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Wireless Carriers in Alaska

Discussion in 'Western US Wireless Forum' started by TProphet, Jan 6, 2006.

  1. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    A forum member wrote to me and asked whether there is a comprehensive listing of wireless carriers in Alaska. To my knowledge, there isn't one. However, here are the ones I know of. If you know of any others, please post them in this thread.

    ACS: Largest provider statewide. They operate AMPS/TMDA on the cellular bands and CDMA on the PCS bands. Map: http://www.acsalaska.com/_pageContent/wireless/maps/1068-coverage.pdf

    Dobson Cellular (Cellular One): They operate AMPS/TDMA/GSM on the cellular "A" bands. Statewide coverage. Map: https://www.celloneusa.com/ECellPortal/dynamicImages/73.gif

    Alaska DigiTel: Operates CDMA and GSM (for roamers only) on PCS bands. Has service in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Fairbanks (one tower--awful coverage), and Juneau. Map: http://www.akdigitel.com/coverage.htm#lc

    Copper Valley Wireless: Operates AMPS and some TDMA coverage from Valdez to Cordova across Prince William Sound. Coverage map: http://www.coppervalleywireless.com/coverage.html

    Cordova Wireless: Operates AMPS coverage in Cordova. There is no coverage map, but their page is here: http://www.ctcak.net/cordova_wireless.htm

    MTA: Offers AMPS/TDMA service on cellular bands in the Matanuska Valley.

    ASTAC: Operates AMPS service on the "A" cellular band North Slope. See here for their coverage map: http://www.astac.net/cellular.html

    Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership: Operates AMPS service on the "B" cellular band in Naknek, King Salmon, South Naknek, Egegik, Pilot Point, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, and Kodiak. They do not have roaming agreements with any other carrier, but you can sign up for roaming service here: http://www.bristolbay.com/forms/bbcproaming.pdf

    Unicom: Operates AMPS service on the "B" cellular band in Alakanuk, Chevak, Emmonak, Gambell, Hooper Bay, Kipnuk, Kotlik,
    Mountain Village, Quinhagak, Savoonga, St. Mary's, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tununak, Bethel, and Aniak-Chuathbaluk. They do not have roaming agreements with any other carrier, save a rather unique dual-NAM roaming option carrying an Anchorage number for their local subscribers. More information here: http://www.unicom-alaska.com/cellular.html
     
    #1 TProphet, Jan 6, 2006
  2. larry

    larry Sprint loyalist and former mod
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    Alaska has a heck of a lot of carriers and none of them are the big ones. Interesting.
     
    #2 larry, Jan 6, 2006
  3. CellGeek

    CellGeek Sprint is the BOMB!
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    There most likely is not a large enough population to make it worthwhile from a business perspective.
     
    #3 CellGeek, Jan 7, 2006
  4. ZaphodB

    ZaphodB Signal Go Down De Hole...
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    That, and the coverage challenges in such a huge area present a massive money-suck. Analog is still king in Alaska because it covers so much more area, even if the coverage is less good.
     
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    #4 ZaphodB, Jan 7, 2006
  5. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    And don't forget Kodiak Wireless in Kodiak. They are a TDMA provider and have roaming agreements with Cingular and Dobson. They are in big trouble now though because ACS just started offering PCS service in Kodiak, and until that happened, Kodiak Wireless charged outrageous prices.
     
    #5 jayatmtu, Jan 7, 2006
  6. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    Wow, Kodiak Wireless is so small, they don't even appear to have a Web page. Are they strictly a TDMA provider, or do they also offer GSM? Also, ACS is presumably offering only CDMA service in Kodiak on the PCS bands, right? I haven't seen them offer any roamer-only GSM overlays like Alaska DigiTel has.

     
    #6 TProphet, Jan 8, 2006
  7. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    They do have a website...www.kodiakwireless.com, however it has been down ever since ACS came to town...I'm assuming that they are re-doing it in an attempt to become more competitive. They are a TDMA/Analog only provider, and have not upgraded to GSM.

