Time for new Thread on Verizon in the UP of MI

The PRL that was released today for the existing AC plan (as decoded by Mathwiz) shows that RFB has been moved down in priority meaning that Alltel finally has a higher preference. This means you'll roam (which is Free Roam for AC folks) on Alltel and if that's not available, the you'll be roaming at 69/cents a minute on RFB.

Looking at the AC-II maps, it looks like it is free roam for more of the Eastern half of the U-P then the AC I map. Take a look at the VZW coverage locator to see what I am trying to say.

 

You will need North Americas Choice plan to roam for free in Canada

 

Here's some info based on PRLs.

1) On old AC plans (with roaming available) in the Eastern end of the UP you will now roam onto Alltel as Extended Network (free) first, and then with no Alltel signal go to RFB as Roaming (pay).

2) On new AC plans (without roaming available) in the Eastern end of the UP you will now roam onto Alltel as Extended Network (free) first, and then with no Alltel signal go to RFB as Extended Network (free).

3) The new AC plans do not change how roaming in Canada works, you can still use your phone there at 69 cents a minute. If you want no fees for roaming in Canada you need the North America's Choice plan.

Rich

 

Rich:

As always, your efforts and hard work are greatly appreciated.

Because you are familiar with the UP, my question has to do with coverage. Specifically, as you state, in the Eastern part of the UP and under AC-1, we will first use Altell's network (free), and then fall back to RFB's network (roaming charges), whereas under AC-2 it will be the same except that we will not have to pay roaming charges when using RFB.

In terms of coverage, how good is Alltel's coverage in the Eastern UP--that is, because Alltel's coverage and RFB's coverage seem to overlap, if Alltel's coverage is good enough, perhaps we won't ever have to "fall back" to RFB's coverage. And if that's the case, I won't bother switching from AC-1 to AC-2.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Sorry to jump in, but I thought I would throw in my 2cents.

RFB's coverage is better in the Eastern U-P from personal experience. My folks and several friends have RFB (Dobson) and another friend of mine had Alltel. He ended up dumping Alltel because of the lousy coverage mostly west of the Soo towards Brimley. I have heard other people in Soo make the same complaint, even though when I lived up there, I had Cellulink (which Alltel bought out) and had pretty decent coverage. The RFB users that I know, have yet to complain about coverage.

Of course, this summer RFB (Dobson) will be switching to GSM. There hasn't been any offiicial word whether or not they will leave their CDMA coverage online or not. Of course from a business perspective it would make sense for them if they can capture some revenue from Verizon users. But then again, VZW has not historically been friendly with Dobson.

Assuming that RFB does take their CDMA down, users with the AC-II plan would then be stuck with the same digital coverage as AC-I. Even though I make several trips up there each year, I am sticking with my AC-I coverage for now.

So to answer your original question, Alltel's coverage should be sufficient... unless you are off the beaten path (snowmobiling or boating). Actually, there are areas where both Alltel and RFB coverage is lousy and I end up roaming on a Canadian tower. But then again, when you are stranded on Lake Superior with a broken down jetski, 69 cents a minute doesn't make that much of a difference.

 

Thanks for replying.

I'm not sure about the coverage myself, as I mostly just drive through the Eastern end of the UP towards the Marquette area. And since up until now RFB had been preferred, I didn't get a chance to see how much Alltel coverage there is. And any checks I do would be just along US 2, since that's the route I take.

Rich

 

The North America's Choice plan is under their international plans, and it will simply tell you to give them a call for more info.

Rich

 

Here is a related question about northern Wisconsin and the border of the UP:

So if I understand the breakdown, was no coverage whatsoever taken away from Wisconsin (specifically the northern half of Wisconsin from Wausau and up to the Michigan border)?

If that is the case, then I will switch our FS plan over to the new ACII FS plan.

Also, would Alltel be preferred in northern Wisconsin?

If that is the case, then does Alltel have northern Wisconsin covered pretty well in digital coverage?

Do we still have to pay attention to our phone's indicators with the new ACII coverage areas?

Thanks in advance for anyone's reply.

 

Gamer, I love it, you are doing all my work for me by asking the exact same questions that I would have .

I am looking forward to the further clarifications.

 

:lol:

ESP......Well I am going to be up there with my family for about 9 days this summer, so it is worth knowing more information before we switch to the new no roaming plan.

 

I'll be up there next week snowmobiling. Specifically, we're riding from Houghton/Han**** to Ironwood, MI, from Ironwood into Wisconsin and then back up to Iron River, MI, and then from Iron River, MI to Baraga, MI. Alltel tells me that Ironwood, Iron River and Baraga are all digital; what I'm curious about is the stretch of trails that just dips into Wisconsin (which is what was asked about earlier).

I'll report back at the end of next week when I return.

 

This is the funniest! Han**** is a city in Michigan, but the moderators of this board have automatically replaced the last 4 letters in the name with asterisks!

 

In my post Dobson (Cellular One of NE Mich.) going to GSM in UP. they will be taking down their CDMA and anolog systems, this was e-mailed to me by a rep at Cellualr one at the Soo. office. THE GSM SYSTEM WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING BY SUMMER. I wonder if Cingular GSM would have free roaming on Dobson?

 

i will be driving to sault ste. marie in a few weeks, so i'll check out the alltel coverage along I-75 north of the bridge. In my experience, Alltel coverage is great from the bridge until you get to about 10 miles south of the Rudyard exit. Then it goes in and out until it is finally non-existant near the Soo. That is where RFB used to pick up the coverage (which is great). I have been told by some techs up there that Alltel has additional towers in the Soo area that they have not been allowed to turn on due to international restrictions (something to do with canadian interference ploblems). I guess American companies are constantly at war with the Canadian cell companies at most of the border towns because of overlapping coverage. The Canadian towers are especially strong in the Soo and it is easy to accidently roam on them.

