Information on Nextel/iDEN coverage/quality...

[hylton]

Anyone have any facts (or personal opinion) on Nextel/iDEN service in SWVA. I'm in Roanoke and considering switching to this from Suncom when everything in VA switches over to Cingular next year...not comfortable w/ GSM coverage here yet...everyone I know has service problems w/ GSM around here...also like the thought of the direct connect feature...

What I'm not sure about is the future of iDEN (will Motorola/Nextel really go to wiDEN or move to something else) and also not sure about the coverage of iDEN in this area, of course the coverage maps show that everything is peachy-keen w/ regard to having service around here, but what's the true story ?

Thanks,
Chris

[TNDan21]

Nextel's coverage in SW VA is thin. Where Nextel has coverage it's usually fine but the problem is it doesn't extend out very far. Nextel has no roaming either so if you aren't picking up a Nextel signal your phone is dead. That's another reason why I don't usually recommend Nextel. Look into Verizon Wireless and US Cellular. They have the best coverage in that area I believe.

Verizon Wireless

US Cellular

[hylton]

Thanks...figured that might be the case, given that iDEN is proprietary and you can't really roam to anything...so may avoid it...

Would consider VZW or USC, but the phone choices are pretty lousy w/ those carriers here...if Nextel doesn't turn out to be a viable option, probably will just stick w/ Cingular once the conversion is over, very good rate plan/prices and if they keep the TDMA network going until GSM coverage gets better here, it should be fine.

Just kinda concerned what will happen to TDMA here after Cingular takes over...tons of customers on it, so unlikely to go away real soon, but I guess you never know.

Chris

[TNDan21]

Hylton unless your TDMA phone frequenly goes into Analog roam you should be ok with GSM. Cingular will proabely keep the TDMA up but no longer sign up new TDMA customers and try to get everybody off TDMA. Eventually Cingular will proabely shut the TDMA off but I don't see that happening for a long time.

[MSE Environmental]

Originally Posted by hylton

Anyone have any facts (or personal opinion) on Nextel/iDEN service in SWVA. I'm in Roanoke and considering switching to this from Suncom when everything in VA switches over to Cingular next year...not comfortable w/ GSM coverage here yet...everyone I know has service problems w/ GSM around here...also like the thought of the direct connect feature...

What I'm not sure about is the future of iDEN (will Motorola/Nextel really go to wiDEN or move to something else) and also not sure about the coverage of iDEN in this area, of course the coverage maps show that everything is peachy-keen w/ regard to having service around here, but what's the true story ?

Thanks,
Chris

I'm a former Nextel customer who travels a lot for business in SW Va.

As long as you are close to I-81 Nextel is fine. Get off the beaten path and your coverage will be poor.

You'd be better off with a company with better coverage, such as Verizon (or Alltel if it is available up there). Cingular is also good.

I suspect Nextel's coverage will be better over time, but will most likely never be as good as a company with roaming abilities. (VRZ, Cingular, Alltel).

Good Luck.

Mike

[WirelessBeachBum]

Originally Posted by hylton

Thanks...figured that might be the case, given that iDEN is proprietary and you can't really roam to anything...so may avoid it...

Would consider VZW or USC, but the phone choices are pretty lousy w/ those carriers here...if Nextel doesn't turn out to be a viable option, probably will just stick w/ Cingular once the conversion is over, very good rate plan/prices and if they keep the TDMA network going until GSM coverage gets better here, it should be fine.

Just kinda concerned what will happen to TDMA here after Cingular takes over...tons of customers on it, so unlikely to go away real soon, but I guess you never know.

Chris

When shopping for Verizon phones check out a corporate ran store instead of an agent you will see allot more phone choices....US Cellular never goes to extensive in the phone choice area, but coverage in SWVA is very good. Verizon or US Cellular cover some of the surrounding areas a little differently so check with your friends to see which areas are or are not covered by each carrier. Of course Verizons now offering Unlimited In-network on their extended network so that's not as big of a deal as it once was.

[ducm900s]

Suncom has their TDMA BTS, power supply cabinet and a small GSM BTS on their pad sites in SW VA. I suspect it is the same accross the whole State. I do not see Cingular turning down that many TDMA base stations immediately. More likely, they will continue running both TDMA and GSM until their customer in VA base has migrated to the GSM service. Their field techs don't know what the plan is.

[hylton]

Hey,

Thanks for the TDMA info, good to know that us customers are not the only ones in the dark still...did talk to a Suncom retail store yesterday and they were nebulous as well, first of the year is all they said...but, hopefully TDMA will stick around w/ Cingular as well as a better rate plan...I'm hoping for a TDMA equivalent rate plan to what Cingular already offers on their GSM coverage...i.e. shared minutes for 2 numbers, roll-over, free night/weekend, free mobile-to-mobile...but time will tell I guess...

Chris