Hey Larry (et al), a trip report for you (South Carolina)

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

The Ghost of General Lee - 19 Dec 2005 06:40 GMT

I had to make a trip to Columbia on Sunday, the first with my new
KX440 and Alltel service. From the time I entered Laurens County on
I-385, and throughout my entire trip down I-26, to I-20, then east to
exit 74 (US1/Two Notch Road) into the Arcadia Lakes area of Columbia
(near Ft. Jackson), I was roaming the *ENTIRE TIME*. We had all three
of our phones with us, and it was the same with the others.

Does Alltel even own any sites anymore, or do they just rely almost
exclusively on their roaming partners for service? Not complaining,
mind you, as I did have service the entire route, but I found it odd
that outside Greenville County, I never once hit a native Alltel
signal.

Reply to this Message

Larry - 19 Dec 2005 12:24 GMT

> I had to make a trip to Columbia on Sunday, the first with my new
> KX440 and Alltel service. From the time I entered Laurens County on
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> that outside Greenville County, I never once hit a native Alltel
> signal.

That must be why they allow PRL roaming upstate but not below Columbia.
I don't know what their structure looks like up there. Do we care? I
don't. I don't care WHERE it comes from as long as it COMES when I need
it. Alltel isn't different from VZW in the Francis Marion National
Forest I have to pass through to get to some customers. All carriers
have no service along SC 41 to Andrews. What's different is Alltel has
coverage in Andrews, VZW does not since the PRL forbade roaming.

I'm just happier on Alltel downstate. And they have native 800 Mhz
coverage N of Charleston...Georgetown to NC including Myrtle Beach. VZW
had to swallow some PCS carrier in Myrtle Beach to get coverage when they
forbade roaming to Alltel. When I had the bagphone on AMPS, I used to
switch it to B-Alltel as I passed the Santee River on US 17. We had some
real battles over paying for roaming up there were VZW had no service.

I suppose the point is you HAD service on your trip, right? That's all I
ever asked for....service to send/receive calls. I don't give a crap
where the company gets it from, just don't let me see that red light
blinking.

Reply to this Message

trimodeman@hotmail.com - 02 Jan 2006 19:27 GMT

You may not be "roaming" at all even though the blinking triangle on
your Alltel phone says you are. When you are outside of your local
calling area on an Alltel phone it ALWAYS blinks with the roaming
indicator even though you might be in the ALLTEL network. I am an
ALLTEL national customer in Charlotte, but when I am anywhere else in
NC or SC it blinks as if I am roaming. Yet, when I check the system IDs
I am on an ALTEL tower. In fact, in SC ALLTEL has much better cell
site coverage througout the state and in rural areas than does Verizon.

> > I had to make a trip to Columbia on Sunday, the first with my new
> > KX440 and Alltel service. From the time I entered Laurens County on
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> where the company gets it from, just don't let me see that red light
> blinking.

Reply to this Message

Larry - 19 Dec 2005 12:27 GMT

> I had to make a trip to Columbia on Sunday, the first with my new
> KX440 and Alltel service. From the time I entered Laurens County on
> I-385, and throughout my entire trip down I-26, to I-20, then east to
> exit 74 (US1/Two Notch Road) into the Arcadia Lakes area of Columbia
> (near Ft. Jackson), I was roaming the *ENTIRE TIME*. We had all three
> of our phones with us, and it was the same with the others.

Oops....I guess I should read the whole message before opening my pie hole.

Of COURSE you're going to see the roaming light blinking to Cola! It's
OUTSIDE your home system! My Charleston phone starts blinking just as I
cross I-95 going up I-26 because I'm passing from the B-Alltel system here
to the A-Alltel system from Columbia! You were roaming on Alltel in
Columbia, which used to be Bell Atlantic, I think. Alltel is the A-800 Mhz
carrier above I-95. VZW is on B in Cola.

Next time you go, look at your test screen and see what ID number the
system has. I bet it was Alltel all the way.

Reply to this Message

The Ghost of General Lee - 19 Dec 2005 21:43 GMT

>> I had to make a trip to Columbia on Sunday, the first with my new
>> KX440 and Alltel service. From the time I entered Laurens County on
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>Next time you go, look at your test screen and see what ID number the
>system has. I bet it was Alltel all the way.

I'll do that. It just seemed odd (having come from VZW) that they
would show their own sites as "roaming" when using a National plan.

Reply to this Message

Larry - 20 Dec 2005 02:20 GMT

> I'll do that. It just seemed odd (having come from VZW) that they
> would show their own sites as "roaming" when using a National plan.

My V60i on the NC-SC regional plan blinked yellow all day in Orangeburg,
which is on the Columbia Alltel-B 800 Mhz system. My buddy Charles' fancy
phone blinks yellow when he's in Charleston. He's from Columbia. But,
it's all on Alltel, all the way.

Works great!

Reply to this Message

GeorgeB - 25 Dec 2005 03:50 GMT

>>Next time you go, look at your test screen and see what ID number the
>>system has. I bet it was Alltel all the way.
>
>I'll do that. It just seemed odd (having come from VZW) that they
>would show their own sites as "roaming" when using a National plan.

In my experience, the roam indicator is on (blinking with a StarTAC)
when I'm serviced by a site that is in their preferred group. I have
Total Freedom, and it is solid when I'm not on one of those.

My blinking light changes from green to amber when I leave SID 116.

George

Reply to this Message

Larry - 25 Dec 2005 12:40 GMT

GeorgeB <nospam@att.net> wrote in news:354sq1lr5lmg9ujgosrrrab2q3hmc1oqlb@
4ax.com:

> In my experience, the roam indicator is on (blinking with a StarTAC)
> when I'm serviced by a site that is in their preferred group. I have
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> George

Same here in Charleston on V60i I brought with me from Verizon.

Reply to this Message