Cingular and Union Cellular

[reevejf]

What are the chances of Cingular buying Union Cellular..it exists in NW Colorado and a good chunk of Wyoming. I currently have Verizon but Id like to see a GSM network come here. According to Cingular's national map Union has GSM roaming coverage but they still sell TDMA to their customers. If anyone has any insight on this please let me know. As far as other carriers, Sprint has coverage for about 40 miles along one highway and thats it, there is no Tmobile and UBET PCS is just a joke...they have like 5 towers in this part of the state that are just islands of coverage in a few towns.

[neilson]

Originally Posted by reevejf What are the chances of Cingular buying Union Cellular..it exists in NW Colorado and a good chunk of Wyoming. I currently have Verizon but Id like to see a GSM network come here. According to Cingular's national map Union has GSM roaming coverage but they still sell TDMA to their customers. If anyone has any insight on this please let me know. As far as other carriers, Sprint has coverage for about 40 miles along one highway and thats it, there is no Tmobile and UBET PCS is just a joke...they have like 5 towers in this part of the state that are just islands of coverage in a few towns.

I think RCC Unicel may well snatch up Union if anyone is going to, although Cingular has been known on occasion to suprise the industry(ATTWS merger as a big example).

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by reevejf What are the chances of Cingular buying Union Cellular..it exists in NW Colorado and a good chunk of Wyoming. I currently have Verizon but Id like to see a GSM network come here.

Have you actually called Union and asked? When they purchased the Pyxis network in Wyoming, they converted all the sites, and existing customers, to GSM. I would only assume it's available on all of their network. Maybe they'll require a WY billing address.

How bad do you want GSM? Bad enough to get a Cingular phone with a Denver or Grand Junction number, and Roam on Union? It should be included. I use Union TDMA in Colorado, and Verizon's coverage is better, but they both cover Rt. 40 the same.

Cingular has their hands full and probably won't buy anything soon. Besides, they have such a good roaming agreement with Union. Union is pretty happy right now. It might take a hefty offer to get them to pry it loose, and most carriers are bargain-hunting today. If they both weren't co-ops, I would have expected Union to buy UBET a long time ago.

[Andy]

All the coverage T-Mobile has in WY is roaming...Maybe VZW is your only choice, unless you want to go with Bill's idea. Why do you want GSM, because of the phone selections?

[reevejf]

Verizon isnt unsatisfying, but there are places where Union covers and Verizon does not...i.e. CO 13 from Craig to Meeker. But then again Union isnt great in that stretch either. I think im entering a flashy phone phase and want to try GSM since ive never really had it before.

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by reevejf Verizon isnt unsatisfying, but there are places where Union covers and Verizon does not...i.e. CO 13 from Craig to Meeker.

Which is the bigger problem? Coverage or cool phones? If you want coverage on Union when you lose VZ, set your Verizon phone to "Auto B". When you lose Verizon you'll roam on Union. It will be included if you have the Local plan. If you have the AC plan, then you'll pay roaming.

There are millions of people in major cities who would rather have a certain type of phone, maybe GSM. But even though they have good GSM coverage available, they choose a non-GSM provider because the coverage for them is better. It's all about tradeoffs.

[wgray8231]

Originally Posted by reevejf Verizon isnt unsatisfying, but there are places where Union covers and Verizon does not...i.e. CO 13 from Craig to Meeker. But then again Union isnt great in that stretch either. I think im entering a flashy phone phase and want to try GSM since ive never really had it before.

If it can make or take a call, I think it's a phone. Isn't the primary function of the phone to place and receive calls? I understand the phone/PDA combo, but other than that, how flashy of a phone does one really need?

I'd say Cingular will be a little busy with the merger to think about acquiring anyone else soon. Although, that might come a little sooner depending on how fast VZW can reclaim the top spot in subscriber numbers.

[mattman15]

Hi everyone , First time here.
I find your conversation on union tel and competitors very interesting. I would think that all TDMA and GSM products will be rolled to CDMA products within a couple years.

[wgray8231]

Originally Posted by mattman15 Hi everyone , First time here. I find your conversation on union tel and competitors very interesting. I would think that all TDMA and GSM products will be rolled to CDMA products within a couple years.

No, the next generation of GSM is WCDMA which is very different from the CDMA of VZW, Alltel, and Sprint.

[AG8000]

Maybe the OP should get Union Cellular.

[wgray8231]

Originally Posted by AG8000 Maybe the OP should get Union Cellular.

This thread is almost 2 years old and irrelevant now.

[mattman15]

Sorry, didn't realize the conversation was that old. I just accepted a cellular technician position with Union cellular in Northern Colorado. So I was interested in the merger info.