|
|
|
Alaska Cellular Network Report
General Alaska Observations: What limited information we
have is based more from visitors than
locals.
Alaska Communication Systems (ACS) has the coverage advantage and provides
a good value. Also, their relationship
with
Verizon Wireless gives them a leg up on mainland roaming.
GCI Wireless provides coverage in the largest number
of Alaska communities but only with 2G service.
They also offer a 3G network available mostly
around Anchorage. AT&T serves many areas of the state with their
own network and offers good roaming availability.
TracFone is available in most inhabited parts of
the state. Some towns have only one wireless
carrier, many where wireless is the only
phone service available.
ALASKA COMMUNICATIONS
Alaska Communications has excellent coverage
throughout most of the state. They offer
a large number of reasonably-priced plans
including both statewide and mainland US
Unlimited plans. Excellent Nationwide roaming
coverage and a large selection of CDMA phones
including Smart phones.
ALASKA DIGITEL
Alaska Digitel has been acquired by GCI Wireless
ALASKA WIRELESS
Alaska Wireless has been acquired by GCI Wireless
ARCTIC SLOPE TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION COOPERATIVE
ASTAC is rapidly rolling out new GSM service
across the northern tip of Alaska. Plans
are expensive and Long Distance charges are
extra. They offer National and Local plans
including plans with Unlimited minutes and
Lifeline plans. As part of the local telephone
cooperative, service is very good and local
citizens are becoming very loyal to this
new, hometown wireless supplier. They have
a moderate selection of phones including
Smart phones.
AT&T Review
AT&T
AT&T has a large GSM network, but in
the west, have a lot less developed spectrum
than in the rest of the country. That has
improved with AT&T's acquisition of Alltel
Wireless in 76 markets in the western US.
They converted most former Alltel sites to
3G GSM. Some ex-Alltel customers noticed
significant changes in coverage with the
loss of CDMA roaming partners. With GSM technology,
AT&T roams more readily internationally,
but there are areas in the US with no GSM
coverage. AT&T's takeover of other cellular
networks has improved their service in some
areas already, including Alaska. AT&T
offers a large selection of GSM phones including
the Apple iPhone. Parts of what was the old
AT&T Wireless network in the interior
west is still not among the best. They still
suffer from some coverage 'holes', but they
are updating some of these areas. Most improvements
will be made in the new markets and are increasing
data capacity instead of adding cell sites
in older areas. They have added "4G"
coverage in a handful of markets and will
upgrade most of the network in the near future.
In several markets where AT&T operates
at 1900 MHz only, we have been disappointed, but not all
AT&T 1900 MHz-only markets are equal.
AT&T offers a variety of plans including
Unlimited minutes and services, and 'calling
circle' plans. They have extensive data coverage.
One of their greatest assets is also their
worst problem: the overwhelming success of
the Apple iPhone on the AT&T network.
It has overloaded their system resulting
in dropped calls, interrupted data and slower
service. This situation is improving with
the defection of some iPhone users.
Pros: AT&T has a large network and covers
much of the nation, usage is transparent
whether on- or off-network, good digital
and data services, good national plans, "Rollover"
for those who can use it, "Unlimited"
calling plans available, a very good selection
of phones. Improvements in coverage have
been substantial in some areas, lacking in
others. Excellent international roaming capabilities,
and AT&T will now supply the unlock code
for all phones, except the iPhone, after
3 to 10 months. Additions of Alltel, Unicel
and Centennial network purchases give AT&T
substantial rural coverage improvements.
Cons: AT&T plans aren't as generous as
some, customers can only access GSM networks
which are not as universally available in
the US as CDMA, customer service varies from
above to below average, some markets have
a large number of dropped calls caused by
large data users. Some customers who have
been transferred from other networks have
noticed substantial changes in coverage,
mostly while roaming.
Get Web-Only Discounts on Wireless from AT&T
Get Discount AT&T GoPhone Refills
BRISTOL BAY CELLULAR
Bristol Bay covers the upper Aleutian Islands.
Plans offer Unlimited minutes but are pricey
for just local coverage. They have a small
selection of CDMA phones. Starting in May,
2011 Bristol Bay customers are able to roam
in Anchorage and the mainland US. You need
to submit an application for service, and,
until recently, roaming on the Bristol Bay
system by other customers was permitted by
application only. Lifeline plans are available.