    ACS is offering CDMA service on PCS bands...they are also selling EVDO data there as well. Quite a step up for the people of Kodiak. There was an article in the local Kodiak Daily Mirror when ACS Wireless came to town and Kodiak Wireless is running scared. One thing that is kind of ironic though is that ACS leased tower space from Kodiak Wireless to put their antenna's on!

    I am happy now to because my Verizon phone finally works there.

    IT was funny...not to many locals used Kodiak Wireless/Bristol Bay, but as soon as ACS came to town they were lined up outside the store.
     
    #7 jayatmtu, Jan 8, 2006
  8. ShoresGuy

    ShoresGuy Euer WA Experte in Europa
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    #8 ShoresGuy, Jan 8, 2006
  9. lmbl

    lmbl New Member

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    #9 lmbl, Jan 9, 2006
  10. lmbl

    lmbl New Member

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    Verizon does not own a license in Alaska. Sprint does & has some deal with Alaska Digitel broadcasting the Sprint SID of 4500 in a few places on Digitels system. Cricket also owns a license, as does Nextel.
     
    #10 lmbl, Jan 9, 2006
  11. roamer1

    roamer1 In Memoriam
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    Three more... :p

    OTZ Telephone Cooperative (AMPS/TDMA, single site that covers Kotzebue, less than 200 customers, no roaming agreements with other carriers that I am aware of)

    Alaska Wireless (Dutch Harbor) (GSM, [at last report] two sites that cover the Dutch Harbor/Unalaska area, roaming with the other major US GSM carriers is planned but doesn't appear to be available yet)

    Nome Cellular Connection (AMPS-only, one site that covers Nome, no roaming agreements with other carriers that I am aware of)

    -SC
     
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    #11 roamer1, Jan 9, 2006
  12. roamer1

    roamer1 In Memoriam
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    The only major carrier to have ever had coverage in Alaska would be Cingular -- if AWS hadn't sold their Alaska systems to Dobson just before the AWS/Cingular merger.

    I wonder if Alaska DigiTel might shut down its roamer GSM network, especially in light of Dobson going 850...with Cingular being so cozy with Dobson, Rogers buying Microcell/Fido and selling more phones with 850, and T-Mobile selling more and more phones with 850 (and also being rather cozy with Dobson), it seems that reasons to continue to maintain GSM coverage are disappearing. (Their CDMA revenue has to be suffering even more, especially given that VZW and practically everyone else save for SPCS now prefer ACS.) Then again, Commnet Wireless continues to maintain and even build out roamer coverage in markets where all four national carriers have coverage, such as the Florida Keys and (now that Sussex Cellular committted suicide) Sussex County, NJ...

    -SC
     
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    #12 roamer1, Jan 9, 2006
  13. roamer1

    roamer1 In Memoriam
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    IMO, unless they significantly revise their pricing and go GSM, they will die. I wouldn't be surprised to see them just give up and sell out to Dobson...

    -SC
     
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    #13 roamer1, Jan 9, 2006
  14. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    Kodiak Electric also ran an ISP called KEA Connect. They provided dial-up access and undercut ACS by a couple of bucks a month. Interestingly, the only other ISP in town appears to be ACS, and KEA Connect has mysteriously stopped taking new customers. Looks like ACS deployed their CDMA service on Kodiak Wireless' towers, too. Did I mention that ACS runs TDMA and AMPS in addition to CDMA?

    Now, maybe I'm putting 1 and 1 together and getting 3, but it looks an awful lot to me like ACS might be buying out Kodiak Electric's ISP and cellular operations. Both would be a pretty good match to their existing operations, and ACS has been pretty aggressive about buying out rural cooperatives throughout Alaska.

     
    #14 TProphet, Jan 11, 2006
  15. lmbl

    lmbl New Member

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    A little clarification here. ACS only owns a PCS license in Kodiak, so ALL services there are CDMA 1900. There is no EVDO as of yet, but 1x is up & running.
     
    #15 lmbl, Jan 12, 2006
  16. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    Yes, Kodiak Wireless runs AMPS/TDMA, and ACS runs CDMA1900 in an apparent tower sharing arrangement in Kodiak. In other ACS markets (such as southcentral Alaska) where it has the "B" side cellular license, ACS also runs AMPS and TDMA.

