Bye-bye America's Choice?

I just returned from a trip to western Montana, and it's interesting to note that the Western Wireless territory there isn't included on the Verizon America's Choice plan. That said, they do run both CDMA and analog on their network in that area; I can't speak for TDMA or GSM since I only have CDMA handsets.

 

I'm a subscriber of Cellularone/Western Wireless. Been with them for almost 8 years..Until last year, Analog was the only choice. I'm on CDMA now. I do know that TDMA is available. CellOne does not really market their TDMA. They are really pushing the CDMA system.

Most of Utah is now digital (cdma & tdma).

I have enjoyed my rate.

$45.00

700 peak minutes (6am-8pm)
unlimited night
unlimited weekend
1000 mobile to mobile

100 minutes to use outside of home coverage to use in 20 Western States.

(Personally, I think they should dump the 100 minute roaming allowance and allow roaming in 20 western states. - similar to Verizon's Single Rate west)

I challenge someone to find me a better plan. I await to see if there is something that can beat this.

 

IMO, if any of the PCS or CDMA-800 providers would give us at least a good chunk of digital service there, then it would really improve the coverage in Texas. TDMA is what most of that coverage is out west and, I don't mind TDMA, but, I don't have a TDMA phone so, I would be analog my whole way from San Antonio to El Paso? That $ucks IMO.

--J.T

 

I don't see any reason WW would replace CDMA with GSM. They already have a huge CDMA-800 network that from what I understand is 1x, so it would be stupid to dump that now. The way I understad it is that when all the GSM providers decided to work together to provide more rural coverage ( as discussed in these forums for about the last month), WW wanted a piece of the pie to so to speak. So they will hang GSM transmiters on there preexisting towers using spectrum purchased I believe from Tmobile, and like magic, a whole new market to charge roaming fees to.

 

I think you are right Buickman

 

I believe you are right also Buickman. I completely agree with you, and I think that's a good solid, company decision, just because it will bring in some money, and also, it will do what it is set out to do...make more coverage in rural areas .

--J.T

 

It would not surprise me at all to see T-Mobile and Western Wireless making a deal. They're both based in Bellevue, Washington. In fact, their Factoria offices are literally next door to one another, and many employees have worked for both companies. T-Mobile even offers a discount on service to Western Wireless employees (Western Wireless has no coverage in the Seattle area).

 

If it works for them to have all the technologies, well then great. It will make a lot of wireless users happy, even the ones with other providers. Also WW will have better luck with juggling the technologies if other companies like T-Mobile help them out, like Buickman mentioned.

 

On the subject of Bye Bye Americas Choice.
In a way., Yes BYE BYE

Effective June2, there are new price plans
Check this thread
for more information on what those are.

Im looking at the new National SingleRate plans which replace the America's choice plans. and instead of a map depicting the aproximate coverage like the old AC Map, the whole US territorry is depicted as "everything covered" meaning that probably Verizon made agreements with all sorts of wireless providers to provide an extended coverage area under the new plans.
theres no roaming spots or off network service spots shown on the new map so, its kinda scary, i wonder what Wireless will bring for us soon.

 

Xprt...are you aware if Verizon will be adding M2M and/or a N&W option to the NSR plans since these plans currently only include anytime minutes?

 

Matt Unfortunately No, the new NSR plans will not give you the option to add Unlimited N/W/ or M2M. You have the option for $10 more add 1000 weekend Minutes and those dont include nights.
Weekend Hours 12am saturday to 11:59 sunday

This sure seems like a counter plan against the Sprints Free and Clear America because NSR is offering no roaming charges and no long distance charges Nationwide.

We'll see whats next...~>

 

WOW! $10 now to add 1,000 weekend minutes, it used to be $5. I wish they would bring back the NSRW plans, those were great. With those plans you got to have unlimited N&W. I don't think the NSR plans are a counter to Sprint's F&C America plans, It's more like the other way around. The NSR plans have been around ever since I started using a cell phone about 4 years ago.

 

yeah but now they have certain options and whatnot, plus the exclusion of such features as UL N/W

 

Yeah, I don't really get what Verizon is doing with their pricing lately...I would have figured they would do something to counter the Sprint F&C America plans because those plans, unless you will roam over 50% of the time, make the NSR plans look ridiculous.

Saw something funny in a RadioShack ad that came in the mail today...Verizon should be angry. On one page there is a picture of the Sanyo 8100 and a description of all its features with a price tag of $99.99 in big red lettering. On the opposite page is a picture of the Samsung a530, a brief description of the phone, and the price tag of $299.99 in big red lettering. Yikes.

 

hahaha i love those ads.... they bring me more sprint sales...
too bad the 8100 is not available anywhere from san jose to san francisco in either the sprint stores or radioshack, theyre having the worst time trying to get the phone to the distribution centers. in any case. on that note about Verizon Getting mad at Radioshack for that heheeh i think RS should get mad at VZW for using RS motto in their free up web page, check it out here under the help link

 

I wanted the SingleRate Southwest back, but not those plans! YUCKY PLANS!! hahahh


--J.T

 

Radio Shack has the A530 priced REALLY REALLY high. THe NO contract price is $300 in my area and $150 with a 2 year contract

Jack

 

There new pricing plans are lame to say the least. What is ridiculous is having almost all digital only phone coming out. And including a state (NV) in a CA local plan where coverage is mostly analog.