In some areas they provide the only cellular
service or the only telephone service available.
COPPER VALLEY WIRELESS
Good local coverage serving Valdez, AK and
northward. Reasonable price plans with statewide
and mainland US roaming included. They have
a small selection of CDMA phones, including
Android phones, and they offer fixed wireless
service and broadband coverage. As part of
the local telecommunications co-op, service
is above average and bundle discounts are
available.
CORDOVA WIRELESS
Cordova is part of the Cordova Telephone
Cooperative along the south coast of Alaska,
south of Valdez. They have a nice selection
of GSM phones including smart phones and
the Apple iPhone. They have a number of rate
plans including Local, Statewide and National
plans, but no Unlimited plan. They have reasonable
prices for Local and Statewide service, but
rates for National plans start at a high
rate. Features like Voice Mail, Nights &
Weekends and Mobile-to-Mobile calling are
extra. There may not be any other wireless
service in the area.
GCI WIRELESS
GCI operates 2 networks. The GSM network
serves most communities across the state
but offers only 2G service. The CDMA network,
formerly operated by Alaska Digitel, covers
the more populated areas of the state, mostly
around Anchorage, with 3G service. Each network
provides good coverage. Plans include Local,
Statewide, National, Unlimited and Lifeline
service. They have a large selection of phones
including Smart phones, but make sure to
check for coverage before deciding on a phone
model. GCI has a large number of telecommunications
services that can benefit users with more
complicated needs.
MTA WIRELESS
MTA Wireless is part of the Matanuska telephone
association and has good statewide coverage
and offers a number of Statewide, National,
Prepaid and Unlimited plans starting as low
as $10 per month. Their plans are average
priced. They have a small selection of CDMA
phones including Smart phones. As part of
the local telephone cooperative their customer
service is above average.
OTZ CELLULAR
This is the cellular division of the OTZ
Telephone Cooperative in Kotzebue, AK in
the northwest part of the state. They have
several plans and they include Local Unlimited
minutes with various levels of Roaming. Rates
are reasonable and include Unlimited roaming
in coastal towns across the northern part
of the state, but not areas to the south.
They have a moderate choice of phones and
some features, like Caller ID, are charged
extra. Otz does not require service contracts
and offer bundles with their other communication
services.
TELALASKA CELLULAR
Telalaska serves several small Alaska communities
with wireless and other communications products,
with locations spread widely across the state,
from Nome, Fort Yukon and Seward, to the
end of the Aleutian Islands. Their GSM wireless
network serves most of those communities
with plans that are very affordable and include
Local, Unlimited, Nationwide, Prepaid and
LifeLine plans. Their Prepaid plans are overpriced
but may be useful for visitors. They have
a small but useful selection of GSM phones
including Smart phones. Telalaska is the
only wireless provider in many of their communities.
TracFone Pros & Cons
TRACFONE
Tracfone isn't an actual cellular carrier
but is a major supplier of wireless phones
and offers service in most areas of the state.
They are the largest prepaid cellular company
and arrange for their phones to use whichever
wireless carrier is available in a given
geographic area. As a result, Tracfone actually
has more included roaming coverage available
than perhaps any other single company. Their
price points start below $9 a month and offer
all the advantages of prepaid services. They
also feature monthly plans and offer promotions
with bonus minutes, and plans with 365-day
expiration. Their service is mostly limited
to Voice and Text but does support data use
of some of their phones. They offer the option
of having the charges deducted from your
credit card or checking account automatically,
eliminating the need to renew on an exact
expiration date. TracFone offers Free international
calls to about 60 countries by calling a
special access number, and with their International
Neighbors features, they provide a local
number in Mexico or Canada for incoming calls
from those countries at local rates for both
callers. Tracfone offers additional plan
options, including Unlimited plans, through
NET10.
Pros: Coverage and Local service is available
virtually everywhere in the US, good price
plans with no roaming or long distance charges,
Local numbers in all markets, included Long
Distance calling to 60 countries.
Cons: They have a small selection of phones,
coverage is determined by the phone model
(CDMA or GSM) which may limit your roaming coverage or
phone selection, you can only use one of
their phones, no roaming outside the US.
Get Online Deals on TracFone
Discount TracFone Refills
|