Network Vision/LTE - Central Illinois Market (Peoria, Springfield, Quincy, Bloomington/Normal, Terre Haute)

[Ajr]

Thanks so much for the link and quick reply.

[Ajr]

It makes sense. At one time it was probably more economical to roam on USCC. Now that they are stuck with Verizon roaming, it probably makes more sense to build out. Also, now they can have USCC customers roaming on Sprint, which helps even out roaming revenue.

The problem with Us Cell Is I only get 500 mb on roaming and 3g at the very best. Since they got bought out by Sprint in the BN area I've been looking to switch to a different carrier. Thinking now sprint is my best option. By the way nice to meet you all.

[mozamcrew]

The problem with Us Cell Is I only get 500 mb on roaming and 3g at the very best. Since they got bought out by Sprint in the BN area I've been looking to switch to a different carrier. Thinking now sprint is my best option. By the way nice to meet you all.

It is widely known/assumed that Sprint gets significantly more favorable roaming rates from USCC and other smaller providers than it gets from Verizon. My point was that it may not have been economical to build out an area when it was covered by USCC, but once you have to pay Verizon's roaming rates, then the calculation may change.

[darickster09]

Service in Central Illinois should be pretty good, its when you get down in southern illinois that it starts to get sketchy...  towers in the south part of the state tend to really only be near the interstate and not really anywhere else.  So I am sure Peoria is pretty good considering that its a larger area.

[darickster09]

The problem with Us Cell Is I only get 500 mb on roaming and 3g at the very best. Since they got bought out by Sprint in the BN area I've been looking to switch to a different carrier. Thinking now sprint is my best option. By the way nice to meet you all.

 

That roaming cap is not fun, but on sprint I have gone over theirs several times, as at my parents house in southern illinois i roamed the whole time i was there.  Also at my old home in washington i roamed all the time and never once received anything from Sprint telling me to stop using data or i will be booted.  You shouldnt have an issue though with it in central illinois.  Sprint service is overall really good.  I would recommend you find a place near a sprint tower though if you are extremely concerned with it.  Good luck!

[Dkoellerwx]

Just a heads up, this thread will get merged into the Cen. IL thread later tonight. 

[Dkoellerwx]

That roaming cap is not fun, but on sprint I have gone over theirs several times, as at my parents house in southern illinois i roamed the whole time i was there.  Also at my old home in washington i roamed all the time and never once received anything from Sprint telling me to stop using data or i will be booted.  You shouldnt have an issue though with it in central illinois.  Sprint service is overall really good.  I would recommend you find a place near a sprint tower though if you are extremely concerned with it.  Good luck!

 

I went over 300MB on my trip to Colorado, and subsequent drive to Lincoln, NE. involved driving a long stretch of roaming along I-70, I-80, and NE Hwy 2. Got a text from Sprint when I hit 200, and then another that shut off data when I went over 300.

[shaferz]

The problem with Us Cell Is I only get 500 mb on roaming and 3g at the very best. Since they got bought out by Sprint in the BN area I've been looking to switch to a different carrier. Thinking now sprint is my best option. By the way nice to meet you all.

 

Where do you live?

 

B/N has LTE pretty much everywhere.  No B41 yet - at least last I was in town last week.  

 

Some of the more rural areas where where USCC had towers before the Sprint buyout now has those towers being converted to full build Sprint sites.  Not all - but some.  North Central IL (outside of the larger towns like Pontiac) will be covered with the RRPP program through Illinois Valley Cellular.  Not sure when that will happen exactly - but the agreement has been reached.  I think it is just waiting on IVC to get their equipment upgraded.

[Ajr]

Does sprint offer a decent single line plan. I would probably try a single line before I switched over all my phones. Also do they have a trial period ?

[9690austin]

Does sprint offer a decent single line plan. I would probably try a single line before I switched over all my phones. Also do they have a trial period ?

 

Yes they offer unlimited everything for 60 for android and 50 for iPhone for life.

[Ajr]

Do you know about a trial period?

[EvanA]

Do you know about a trial period?

You have 14 days to return the devices and you would have to pay a restock fee + prorated service charges incurred during that period.

[Ajr]

Thanks Evan I am going to give them a shot. Data coverage isn't a big a deal as voice coverage so we will see. Does sprint have voice roaming. I am in rural areas quite a bit.

[shaferz]

Thanks Evan I am going to give them a shot. Data coverage isn't a big a deal as voice coverage so we will see. Does sprint have voice roaming. I am in rural areas quite a bit.

 

Yes.  Just make sure the settings are flipped on for Voice Roaming (and data roaming if desired as well.)

