Eloqui Wireless *not* going GSM after all?

[roamer1]

I noticed a couple of days ago that Eloqui Wireless (TN RSA 3 LP) has dropped off the list of US GSM carriers at GSMWorld. I wonder why...maybe they're going CDMA?

(In my opinion, Eloqui has no good reason to go CDMA, given that USCC and Bluegrass and VZW have gotten so "close" lately. Eloqui has more to gain roaming-revenue-wise from Cingular, but given that Cingular heavily restricts off-network roaming in east Tennessee [all carriers other than Cingular native, SunCom, and Commnet Wireless are forbidden...no VZW, no USCC, no AT&T] and Eloqui's historical ties to USCC Knoxville [the former switch-sharing, management from USCC Knoxville leaping to Eloqui, etc.], I have to wonder if they've written off Cingular. I also noticed that the Cingular GAIT map now shows "no coverage" in parts of Eloqui's service area away from I-40...but SID 1678 is still in my T62's IRDB as a *favored* SID! )

-SC

[agentHibby]

that is very interesting.
If they went from TDMA to GSM 1X as a possibilty would that keep them on GSM world?? I would think if they went WCDMA that would keep them on GSM world website as well?

[hillbilly44]

Roamer;

Rumor is they are being sold to Alltel, with the possibility of Alltel buying the USCC (Knoxville) market shortly

[warriorfootball9]

Originally Posted by hillbilly44

Roamer;

Rumor is they are being sold to Alltel, with the possibility of Alltel buying the USCC (Knoxville) market shortly

I have herd that to from my friends mom who works for Alltel.

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by agentHibby

that is very interesting.
I would think if they went WCDMA that would keep them on GSM world website as well?

WCDMA is still considered the GSM evolution into 3G, so of course it will be in GSM World. Another name for WCDMA is 3GSM. Almost all GSM carriers will be implementing WCDMA.

[agentHibby]

That is what I thought Bobo about a company going WCDMA only right now.

Hey Bobo if a wireless provider decided to use qualcomm's GSM 1X would that keep them in the GSM World website or be gone since its GSM/CDMA??

[roamer1]

Originally Posted by hillbilly44

Roamer;

Rumor is they are being sold to Alltel, with the possibility of Alltel buying the USCC (Knoxville) market shortly

I can't see ALLTEL letting USCC keep Knoxville when assuming they do buy Eloqui, they'd have territory to the east AND west. I have a feeling USCC Asheville will go to ALLTEL, too... (I doubt ALLTEL will have any luck convincing the Ramsey family to sell Ramcell NC-1, but stranger things have happened...)

It looks like there's now one more reason to choose CDMA above GSM if east Tennessee is at all important to you.

-SC

[SpaceGhost]

Originally Posted by roamer1

I have a feeling USCC Asheville will go to ALLTEL, too... (I doubt ALLTEL will have any luck convincing the Ramsey family to sell Ramcell NC-1, but stranger things have happened...)

-SC

Alltel would sell the farm for asheville ... If there is a possibility at all.

[Cingular GSM User]

Eloqui is CDMA now!!

[cryogenic]

Originally Posted by Cingular GSM User

Eloqui is CDMA now!!

Where did you hear this?

@Stanley... do you REALLY think USCC would sell off the Knoxville market? Assuming, of course, that Alltel does acquire Eloqui. I mean, the way USCC has treated the Knoxville market has led me to believe that they find it to be a valuable commodity. Heck we were the first ones to go CDMA 1x and the first ones to have BREW as well (we were the test market, even).

[SNSE]

Well, the crystal ball is split 50/50. On one hand, USC has a huge Network Operations center in Knoxville that encompasses Tech Support, Change Management, Roamer Support and so on......However, there have been grumblings for some time that eventually the Knoxville NOC would be shut down like most of Tulsa's, and everyone would wind up in Schaumberg, IL. I haven't heard anything lately, but if they did close that NOC, then I would certainly smell something ripe to be sold......That being said, there are a lot of regional personnel that office there too, so that would be a pretty big chunk of personnel transfers....that would be an HR nightmare...but anything is possible...

[cryogenic]

Originally Posted by SNSE

Well, the crystal ball is split 50/50. On one hand, USC has a huge Network Operations center in Knoxville that encompasses Tech Support, Change Management, Roamer Support and so on......However, there have been grumblings for some time that eventually the Knoxville NOC would be shut down like most of Tulsa's, and everyone would wind up in Schaumberg, IL. I haven't heard anything lately, but if they did close that NOC, then I would certainly smell something ripe to be sold......That being said, there are a lot of regional personnel that office there too, so that would be a pretty big chunk of personnel transfers....that would be an HR nightmare...but anything is possible...

