Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I have a little personal puzzlement with the new America's Choice plan. I
understand, no roaming, which means no roaming off Verizon's network, which
means some areas no longer have coverage. Okay, so I looked at both PRLs as
provided by mountainwireless.com (current AC I and current AC II). If I
don't expect to go to the few areas that differ between the plans does it
matter if I switch to ACII when I upgrade? Or is it more subtle, that
little patches everywhere all over the country now have no coverage on AC
II? I plan to get an all-digital phone but expect I can just switch phones
online if and when I plan to travel to more rural areas, so I'm not really
concerned about analog at this time. (FWIW I live in the Northeast which
has had ample coverage for me thus far.)

IF there'd be a big difference for *me*, someone who doesn't travel that
much, how do I keep AC I and still upgrade my phone?

Rebecca

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

bex wrote:
> I have a little personal puzzlement with the new America's Choice plan. I
> understand, no roaming, which means no roaming off Verizon's network, which
> means some areas no longer have coverage.

There is plenty of roaming off of Verizon's network on the new AC plan,
but there are no roaming *charges*. Many (most?) of the areas which were
pay-roam on previous plans became free-roam on the new plan, and other
pay-roam areas became no-service. And just to clarify, there are plenty
of analog areas on the new plan; analog vs. digital has nothing to with
roaming.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Charles,

Is there a place to find a specific list of areas that went to no
service with AC2?
Is AC1 available anymore?

Thanks,
David

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"David L" <davlindi@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119946506.396428.23280@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Charles,
>
> Is there a place to find a specific list of areas that went to no
> service with AC2?
> Is AC1 available anymore?
>
> Thanks,
> David

I'm not sure I have a definitive answer on the first question, but the
answer might be gleaned from the PRL lists at www.mountainwireless.com.

Chatter says that ACI is not available if you're a new customer but you can
keep ACI if you have it; if you're like me, and have AC1 but want to upgrade
(and/or?) change plans you may not be able to keep it. Still not clear on
that point and it may be determined by what rep you talk to.

HTH,
Rebecca

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

The URL for what changes from AC 1 to AC II is:

http://www.mountainwireless.com/50271_changes.txt

There have been some positive changes since that PRL was issued...some new
areas were added to AC II, you can review them at:

http://www.mountainwireless.com/prl.htm

Bill Radio


"bex" <rwagaman @ rcnREMOVE . com> wrote in message
news:UfCdnT1L-dGTiV_fRVn-qA@rcn.net...
>
> "David L" <davlindi@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1119946506.396428.23280@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > Charles,
> >
> > Is there a place to find a specific list of areas that went to no
> > service with AC2?
> > Is AC1 available anymore?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > David
>
> I'm not sure I have a definitive answer on the first question, but the
> answer might be gleaned from the PRL lists at www.mountainwireless.com.
>
> Chatter says that ACI is not available if you're a new customer but you
can
> keep ACI if you have it; if you're like me, and have AC1 but want to
upgrade
> (and/or?) change plans you may not be able to keep it. Still not clear on
> that point and it may be determined by what rep you talk to.
>
> HTH,
> Rebecca
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I did the New Every 2 a month ago - I kept AC1. I may switch later, but I
want to research it a bit... which is why I am following this thread. BTW,
I always go to a factory store, the dealers around here seem confused...

PoD


"bex" <rwagaman @ rcnREMOVE . com> wrote in message
news:b5GdnW8vcYEvMV3fRVn-tw@rcn.net...
>I have a little personal puzzlement with the new America's Choice plan. I
>understand, no roaming, which means no roaming off Verizon's network, which
>means some areas no longer have coverage. Okay, so I looked at both PRLs
>as provided by mountainwireless.com (current AC I and current AC II). If I
>don't expect to go to the few areas that differ between the plans does it
>matter if I switch to ACII when I upgrade? Or is it more subtle, that
>little patches everywhere all over the country now have no coverage on AC
>II? I plan to get an all-digital phone but expect I can just switch phones
>online if and when I plan to travel to more rural areas, so I'm not really
>concerned about analog at this time. (FWIW I live in the Northeast which
>has had ample coverage for me thus far.)
>
> IF there'd be a big difference for *me*, someone who doesn't travel that
> much, how do I keep AC I and still upgrade my phone?
>
> Rebecca
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

CharlesH wrote:
>

> pay-roam on previous plans became free-roam on the new plan, and other
> pay-roam areas became no-service.

