WEST U.S. -- AT&T in Omak, Washington?!!!

[Golce]

Hello

I'm guessing most of you haven't heard of Omak , Washington. Hopefully someone out there has the latest information regarding AT&T cellphone service in Omak. Currently, we have verizon or unicel. T-mobile is dropping us because of the expensive roaming charges. We will not be able to use our sidekicks. I Called AT& T, but none of the associates had any news of a buy out. Thanks:

[Eric47]

i checked both the TMOB and ATT website and they both show to be roaming....off who? im not sure...if anyone can shed some light on it, this would be interesting actually.


of course its possible that it is ATT area and they just havent updated their coverage maps...they are almost 3 months old.

[cellular_freak]

Well, that roaming coverage is probably because Unicel is GSM in that area. Therefore, both AT&T and T-Mobile would show roaming on Unicel. As for AT&T coming to your area, I'm not quite sure. I think you might be referring to the buyout between Verizon and Unicel. In that case, Verizon will be taking over most of Unicel's network, but there are some areas that Verizon would be divesting to AT&T. We won't know anything until the merger is approved by the FCC, however.

[markuhde]

If Verizon and Unicel are your only choices, Unicel will almost certainly have to be divested unless the FCC continues to make more and more dumb anti-consumer choices.

Therefore, you will have another choice soon. Hopefully T-Mobile if you're lucky Else AT&T is most likely. Maybe Chinook Wireless (umm, Cellular One) - they're a local Montana carrier that had shown an interest in tiny divested chunks recently (in Texas and Oklahoma)

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by cellular_freak

Well, that roaming coverage is probably because Unicel is GSM in that area. Therefore, both AT&T and T-Mobile would show roaming on Unicel. As for AT&T coming to your area, I'm not quite sure. I think you might be referring to the buyout between Verizon and Unicel. In that case, Verizon will be taking over most of Unicel's network, but there are some areas that Verizon would be divesting to AT&T. We won't know anything until the merger is approved by the FCC, however.

according to the zip code finder, Unicel is CDMA in that area. are you 100% sure they are GSM?

[clock3687]

Originally Posted by Eric47

according to the zip code finder, Unicel is CDMA in that area. are you 100% sure they are GSM?

Yea, when you enter that zip (98841) into the Unicel website, all GSM phones come up. To the OP, were you still under contract with t-mobile? Did they give you any options (port out, t-mobile to-go, etc.)?

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by clock3687

Yea, when you enter that zip (98841) into the Unicel website, all GSM phones come up. To the OP, were you still under contract with t-mobile? Did they give you any options (port out, t-mobile to-go, etc.)?

ah! thanks! i was pretty sure the zip code finder was wrong about a few other things also but i wanted to clarify

[Stonewall]

Well of course I have heard of Omak! The only thing hotter than Omak on a mid July day, is Omak on a late August day. Sorry I can't help you with the cell coverage . They still running that damn stampede at the fair?

[n7ryy]

I was on a wildfire near Omak Lake a few years ago with my Treo 650 in those days I beleive. I had pretty good coverage around town until we got east of town past the lake as I remember. I was roaming on Unicel GSM up there. Last year we were on another fire further east just north of Grand Coulee and I roamed on Unicel again. People in the camp with AT&T or T-Mobile could roam with no problems. There was no Verizon CDMA coverage where we were at, until you got down to the dam. In fact we set up some fire repeaters up at a Unicel cell site.

[RJB]

Up there I think you have two choices Unicel and Verizon. Unicel provides the GSM signal and Unicel also sends out CDMA. Verizon has 3G and CDMA there. Does Sprint roam on unicel or verizon there anyone know??

[RJB]

Originally Posted by clock3687

Yea, when you enter that zip (98841) into the Unicel website, all GSM phones come up. To the OP, were you still under contract with t-mobile? Did they give you any options (port out, t-mobile to-go, etc.)?

When you do this it will show you who has a liceanse there does not mean that service is there.

