For information on South Dakota, you can't beat
http://www.meetmyattorney.com.  It's a wonderful website for service in SD
and soon he's going to deal with some of the neighbouring states.

As for Alaska, I haven't a clue.  If you go month-to-month, you can probably
roam in one or the other, but prepaid services won't likely work unless your
provider has towers in both centres.

Jim

There are other folks asking about Alaska coverage, too.

Visit this particular thread at www.wirelessadvisor.com:

http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/waforums/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=29966

There are other folks asking about Alaska coverage, too.

Visit this particular thread at www.wirelessadvisor.com:

http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/waforums/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=29966

I live in SD. Here's which carriers provide coverage there:
Western Wireless. 800 MHz CDMA, TDMA, and AMPS.
Qwest Wireless. 1900 MHz CDMA.
Verizon Wireless. 800 MHz CDMA and AMPS.

The only Nextel coverage in the state is in Vermillion, Yankton, Mitchell,
and the Sioux Falls area.

Prepaid is your best bet as others have mentioned. Verizon Wireless is your
only option. They roam on Sprint in Anchorage, but its free roaming. You
don't pay for it. Verizon pays Sprint.

Hopper

Scott:

Verizon does have Extended Network coverage in Anchorage on
America's Choice, in fact they just added it in February and
June 2003. I used it in June 2003. Also Extended Network
coverage in Fairbanks and Seward. Elsewhere in Alaska you'll
roam onto various AMPS networks at 69 cents per minute
unless you have National Single Rate, but no need for it
if you'll mainly be in Anchorage.

Verizon also appears to cover Rapid City South Dakota
with native coverage.

When I was in Alaska, I was at the airport standing
next to a very upset Nextel subscriber! Good thing
you checked.

Also note that there is no GSM service in Alaska yet,
aside from one little island that may have some.

AT&T just traded their Alaska territory away to Dobson
in return for some California territory. But it is still
TDMA and AT&T will roam onto it. You'd need the plan
that includes off-network roaming, Digital One Rate
I believe. There is more TDMA in Alaska than CDMA,
and more AMPS than anything. In fact you can still
buy big old 3W AMPS-only bag phones up there.

In short, the best option is Verizon America's Choice.

You can see the details of the PRLs at:
"http://www.mountainwireless.com/prl.htm"

Steve
http://sfbacell.com
http://socalcell.com