 

I agree!



--J.T

 

There is digital coverage in much of Nevada(Lovelock, Imlay, Rye Patch Resevoir, Winnemucca, Fallon, Eureka, Mina, Tonopah, Amargosa) now for Verizon customers via CC Communications


http://www.cccomm.net/OnRoad/cellservice.htm

 

That's cool that there is digital for the local plans in NV, but it looks like it's roaming on AC & no service on digital AC plans.

 

I would think the digital only AC plans would be able to use CC's digital coverage just like the regular AC plans.

 

You'd think, but the only place I got non-roaming service between Wendover and Reno/Sparks along I-80 was in Elko, when I got Verizon analog service.

 

Jack, where in Ohio are you?? Here in Columbus the RS has it for $299.99 WITH a 2 yr contract. Without any contract it is $500!!!

 

Who puts these prices on phones? WTF?

--J.T

 

OMG! $500 for the a530. I'd rather walk out of the store with a V60i and around $200 in my pocket.

It's all in the roaming agreements Verizon has or dosn't have. That determines what signal you get. For me I'd rather have free analog roaming than pay $0.69 a minute for digital. It would be nice if Verizon could buy some of these small providers, but most people in these areas don't like big corps to come in and take over there local providers. I'm just glad that I'm able to watch Verizon from the side lines so to speak, as they do these major changes.

 

The way it works is this:

Retail price of the phones are from $200 and up.
When you go to a VZW Store or a radioshack you see that all the phones have a certain price "with activation" if you look closer at the price tag it also includes an "unactivated price".
By becoming a VZW Customer you get a price break of $200 meaning that Verizon eats that from the cost of the phone and then you only pay whatever price is left on the phone, for example:

The Motorola T 720 retails at $449.99
The phone is on sale for $349.99
You become a new or upgrade VZW customer, they eat $200 off the phone as an incentive.
The Price of the phone is now $149.99
There is a $70 Instant rebate.
Your final price becomes $79.99(considering youre signing a 2 year contract otherwise add $30) PLUS tax on the original price of the phone which in this case was the sale price of $349.99 totaling to $115.46 using the SF CA tax of 8.25%

Therefore whenever you see VZW giving away phones or selling the $.01 cent phones theyre actually eating the $200 retail cost of it. So look at it on the bright side when you buy your first phone or upgrade to a "free" phone, youre actually getting a $200 paperweight ^_^

When it comes to the lenght of the contract youre signing as a new customer there are some perks:
You get $30 off the sale price of phone if you sign up for a 2 year contract.
No Activation Fee
New Every Two phone replacement program

Now if you think about it, If you lose your phone or break it and its not insured before your contract ends dont expect to get a price break because the lowest price youll end up paying for a replacement phone is $200 unless you kept a spare one somewhere.

For all those sprint users who complain about the price of the phones for SPCS, rather you should be jumping for joy because SPCS eats the price of the phone before it reaches the stores so if you see a phone for $100, you buy it, then you lose it, you only pay $100 to get that replacement phone ^_^

-Cop-

 

The only problem is Verizon prices their phones differently all over the country. Full retail on the VX4400 at a Verizon store in NJ or CA is $300 or $329 I think. In Ohio it is $449. Yet the promotional prices are always the same!

 

It is amazing how the price of a phone is different in each market. The retail price of the 4400 is $300 in SoCal BTW.

XprtCop - Thanks for the Verizon info. I understand the way Verizon works, I was a customer for 3 years. I did like it in Las Vegas & OR when I was with VW I got the phone my for the two year price and no activation fee for signing a 1 year contract. You are right about SPCS customers, they should be jumping for joy. I know I was when I signed up. If I do see someone complaning, I almost feel like slapping them silly. But just usually LOL.

 

A little update on the Americas Choice plans:

Yes they will still exist and remain in effect but the following changes were made to the base pricing of such:

Monthly Access.........|$39.99|$49.99|$59.99|$79.99|$99.99|$149.99|$199.99
Minute Allowance.....|400.....|500.....|700......|1000...|1300...|2200.....|3200
Rate after Allowance|45c |40c |40c |35c |25c |25c |20c

1000 night&weekend mins available for $10 more. Same goes for 1000 mins Mobile2Mobile $10 more.

Promotional Summer A/C 2 year plans (1 year for existing customers) with Bonus Minutes

Monthly Access.........|$39.99|$49.99|$59.99|$79.99|$99.99|$149.99|$199.99
Minute Allowance.....|400.....|500.....|700......|1000...|1300...|2200.....|3200
Rate after Allowance|45c.....|40c......|40c......|35c......|25c.....|25c........|20c
Bonus Minutes.........|....0.....|.....0....|..100...|....100..|..200...|200.......|200
Night/wknd mins......|<-------------unlimited------------------------------------->
NationalMObile2mob|<-------------1000------------------------------------------>