Cingular cell phone service - Re: Verizon Worsens America's Choice Calling Plan--No more roaming, even at extra cost, No more Nat

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Re: Verizon Worsens America's Choice Calling Plan--No more roaming, even at extra cost, No more Nat

617 Phones

2005-05-26, 6:55 am

*******"The original America's Choice calling plan from Verizon was a
great plan. It included a lot of off-network roaming, at no extra
charge in areas where Verizon did not have a network."*******

Exactly what was the catastrophic change here? Nothing. There are a few
carriers that have been dropped and some added. The major removal was
SprintPCS in many areas. However, these areas are generally covered by
Verizon native, Alltel, or another partner. The main reason for
Sprint's inclusion was generally network capacity, an area where
Verizon now does very well.

*******"Where Verizon didn't have a roaming agreement, your phone
could still be used, but at extra cost."*******

This is true in most cases, but not all. There were some providers that
you could not roam on, even at 69 cents a minute. It is true that there
are now more areas where potential roaming is not available than
before.

*******"Verizon has been worsening America's Choice almost from its
inception. They began by abandoning roaming agreements, so that there
was a lot less included roaming, and a lot more extra-cost roaming.
When this was disclosed by people who were analyzing their PRLs
(preferred roaming lists), they forced these people to take this
information off the web."*******

There has been, in reality, very little degradation in coverage since
the advent of AC. In fact, a much larger geographic area was included
in AC, even before the additions introduced for AC2. Have some small
areas been dropped. Absolutely. And for those who travel those areas
regularly, that's unfortunate. But much more territory has been
added. And yes, there has been quite a bit of discussion regarding
Verizon's reputed heavy handed ways to stop discussion of the PRLs on
the web. To whatever extent individuals were intimidated for sharing
information regarding coverage, that was truly appalling.

*******"Now they have changed the plan again, and new subscribers
will have no roaming at all, even at an extra charge. This means that
you can only use the phone in areas where Verizon has service (except
for 911 calls). If you're out of Verizon's coverage area, your phone is
a paperweight except for 911 access."*******

No roaming? Of course, that's just not true. Much of Verizon's
coverage on AC is provided by Alltel, US Cellular, SprintPCS and many
other providers. There's just no extra charge for that
roaming-it's included. (In fact the OP makes that point himself in
a later post.)

*******"Driving from the San Francisco Bay Area to Yosemite? Your
phone will stop working completely on the outskirts of Oakdale, where
Golden State Cellular is the carrier, and you'll have no coverage
inside the park. Driving up the California Coast to Mendocino? No
coverage. Alaska? No coverage. The list goes on and on."*******

This one is really out there, at least in regards to the Yosemite trip.
Golden State Cellular, the regional carrier, inside and around
Yosemite, is on every Verizon PRL. It's been included for years. Over
the past few years I've spent several frustrating afternoons on the
phone in Upper Pines campground. Frustrating only because the excellent
service I received on my Verizon phone from Golden State Cellular
"allowed" me to do business when I really should have been
relaxing!

*******"To complete the service reduction, Verizon no longer offers
the National Single Rate plan. According to their sales people, they
have NO plans that offer off-network roaming (though their web site
states that their Digital Choice plan (local plan), and their InPulse
prepaid plan, allow roaming at 69=A2 per minute)."*******

Actually, at this time, VZW still offers the National Access calling
plan at the same exact cost and coverage as Single Rate. It just adds
the ability to use the minutes for data in addition to voice. There are
rumors that National Access plans may disappear, but they haven't
yet.

*******"Verizon's web site is intentionally misleading. It states,
for America's Choice, "Domestic Roaming (No roaming charges) (Coverage
not available in all areas)," without stating that what they really
mean is that you cannot actually roam onto any other carrier's
network."*******

Excuse me? How is it misleading to print a coverage map that shows
unavailable areas that are clearly marked as such? Does "Coverage Not
Available" mean nothing to you? We may not like it, but it's about
as clear as you can get. And, quite obviously, the assertion that "you
cannot actually roam onto any other carrier's network" is patently
absurd.

*******"Previous America's Choice subscribers will still be able to
roam off Verizon, though there will be less and less included roaming,
as Verizon abandons roaming agreements."*******

Could you give us your sources for the planned abandonment of roaming
agreements?

Verizon, like every other carrier, is not perfect for anyone, is
excellent for many, acceptable for some, lousy for others and useless
to a few. Due to my traveling, I carry VZW SRN and AC1, Cingular (Blue
TDMA One Rate) and SprintPCS Free and Clear America. Each has enough
advantages for me to keep them. But, AC2 is a terrific plan for a lot
of users.

Groundless accusations against a carrier are as useless as undisguised
cheerleading.

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