[Cubbiefan82]

It is widely known/assumed that Sprint gets significantly more favorable roaming rates from USCC and other smaller providers than it gets from Verizon. My point was that it may not have been economical to build out an area when it was covered by USCC, but once you have to pay Verizon's roaming rates, then the calculation may change.

Yea and sadly they got more spectrum from uscc spectrum deal. But then lose uscc coverage from chicago, all the way down to saint louis for roaming. So now I don't blame them for using uscc towers, so they don't have to pay verizon.I am sure uscc is giving sprint a nice leasing deal on the towers too, seeing how they are losing money on the towers(dead asset). Since, now they basically they don't use the cell site. We have a uscc turning into sprint site in the chicago(filling in a nice gap were coverage is poor too) and hopefully have more coming soon.

[mozamcrew]

Yea and sadly they got more spectrum from uscc spectrum deal. But then lose uscc coverage from chicago, all the way down to saint louis for roaming. So now I don't blame them for using uscc towers, so they don't have to pay verizon.I am sure uscc is giving sprint a nice leasing deal on the towers too, seeing how they are losing money on the towers(dead asset). Since, now they basically they don't use the cell site. We have a uscc turning into sprint site in the chicago(filling in a nice gap were coverage is poor too) and hopefully have more coming soon.

Did USCC actually own those towers/poles? Most wireless providers try to sell them and lease them back from a company in the tower business.

[Cubbiefan82]

That one I am not sure, uscc may have a lease deal with some tower company.  I know the one in chicago is still owned by uscc according to the fcc website and was labeled in uscc tags all over the site.

[shaferz]

That one I am not sure, uscc may have a lease deal with some tower company. I know the one in chicago is still owned by uscc according to the fcc website and was labeled in uscc tags all over the site.

 

Same situation here. USCC came through 2-3 years ago and plopped towers all over this area in small towns - all that I have visited indicate they are legitmately USCC owned.

 

I did however read an article on fierce wireless that said that they recently sold 500+ towers to Vertical Bridge. Not sure of what towers specifically - but it's possible that Veritcal Bridge still needs to get signage and stuff updated. *shrug*

 

 

The converted tower here is still not broadcasting. Appears that all the ground work has been done for nearly a month now - but no sign of the switch being flipped.

[Rickie546]

FYI Sprint just turned on a new tower in Campaign by the home depot

[kampy217]

Is there any word on what's going on around the quincy area? I've been hearing we are getting lte forever now. With still no lte. Sprints maps show we have it. But we definitely don't. And if you call them. They act like we should have it.

[Cubbiefan82]

Same situation here. USCC came through 2-3 years ago and plopped towers all over this area in small towns - all that I have visited indicate they are USCC owned.

 

I did however read an article on fierce wireless that said that they recently sold 500+ towers to Vertical Bridge. Not sure of what towers specifically - but it's possible that Veritcal Bridge still needs to get signage and stuff updated. *shrug*

 

 

The converted tower here is still not broadcasting. Appears that all the ground work has been done for nearly a month now - but no sign of the switch being flipped.

It sounds like from http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/us-cellular-agrees-sell-non-core-towers-159m/2014-12-11 "The carrier has been trying for months to sell what it had termed "non-strategic" towers in areas outside of its core markets." That sounds like all the markets it sold to sprint. This was pretty recently, so I am not surprised that the towers still say uscc on them. Yea the converted tower here isn't on and I will let you guys know when it is.

[shaferz]

FYI Sprint just turned on a new tower in Campaign by the home depot

 

Was this a USCC Convert as well?

[shaferz]

It sounds like from http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/us-cellular-agrees-sell-non-core-towers-159m/2014-12-11 "The carrier has been trying for months to sell what it had termed "non-strategic" towers in areas outside of its core markets." That sounds like all the markets it sold to sprint. This was pretty recently, so I am not surprised that the towers still say uscc on them. Yea the converted tower here isn't on and I will let you guys know when it is.

 

Thanks.. wife and I went for a drive this morning and found another USCC tower that is in the process of being converted in Flangan, IL.  Base Stations were mounted - lines were dangling from the top of the tower, and all the new antennas and RRU's were on the ground.  All USCC Equipment remained up top - but it appeared they were ready to get started!    

[Rickie546]

Was this a USCC Convert as well?

Can't say for sure, tower it went in wasn't owned by uscc.

 

Rickie

sent on my LG G2

[9690austin]

Thanks Evan I am going to give them a shot. Data coverage isn't a big a deal as voice coverage so we will see. Does sprint have voice roaming. I am in rural areas quite a bit.

Sprint has towers in random places I have found out in towns in the middle of nowhere Example Altona Illinois only carrier that has coverage in that area. Sprint also has good coverage sometimes phones connect to roaming even when their is native Sprint Coverage thats why I never use roaming and I always have Coverage not necessarily data but definitely voice coverage.