This was a surprise (new forum layout), but it does look a little nicer. Anyway, I thought I'd start this thread back up so we can get a resolution. I got a bill a couple of days ago that was higher than expected. Not by much, just a couple of bucks. I called today to find out why. One particular weekend, I went to Fargo and my wife went to Rochester. It turns out she placed a call in Cannon Falls, which was reported as roaming. I asked the CSR if he could tell me what company, since there aren't too many in that area. He actually said he could, and after 10 minutes on hold, he told me it was Commnet! I went to their website, and wouldn't you know it, they do have a couple of sites in SE Minnesota. Like we needed the extra company to compound our roaming problems here! I searched the FCC and SID databases, but was unable to come up with anything for that market. Does anyone know how their license works? I would really like to know their SID so I can set it as NEG in the PRL. I don't understand why VZW doesn't set all of their SIDs as NEG themselves, especially since they are a thorn in everyones side. I would guess this is the same company that GregMal is having trouble with in Winona. Hopefully he will learn some valuable information today down there. Maybe if this is the same problem we can somehow convince the techs to NEG these idiots? http://www.commnetwireless.com/coverage.htm Of course their MN map doesn't appear. Dan
They're probably the outfit that got AT&T's liscences that the FCC pulled from them a while back. Wierd though that your wifes phone would pick up their system, considering Midwest wireless (both D and A) and Sprint both opperate in that area as extended network partners.
Commnet in SE MN The Minnesota licenses aren't held by Commnet per se, but by a company called "Great Western Cellular Partners" (based out of the St. Louis area), that doesn't seem to have any ownership ties with Commnet, that lets Commnet manage their system. Great Western might as well be Commnet itself, though -- Great Western is roamer-only just like Commnet is, and Great Western runs off Commnet's switch in Yuma, AZ and seems to be included as part of Commnet's coverage in their roaming agreements, and Great Western makes FCC filings that match Commnet's nearly word-for-word. (The same situation exists with the Hannibal, MO area -- the license for that area is held by an entity called MoCelCo, which is owned by three companies, one of which is Commnet, and is managed by Commnet, and like Commnet itself is roamer-only, backhauls cell sites to Yuma, etc.) The Minnesota market changed hands so recently that it isn't in the SID resources I have; it looks like you'll have to get the SID from a phone in test mode while actually roaming on the system. VZW can't neg ALL of Commnet and affiliated companies since in some places (like eastern Kern County, CA) VZW really has no one else to roam on. One Commnet SID (for a county in North Dakota) is actually Extended Network in recent VZW PRLs! MY question is: why in the world is Commnet/Great Western getting picked up over Midwest Wireless? (They shouldn't be.) -SC
Oh, while I'm thinking of it -- the company I work for has a very small office in Rochester (MN, of course) and one of the field techs that works out of that office switched from AT&T to MWW, in part because of the Commnet/Great Western situation. -SC
Got to Winona today about 2 PM. Phone showed analog/roaming. Dialed *611. A recording, “ComNet of Florida” answered Dialed *22801. A recording, “Midwest Wireless” said programming failed. Dialed *22802. No recording, no answer. Phone showed programming failed. BUT, digital/extended network showed on phone for about 45 seconds. Phone then returned to analog/roaming. Dialed *22802 again. Programming failed. Phone changed to digital/extend network. Then I quickly dialed *611 and got Verizon recording. Hung up. Phone ret’d to analog/roaming. Dialed *22802 again. Then dialed *611 (under digital/extended network). Got SPRINT recording. Phone went back to analog/digital. What the **** is going on? Greg . Hmmm...new forum looks nice
Any idea what SID this is? Commnet of Florida makes a little sense. (roamer1: They're backhauling it to the Florida Keys instead of Yuma I guess?) What type of phone is it? What county is Winona in?
I'd call CS and ask for a tech immediately, since CS won't have a clue what you're talking about. For all we know, CommNet could be broadcasting an invalid SID. Tell them your phone is roaming in an area where there is a valid extended network partner(Midwest Wireless, Sprint PCS). Let me know if you get any good results. If not, I've got the address of the Network guy, I'll send him an email. How is the signal strength when you tested the other networks? Does your phone allow you to force it to digital? I just thought of one other thing. Does your phone have a setting for A roaming or B roaming? If so, what is it set to? Dan
Signal strength was very good for both analog/roaming and digital/ext network. My A310 under network settings are home, a, b. Verizon says it should be on B. But I tried a down in Winona and it didn't appear anything changed. It was still analog/roaming..... Will call VW tech tomorrow....thanks....Greg
Well, here's an update. Our phones appear to be working fine and are programmed correctly. So it must be a problem in the area of Winona (duh). So we have to call the 800 VW number from a landline, with both phones on, the next time we're in Winona, so they can check it out. Winona is in a "challenged" area. We won't be in Winona until 6/14/04 (WSU classes end 5/6/04 for the semester, daughter has orientation 6/14). So I guess I'll have to wait until then. Greg
Hmm... I'm curious as to what SID Great Western/Commnet is running on -- if they're getting preferred over MWW, maybe GW/Commnet is running on a SID earlier in the PRL? (I looked at a PRL interpretation and Excomm/Commnet's SID 9562, for an area in North Dakota, is just above MWW's SID 1370 -- but A-side 800 MHz systems don't use even-numbered SIDs. The only other Commnet SID in the PRL is 8863 for the Florida Keys, and it's way, way down in the PRL, almost at the end.) I wish I were closer to Minnesota than I am...if it weren't for the fact I'm in the process of buying a house I'd fly up to MSP and visit Mall of America and drive out to Winona while I'm in the area! -SC
I might be far enough south this weekend to get out of AT&T's coverage. If I am I'll see if I can get an SID off of one of Commnet's towers and let you know.
