CellularOne/AT&T Update
Posted November 16th, 2007 @ 08:46pm by Erik J. Barzeski
The manager of a local CellularOne office today told me a few interesting things:
- The merger officially "closed" (went through, finished, completed) yesterday.
- As soon as early December, CellularOne here will be running two systems - AT&T's and theirs, I assume - and should be able to set up iPhone accounts.
- I can "switch" now, and keep the 20% discount we get off our plans.
In other words, great news.
Update: I called AT&T later in the evening and set up our three lines. They sent us two free RAZRs (yeah yeah…) to go along with my iPhone. It's the $129.99/month plan which, after the 20% discount, is just under $105. Add in the $20 in taxes and we'll have a plan for about $125 compared to $90 currently, but with rollover minutes, 500 more minutes, 200 text messages, and my unlimited data iPhone plan.
Since all three of our phones are currently month-to-month, I don't suspect that will be a problem. Also, we can shave $20/month if we drop down to 700 minutes - which we'll probably do after a month or two of carrying over 800 minutes out of 1400. 🙂
I'll wait until the "new" phones arrive before I activate them, effectively closing our CellularOne account and "starting" our AT&T account.
I may also (finally) qualify for the $100 rebate, which runs through November 30, since I'll have activated my iPhone. I spent a good two hours yesterday downgrading the baseband to the version that comes with 1.0.2, restoring 1.0.2, and otherwise returning the phone to as virginal a state as possible. I had gone so far as to take a friend's PayPal money for the iPhone, but I later refunded it because I wasn't certain that a) the phone was completely re-set, and that b) he could get the $100 store credit.
When/if a new iPhone is released, Carey can have the current one. 🙂
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Posted 17 Nov 2007 at 10:18am #
I'd suggest dropping the minutes as soon as you know you won't need them. I stayed on a very large plan for 2 years, and had a huge amount of roll over minutes. I finally dropped down to 550 min / month (only 2 line) and we still roll over 50 + minutes per month.
The funny thing was when i called to drop my minutes, the rep explained that I'd be loosing the 2000+ minutes in my bank and that I should try to use them up. WTF was I supposed to do? Make random calls to use up the minutes? It was obvious that I was paying for way to many minutes that I would never use. 🙂
Posted 17 Nov 2007 at 11:27am #
What is wrong with Motorola RAZR ?
Posted 17 Nov 2007 at 11:33am #
Nice, sounds like you got a great deal!
Posted 17 Nov 2007 at 12:13pm #
[quote comment="44422"]What is wrong with Motorola RAZR ?[/quote]
Not the greatest battery life or reception and everyone has one. Also, a phone that some people paid $399 for originally.
Posted 17 Nov 2007 at 4:05pm #
The razr is a nasty phone. The software interface is ridiculous. Apparently the engineers of the physical design forgot to send a memo to the software engineers reminding them of the all important user experience. Something Apple has nailed with the iPod and now the iPhone.
Posted 18 Nov 2007 at 10:42am #
Thanks for replies. Just curious.
Me, I'm happy with my V170. But every now and then I get the urge to change phones to something newer.
Posted 19 Nov 2007 at 4:38pm #
I stumbled upon your blog today and was reading your post about ATT and Cell One merging. To clarify do you already have an iPhone? If so how do you like it and your coverage/reception thus far? Also how will the merger effect your iPhone and coverage capabilities?
Any input/opion is appreciated.
Posted 20 Nov 2007 at 9:02am #
[quote comment="44448"]Any input/opion is appreciated.[/quote]
Yes, I've been using it "unlocked" on CellularOne for awhile now. Today is the first day I've had it unlocked and it's NICE to be able to get data via EDGE now. It's not as slow as people suggested it might be, and it's cool to have full use of the iPhone now.
Posted 21 Nov 2007 at 5:04pm #
What is the 20% discount you are referring to?
Posted 21 Nov 2007 at 8:10pm #
[quote comment="44498"]What is the 20% discount you are referring to?[/quote]
Just a 20% discount we get because my wife is a government employee.
Posted 21 Nov 2007 at 10:47pm #
Thanks! My husband is military so maybe they have something similar for other "government" employees. How did you find out about it?
Posted 27 Nov 2007 at 1:34pm #
Just stopped into a Cellular One today. They said their store would be changing over to ATT on Dec. 9 but didn't have any other details.
Posted 07 Dec 2007 at 9:17pm #
I stopped into a CellOne store in Alaska today to double check that Monday was 'cut-over' and was told that everythings been pushed back until mid-late January.
So much for porting in a 907 NPA TN to a L48 Family Plan just yet.
Posted 07 Dec 2007 at 10:53pm #
Yes, but you can put in an alaska zip code, I used Fairbanks, and buy phones and service online now. AT&T used to not accept it as a valid zip code.
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 1:58am #
Went to the website, entered my zipcode and the zipcodes for other cities on the Kenai Peninsula and was told to go to the ''Store Locater" as there were no offers for me online.
Called Customer Service, the agent stated that they couldnt do ports-in yet with an excuse about not being able to contact C1's porting desk.
Anchorage, Fairbanks and North Pole are supposedly up and running, and are the only stores in the state with iPhones, if your into them.
All things in time I suppose....
Posted 14 Dec 2007 at 11:11am #
Call your cellular one stores before you decided anything regarding iPhone/Cellular One usage. I called our local store and "Barbara" told me the that though the merger is complete, government regulations will keep cellular one from being able to carry iPhone plans.
Posted 14 Dec 2007 at 11:21am #
[quote comment="44906"]Call your cellular one stores before you decided anything regarding iPhone/Cellular One usage. I called our local store and "Barbara" told me the that though the merger is complete, government regulations will keep cellular one from being able to carry iPhone plans.[/quote]
Buy it online. No big deal.
Posted 14 Dec 2007 at 12:26pm #
Amazon now sells AT&T phones and plans to Alaska zip codes through their website. The AT&T Tilt which is the phone I want is 299 from AT&T and 174 from Amazon. They have quite a few other deals as well.
Posted 19 Dec 2007 at 2:44am #
We're in no mans land for plans on websites now - cellular one's website doesn't have any plan information and at&ts website points alaskans to Cell One. I was in their Business park blvd store in Anchorage on Sunday - she said I couldn't get anything at&t except the iPhone; would have to get a Cell One family plan and convert later. The full page ads and flurry of press releases seems pretty misleading if the ONLY at&t phone and plan you can get is iPhone. She told me February before they'd have the nationwide at&t plans available.