We are losing Alaska! (again)

[JohnHovah]

I don't know if anybody really pays attention to the fine print in Sprint emails or on the Sprint homepage but my eagle eye did catch the following excerpt:

 

                :jester:        (13 stages of network coverage loss)

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Important Network Coverage Change
Effective 10/1/13, on-network coverage in Alaska will change to roaming (off-network) coverage. For details and roaming restrictions, see sprint.com/termsandconditions and for coverage details, see sprint.com/coveragechange.

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I remember when calling Alaska incurred roaming charges and there was no network coverage there. It appears that for every two steps forward there will be one step back.

 

 @S4GRU, do you know what is going on in the Alaska (non)market?  We didn't sell it back to Russia did we? 

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

Here are the full terms, it seems the coverage loss was negligible

 

Learn more about network changes coming to Alaska

Last Updated: Jul 22, 2013

 

Effective October 1, 2013, Strategic Roaming Alliance (SRA) “on-network” coverage in Alaska will change to roaming (off-network).  Customers with Sprint-branded devices will be impacted when using services in the affected areas.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How will this change impact my billing?
This change may impact your bill, depending upon the features included in your plan.  Almost all Sprint plans since 2008 include roaming as do most of the popular plans since 2005.  Therefore, if you are on one of these plans, you should see minimal impact unless you have exceeded Sprint’s Terms and Conditions for roaming.  Some older plans and the Sprint Month-to-Month plan do not include roaming in the plan and there may be incremental charges for calling activity while in this area.  Also, customers who rely on Sprint Mobile to Mobile, or Any Mobile, Anytimecalling features will now use Anytime minutes and may incur additional anytime minutes charges. 

If you have a Mobile Broadband device (Data Card, Tablet, etc.), you may incur additional data roaming charges when exceeding the data roaming usage cap - overage $0.25 per Megabytes (MB).  Please review your plan details to assist in determining the impact of this change.

What are Sprint’s Terms and Conditions for roaming?
There is a limit to the number of voice minutes (800 minutes) and megabytes of data (100MB or 300MB) depending on the plan selected that can be used in roaming areas for postpaid customers.  For Sprint as You Go customers, these limits are 400 voice minutes and 100 megabytes of data.  See Sprint’s Terms and Conditions for additional restrictions and details. 

How will I know if I am roaming?
Sprint devices notify the user that they are roaming via a roaming indicator of ‘Δ‘or an ‘R’ on the device.  Some devices may display a roaming banner.  If you prefer not to roam, you can change the settings on your devices to “Sprint” or “Home” Network.  On newer devices, there are settings to“disable domestic voice roaming or domestic data roaming”.  By changing the settings to only connect to the Sprint Network, the device will not automatically roam when you are outside of Sprint on-network coverage areas and you will lose coverage in any roaming area.  Changing or keeping the device setting to “Automatic” will allow the device to roam and there may be additional costs associated with roaming depending on your rate plan.  See your User Guide for assistance on changing these settings.

What impact does the coverage change have to my wireless services?
Postpaid customers will continue to have voice and 3G Broadband data available; however some voice and data products/services indicated below are not available in a roaming environment.  Sprint As You Go customers will have access to voice and data (1xRTT).

Voice

• Sprint Mobile to Mobile & Any Mobile, Anytime plan features; minutes will be billed as either Anytime or Night & Weekend minutes (depending on call begin time) or may incur roaming usage charges (depending on current plan).
• Calls using certain *(star) and # (pound) symbols will not be available.  This includes making calls using StarStar Me. To reach Sprint Customer Care while roaming, dial 1-888-211-4727 (4PCS).
• Phone Connect devices will not operate in roaming areas.

 

Data

• Sprint Music Plus will not be available for downloading or purchasing music content.

 

What areas are impacted? 
The maps below illustrate the changes in coverage.  For specific city impacts, please visit www.sprint.com/coverage  after October 1.

 

[Dkoellerwx]

I feel like there's another thread about this somewhere...

[Rawvega]

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4564-reality-check-can-sprint-restore-its-luster/?p=196295

[Dkoellerwx]

Ah. It wasn't a thread, just  a post. 

[iansltx]

So, just to be clear, the old Alaska DigiTel network will continue to be treated as native for data, but not for voice? I can live with that.

[Dkoellerwx]

So, just to be clear, the old Alaska DigiTel network will continue to be treated as native for data, but not for voice? I can live with that.

 

The map is not labeled properly. Its 3G Roaming data. It's the same color as western Kansas is now.

[gnoj]

So, just to be clear, the old Alaska DigiTel network will continue to be treated as native for data, but not for voice? I can live with that.

 

I don't think that is clear, actually. There are a couple discrepancies in those maps Sprint posted. If you read through that thread past the post Rawvega linked to, you'll also get to my post explaining why the ACS & DigiTel networks (and thus most of Alaska's CDMA coverage) will be disappearing soon. I have my fingers crossed that Sprint or at least VZW can build out there before that happens.

