VZW could give up 15% of Alltel customers through proposed merger

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by RadioFoneGuy

Heres the combined Map, also remember Verizon will pick up some territory from Dobson in Kentucky.

Nice map. Thanks RFG!

Is some of that territory in KY they'll get from Dobson what is currently showing white on the map? Is it most of that area or just specific parts of the state? Just curious...

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by bobolito

All you have to do is blame the carriers for not setting up their handoff tables correctly. Up in this area Verizon switches between A and B when crossing the NY/CT state line and calls don't drop. But then again I-95 corridor between NYC and CT is a major traveling artery which is very congested so I guess Verizon doesn't want bad publicity. So regardless if it's the same carrier or not, they can get those handoffs to work. It's just a matter of whether or not they care about doing it.

Well said. Alltel apparently just doesn't care...they have the same problem handing off at the SID boundary between SID 57 and 1393 (SE Louisiana, S Mississippi).

[music4praise]

Originally Posted by larry

[b]'............... Also I don't see Metro or Leap being interested in such rural coverage. Those two normally are interested in large metro areas and big cities where they can make more money. But who knows.

You have a good point. And because of it, US Cellular is more likely to pick up some of the areas.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by larry

Also I don't see Metro or Leap being interested in such rural coverage. Those two normally are interested in large metro areas and big cities where they can make more money. But who knows.

They'll both probably skip all the RSA, but there are a few MSAs in the list. Either way, Cricket prefers mid-sized towns (Las Vegas doesn't fit the mold), so they may have some interest there.

The big issue is that I think the divestitures are mostly concerning the cellular band. MetroPCS and Leap may not want to expand into another band, even though all their phones support it.

That leaves US Cellular, although I'd really like to see T-Mobile get proactive. I think VZW would prefer that AT&T gets as little as possible, but it may depend on how much they want AT&T's dual cellular licenses in Florida. I'm also curious if VZW wants to keep some dual licenses for trading purposes, or just for the extra spectrum and to keep it away from a competitor (AT&T).

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by KyleAndMelissa22

I did also have a handoff problem with Alltel going south into Florida along I-95 back in March,
(switch from Cell SID 520 to PCS SID 5667), but going back into Georgia later that day, there wasn't a problem.

Maybe it is just a fixable issue, and they can correct this at license borders,
because there really are many problems.

It's this problem that'll make me want to get migrated to Verizon's network,
rather than the potentially divested Alltel network.

I hope this gets fixed also... I have had calls drop on the Verizon network going to/from SID 4138 and SID 4160, 2 PCS systems in Florida. Calls drop at or near the Apalachicola River! I haven't had any problems traveling between cellular SID 41 and 1015 or 329/1015/41 or 113 (PCS)/41 at the Georgia/Alabama line. And the latter one looks like a recipe for disaster... AllTel in the above areas is seamless.

[RadioFoneGuy]

I modified a Great lakes Cellular Map just to show as a rough example of the Cellular A and B band overlap between Alltel and Verizon just in the Great Lakes.

This is just a quicky with MS Paint and notice some of the Midwest Wireless that Alltel sold to Rural will come into question again. If you look according to this map Alltel has the A and B bands in South Western Minnesota.

I only modified the B side with Black to show overlap.

You can go to Cellular Map Source-Cellular Market Licenses to get an idea whats going on in other areas.

[Bsilvertab]

I hope that the areas in Michigan do get divested to someone like a ATT or US Cellular, even T-mobile. The big V does not need 50mhz of cellular spectrum plus the PCS specturm they own.. That would be a huge monopoly.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by Bsilvertab

I hope that the areas in Michigan do get divested to someone like a ATT or US Cellular, even T-mobile. The big V does not need 50mhz of cellular spectrum plus the PCS specturm they own.. That would be a huge monopoly.

With cellular band licenses appearing to be deciding factor in how good a carrier's coverage is, I really wish the band had been split into more than 2 licenses. Here's to hoping that 700 MHz becomes the new standard.

[strunke]

Originally Posted by Bsilvertab

I hope that the areas in Michigan do get divested to someone like a ATT or US Cellular, even T-mobile. The big V does not need 50mhz of cellular spectrum plus the PCS specturm they own.. That would be a huge monopoly.

