Yesterday’s news of a Verizon iPhone makes Verizon the first carrier that serves the Dakotas or much of northwestern Minnesota to carry the device. But as AT&T moves into the territories it acquired when it merged with Alltel last year, the second might not be far behind.
The acquisition was designed to boost AT&T’s reach into rural areas (look at the carrier’s current coverage map, and you’ll see more than a few holes). New customers in Fargo-Moorhead still can’t sign up for AT&T – try it and you’ll get this message: “We are expanding our coverage every day but unfortunately this is one of the few areas we haven’t reached yet. Please check back soon. If you think you may have entered the wrong ZIP, please re-enter and try again.” – but existing Alltel customers can order an iPhone, and AT&T says the device will arrive later this month.
It’s not clear when AT&T will get a 3G data network up and running here, open retail stores, let customers in the area sign up for its service, or otherwise open its arms to the region. But if you want an iPhone and don’t care for Verizon, the option may be on the table sooner rather than later.
The unfortunate thing about getting the iPhone at Alltel/AT&T (aside from the network issue you brought up) is the longer term contracts they are making you sign and the limited data packages that don’t match AT&T in other areas let alone Verizon.
In otherwords…do your homework before you choose.
PS – IMO, Droids are better…to to each their own.
I have heard that AT&T ‘s service to those of us in ND is terrible. And that they are at the bottom of the list in service also! I am not so sure I will stay with them once they take over. We have had no problem with Alltell at all, now this………..Maybe switch to Verizon instead!!
If AT&T wants to keep customers here they best pick up their service and make sure they are able to supply what they advertise!
As an Altell customer I am frustruated with the time its taking AT&T to come to ND. First it was December, then it was mid January, then late January and now first part of March. If they don’t get their s_i_ together they will lose customers to Verizon and others.
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Do you people realize AT&T are going to take over the Alltel tower system. They aren’t going to move up to a region and not give customers good service. The service sucks now but once they gain all the towers it’ll be the same as Alltel or Verizon…..plus there 3g network is way faster than Verizons
I live in Detroit Lake and have had AT&T /iPhone for two plus years, we just last week now have 3G. As per Alltel we will have 3G in the Dakotas soon!
@Jim has it right. The infastructure was purchased from Verizon/Alltel and a switch from CDMA to GSM isn’t going to cause that system to be horrible or anything like the complaints you hear about the AT&T network. It will be a reliable network in this region as much as Alltel was (we’re not in NYC or San Fransisco). Now on to the promised 1/16/2011 mail date on my replacement phone… I received a text from AT&T saying it will be delayed until late feb, early march but the website still shows 1/16. I’m interested to see what the response will be when i walk in with a copy of my invoice looking for my phone. I believe it will go something like this..”It’s not within our control, you can call the 1-800 number and they might know more than we do.” Alas, Verizon customer service is pure garbage too so pick your poison.
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