ALLTEL Wireless user review

Cons: Quite frankly, the customer service sucks. It's like pulling teeth to get a "warm, live body" on the phone - automation HELL. Exuberant roaming charges if you're not on a National Freedom Plan. Roaming and airtime charges for accessing the mobile web when not in your local calling area. Limited number/styles of phones available. Not keeping up with current trends and promotions of other carriers.

Summary: I have been an Alltel customer since June of 1993...yep, started out with that big, bulky BAG phone - LOL! Alltel service is okay for the most part, but can truly stand some improvements and more cell towers. I work for AT&T and have been in the telecom industry for 16 years, so I'm somewhat of an 'insider'. I have a company phone, which of course, is AT&T and let me tell you - there is NO comparison to the network coverage, dropped calls (lack thereof), promotions, phone/PDA offerings, etc. The straw that broke the camel's back with me is that I recently traveled to Houston for a week. I called and paid $10 for the 'Free To Roam' package of 100 roaming/LD minutes. Well, I get my bill and I have $293 worth of roaming charges - WHOA! They were all mostly for internet usage. I don't know if a switch got hung up somewhere or what, but the charges aren't valid. I was out enjoying my vacation and NOT on the internet from my phone. Alltel basically refused to research the issue or issue any goodwill credits (remember, I'm a 14 year customer!). Mind you, this is by far the first 'roaming' issue I've had with Alltel. Another thorn in my side is that they are trying to 'strong arm' the customers still on the old, grandfathered "Unlimited" plan to switch over to a new National Freedom Plan. If you're on the old plan, they tell you that you're on another network technology and you can't upgrade to certain phones, but can only use the old, cheap, below standards unless you switch over to a new, more expensive plan. Additionally, when My Circle of friends came out, I tried to enroll and they told me you had to be on a plan that was at least $59.99 or more per month. Well guess what? My plan is $59.95 per month and I couldn't use My Circle - this is all a marketing strategy to FORCE people off of that plan where they're making no money. Those are my gripes! But overall, through the years, service has been good - room for improvement though.