Friday, November 7, 2008

Why Stay With Alltel?

We have received some heat for still recommending Alltel both here and in our Reviews. If you live within their coverage, Alltel is still a great choice for lots of reasons.

First, Alltel's plans are more generous than those of most other major carriers, especially with features like "My Circle." Second, Alltel's network has been continually upgraded to be as advanced as any. Third, Alltel's coverage is usually the best available in almost every region they serve. Fourth, they have roaming agreements that cover the whole country. You should be able to keep your plan as long as you don't change phones or plans.

What about the future? This map shows most of the areas to be divested. If your account is acquired by Verizon Wireless, you will have locked in a superior Alltel plan, and get all the additional Verizon features and coverage. If you end up with US Cellular, you will join a great carrier who will have a much improved presence across the US, about as large as Alltel is now. If you end up with a brand new company, it will probably look just like today's Alltel, and should still be a Top 10 carrier.

Another possibility is that you might end up with a major carrier like AT&T. No matter how you feel about them, it is not a step down from what you now enjoy with Alltel. If you jump on board with Alltel today, you will have these options, with the ability to leave if you don't like the end result. To bypass Alltel today and go with any other carrier, you lose that choice. The odds are you can keep your current features at least for 2 years. Most people will want to change phones by then.

We are sad to see Alltel go, but joining them now just may be one of the last great cellular opportunities available. Go for it!

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