CENTRAL U.S. -- Help regarding cell service in Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska

[bartelsse]

I am looking for a cell service provider that actually provides coverage in the rural parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska I have provided a route map of the most used route from Santa Fe, NM to Lincoln, NE that I use Santa Fe, New Mexico to Lincoln, Nebraska - Google Maps I have a friend who has a Prepaid Virgin Mobile Phone who had no service at all in Great Bend, KS. Back to Virgin Mobile I have done some digging for info and found info at Phone Scoop that states Virgin Mobile uses Sprint's CDMA network. My question is what cell provider would work (provide service) most if not all of the 800 mile trip.

[djjim]

Umm....didn't you have alltel before? You need to go back to them. Alltel will be the best.

[bartelsse]

Originally Posted by djjim

Umm....didn't you have alltel before? You need to go back to them. Alltel will be the best.

Yes I did have Alltel at one time. My assumption djjim is that Alltel would work better then Virgin Mobile in the rural parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska?

[djjim]

Originally Posted by bartelsse

Yes I did have Alltel at one time. My assumption djjim is that Alltel would work better then Virgin Mobile in the rural parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, & Nebraska?

You are correct. hands down.

[bartelsse]

Originally Posted by djjim

You are correct. hands down.

What if I were to go the prepaid route would that effect the coverage?

[mframe]

Originally Posted by bartelsse

What if I were to go the prepaid route would that effect the coverage?

Coverage should be the same, with Alltel U. It even has free roaming with Sprint and Verizon (and sometimes others, like US Cellular).

[BillRadio]

I concur that the choice that allows the best coverage and the least amount of roaming would be Alltel. Good prepaid options include Alltel U, but also if you can find a CDMA Tracfone (it depends on what they offer in your "home" market), that would work just as well since they mostly use Alltel in those rural areas.

I have also used T-MobileToGo in most of those areas because they roam on the GSM part of Alltel's network as well as AT&T. Check their excellent maps to be sure. Not to be unkind, but Virgin is probably the worst possible choice for that area..

[RadioFoneGuy]

Originally Posted by BillRadio

I concur that the choice that allows the best coverage and the least amount of roaming would be Alltel. Good prepaid options include Alltel U, but also if you can find a CDMA Tracfone (it depends on what they offer in your "home" market), that would work just as well since they mostly use Alltel in those rural areas.

I have also used T-MobileToGo in most of those areas because they roam on the GSM part of Alltel's network as well as AT&T. Check their excellent maps to be sure. Not to be unkind, but Virgin is probably the worst possible choice for that area..

You could also use NET10 which is also owned by Tracfone but is a cheaper route. You have to do research as to which a CDMA NET10 would prefere in those areas. In my area they use ATT for GSM and Alltel for CDMA. Some of those ares you use may be Verizon.

[MrObvious]

Alltel will have the best coverage in our area. I can roam off of Sprint/Verizon without problems on my PPC6800 on Alltel.

[larry]

Sprint might be worth considering as well. I know they have an affiliate agreement with a company called Pioneer to provide sprint native service to rural areas in Kansas and Oklahoma.

[bartelsse]

Originally Posted by larry

Sprint might be worth considering as well. I know they have an affiliate agreement with a company called Pioneer to provide sprint native service to rural areas in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Thats good to know about Pioneer Cellular. I looked at there coverage map and it only covers Oklahoma & Kansas but not New Mexico & Nebraska.