[Eric47]

it doesnt mean that people dont have service even if they dont have licenses. (roaming)

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Eric47

it doesnt mean that people dont have service even if they dont have licenses. (roaming)

Hence the reason I pointed out Unicel is the GSM carrier!

Originally Posted by RJB

Up there I think you have two choices Unicel and Verizon. Unicel provides the GSM signal and Unicel also sends out CDMA. Verizon has 3G and CDMA there. Does Sprint roam on unicel or verizon there anyone know??

[Navigator7]

Originally Posted by Golce

Hello

I'm guessing most of you haven't heard of Omak , Washington. Hopefully someone out there has the latest information regarding AT&T cellphone service in Omak. Currently, we have verizon or unicel. T-mobile is dropping us because of the expensive roaming charges. We will not be able to use our sidekicks. I Called AT& T, but none of the associates had any news of a buy out. Thanks:

I live in Tonasket.
I'm a Mac fan and can't wait to get an iPhone....but they won't work here and there is no AT&T.
Doing a little snooping, an AT&T man called me back to give me "The Scoop".

Verison has to divest some of it's territory to pick up other areas it wants.
AT&T has bought all the Verison in the Omak area.
The fella I talked to said AT&T was investing tons in this area including new cell towers!

He said all this would take place fast in "a month or so."

This was around June 1st, 2008.
He advised me to hold off getting an iPhone and just be patient.

It's coming!

[n7ryy]

Hard to believe that they would spend tons of money in Omak when there are major highways and freeways in Oregon and Washington that have very poor or no coverage. Try using your AT&T phone between Troutdale and Hood River on Hwy 14 or I84. I believe there is at least a 20 mile dead zone on Hwy 97 north of Goldendale. Though I did see a new Verizon tower that now fills in some coverage for them in that area.

[Hughes1]

so why cant you get courage is it because of all the trees in washington state
its got to be. sometimes i cant get coverage in california
and its bad as i have to drive so that i can use my cell phone
as i live right next to a mountain.
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Connected via HughesNet High-Speed Satellite Internet

[Navigator7]

I misspoke in my post above.
Evidently, AT&T is assuming Unicel and or trading service areas with Unicel. In addition they are trying to convert as many Verizon customers to AT&T as possible.

I had a buying urge like non other this weekend while in Spokane. My fist look at the new phone.
Even if I wanted to buy one...the wait time at nearly every store was 21 days + or -.


I'm electing to purchase a Jawbone bluetooth handsfree device and wait out the AT&T metamorphosis in my area

[TProphet]

Comparable Verizon plans and PDA phones are less expensive than AT&T with the iPhone. And Verizon has better coverage in Washington to boot. I'd recommend you go with them rather than AT&T, personally.

[Navigator7]

During land line phone inquiry yesterday, I learned Verizon has purchased Unicel.
My area, Tonasket is serviced by Verizon and Unicel.
Unicel has the GSM that makes the iPhone work.
Now, Verizon will have the GSM technology.

Verizon is given up certain service areas to avoid a monopoly situation.
That is where AT&T comes in.
They are supposed to take over Unicel's service area.

An AT&T rep says they have no information on this area and besides, "it will take years for AT&T to build towers!"

But the system already works! It works good!

Over the last few months, I am not only able to talk inside my house, I can now talk in my daylight basement. Prior to this, to talk...I needed to go outside...and even that was sketchy.
Something is happening in this area and nobody I talk to at customer service at Unicel, Verizon or AT&T can tell me anything but the canned chatter they are programmed to regurgitate.

So... friends from Seattle come to visit with their iPhones. (First generation) The phones work perfectly!
More bars than me! I was able to access websites, login in and make posts on websites I frequent, used mapquest, sent e-mail, pics and text to my home puter.
Getting on line was not as fast as my home puter on high speed wireless but it wasn't bad either. Way faster than dial up.

Still...If I buy an iPhone from an AT&T store or an Apple store I have to lie about my service location and over time, I will be shut off if the majority of my calls originate from a partner area.

What is going on with AT&T here?