I don't think they should. Verizon's coverage is terrible here comparatively. Besides that wouldn't be fair to VZW who is paying for it. There is already a lot of competition in most areas.

[KyleAndMelissa22]

Originally Posted by strunke

I don't think they should. Verizon's coverage is terrible here comparatively. Besides that wouldn't be fair to VZW who is paying for it. There is already a lot of competition in most areas.

IMO My area ahould not be divested,
as there is plenty of competition within 100 miles of my area.

Alltel
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile (SunCom)
US Cellular (Western NC)
Carolina West Wireless (Western NC)
Cricket (Charlotte Metro)
MetroPCS (Atlanta Metro)

IMO, it would mess up coverage for alot of people, not make it better.

But if the network is divested, would VZW be allowed to migrate Alltel customers to VZW's network?

[Eric47]

i think it is only fair for ATT to get it in some areas for competitive reasons. I also think that VZW will have to divest WAYY more than what they are planning.

As it stands, they are set to keep Dual licenses in much of the country (and the south particularly).

the fact that "att shouldn't get any of it because of competition" is the same exact argument that can be made for VZW getting to keep a ton of Dual licenses.

and the argument that VZW should get to do it "because they are paying for it" is ridiculous. even when assets are divested, they still come at a cost, they are not free, and will likely go to the highest bidder pending approval of the FCC.

Conversely, i also argue that small time players wont have the capital or interest to start new networks or grab up licenses in new areas. existing areas or outlying, maybe, but for us cellular to decide to move into a state they have never been in such as California to try add "competition" is sort of a ridiculous statement also.

These are obviously my opinions but i look at things from a realistic, and honest perspective. I think some of us are "wishing" a little to much, and not looking at the big picture from a business perspective.

Hold onto your pantys guys, this is going to be a long and painful process.

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by KyleAndMelissa22

IMO My area ahould not be divested,
as there is plenty of competition within 100 miles of my area.

Alltel
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile (SunCom)
US Cellular (Western NC)
Carolina West Wireless (Western NC)
Cricket (Charlotte Metro)
MetroPCS (Atlanta Metro)

IMO, it would mess up coverage for alot of people, not make it better.

But if the network is divested, would VZW be allowed to migrate Alltel customers to VZW's network?

I was under the impression that if a company is divested in an area, network and subscribers are dumped. When Cingular bought AT&T wireless, the folks in divested areas were dumped along with the network. During that era, AllTel, USCellular, and SunCom got everything in the affected areas... In Tallahassee, there is enough competition. However, just up the road, AllTel, Verizon, and SouthernLINC, and Nextel are often the only wireless companies... And AT&T is moving like a snail with their 1900 buildout.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by Quint101

I was under the impression that if a company is divested in an area, network and subscribers are dumped. When Cingular bought AT&T wireless, the folks in divested areas were dumped along with the network. During that era, AllTel, USCellular, and SunCom got everything in the affected areas... In Tallahassee, there is enough competition. However, just up the road, AllTel, Verizon, and SouthernLINC, and Nextel are often the only wireless companies... And AT&T is moving like a snail with their 1900 buildout.

where's "up the road"? just wondering.

[hf1khal]

Lets not fprget what the FCC made Cingular do when it acquired AT&T Wirless, I beleive we are on teh same path here. I am more of a thought that VZW will divest but not to at&t but more to the likes of T Mobile and this will go even it meant a lower price. It would be moreof the competetive thoguht where they d not want at&t to be at least equal and to make it tougher for them to say they have more coverage. They will want them to pay for roaming and not own the spectrum. However, if this drags on till next year, we could see the whole thing falter under a new administration.

[Eric47]

i didnt know that TMOB even owned any 850? news to me.

[hf1khal]

Originally Posted by Eric47

i didnt know that TMOB even owned any 850? news to me.

It is always good to start for them as their handsets now include the 850 in order to raom and they depend on this for greater coverage and I don't see why they will not go for it if the price is right.

[spleck]

Originally Posted by hf1khal

It is always good to start for them as their handsets now include the 850 in order to raom and they depend on this for greater coverage and I don't see why they will not go for it if the price is right.

The fact that they haven't sold off the SunCom 850 license they acquired suggest they are willing to use it (or they just don't have enough PCS bandwidth ).