WirelessAdvisor.com

Alaskan99654 · 02-26-2008, 9:25 PM

Was preparing to purchase a GPS tracking device that uses Sprint, when I was told Sprint doesn't cover Alaska. Their coverage maps seem to bear that out, but... does anyone know any different? Is it true that Sprint isn't in Alaska?

Eric47 · 02-26-2008, 11:18 PM

there has been a mixed debate on this. as far as we can tell they "may" work in some places, but not in all the cities that some other carriers like ATT and Verizon are working in, or so this is what it seems.

from my own personal research of talking to people moving to Alaska (mostly military) they almost all get ATT because they say its the only thing that works...

just curious, why get a GPS that uses a cellphone carrier? why not a garmin or something that uses actual satellites?

TelcomJunkie · 02-27-2008, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricN4707

just curious, why get a GPS that uses a cellphone carrier? why not a garmin or something that uses actual satellites?

He's using a GPS tracking device, one that needs to report back to a server. To provide that feature the GPS unit has to have a data device in it, some of these units come with Sprint modems in them and a lot of others use Verizon.

Alaskan99654 · 02-27-2008, 1:12 AM

Actually I'm trying to find such an animal that will work up here. Had my heart set on a Sendum PT-200 until the vendor advised that it used Sprint, which they didn't think worked up here. They suggested I look at Enfora devices, to whom I have written to.

So, in the meantime I'm looking for a real time, celluar assisted GPS tracking unit. One that doesn't need to "see the sky" to work, and that I can track via the internet. Anyone have any suggestions?

RadioFoneGuy · 02-27-2008, 3:44 PM

I know the ATT has something along that lines in their own vehicles.

It has the GPS antenna then every 7-10 minutes sends out a data burst over the EDGE network.

Cellular One had the largest network but ATT bought them out back in November.

Look at the business solutions on ATT.com there may be something there.

mframe · 02-27-2008, 5:13 PM

The AT&T Tilt (Windows Smartphone) has built-in GPS.

larry · 02-27-2008, 7:36 PM

Sprint does have native service in Alaska but it is provided by another carrier through a partnership deal. Similar to what they have in Montana with Alltel.

RadioFoneGuy · 02-27-2008, 8:42 PM

ACS is the CDMA carrier up there. They claim EVDO but I read in another thread somewhere that in most areas they still have 1X.

On their website they poke fun at AT&T on one comparison between them they put

at&t = Cellular One

There are claiming 1meg downloads in 10 seconds so that would tell me there REV A

You can roam with Sprint but I dont know how that would work with a business solution.

Alaskan99654 · 02-27-2008, 9:03 PM

You guys have been very helpful. Glad I joined the list. The company is sending up a unit to check how well it will work. If interested, I'll post an update.
Thanks again,

Ron
Ron

RadioFoneGuy · 02-29-2008, 9:25 PM

Good luck, keep us updated.

~~RJB~~ · 03-02-2008, 1:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alaskan99654

You guys have been very helpful. Glad I joined the list. The company is sending up a unit to check how well it will work. If interested, I'll post an update.
Thanks again,

Ron
Ron

Yeah for sure I am curious about this as well.

jayatmtu · 06-16-2008, 8:41 PM

I'm up in Fairbanks now and am typing this message using my Sprint Data card! On my trips up here in previous years as a Sprint user I only had voice ability (no VM indicator, text messaging, or anything). I am happy to report to say that both my Sprint Blackberry and Sprint Data Card work quite well now, both in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse!

jimwayda · 06-18-2008, 2:55 PM

That is good new, but please don't beat the "Deadhorse"

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayatmtu

I'm up in Fairbanks now and am typing this message using my Sprint Data card! On my trips up here in previous years as a Sprint user I only had voice ability (no VM indicator, text messaging, or anything). I am happy to report to say that both my Sprint Blackberry and Sprint Data Card work quite well now, both in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse!

OCSue · 06-29-2008, 3:07 AM

Our son is in Fairbanks. All of his calls are on roaming, which costs a fortune: incoming calls (including voicemail) are billed @ $0.94 and outgoing are the same price PER MINUTE. That's lousy. Certainly there must be a better way. Changing to another carrier may be his only option.

jayatmtu · 06-29-2008, 4:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCSue

Our son is in Fairbanks. All of his calls are on roaming, which costs a fortune: incoming calls (including voicemail) are billed @ $0.94 and outgoing are the same price PER MINUTE. That's lousy. Certainly there must be a better way. Changing to another carrier may be his only option.

Hmmm..he either must be on a really old plan that still charges for roaming or perhaps he is on some sort of prepaid plan? I know my Sprint plan includes voice and data roaming anywhere it will work in the 50 states.

larry · 06-29-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCSue

Our son is in Fairbanks. All of his calls are on roaming, which costs a fortune: incoming calls (including voicemail) are billed @ $0.94 and outgoing are the same price PER MINUTE. That's lousy. Certainly there must be a better way. Changing to another carrier may be his only option.

