Will Sprint cell service work in Grand Island? (Omaha, Lincoln: appointed, buying)

[TheMac]

Anyone know? I'm looking for a new provider. Currently have Verizon which technically doesn't offer service in Grand Island, but I get great service. However I want to move to sprint for a different model of phone.

The Sprint website says the area of grand island is "unknown". Not surprising considering this is BFE. Just wondering if anyone in Grand Island knows of Sprint service? Thanks.

[tpabes]

Actually if you are willing to stick with Verizon that would be the best bet. Verizon bought Alltel which is really big in Nebraska, so eventually your going to have Verizon retailers and service here.

As far as Sprint, I know there service will work here. Our neighbors are from K.C. and they have still used Sprint and I am south of G.I. I'm not sure if a place like Radio Shack or Best Buy could provide you service, otherwise you're going to have to go to Lincoln for the nearest Sprint store.

There is also U.S. Cellular and a relatively new provider in Viaero. Viaero mainly serves rural Nebraska and eastern Colorado but they have nationwide service through AT&T and T-mobile.

I'm guessing Sprint is the only provider with the phone you want?

[Sandhills Guru]

I would suggest staying away from Viaero, we have their service, its poor to say the least. They may serve rural nebraska but just don't get off the highways.

We also have service with Altel to make up the lack of service, much better for sure.

[TheMac]

Hey thanks for the info. Now that I know that about Verizon, i'll probably just stick with them. Verizon has a similar model to the phone I want, but its more expensive. Not only that, but Verizon has great service, but it also costs 20% more on the monthly bill. Oh well, its probably worth it, nothing more frustrating than crappy, choppy phone service.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

I would echo the above comments: stick with Verizon. Since they are buying Alltel, and Alltel has the best coverage in Nebraska, you should be able to keep good coverage, and see all those Alltel retailers becoming Verizon retailers soon.

Sprint, TMobile, and ATT all have poor coverage in Nebraska. They work well in the metro areas, and sporadically along I-80. Beyond that, they suck.

I would also advise staying away from Viaro, unless you stay in one town. They have a lot of towers along I-80 and in many towns, but their rural coverage is pretty spotty, and they don't seem to pass off well from tower to tower, meaning lots of dropped calls.

[itsMeFred]

I'm still hung up on the idea that Grand Island is "BFE"
If GI is BFE....
Where do I live??!? lol



So far as Viaero, I'm surprised you've had bad luck, Sandhills.
My husband has had them for five years now. (Company phone, so he didn't have a choice in provider).
The first year they didn't have coverage anywhere, really, beyond here in SW NE and NE CO.
The second, they were with us as far as about GI up to Neleigh, and all the way up to Pierre, where it got spotty up to Bismarck. And into most of the panhandle. True, it disappeared not too far off the highway, and didn't go into eastern NE almost at all.
By year three they were getting closer to seamless.
But by the fouth year (last fall), I got a Viaero phone too, as there just weren't too many places he didn't get a signal anymore.... Statewide. They build cell towers like wasps build nests.

DH calls me regularly from the back of his horse, 30 miles from town. You might check into your phone's signal reception. Both of us have phones that have the top reception of any that they carry.

I had Alltel for a year, just before I signed up with Viaero. I couldn't get rid of them fast enough. Eastern Neb, I was fine. Interstate, I was fine. Beyond that and coverage was hit or miss. :P
In the "boonies" of GI, though, Alltel is probably fine.

~Erin

[a42887]

I have always been an Alltel person, but on my trip through the Sandhills, I was sorely disappointed for the first time. We took 275 up to 20 (from Omaha), 20 all the way to Hay Springs, then down to I-80 on 87 / 385. With the exception of one spot at Valentine and west (which is shown as not having coverage on Viaero's map), I had almost seamless coverage with my Viaero phone. Given, these are main highways, but Alltel was almost non-existant after O'Neill until we were back in Valentine, and then from west of Valentine to Hay Springs. I know this is mainly about Grand Island, but I'm sure it will come up in someones search. Alltel has served me great for over 10 years in Eastern and South Central Nebraska. Viaero has also served me well in these areas. If I were to whittle down to only one phone, and I didn't need to go into extreme Southeastern Nebraska frequently (Viaero is just now starting to build here, so there is not a good network around, previously there was no GSM down there), I would most definitely choose Viaero.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

I travel extensively across the sandhills and panhandle, and have not had problems with Alltel. There are some dead zones, but I guarantee you NOTHING works between Arthur and Tryon on NE61.

The key more often is in the phone, not the cell service. If you have a TDMA/CDMA phone that still supports analog service, you will get much more coverage area with Alltel. However, many of the newer fancy phones don't support that "older" technology. Unfortunately, Alltel is rapidly upgrading to be entirely digital, so soon it won't matter, but the analog signal actually seems to get better range.

Last time I checked, Viaero didn't support Phase 2 E-911 in Nebraska, only Colorado. Granted, neither do many PSAP's in Nebraska yet, but don't count on 911 finding you on a Viaero phone!

[a42887]

Just FYI, if anyone here does rely on Analog signals, you should have received one of these, but if you didn't, be aware:



I'm aware we're past the date listed (and I didn't catch any Analog up in the areas that I'd mentioned before) but if it is still on, its days are extremely numbered.

[iminer]

can you call some phonenumber to seek it?