Comments on: Is the Verizon-Alltel deal good for consumers?

The $28.1 billion merger on its own won't likely impact pricing, but if the market continues to consolidate, prices could stagnate, especially for data services.

[church]

I have been with Verizon since day one and I was hoping when my contract ends here soon, to be free..hoping to join alltel and its My Circle and freedom to change my plan anytime without being hammered for it. Plus Alltel is better here in the Black Hills of SD. Now what? Should I run to Alltel just to be thrown back to Verizon? Certainly I am in a pickle, and it sucks.

[mjmahoney]

Maybe we can get the FCC to force Verizon to open their network up, with set time schedules and oversight, to all devices. I know they said they are going to do it, but this way it can be enforced through lawsuits, and how can Verizon object since they said they are planning on doing it anyway.

[xirknight]

This should not be allowed to go through at all. In the area I live at these are the only cell providers around. Alltel made a name building a network in area where is would prosper and now the mega-corp has to own it all. MONOPOLY.

[employee742]

To all of the people complaining whether they have Alltel or Verizon, they need to honestly stop all the whining!! Are you a bunch od children?? Obviouslt not, since you have to be 18 to get a cell phone, whether you have either carrier you are going to be grandfathered into your current rate plan and phone unless YOU take it upon yourself to change it. Alltel and Verizon have always been roaming partners, so it will mean increased signal for both parties, and less roaming areas for current Alltel customers. Is that a bad thing?? Me personally, I would LOVE to have no roaming, but obviosly many of you like to pay that. To those of you complaining about customer service of either carrier, have you ever thought about the way you treat customer serive reps?? In 99.9% of cases if you are treatedy rudely, it's because you were rude and offensive or personally attacking the customer service rep. To those of you with billing problems, you tell me one time when the problem wasn't caused by you and any company would't fix it.....I guarantee you will come up with none. Please find something better to do with your time, or worry about the thousands of Americans losing jobs in this merger, and be thankful you still have yours.

[Gerry S]

Hey 742. under what rock in what cave have you been living?
Your absurd comments don't even deserve a response other than the obvious.

[thatchman1]

At least in the areas where I'm familiar with both companies, their roaming agreement means they don't overlap service. I live in a very solid Alltel region, and CANNOT get a number on Verizon. The problem is, being a branch office with close to 100 cell phone provisioned with Alltel, we aren't on the corporate account (which is with Verizon).... so for us, it will be a Godsend. As well, Verizon data cards don't do EVDO speeds in Alltel areas with the roaming agreement doesn't allow (I happen to be in one of those areaes).. so for the mid OH/PA/WV metro area, this will be a welcomed buyout.

[aintnorainbowdorothy]

I live in an area where all four carriers deliver service. Alltel just doesn't do well on piggybacking. As for AT&T, you can keep it. My brother lives in Jacksonville, Fla. and has black spaces with AT&T. He can't wait to get back to Verizon. I like Verizon but don't like Alltel. Sprint is a joke. This merger will be a good one for me at least. No more piggybacking. As for the price of using Verizon. I don't have a problem. They have by far the best service in the U.S. I've been to Fargo (another brother), Canada and Mexico. Verizon works there. I like it and have no problem with the merger. In fact I personally think it will improve service.

[Gerry S]

The monopoly mentality of Verizon and AT&T, not to mention the orchestrated price fixing "they never do", will only add more consumer dollars to their already obnoxious profitability levels which would also assure even worse customer service. Maybe Google or some other strong entity will buy Alltel....anybody but Verizon or AT&T.

[employee742]

It would be a really good idea to have a company that has absolutely nothing to do with cell phones & no experience to buy out one of the largest companies in the country. That will work out well, especially when you have a problem, call the guys who don't know what they're doing. This is redicuous.

[Site4Animation]

I think this merger is a wonderful idea. I have been with Verizon since before they were called Verizon (Used to be Airtouch). I think the merger can only bring good. I mean, Verizon already has like the most advanced network, highest speed data and cool and unique things like V-Cast. For all of you complaining about their customer service... I don't know who you are calling, but they have the best. Usually people that complain about it just can't afford to pay their bill, and they won't help you with it, lol. They are all friendly, and actually speak English (unlike Sprint). This merger will only bring better products and much more advanced data/voice service and features. To say Verizon has a crappy phone selection is just crazy. My ONLY complain about Verizon (which isn't a big deal) is that they do tend to block out many features on their phones... Like my GPS on my Blackberry 8830... Which I got over it in about 2 days... 99% of people don't use half the options that come with phones, so it doesn't matter. GO VERIZON! Shut Sprint-NexTel down!

[DRCBH]

are you nuts?? who in their right mind would want a higher cellphone bill.Its all about GREED

[hilliard01]

Awww CRAP!! I left Verizon 8 yrs ago for Alltel to get some decent customer service without having to drive 50 miles to get it!! I swore I would never use Verizon again. I can see it now...just like when they bought out Cellular One...they will no longer provide customer service, just an office to open new accounts. Geez.....I may have to cross the state line and find another carrier that isn't likely to be swallowed by Verizon.

[teencellfanatic]

ok u know what im sick of people saying i left them ? years ago for this problem (be open minded they have probably fixed ur issue since) verizon has the best customer service than any other provider in my opinion and has the best coverage within the u.s so why are we complaining come on people better coverage for all i am not complaining one bit!!!!!

