New VZW cell site Saginaw, Mi ...

[MeatChicken]

SAGINAW, Mich., July 9 /PRNewswire/ --
"..Verizon Wireless, the only major carrier with a 30-day network test-drive pledge that pays for calls if a customer isn't satisfied and switches to another carrier, has activated a new cell site in Saginaw. The new cell site improves Verizon Wireless' voice and data network in the following areas:

-- Along Michigan Highway 58 from Mackinaw Road to west of Michigan
Highway 47, and;

-- Along Michigan Highway 47 between Shattuckville and Shields......"

[cellular_freak]

And it's ABOUT TIME!!!! Everytime I drive through that part of Saginaw Township, it's always so crappy. I always go into Extended Network on Alltel. I just went through there today, and I have FULL SERVICE all the way through the entire area! FINALLY!! Now they need to step up some areas around Hemlock and northern Saginaw County and southern Midland County.

[zdoyle35]

yes but if you have alltel you get verizon and sprint towers automatically...alltel is the best

[strunke]

VZW is slowly improving their network in Michigan. It will be some time before the catch up to alltel but they've got most of the main roads covered. They only have pcs outside of detroit and the immediate area so they are at a slight disadvantage....

[cellular_freak]

Yes, I do agree with you that Alltel does have a very good network. Whenever I don't have Verizon service, I'm usually Extended on Alltel. (Or Thumb Cellular) The other company that I was actually thinking about before I decided on Verizon was actually Alltel. The only thing that pushed me to Verizon was the fact that I had more friends with VZW and that they cover most of the southern portion of Michigan. (I rarely ever go up north) All they need to do is add a few more towers here and there to fill in some holes and Verizon would be perfect for me. (And buy out Thumb Cellular; just saying )

Oh, and does anybody know when VZW is going to be turning on their EV-DO service in the tri-cities? My phone has been flashing back and forth from 1X to EV-DO here in Merrill and I was wondering if anybody knew if they were close to activating that soon.

[zdoyle35]

when your in an alltel evdo area (as far as i know) it may be awhile before they get roaming agreements becasue alltel has evdo rights in all of michigan

[cellular_freak]

Well I believe, right now, the Saginaw/Midland/Bay City market is one of the only areas in Michigan that Verizon does not have covered with EV-DO. Flint, Lansing, Mt. Pleasant, Grand Rapids, Detroit, etc. all already have EV-DO service available.

I know that I can roam onto Alltel and Sprint but I'm not sure if I can use their EV-DO service. In fact, I don't believe so, because I try to force my phone to go into EV-DO only and it won't find any service. I think this is a Verizon thing though. As long as you are in a Verizon-covered area you can't force your phone to roam on another network. (To my knowledge anyways)

[strunke]

Alltel has coverage down to indiana and ohio and up to houghton, but not in detroit or the thumb once past bay city and saginaw so basically the south east. They free roam on sprint, verizon, and thumb cellular.

There is no such thing as an exclusive right to evdo anywhere. Alltel has a lot of evdo in michigan but only sprint can roam on it at this time. Verizon has not made a roaming agreement with alltel or sprint to allow that. The sid needs to be marked as evdo in the prl for the phone to see it. Verizon can roam on alltel's 1x data coverage though. Alltel, Sprint, and Verizon have evdo in Michigan right now.