Change to a newer plan. He must be on an ancient plan from like 2003 or something! No more roaming charges on modern Sprint plans.

OCSue · 06-29-2008, 12:16 PM

Thanks. We are on an older plan. which up until now we thought was a great deal.

OCSue · 06-29-2008, 12:41 PM

However, last summer, when he was in Fairbanks, he used the phone and there were no roaming charges. This summer there are roaming charges. We have not changed our plan. Sounds like Sprint changed.

Anybody have any ideas about that?

jayatmtu · 06-29-2008, 4:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCSue

However, last summer, when he was in Fairbanks, he used the phone and there were no roaming charges. This summer there are roaming charges. We have not changed our plan. Sounds like Sprint changed.

Anybody have any ideas about that?

I don't know. I just got back from Fairbanks last night and I know my phone worked fine up there with no roaming charges.

OCSue · 06-29-2008, 6:06 PM

I just called Sprint Customer Service who told me that the reason we having roaming charges is because of the particular tower(s) used for the calls. That doesn't explain why there were no roaming charges for the two previous summers when the phone was used in Fairbanks. Sounds like a miracle for Sprint.

It is true that we have an old plan, so old that Sprint would just love to get us out of it because it is --or was -- such a good deal for us.

larry · 06-30-2008, 2:14 AM

The phone's PRL version could also play a factor in this. When was the last time it was updated and which brand and model is it? If you don't know how to check the PRL version it's usually ##786# and then 'ok'. This varies a little depending on phone but should work on most.

The phone could be hitting a different roaming partner this time than it did the previous two years which can cause roaming charges if it is not on Sprint's network. Sprint has a network partner in Fairbanks, Alaska which provides Sprint native service. However the phone could have landed on another carrier this time and thus the roaming charges.

To avoid having to pay roaming charges and not to have to worry about it I would recommend changing the plan to a new one.

OCSue · 06-30-2008, 10:56 AM

Turns out that our son had set his phone to neither accept nor make roaming calls. He called Sprint, got some sort of roaming put on the plan and a credit was issued. No idea why the phone didn't perform as it was supposed to, but the problem has been solved.

02-26-2008, 9:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Alaskan99654 Posting up a storm! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mat Su Valley, Alaska Posts: 4 Phone(s): razor Provider(s): GCI Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sprint coverage in Alaska... Was preparing to purchase a GPS tracking device that uses Sprint, when I was told Sprint doesn't cover Alaska. Their coverage maps seem to bear that out, but... does anyone know any different? Is it true that Sprint isn't in Alaska?

02-26-2008, 11:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Eric47 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: in my own house Posts: 1,404 Phone(s): crackberry's Devices: my home wi-fi router and laptop Thanks: 5 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... there has been a mixed debate on this. as far as we can tell they "may" work in some places, but not in all the cities that some other carriers like ATT and Verizon are working in, or so this is what it seems. from my own personal research of talking to people moving to Alaska (mostly military) they almost all get ATT because they say its the only thing that works... just curious, why get a GPS that uses a cellphone carrier? why not a garmin or something that uses actual satellites?

02-27-2008, 1:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
Alaskan99654 Posting up a storm! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mat Su Valley, Alaska Posts: 4 Phone(s): razor Provider(s): GCI Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Actually I'm trying to find such an animal that will work up here. Had my heart set on a Sendum PT-200 until the vendor advised that it used Sprint, which they didn't think worked up here. They suggested I look at Enfora devices, to whom I have written to. So, in the meantime I'm looking for a real time, celluar assisted GPS tracking unit. One that doesn't need to "see the sky" to work, and that I can track via the internet. Anyone have any suggestions?

02-27-2008, 3:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
RadioFoneGuy Pimpin the Tilt! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Everywhere. Posts: 1,153 Phone(s): Nokia 6103, 6010, 2260, HTC TILT, moto V400, 55, Nokia 6682, 6085, to many phones Provider(s): The death star formally known as Cell One. Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... I know the ATT has something along that lines in their own vehicles. It has the GPS antenna then every 7-10 minutes sends out a data burst over the EDGE network. Cellular One had the largest network but ATT bought them out back in November. Look at the business solutions on ATT.com there may be something there. __________________ Cellular One of Georgia 1994-96 ATTWS 1999-2003 and VoiceStream 2001-2003 Cellular One from Dobson Cellular 2003-2007 AT&T JR 2008 to Present.