Can you clarify that? When you say no service do you mean that the
phone will show no signal? Used to be you got the signal but when you
made the call you got a recording stating that your carier ha dno
roaming agreement but you had an option to place the call with a
credit card through an operator.

jt

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

jt wrote:
> CharlesH wrote:
>
>> pay-roam on previous plans became free-roam on the new plan, and other
>>pay-roam areas became no-service.
>
> Can you clarify that? When you say no service do you mean that the
> phone will show no signal? Used to be you got the signal but when you
> made the call you got a recording stating that your carier ha dno
> roaming agreement but you had an option to place the call with a
> credit card through an operator.

It will show "No Service", the same as if there were no signal. In the
"old days", the phone would lock onto the signal and register with the
tower, but when a call was placed, it was kicked out as you mention.
With AC-II, the phone won't even acquire the signal. When searching, the
phone will notice the signal, check the System ID in the signal against
the PRL, determine that it is not in the PRL, and resume the search.

If you dial 911, the phone will ignore the PRL and other restrictions
(such as Home Only), and do its best to find any usable signal. Thus,
the phone may say "No Service", but if you dial 911, the call might go
through, and there is no way to know without trying. The key here is
"usable" signal; an analog signal won't help with a digital-only phone,
since the phone is not capable of using an analog signal.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

OK, now I am confused. Is there a good reason to keep AC1 instead of
switching to AC2?

PoD


"CharlesH" <hoch@exemplary.invalid> wrote in message
news:mBmxe.38177$J12.14247@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
> jt wrote:
>> CharlesH wrote:
>>
>>> pay-roam on previous plans became free-roam on the new plan, and other
>>>pay-roam areas became no-service.
>>
>> Can you clarify that? When you say no service do you mean that the
>> phone will show no signal? Used to be you got the signal but when you
>> made the call you got a recording stating that your carier ha dno
>> roaming agreement but you had an option to place the call with a
>> credit card through an operator.
>
> It will show "No Service", the same as if there were no signal. In the
> "old days", the phone would lock onto the signal and register with the
> tower, but when a call was placed, it was kicked out as you mention. With
> AC-II, the phone won't even acquire the signal. When searching, the phone
> will notice the signal, check the System ID in the signal against the PRL,
> determine that it is not in the PRL, and resume the search.
>
> If you dial 911, the phone will ignore the PRL and other restrictions
> (such as Home Only), and do its best to find any usable signal. Thus, the
> phone may say "No Service", but if you dial 911, the call might go
> through, and there is no way to know without trying. The key here is
> "usable" signal; an analog signal won't help with a digital-only phone,
> since the phone is not capable of using an analog signal.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Paul of Dayton <F_and_P@nospamameritech.net> wrote:
> OK, now I am confused. Is there a good reason to keep AC1 instead of
> switching to AC2?

I currently have an 8pm off-peak start-time. Unless any plan I
swith too also has that, I lose it if I switch and it becomes
9pm.

- Paul

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Paul of Dayton wrote:
> OK, now I am confused. Is there a good reason to keep AC1 instead of
> switching to AC2?

Stay on AC-1 if:

1) You will not use a area that is pay-roam under AC-1 but is free under
AC-2, or

2) You need service in an area not included in AC-2 and are willing to
pay $.69/min. AC-1 lets you use providers that aren't in the PRL at all,
so long as that provider has a roaming agreement with VZW (else you get
bumped to a $$$ credit card call, which costs much more than $.69/min,
but still goes through).

For most people, especially in the eastern US, AC-2 is the winner, but
AC-1 is often the winner in the West.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Thanks guys. I kept AC1, my SO switched to AC2. I just like to have the
option to roam, even if it is for big $$$, if I really need to...

