Louisiana Cellular Reviews
Mountain Wireless presents an opinionated review of wireless and cellular phone services in Louisiana. This is information gained from personal experience, user interviews, press releases, advertising material, newsgroups and wireless web sites.For Ratings of these carriers, Click Here.

ALLTEL
The Alltel network in this state has been purchased by Verizon Wireless. Parts of the Alltel network in other states have been sold to Verizon and AT&T as well as ATN who continues to operate under the Alltel name.

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.
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BROADPOINT
Primarily offering service to people and businesses who operate in the Gulf of Mexico, Broadpoint operates a cellular network with coverage over 100,000 miles of the Gulf with voice, text and data services. Being a subscriber of Broadpoint is normally a cheaper option than using the roaming options of other carriers. They offer GSM service with continuous on-water coverage along the coast and good roaming capabilities when you travel throughout the mainland US. Broadpoint is owned by Cellular One (MTPCS) which facilitates Broadpoint's US roaming. Plans are expensive and they only offer one phone model for voice communications. They offer a large number of professional data and communication services, including satellite communications geared to petroleum installations. Broadpoint operates what was formerly the Petrocom network in the Gulf.

CENTENNIAL WIRELESS
Centennial has been purchased by AT&T. Some Centennial customers in Louisiana and Mississippi have been transferred to Verizon Wireless, the affected areas are listed on the Centennial Coverage page. Other customers in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas have been transferred to Cellular One. Virtually all customers and network facilities have been transferred and most customers have experienced noticeable improvements.

METROPCS
MetroPCS is a 'flat rate' CDMA carrier available in 14 US metro areas. They offer unlimited minute wireless coverage for one price including Text Messaging, but their own coverage area is limited. They have roaming agreements which provide Unlimited service in most other areas of the country. For the price, it may work well for you, or your family. Plans start at $40 per month and Family plans are cheaper than average. All plans include Unlimited Web access. Metro PCS allows "unlocked" CDMA phones from other sources to be activated on their network. They have some useful options like fixed-rate calling to Mexico and a Group Ring for families. They have a good selection of phones including Smart phones. They are slowly expanding 4G coverage. Metro will accept phones from other CDMA carriers. We have never been able to talk to a MetroPCS customer service representative. They have tried to configure their auto-response features to address customer questions and problems which we have found lacking. Metro claims this is "to keep costs low", but we don't like having the option at all.
Pros: Talk as much as you want, and they have all the digital features, off-network roaming is available, most of it unlimited, they have an all-3G/4G network.
Cons: You must pre-pay, roaming is not available outside the US. With this type of non-contract carrier phone prices are higher. They are still growing so there are still some areas with poor coverage. Many features are not included in the cheapest plans, customer service rarely involves a human to speak with, and we have found the agents at many MetroPCS stores are often unable to help with our inquiries.
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NEXTEL
Nextel is a of part Sprint and in some offers, Sprint hides Nextel's features. The combo has allowed the two networks to start sharing cell sites to improve coverage. Nextel's spectrum is made up from a bunch of 2-way radio channels, and they suffer from marginal audio in some markets. Their coverage and quality varies by market. They cover urban areas and some interstates, but there is little roaming elsewhere in the state. They have an efficient 'walkie-talkie' feature which is handy for businesses and families who want to contact each other as quickly as possible. Some of their plans aren't very competitive, but they do offer free incoming calls. They use 850 MHz so they have a strong signal in most areas. Sprint has announced they are not improving or expanding the Nextel network. and will turn off the current iDEN service in 2013 and use the 800 MHz channels for Sprint CDMA service. Some Boost Mobile handsets use the Nextel network and is a good option for Unlimited Voice and Text. For as long as it lasts, Nextel offers international roaming in a handful of other countries in North and South America, including Mexico, some with Free Internet access.
Pros: The Direct Connect is a handy 'walkie-talkie' service, they have robust coverage within their service area.
Cons: Some markets have poor audio, they also have coverage limits and very limited roaming, most of their phones are big and lack variety. Nextel does not have fast broadband features, neither the network nor the coverage are being upgraded. Sprint has not treated Nextel customers as well as those using the Sprint network. Many new Nextel customers are being giving Sprint-branded phones, so you may not be using the network you think you are. The Nextel network will be converted to CDMA by 2013.
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PACE CELLULAR
Pace is the wireless division of the Kaplan Telephone Company of south Louisiana. They offer both Local and National Plans. The Local plans offer lots of minutes for the money but only in a small area, mostly the Vermilion Parish. Some of their National plans are reasonable, others can be expensive. They have several small, annoying fees for features like Caller ID and for calling land line phones. They offer many models of GSM phones, Smart Phones and air cards, and offer lots of data features.