02-27-2008, 5:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
mframe Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Western MA Posts: 239 Phone(s): AT&T Tilt (8925), Moto V330, Moto E816, Nokia 3590 Provider(s): AT&T, Alltel U Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... The AT&T Tilt (Windows Smartphone) has built-in GPS.

02-27-2008, 7:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
larry Go Angels! Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 12,756 Phone(s): LG Rumor Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 8 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts My Auctions	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Sprint does have native service in Alaska but it is provided by another carrier through a partnership deal. Similar to what they have in Montana with Alltel.

02-27-2008, 8:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
RadioFoneGuy Pimpin the Tilt! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Everywhere. Posts: 1,153 Phone(s): Nokia 6103, 6010, 2260, HTC TILT, moto V400, 55, Nokia 6682, 6085, to many phones Provider(s): The death star formally known as Cell One. Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... ACS is the CDMA carrier up there. They claim EVDO but I read in another thread somewhere that in most areas they still have 1X. On their website they poke fun at AT&T on one comparison between them they put at&t = Cellular One There are claiming 1meg downloads in 10 seconds so that would tell me there REV A You can roam with Sprint but I dont know how that would work with a business solution. __________________ Cellular One of Georgia 1994-96 ATTWS 1999-2003 and VoiceStream 2001-2003 Cellular One from Dobson Cellular 2003-2007 AT&T JR 2008 to Present.

02-27-2008, 9:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
Alaskan99654 Posting up a storm! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mat Su Valley, Alaska Posts: 4 Phone(s): razor Provider(s): GCI Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... You guys have been very helpful. Glad I joined the list. The company is sending up a unit to check how well it will work. If interested, I'll post an update. Thanks again, Ron Ron

02-29-2008, 9:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
RadioFoneGuy Pimpin the Tilt! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Everywhere. Posts: 1,153 Phone(s): Nokia 6103, 6010, 2260, HTC TILT, moto V400, 55, Nokia 6682, 6085, to many phones Provider(s): The death star formally known as Cell One. Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Good luck, keep us updated.

06-16-2008, 8:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
jayatmtu Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 82 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... I'm up in Fairbanks now and am typing this message using my Sprint Data card! On my trips up here in previous years as a Sprint user I only had voice ability (no VM indicator, text messaging, or anything). I am happy to report to say that both my Sprint Blackberry and Sprint Data Card work quite well now, both in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse!

06-29-2008, 3:07 AM	#14 (permalink)
OCSue Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 7 Phone(s): Sprint SCP-3100 Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Our son is in Fairbanks. All of his calls are on roaming, which costs a fortune: incoming calls (including voicemail) are billed @ $0.94 and outgoing are the same price PER MINUTE. That's lousy. Certainly there must be a better way. Changing to another carrier may be his only option.

06-29-2008, 12:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
OCSue Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 7 Phone(s): Sprint SCP-3100 Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Thanks. We are on an older plan. which up until now we thought was a great deal.

06-29-2008, 12:41 PM	#18 (permalink)
OCSue Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 7 Phone(s): Sprint SCP-3100 Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... However, last summer, when he was in Fairbanks, he used the phone and there were no roaming charges. This summer there are roaming charges. We have not changed our plan. Sounds like Sprint changed. Anybody have any ideas about that?

06-29-2008, 6:06 PM	#20 (permalink)
OCSue Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 7 Phone(s): Sprint SCP-3100 Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... I just called Sprint Customer Service who told me that the reason we having roaming charges is because of the particular tower(s) used for the calls. That doesn't explain why there were no roaming charges for the two previous summers when the phone was used in Fairbanks. Sounds like a miracle for Sprint. It is true that we have an old plan, so old that Sprint would just love to get us out of it because it is --or was -- such a good deal for us.

06-30-2008, 2:14 AM	#21 (permalink)
larry Go Angels! Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 12,756 Phone(s): LG Rumor Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 8 Thanked 12 Times in 12 Posts My Auctions	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... The phone's PRL version could also play a factor in this. When was the last time it was updated and which brand and model is it? If you don't know how to check the PRL version it's usually ##786# and then 'ok'. This varies a little depending on phone but should work on most. The phone could be hitting a different roaming partner this time than it did the previous two years which can cause roaming charges if it is not on Sprint's network. Sprint has a network partner in Fairbanks, Alaska which provides Sprint native service. However the phone could have landed on another carrier this time and thus the roaming charges. To avoid having to pay roaming charges and not to have to worry about it I would recommend changing the plan to a new one.

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06-30-2008, 10:56 AM	#22 (permalink)
OCSue Movin' on up! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orange CA Posts: 7 Phone(s): Sprint SCP-3100 Provider(s): Sprint Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sprint coverage in Alaska... Turns out that our son had set his phone to neither accept nor make roaming calls. He called Sprint, got some sort of roaming put on the plan and a credit was issued. No idea why the phone didn't perform as it was supposed to, but the problem has been solved.

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