PoD

"CharlesH" <hoch@exemplary.invalid> wrote in message
news:JuBxe.38356$J12.15915@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
> Paul of Dayton wrote:
>> OK, now I am confused. Is there a good reason to keep AC1 instead of
>> switching to AC2?
>
> Stay on AC-1 if:
>
> 1) You will not use a area that is pay-roam under AC-1 but is free under
> AC-2, or
>
> 2) You need service in an area not included in AC-2 and are willing to pay
> $.69/min. AC-1 lets you use providers that aren't in the PRL at all, so
> long as that provider has a roaming agreement with VZW (else you get
> bumped to a $$$ credit card call, which costs much more than $.69/min, but
> still goes through).
>
> For most people, especially in the eastern US, AC-2 is the winner, but
> AC-1 is often the winner in the West.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

bex wrote:
> Chatter says that ACI is not available if you're a new customer but you can
> keep ACI if you have it; if you're like me, and have AC1 but want to upgrade
> (and/or?) change plans you may not be able to keep it. Still not clear on
> that point and it may be determined by what rep you talk to.

I'd be afraid. When Verizon bought Chicago GTE, Verizon did a TERRIBLE
HORRIBLE AWFUL job of grandfathering the plan; my local calling area was
reduced (without notice) by something like 70%, roaming rules and charges
changed, and we had all sorts of trouble. Personally I'll never ever
consider a Verizon plan that isn't currently being actively sold.

I'm on AC1 so far on lapsed contract and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

--
If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I was told by the VZ rep that I would just get asked for a CC number
in any area that was not on their agreement, rather than automatically
getting charged the roaming feee and that it would still be $.69/min,
but charged to the card rather than the cell phone bill.


On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 18:59:53 GMT, CharlesH <hoch@exemplary.invalid>
wrote:

>Paul of Dayton wrote:
>> OK, now I am confused. Is there a good reason to keep AC1 instead of
>> switching to AC2?
>
>Stay on AC-1 if:
>
>1) You will not use a area that is pay-roam under AC-1 but is free under
>AC-2, or
>
>2) You need service in an area not included in AC-2 and are willing to
>pay $.69/min. AC-1 lets you use providers that aren't in the PRL at all,
>so long as that provider has a roaming agreement with VZW (else you get
>bumped to a $$$ credit card call, which costs much more than $.69/min,
>but still goes through).
>
>For most people, especially in the eastern US, AC-2 is the winner, but
>AC-1 is often the winner in the West.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

bubu,
My phone does not always obey the AC II PRL and will ocassionally allow a
call on a non-AC II system. The call always goes through, but AC II mean
"no roaming charges", and indeed I am not charged roaming on those calls.
If I don't get the CC request on AC1, I don't get it on AC II, either. The
VZ rep was mistaken. CC charges can vary and have always been at least $1+.

Whether or not your phone will acces a system in a given area is unknown,
but at least you won't get any roaming charges.


Bill Radio
Click for Western U.S. Wireless Reviews at:
http://www.mountainwireless.com

<bubu@midsouth.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1uamd19uuv8e4eiennlo4111g3ol9hdo4s@4ax.com...
> I was told by the VZ rep that I would just get asked for a CC number
> in any area that was not on their agreement, rather than automatically
> getting charged the roaming feee and that it would still be $.69/min,
> but charged to the card rather than the cell phone bill.
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I 2nd Bill's reply. The VZW rep was mistaken. (Call them again, and when
you get two CS's to agree, then post the common answer). dr
--
dr.news Better Price? (not better than you deserve, just more than you are
used to)
If I can help: dr.news@better-price.biz.delete-the-obvious or thru this
notes forum.
home of the better priced phone and service:
http://free.better-price.biz

"Bill Radio" <Wireless@MountainWirelessNOSPAN.com> wrote in message
news:11dmgi9bru5sua1@corp.supernews.com...
> bubu,
> My phone does not always obey the AC II PRL and will ocassionally allow a
> call on a non-AC II system. The call always goes through, but AC II mean
> "no roaming charges", and indeed I am not charged roaming on those calls.
> If I don't get the CC request on AC1, I don't get it on AC II, either.
> The
> VZ rep was mistaken. CC charges can vary and have always been at least
> $1+.
>
> Whether or not your phone will acces a system in a given area is unknown,
> but at least you won't get any roaming charges.
>
>
> Bill Radio
> Clic