[runagun]

Lets ask Russia if it will take back Alaska.

[cdk]

I don't think that is clear, actually. There are a couple discrepancies in those maps Sprint posted. If you read through that thread past the post Rawvega linked to, you'll also get to my post explaining why the ACS & DigiTel networks (and thus most of Alaska's CDMA coverage) will be disappearing soon. I have my fingers crossed that Sprint or at least VZW can build out there before that happens.

 

Maybe they'll at least convert some of the old Nextel sites or Wimax protection sites to full sites. That could at least provide coverage in Anchorage and Juneau. 

[cdk]

Lets ask Russia if it will take back Alaska.

 

No way! For all the gold, oil, salmon, and king crabs there are it was a steal at only 7.2 million 1867 dollars.

[Rawvega]

Maybe they'll at least convert some of the old Nextel sites or Wimax protection sites to full sites. That could at least provide coverage in Anchorage and Juneau. 

 

I'm curious about the old Nextel sites in Alaska as Nextel (and later Sprint) never advertised any iDEN coverage in Alaska to the best of my recollection. However, converting the Clearwire pre-WiMAX sites probably could give them decent coverage in Anchorage and fair coverage in Juneau.

[cdk]

I'm curious about the old Nextel sites in Alaska as Nextel (and later Sprint) never advertised any iDEN coverage in Alaska to the best of my recollection. However, converting the Clearwire pre-WiMAX sites probably could give them decent coverage in Anchorage and fair coverage in Juneau.

 

I just know what I've seen on the premier map. There where only a couple and it wouldn't suprise me if they where collacted with some of the clear sites.

 

Coverage in Anchorage and Juneau would potentially provide service to most of the tourist from the lower 48 with CDMA phones.

[S4GRU]

Maybe they'll at least convert some of the old Nextel sites or Wimax protection sites to full sites. That could at least provide coverage in Anchorage and Juneau.

There is also a Protection Site in Fairbanks. Put 800MHz CDMA and LTE on that puppy and it would provide city wide coverage. But not much else without additional sites.

 

The existing Anchorage Expedience network, especially with 800, would provide good Sprint coverage if converted to Network Vision. The Juneau protection sites would provide enough Juneau/Douglas area coverage. Then they can cherry pick new sites in other towns as needed.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

[cdk]

There is also a Protection Site in Fairbanks. Put 800MHz CDMA and LTE on that puppy and it would provide city wide coverage. But not much else without additional sites.

 

The existing Anchorage Expedience network, especially with 800, would provide good Sprint coverage if converted to Network Vision. The Juneau protection sites would provide enough Juneau/Douglas area coverage. Then they can cherry pick new sites in other towns as needed.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

Sounds like a plan.

[JohnHovah]

When I finally make it up to the Half Year Sunshine state, it would be nice to have some coverage.  Realtors are always trying to sell me dirt cheap land up there, but I want the mineral rights too. hehehehe.

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT:   After 10 seconds of reflection on the above, I suppose if I (and others) decided to purchase some of this dirt cheap land, we could later lease it out for a new cell tower sites thus making the investment worthwhile.

[WiWavelength]

When I finally make it up to the Half Year Sunshine state, it would be nice to have some coverage.  Realtors are always trying to sell me dirt cheap land up there, but I want the mineral rights too. hehehehe.

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT:   After 10 seconds of reflection on the above, I suppose if I (and others) decided to purchase some of this dirt cheap land, we could later lease it out for a new cell tower sites thus making the investment worthwhile.

 

And as soon as minerals start using cellphones, you have yourself a business case.

 

AJ

[TheCUJuan]

Just wondering if there has been any changes to this? I'll be in Alaska for a week starting Friday and want to make sure I know all the terms before I go.

[dnwk]

When I finally make it up to the Half Year Sunshine state, it would be nice to have some coverage.  Realtors are always trying to sell me dirt cheap land up there, but I want the mineral rights too. hehehehe.

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT:   After 10 seconds of reflection on the above, I suppose if I (and others) decided to purchase some of this dirt cheap land, we could later lease it out for a new cell tower sites thus making the investment worthwhile.

 

Or create your own shentel equivlent

[dnwk]

Does Sprint have PCS G block build out requirement in Alaska?

[S4GRU]

Does Sprint have PCS G block build out requirement in Alaska?

 

Yes.  Sprint already also has a Clearwire Expedience network in Anchorage with nearly two dozen sites.  As well as WiMax Protection sites in Juneau and Fairbanks.  So they can add G-block to these sites.  Preferably, they would just convert all these Alaska sites to full Network Vision.

[dnwk]

So, we will see Sprint native coverage in Alaska eventually.