Roaming agreements and general questions?

Yes, as long as you use SID 324 (which I believe is their only SID), it is completely free roam. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Reps are the last people to ask, unless you get a tech geek, in which case you are lucky.

 

It is probably showing the location of Pioneer/Enids switch center/call center thingie.....where all the calls are routed.

It's not illegal, but it isn't encouraged to change the NAM and force a roam. I do it all the time for fun

All you can do is wait and see if you are charged I guess, but Alltel should have an agreement in place with them.

 

Well, if you continue to get charged for it, you could try forcing your phone into analog, sometimes it is better signal that way. Unless you have an all digital phone and not tri-mode...

Where are you located? Are you sure that there isn't another carrier like verizon, sprint, or even uscc?

Updated, I just checked Sprint and VZW aren't near you...USCC is the only that might be in reach.



Try one of these SIDs, you dial *228 when you switch the active line right?

Elk, KS? Elk County maybe?
1272

Oklahoma SIDs
4489 -Enid
4937 -Ponca City
5908 -Oklahoma City

Also if you keep using Enid/Pioneer then you may want to switch back to Alltel once you are in a area where you know alltel has good service, and just use it at home, that should cut down on the minutes....if you don't do that already.

 

Thank you for bringing this up 351 would be a SID that roaming rates would apply. We have a roaming agreement however it is not low enough for us to allow free roaming on.

The name you are seeing is where the switch for that SID is located. I have sent an email to call center supervisors to alert that some people may be NAM swicthing to try and use that and then asking for adjustments. Sorry to be harsh but this is a revenue loss.

 

Wait, I'm confused, I thought you all were talking about SID 324?

 

The only ones that I change my NAM to are the free roam ones. I don't do it very often, I tested out a new vzw network that was just built out here. Mostly just looking at the number of "bars".

You can try using one of the USCC SIDs for just when you need it, those might possibly work. But you shouldn't spend the whole time on another SID. Consistently calling in to have the charges wiped off isn't very fair to Alltel. I mean 351 minutes means at the very least 207 dollars or so. It literally costs Alltel to have you as a customer because Pioneer/Enid charges them more for roaming then VZW, Sprint, and USCC. I really hope they improve the network in your area because they are a good company, and it would be good to stay with them, but if they do not then you may want to switch to the local provider for better service.

 

i meant 324 and it is not on the nat list in billing tables due to the high cost to roam. He CAN go to a local plan that would not charge him to use that SID, but since it is negative in the PRL and he would be forcing his phone to it, he would run the risk of being audited for too much roaming on a local plan with a non-preferred carrier making him subject to alltel disconnecting his service and charging the early disconnect penalty.

 

I think alltelwirelesstech just saw the number of minutes roaming and that was all he could think about

 

Understood. Thanks. I just wanted to make sure you all were talking about the same SID.

 

Typically, if the carrier is cancelling the contract they don't charge the fee. It's only when you want to cancel do they charge it.

 

Coadman, if your phone is not receiving a signal at all from alltel or a free roam provider under your normal settings it would still switch to the Pioneer signal on its own. So you must be getting some type of signal under your normal settings or it would automatically switch you over to the Pioneer signal if it was all that was available. Have you thought about switching to a phone that performs better in low signal situations such as one of the Motorola or Nokia phones. I can generally get good call quality with just one bar on my Moto E815 and I can hold onto a signal much longer (up to 0.5-1 mile) than my neighbor who has an LG.

Other than that, you could try the SIDs that Strunke provided. You could also try one of the total freedom plans, greater freedom plans if they cover your area, or the 100 free to roam minutes. For the greater freedom plan, go to the alltel website and enter your zip to determine your coverage area, if you are anywhere in dark blue, you will not be charged for roaming. If alltel terminates your contract for excessive roaming on a total freedom or greater freedom plan then do you really see that as a problem? :wink: Who knows you may even decide to stay.

But what I really don't understand is why you prefer the Pioneer signal if you can pick up something else. With CDMA technology you can generally make and receive calls without a problem with just one bar. With much less than that and it would switch you over anyway to a preferred provider or the Pioneer tower anyway.

 

You will need to read the part about altering your equip.

you should NEVER hit that SID normally. you are changing to NAM2 with that as the home SID forcing your phone to override the PRL. So excessive roaming on greater would be breach of contract.

but yes about the rate plan. you would not be charged for roaming in your home state even using that SID

word of advice.... less than 4 months left on your contract, go ahead and cheat as far as changing to greater and forcing your phone to roam. it will take at least that long for an audit to catch you........ but i did not say that :wink:


or get total freedom

 

I know how Coadman feels. Alltel's Kansas network sucks. In my opinion they should be able to provide seamless coverage along all the major highways and they struggle at that. I wont even use their system in Pittsburg, KS for roaming with my VZW phone. I've locked the SID 1271 out of all of my friends and family's phones and have them using the USCC network.

Coadman you might be able to check into using USCC. They are using the old Cellular One network that has roughly the same coverage area as the current Alltel one. Their towers are probably placed different so it may work better for you. USCC knows how to build a good network it may just take them time to get the network up to par.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but is Pioneer using Sprint's spectrum to provide PCS coverage where Coadman is?