I've got news about this problem. It appears VZW has actually known about the problem for quite a while now, and are planning on resolving the issue next week. Dan
I wonder what they're gonna do???? Appears now that the next time I'm in winona will be 5/30/04...... Greg
It sounds like they will either move the SID or NEG the thing in the PRL. Try updating before you go and see what happens. Rumor has it this will be changed early next week. I'm not sure what else, hopefully Western WI and Eastern UP/MI. Guess we can all keep our fingers crossed.
Like roamer1 mentioned, they probably use the same SID there as somewhere else in the country and it is a higher priority than MWW and Sprint. Hopefully we will get a new PRL and like will be all flowers and bunny rabbits. :browani:
PRL needs a change ASAP - Carolina West Wireless has CDMA on and they're still marked analog-only in the PRL. VZW seems to have a policy of only NEGging SIDs that they bitterly hate and may not even have roaming agreements with (i.e. Dobson/CellONE of Texas). Actually, Dobson/CellONE of Texas is the only US SID that's NEG'd. I would guess that Midwest Wireless is broadcasting a different SID that's not in the PRL so the Automatic A/B setting of the phone is picking Commnet over Midwest. But that doesn't explain why gregmal can get the phone to show Extended Network. Roamer1: SID 9562 (Commnet) is FR in the PRL, so it can't be that if the phone is showing full-out Roaming. And Cingular is below Commnet Florida Keys in the PRL!
The thing is...9562 can't be what's in use in SE MN since an A-side 850 MHz system *cannot* use an even SID -- It Just Won't Work. (A-side 850 systems must use odd SIDs; B-side 850 systems must use even SIDs. There is no restriction on PCS systems, which can use any SID. This is a holdover from the days of AMPS.) Also, gregmal said even setting the phone to Auto-B resulted in picking up GW/Commnet -- if it's a matter of MWW using a SID not in the PRL, setting the phone to Auto-B, in the absence of something Commnet being in the PRL, should force the phone to MWW. I do think the presence of the Commnet Keys SID in the PRL is because VZW hates Cingular. -SC
Is it possible the 'problem' is with MWW? If they have a site down, a phone will go who-knows-where in the PRL. If the phone is set to "Auto B", it must be hitting something in the PRL, otherwise there would be nothing. My Commnet source is gone for the weekend. As I have said before, a Commnet signal is better than no signal. This appears to be an isolated problem. -Bill
I was half right, I got far enough to get out of AT&T's area but I ended up on Cell One(Dobson). I'll try again next time I get down that way.
Just checked out the local MN map at vzw.com, and was pleasantly surprised. It looks like besides fixing the MWW thing, they've been kind enough to add Western WI to our local plan! This will help a lot of people I know that just don't have a reason for a national plan other than at their cabins in Western WI. I'm kind of curious if they've just included the current Sprint coverage or if Alltel is finally included in this area. The map now reflects the CMS coverage and there are no roaming areas in the entire state now! SD is even filled in more around Aberdeen. Anyone know if they've finally done some work out there? Dan
We shall see...we shall see......I'll be sure to *228 before I leave for Winona on 5/30.............(fingers crossed)....Greg
I guess I've got my answer on who provides the added coverage in WI. After reading some comments on the PRL, it would appear that Sprint PCS (4155) is now missing! That means VZW is now relying solely on the 800 Mhz carriers in MN. Hopefully the networks are actually done now. They weren't a month ago! It also looks like they finally added Alltel in most of WI, however, they still haven't added RSA(713) for some reason? The missing Sprint doesn't bother me much for rural MN, but it is very upsetting for my house in the metro, where I rely on Sprint for actual coverage. We'll see, maybe this will be the beginning of VZW stepping up and improving their own coverage? ah, doubt it, guess I'll be hacking my PRLs in the future, but it wouldn't surprise me if Sprint makes it's way back in the next release anyway.
Well it's off to Winona this weekend. Will see if Verizon Wireless' updates have fixed anything. Wish me luck....Greg :browani:
Well...bad weather and sick people cancelled my Winona trip this weekend.....will try again on 6/14 when my girl registers for WSU.............Greg....
Well my daughter and myself had a wonderful time in Winona, MN the past 2 days regeristering at WSU. BTW, it appears the new Verizon PRL update corrected my problems in the Winona area. I had digital extended coverage in Winona.......Greg..