There's also a customer service call center here that employs a VERY large number of people. As a matter of fact, USCC is probably one of the largest call center employers in Knoxville. Closing it down would be bad for our economy. At any rate, it makes sense for Alltel to try to pick up the Knoxville market, but I'm not sure it makes much sense for USCC since this is probably one of their more profitable markets.

[Cingular GSM User]

Originally Posted by cryogenic

Where did you hear this?

@Stanley... do you REALLY think USCC would sell off the Knoxville market? Assuming, of course, that Alltel does acquire Eloqui. I mean, the way USCC has treated the Knoxville market has led me to believe that they find it to be a valuable commodity. Heck we were the first ones to go CDMA 1x and the first ones to have BREW as well (we were the test market, even).

I found this on the website www.eloquiwireless.com

If you look under the Service Plans section of the site you will see where it says something about their CDMA network and features.

[cryogenic]

Nice find... not only that, they have a big announcement on their front page touting an "all new eloqui wireless" and "all new technology". So yeah, they're CDMA now. Even on their rate plans page it says "Requires Approved CDMA Handset - Service Agreement Terms Apply". Sounds to me like they're ripe for an Alltel buyout.

[wgray8231]

How long till Alltel takes the #2 CDMA spot or is able to significantly reduce/eliminate their dependancy on VZW?

If Alltel and VZW stay on good terms, can you imagine the roaming possibilities?

[agentHibby]

I would say either USCC or Alltel could buy them Eloqui out.

Alltel has very few cities in the top 50 markets, so they will still need VZW for roaming in alot of large metros. Sprint/Nextel will almost 40 million will be the #2 guy in the CDMA world once they transfer everyone that is iDEN to WiDEN (iDEN on SMR / CDMA on Cellular and PCS) or CDMA.

[cryogenic]

I never really thought about that... but I could see USCC taking Eloqui back. At one point, Eloqui's markets were actually part of US Cellular and then they split off and became Eloqui. US Cellular would benefit from having those markets, actually. Alltel has more money, though. Should be interesting to see what transpires.

[roamer1]

Originally Posted by cryogenic

Where did you hear this?

@Stanley... do you REALLY think USCC would sell off the Knoxville market?

No -- Knoxville is a "flagship" market for USCC (and Farragut is one for TDS, for that matter.)

-SC

[cryogenic]

Originally Posted by roamer1

No -- Knoxville is a "flagship" market for USCC (and Farragut is one for TDS, for that matter.)

-SC

That's the impression I got as well... I really don't see them selling the Knoxville market. It's a very lucrative market for them and is generally the first market in which they roll out new technology. I'm sure if they were to somehow re-acquire the Eloqui markets, it would please many current USCC Knoxville customers. I haven't seen anything from Eloqui that leads me to believe they're trying to get bought out aside from them going CDMA. The thing is, they had to upgrade from TDMA at SOME point or another. And given their previous ties with USCC, it seemed that CDMA was actually a better choice. That's just my opinion though.

[TNDan21]

Originally Posted by hillbilly44

Roamer;

Rumor is they are being sold to Alltel, with the possibility of Alltel buying the USCC (Knoxville) market shortly

I've heard the same thing. ALLTEL buying Eloqui wouldn't shock me but I'm not so sure about US Cellular selling off Knoxville. US Cellular has a stronge market in Knoxville, a large call center, and has been a test market for some of their technology. That being said though since it's so far off from other US Cellular markets and Knoxville is off to itself it's possible that US Cellular might sell off Knoxville to ALLTEL.

[cryogenic]

Even though the Knoxville market is isolated, it's still one of USCC's babies, so to speak. I just can't see them selling it off. Remember Eloqui has historical ties to USCC and as I recall, TDS/USCC still holds a small stake in Eloqui. As far as I can see it, if Alltel does in fact purchase Eloqui, USCC stands to make some money off the deal. I would think that USCC would make a push for them in their own right.

[nokiaistheway]

Eloqui has close ties to Bluegrass Cellular.... I believe some of the partners that own Bluegrass has a little ownership in Eloqui... I may be wrong, but the local rural phone companies that own Bluegrass is also offering Eloqui in TN right across the state line from Scottsville KY... But this is strictly speculation......

[SNSE]

Just remember, everyone said US Cellular would never close a big NOC like Tulsa either, and now it's just down to regional staff offices.....and two guys backing up Knoxville's Tech Support. It's awfully quiet in the old Tulsa NOC room these days.....