[teencellfanatic]

I LOVE VERIZON AND I AM HAPPY ABOUT THIS MERGER!!!! i updated the the roaming capabilities on my phone and before i could only get 1X service for txt and calls and now that i updated the phone i get EV and 1X.............. this merging means that verizon will be the most realiable provider within the united states i get alot more service then i did before the merging thank you verizon your better than those gsm providers and screw sprint they roam just about everywhere and i hate looking at a phone and seeing if its roaming......................................... ive had verizon for 2 years now and i have never seen my phone roam at all and ive only been in one city where i never had service (Kayenta, Arizona) <---- like im ever going back again we were just pasing through the point is verizon is number one because they have the largest service area in the united states than AT&T

[fluffy_7]

ev service is their enhanced video and picture messaging network verizon has had it for a couple years

[fsuboy1209]

I have Alltel and they are the best company i have ever had, i have a blackberry with 800 minutes and a 20 My Circle plan and i pay about 79.00 a month. When i need support i call them up and they have the nicest people right there that answer your call right away, you don't sit on hold forever. If verizon makes me change plans i will be going to ATT. I live in a big city with the following carriers offered: Alltel (best), Att (next best), t-mobile, sprint/nextel, verizon.

[Jame33]

I have been a very happy alltell customer since 2005. Previously I had verizon and I hate them I even opted out of the contract early with a hefty penalty to escape them. Now that I am with a wonderful company they are trying to swallow me up again. I feel soooo sick about this. I hope that I will be able to be let out of my contract. I guess I will also soon have to look into another cell phone company like T-Mobile or who ever else is out there that is decent.

[dudney85]

I am an Alltel customer and I am wondering what would happen to the My circle plans after the merger acquisition.

[dudney85]

I am an Alltel customer and I am wondering what would happen to the My circle, Anytime plan changing with out renewing contract, and automatic minute back after the merger acquisition. Also I am kinda worried about how will the coverage be in rural areas!

[TMW1010]

It'll be nice to have more of a choice when it comes to phones.

[Helyn Allen]

after verizon acquires Altell will the circle of callers remain or will that be swept under the rug also, if they drop that service it should be protested thats one of the best services any company could offer their customer if the companies were truly interested in their customers and providing services that actually benefit the customer ??????? but..... we will see

[wyodog]

in the rockies mountain states, wyoming, montana, south and north dakota, northern colorado, and idaho the fcc will make verizon sell this entire area. there are only two major players. alltel and verizon are it. my hope is that att buys this portion of the network. there is no way verizon will keep these states, since they already have a huge base of users. remember verizon bought all of quest's network in the 14 state region. verizon has terrible customer, and alltel is the best. verizon is not a company i would want to do business with.

[fluffy_7]

i love the idea and its not verizon that makes the phones the only problem i ever had was with motorola, verizon's customer service is amazing they help in everyway ever and when i had iusses with my bill (over txt) they upped my plan to unlimited and saved me over 200 dollars in fees. would alltel do that t help their customers? no

[onfireforHim]

We have had Alltel for 12 years. When my contract is up we try to consider Verizon(because all my friends have Verizon) but Verizon can't compete with the Alltel prices. My friends are always complaining about their customer service and billing and a couple of them have had many phone issues.
Alltel by far is the best, the only drawback is that people go to Verizon because it is the popular service and t hey want those free mobile to mobile minutes.
I had a $260 bill for May and a $290 bill for June because of son going over on texting. Alltel upped my plan to the unlimited and saved me over $500.00. They even went back a month to credit it. I didn't even ask for the credit, they just offered it. Now Alltel offers the unlimited texting on mobile to mobile and on the my circle numbers. I was so thankful.
At the same time my daughter(on Verizon) and friend were charged $500 over because of the new changes on accessing the internet. It switched to $1.99 per access without them being informed of it. They were not credited any of the $500.00. This happened to many people I know on Verizon. They have now blocked this feature.
Hopefully Alltel and Verizon will be able to share the mobile to mobile minutes.

[onfireforHim]

I forgot
"""would alltel do that t help their customers? no""

yes indeed and better.

[isguroo]

Alltel offers Excellent Customer Support and Products.
Request you add one more feature ? for mutual fairness.

There should be a clause in the Wireless contract concerning these ideals.
I personally do not want to be a Verizon Customer; Such as my reason to become an Alltel Customer when I found out Cingular was selling to AT$T.

I had AT$T in the past, thus my reasons for not wanting to live one more day with a phone that was going to have poor customer service within a month after the switch.

Alltel is and has been the best Cellular as well a data phone package that I have ever had the pleasure to deal with. The service of both the hardware and company is A+ and possibly the best product of any provider I have ever used. If you merge with Verizon, I think it should be grounds for loss of customers via contract termination - As well as no charge to the customer. This just begins to be unfair to the customers who dearly enjoy the products and services offered without the changes that tend to limit as well as hinder customer enjoyment of the products and features offered.

I could list examples but, I would seem to come down to one issue.
Early terminations of a contract should also be part of the customers? bargain and also give you the choice to leave the provider who you wish not to do business with.
While those would argue that they do offer early termination, they don't do it for free and that?s part of the unfair practices that mergers with corporate bed-partners that affect the customers and we are faced with this even if we do not want to be the other providers? customer.


I, like other Long Paying Customer of Alltel: Renewed; added a 2nd line of service and added a 2 year contract around March 2008. I am very pleased with the Alltel product and service I have been offered since Feb. 2007. I have evangelized the service to others; have many family and friends who are now both Data Internet and Cell customers in the circle.

Request: that in the event of a merger with Verizon, AT$T or others, I am given a choice to stay or leave at no cost to me (or other members).

* It all seems to come down to good business practices and I think Alltel leads the pack so far ? Given the option, I?d likely stay but having it forced down on me makes it very discouraging.

Thank you for your excellent Service!!
I look forward to continuing my business with Alltel (or Verizon); to include possibly adding an extra line ? God Love the kids. :D