On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:15:55 -0400, Diamond Dave
<dmine45.NOSPAM@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:04:53 -0400, "Peter Pan"
><pponvistaNOSPAM@MarcAlanNOSPAM.Info> wrote:
>
>>Gee, i got an Alltell phone off ebay, changed esn's online, and have been
>>happily using an alltel phone on the verizon network for over a year
>>odd that most of the posts in that thread say that is factually wrong....
>
>Considering that Alltel is now part of Verizon and is being slowly
>integrated into a single network - the idea of an Alltel phone not
>being compatible will become more moot as time goes on.
>
>I think that most any Alltel phone can be used on the Verizon network
>(the exception may be Page Plus). It might require a firmware upgrade
>at a VZW corporate store - but it may work just fine without it.
>
>For several years Alltel and Verizon were almost the same - very
>similar plans, features, and for the most part had very liberal
>roaming agreements between the two networks. It was a no brainer when
>they decided to merge since they were almost a single network anyhow.
>Network integration is probably relatively easy. Billing may be
>another issue though!
>

I've seen some advance information on VZW billing that does differ
from Alltel

1) You can't just "suspend" a phone without a charge. If you want to
turn junior's phone off as punishment for a while, you have to pay a
charge to do so.

2) No free phone number changes. Alltel allowed one in a 12 month
period.

3) More expensive if you get interrupted for non-payment. You pay
$15/LINE to get turned back on (that can equal $75 for a five line
account) instead of $35/account - and they will NOT waive that. VZW
doesn't have accounts that reach that point either due to that hefty
premium.

4) Much less liberal in how long they'll give you to make a payment.

5) On the good side, they are much more liberal in the reason they'll
allow an Early Termination Fee to be waived.

So get ready Alltel customers. The first wave of Alltel customers in
the NE market have already transitioned at the end of May (mainly
customers in VA). The BIG conversion will happen in a couple of weeks
(scheduled for the weekend of 11 July) and will encompass the Southern
Markets which is a HUGE group. That will just leave the midwest and
west markets which will transition at a date later this year that has
not yet been set in stone.