    So, to be clear as mud, is ACS buying Kodiak Wireless? :)

     
    #16 TProphet, Jan 12, 2006
  17. KevinJames

    KevinJames WA's 1st retired mod
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    #17 KevinJames, Jan 12, 2006
  18. akbreezo

    akbreezo New Member

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    OK, so what does ACS coming to Kodiak mean exactly? I am from Kodiak and am trying to figure things out. A couple of years ago I was able to buy a AT&T wireless plan that worked in Kodiak, but since they merged with Cingular all of their plans and phones are GSM. We are fine now, but the phone we have is living on borrowed time and as soon as it dies, we cannot replace it with an AT&T phone because of network issues. So...can I get a Sprint or Verizon plan with a dualband phone that will work in Kodiak (and the rest of the U.S.) like I did with AT&T?
    Thanks!
     
    #18 akbreezo, Jan 12, 2006
  19. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    You can perma-roam with Verizon, but not with Sprint. Sprint users visiting Kodiak can roam on ACS, but rumor has it they are not allowed to roam over more than 50% of their usage for more than 2 consecutive months.

     
    #19 TProphet, Jan 16, 2006
  20. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    I would recommend going with Verizon as they do not have any 50% roaming rule like Sprint does.
     
    #20 jayatmtu, Jan 16, 2006
  21. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    Does anyone know what SID ACS is using in Kodiak?

    Thanks
    --Jason
     
    #21 jayatmtu, Jan 16, 2006
  22. TProphet

    TProphet I *am* a mobile phone
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    I dropped by the Alaska DigiTel service center in Anchorage yesterday and discussed the issue of 04500 broadcasts on their system. Interestingly enough, this is the only SID used in Juneau (so Alaska DigiTel's own customers are using a Sprint SID). This creates problems for Alaska DigiTel users roaming in Anchorage, because Alaska DigiTel doesn't broadcast 04500 on the entire Anchorage/Mat-Su network--they apparently only cover the downtown area of Anchorage with this SID.

    To their credit, the folks at the Alaska DigiTel service center understood the issue and assisted me in escalating it to their network team. Hopefully I'll have more information (and hopefully a resolution) in the near future.

    As regards ACS, I'm disappointed to see that they have moved nearly all CDMA voice coverage outside the high-density Anchorage markets to cellular frequencies, shutting down PCS service that was formerly available on the Kenai Peninsula. Since my handset supports only CDMA1900 and AMPS800, I am unfortunately relying on the far inferior coverage from Alaska DigiTel.

     
    #22 TProphet, Sep 2, 2006
  23. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    I'm up in Fairbanks now and am typing this message using my Sprint Data card! On my trips up here in previous years as a Sprint user I only had voice ability (no VM indicator, text messaging, or anything). I am happy to report to say that both my Blackberry and Sprint Data Card work quite well now, both in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Deadhorse!
     
    #23 jayatmtu, Jun 16, 2008
    1 person likes this.
  24. larry

    larry Sprint loyalist and former mod
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    Great to hear and thanks for reporting this.
     
    #24 larry, Jun 17, 2008
  25. ace41690

    ace41690 Junior Member
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    so are you getting an actual sprint signal??? or is it some kind of roaming? Are u getting 1x, or, dare i ask, are you getting mobile broadband in alaska!?
     
    #25 ace41690, Jun 18, 2008
  26. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    Nope..it's not EVDO...it is 1X which works reasonably well for email and stuff. The phone has said that it is a native Sprint signal however I believe that the local cell phone company is actually just broadcasting a Sprint SID. I have been roaming on ACS on several occasions though.
     
    #26 jayatmtu, Jun 18, 2008
  27. jayatmtu

    jayatmtu Junior Member
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    Nope..it's not EVDO...it is 1X which works reasonably well for email and stuff. The phone has said that it is a native Sprint signal however I believe that the local cell phone company is actually just broadcasting a Sprint SID. I have been roaming on ACS on several occasions though.
     
    #27 jayatmtu, Jun 18, 2008
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