So hopefully, Alltel beefs up their coverage in the Sault Ste. Marie area or I may have to leave Verizon altogether and look at Cingular (after the dobson gsm conversion of the UP). Anyways, that's all I know and hopefully, it helps out.

ts

 

I remember the first time I took my cell phone up to my cabin and used it (TDMA, Cingular) I was snatched up by Windsor Cellular and the next month I recived an additional $ 59 to my phone bill. I called and complainted and cingular removed the $59 from my bill, this was after I told them I was still in the US and not in Canada. Where the hell is the FCC and Federal govenment to stop the Canadians from stealing our calls, is it so they can make money. I guesss the US Government takes the stand don't upset the poor Canadians, Just screw the US taxpayers. Thats my take on the Alltel tower problem. I was also told that the Canadians might converting to GSM, I wonder why. More money from Uncle Sucker. I was told that the Canadian point their towers towards the US on purpose, for that reason.

 

canada might not have the power restrictions the US does on tower power.... That would essentially allow them to broadcast accross lakes as far as they'd want.

I wonder if there are international FCC Treaties...?

OK, so on the subject of RFB, If I keep my plan, RFB will continue to be free roam, even if I update my prl, right?

So If RFB takes down the CDMA (and eventually analog) VZW will be foreced to change the old AC Prl's to alltel anyway.

So if I get an RFB signal right now, I won't be charged roaming, correct?
Same true if I update my PRL?

 

OK, done some research, and will now answer my own question.

RFB IS NOW FREE ROAM IN BOTH MARKETS ON THE NEW AC PLAN, they are not priority, but coverage and rates do not change for the most part.

However RFB is the last priority, but roaming will NOT be charged.

ALTELL IS HIGHER THAN RFB IN THE PRL (ALSO FREE ROAM)

ON THE OLD AC PLAN, RFB in the UP remains ROAM. HOWEVER, RFB IN THE LP REMAINS FREE ROAM.

Alltel is higher than RFB in the UP Now, meaning that UP coverga eis free roam if you are on Alltel, which is most likely.

NOTE: VZW DID NOT ADD ROAMING STATUS TO RFB AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. This means that RFB towers will supplement coverage, and still be reachable, and for free (unless you are in the UP and on an old AC plan, like me) until, of course, Dobson takes down both analog and CDMA.

 

Gonz,

In your opinion, is it worth it to switch to the new ACII plans?

Or keep the old AC plans?

Thanks in advance.

 

Gamer,
Hard to tell, I'm still trying to decide myself.
I havent had the time to do extensive research yet. I Like the idea of the new plans simply because you're pretty much guaranteed not to have roaming charges within the US. The question is, are there negative entries with the new plan (meaning lack of coverage at all due to roaming agreements)... In that case, phone won't find a signal when there is coverage. Far as I can tell as of now, this is not the case, but I'm still not 100% sure.

I would lean towards a yes for it being worthwhile. But as I said, I'm still investigating. I hope the objective of these new plans is to provide the best coverage, and not skimp on the coverage to make the plans look more attractive (such as the way GSM is right now).

Side Note: I hold nothing against GSM, but its a new technology, without extensive coverage as of yet. CDMA does have the competitive edge on having coverage virtually everywhere, as Tri-mode phones are avail and such. I tend to think (and hope) that VZW will use this to their competitive advantage.

The other thing is that you are guaranteed unlimited nights and weekends anywhere you can get a signal, which is a BIG plus. Unlimited IN-Calling will be available most places, but requires caller ID from the roaming (*technically speaking) carrier.

 

There are not negative entries in the PRL, however there is a flag set that only allows the phone to use SIDs that are listed in the PRL. So even if a carrier is available, if it is not in the PRL, you can't use it (except for 911 calls).

Rich

 

Thanks Rich, thats what I thought. Is that what it means on the Mountain Wireless page when it says "were dropped" meaning taken off the PRL?

It seems that a lot of those that were dropped for the new plan were replaced with different carriers.

RFB was not "dropped", however. This is a good thing.

Seems to be a thumbs up situation.

 

What happens to a phone if the PRL is removed? Will it roam randomly on any carrier it finds when it scans?

 

I live in the NW U.P. and have Alltel service. I travel all over the U.P. including the Soo. In the last year and a half Alltel's service has improved dramatically with them getting it all switched over to digital. Of course there will always be places here w/o service, but it is the middle of nowhere after all. :biggrin:

Cell One/Dobson is converting their TDMA network here to GSM now and it is terrible. I do believe it is free roaming for Cingular though(if you actually have signal ).

Bottom line, Alltel has the best coverage in the U.P. now.

:smokin:

 

Thanks, I looked on the Verizon coverage locator and it shows the entire eastern half of the UP as in the Np Roaming AC. I will be signing up for The New AC plan next week. Any sugestions on a good tri-mode phone, Any one. I said the first one to get the Eastern UP would get my business. The guy at Verizon said to stick with a Tri-mode

 

Yes, you definately would want a trimode phone up here. There are still a few analog only areas. As far as trimode phones go, I have a Motorola V710 and the rf is amazing. The V265 is supposed to be good also if you want something more affordable. Otherwise the Nokias have excellent rf also.

Also an external antenna helps alot. You can find them pretty cheap online. Just make sure your phone has an rf port. I also have a 3-watt booster which works wonders, but they can be pretty pricey.

:cheers: