Wilkes (GA), Ramcell (KY), and Appalachian (KY) all going CDMA

[roamer1]

I found FCC filings from each of the three indicating they are all going CDMA.

HOORAY (especially as far as Kentucky goes)!!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Still no word from Bluegrass -- but given that Ramcell and Appalachian are both going CDMA it's hard to imagine Bluegrass not doing so too. I'm rather tempted to say that the "Kentucky CDMA problem" is resolved, but won't until I can find out something concrete about Bluegrass...

I found nothing out about RCC as far as AL and MS go, nor about Farmers in Alabama (who will almost certainly go GSM because their coverage area is surrounded by Cingular), though... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

-SC

[Buickman]

I thought the press release put out by RCC a few months back said here in MN they were putting up CDMA, but doing GSM in the rest of their markets.

[roamer1]

RCC so far has only publicly stated their plans for their Minnesota and New England service areas; they have *not* yet mentioned anything publicly -- including in FCC filings -- about their AL/MS or OR/WA markets. (They also have a service area in Kansas that I haven't been keeping up with.)

The OR/WA area will almost definitely go GSM, thanks to USCC and Inland Cellular being committed to CDMA. The main problem RCC has with deciding what to do with the AL/MS region is that in some areas served by RCC (e.g., Talladega and Sylacauga AL) the other 800 MHz carrier is Cingular and CDMA carriers need RCC in those areas, while in other areas (e.g. Selma AL) RCC competes with ALLTEL or Cellular South and GSM carriers need RCC in those areas. HOWEVER: Cingular has PCS licenses, if not active coverage, for the majority of the places RCC competes with ALLTEL or Cellular South (Selma, Chambers County AL, etc.), lessening the potential roaming revenue RCC would see if they went GSM. SPCS has licenses for all RCC AL/MS service areas as well, but Cingular has done far more rural buildout thn SPCS and US Unwired have done and are likely to do. Hence, I believe RCC will in fact go CDMA in AL/MS.

At the VERY least, RCC should sell Chambers County AL to VZW to fix VZW's 10-mile coverage gap on I-85 (and keep the West Point GA/Lanett AL community from being split between two carriers)...if RCC in fact goes GSM that coverage hole may very well become "permanent". [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

-SC

[Rasputin]

That will help out a few dead spots.