I'm hearing from a friend that works at their office that they already have a GSM tower functioning for beta tests as of today (in case you'll be in the area and you're on Cingular/T-Mobile.)