SPRINT
Sprint has a national, feature-rich digital network. Their coverage is a little "fragile", but where it's good, it's very good. Sprint has a good selection of phones. Their plans include the ability to roam on other systems. They offer an inexpensive "basic" plan for only $30 per month. They also offer a few Unlimited plans with lots of features included. Sprint has added service by taking over parts of some carriers' networks, and "sharing" spectrum with others. Sprint merged with Nextel which has created some beneficial network configurations, including sharing of cell sites. Sprint phones normally prefer the network which, where available, gives Sprint customers the best data throughput. Some Sprint phones have the ability to force the phone to "Roam Only", helping you use the strongest network, however there is a limit to how much roaming you can do, generally 50%. Also, newer phones lack that feature. Sprint does not offer their own branded prepaid service but owns Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile prepaid and others. If you are considering Sprint 4G service, keep in mind they use a completely separate network for 4G coverage supplied in partnership with Clear Wireless. Therefore, having good local Sprint Voice/Text or 3G data coverage is no guarantee of adequate 4G coverage.
Pros: Sprint gives you good value for your money, but is not necessarily the cheapest. Sprint covers every urban area in the US, maintains local stores, good roaming capabilities, their digital and data features work very well, they have a good selection of phones. Sprint has good roaming agreements in most areas of the country.
Cons: You might find a weak area right where you want coverage, some of their plans are not very competitive, customer service is a notch below average, 4G coverage uses a different frequency band and network than other Sprint coverage, Unlimited plans do not include unlimited usage while roaming, except for "Simply Everything" plans.
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T-MOBILE
T-Mobile works very well within their own GSM service area. While they have a slight disadvantage with their higher PCS frequency, they make up for it with strategically-located sites. T-Mobile doesn't serve many rural areas, but provides coverage along most major rural highways. They do offer coverage from roaming partners in rural areas, and the network is still growing, although often they're just 'filling in' already-served areas. They offer some handy features including several family-friendly services with a number of ways to control device usage. They offer a number of plans that allow you to choose between subsidized handsets and non-contract pricing. Many of their phones allow "Hot Spot" access which keeps usage costs down. They have plans that include unlimited voice and messaging, they offer nearly nationwide service with both their own network and extensive roaming agreements. T-Mobile charges extraordinarily high roaming rates outside of the US and much higher than average Long Distance charges to foreign phone numbers. Expect improving roaming capabilities with the recently failed deal with AT&T.

Pros: Generous included-minute plans, National and Unlimited plans, good urban coverage, good roaming capabilities including internationally. They offer both 3G and 4G coverage, competitive data pricing and 'hot spot' access. They have very good customer service and a very good selection of phone models. They have an excellent Prepaid plan that includes a good amount of North American roaming.

Cons: Some weak spots, limited data bandwidth in some areas, very high international roaming charges. Higher speed services require the use of higher frequency cellular bands which may restrict coverage and data roaming capabilities. There has been some reduction of voice and text roaming capabilities as some old roaming agreements expire, but we expect this to improve shortly.
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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.
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VERIZON WIRELESS
Verizon has the largest network, geographically, in the US. They have taken over a large portion of the old Alltel network and are now dominant in rural America. Their claim to fame is superior coverage on their CDMA network, especially in the west. They use PCS frequencies in a few areas, but they have constructed those networks well. In the few places where they don't have their own coverage, they have roaming agreements with other carriers, normally ones with superior coverage. Therefore, their "National" plans, which include almost all of the country, are about as close to "wall-to-wall" as you can get. Their reasonably-priced plans have no roaming or long distance charges, and they also throw in Unlimited Night and Weekend minutes as well as Unlimited calls among Verizon Wireless users both on and off their own network (there are a few exceptions). They offer fairly competitive prices, and often have promotions. They also offer plans that include Unlimited Voice and other features at various fixed price levels. Data service is excellent with various price plans. Verizon forces their phone manufacturers to offer a "standardized" user interface, limiting menu and font variations. This could mean the screen appearance may not be to your liking or the fonts may be too small. Smart and data-type phones require a per-Mb plan. They have the largest area of 3G coverage in the US and now offer faster 4G service in many major cities and major airports in additional markets.

Pros: Verizon has reasonably-priced plans, "Unlimited" calling plans available, extensive coverage, wide-ranging National plans, excellent customer service and some 'customer-friendly' policies. With such a large coverage area of their own, little roaming is necessary, and their roaming partners normally have superior coverage. They offer a large variety of phones including the Apple iPhone

Cons: Some Verizon plans are a little more expensive, Customer Service closes at 11pm, but technical assistance is available 24/7. They 'cripple' some User Interface functions like larger fonts: make sure you can read their submenus before buying. They require more expensive Data plans for any data-capable phone. Some of their data services are not available while roaming. CDMA phones roam in a limited number of foreign countries but Verizon can provide a hybrid loaner phone that will work both in the US and most foreign countries.
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