Cell phone service in Hot Springs (Rapid City, Pierre: buying, utilities, move to)

[mtngal49]

What are the choices for cell phone service in Hot Springs? I tried to research it and it looks like Verizon and Alltel are the only two that showed up. Alltel is cheaper but does it cover as well as Verizon? Are there any other choices?

[Chris19]

In most areas of South Dakota outside of the I-29 corridor and Rapid City, Alltel and Verizon are basically your choices other than the track phones found at places such as Wal-Mart. Alltel is more generous with their minutes when compared to Verizon plan, but another consideration to make is whether more people you know are on Verizon or Alltel. If that does not make much of a difference, I would go with Alltel and Alltel might be a little better for cell coverage in rural areas than Verizon.

With me, 75%-80% of my family and friends are on Verizon so I subsrcibe to Verizon and I use only a fraction of the 450 minutes. I did not have good experience with Alltel regarding customer service, after when they bought out Cellular One (who I was with before the Alltel takeover) and switched to Verizon after the contract expired.

Verizon's buyout of Alltel is pending and it makes me wonder if AT&T, Sprint, or US Cellular will enter into the South Dakota market to prevent a monopoly. Even though I like Verizon, it would be better for another player to enter to market to keep Verizon honest if it ends up buying Alltel. I would centainly think that the SD PUC (Public Utilities Commission) would look at this issue. Alltel bought out Cellular One and those two were the only providers in parts of Nebraska and another cell phone provider came in (US Cellular).

To get off of my rant, either Alltel or Verizon are the main choices and both are workable. Depends on your circumstances.

[mtngal49]

Thanks. It looks like Alltel has a cheaper, prepaid plan that I could use since I will only be in Hot Springs for 2 months.

[ashnat]

Ooh, I would LOVE for that to happen. I MISS SPRINT! I email them about once a year begging that they move to the Hills, but no luck. My ENTIRE family is on Sprint in Nebraska, Kansas, and Indiana.

[MAXXIMUZ]

I have at&t and got full bars in Rapid City, Blackhawk, Spearfish, and Pierre, which was suprising. The only dead zones for me were at the lakes.

[DannyBanany]

Boost Mobile sells at Best Buy in Rapid City and I've heard you get good coverage with them. Sprint and TMobile haven't made it out this way yet. If I were you I'd go with Alltel. It's cheaper than Verizon and it has great coverage too.

[mtngal49]

Thanks everyone. Now, who wants to go hiking, biking, and fishing with me? Hot Springs does not have a meetup.com group so we need to start our own. If you don't know what that is, go to meetup.com and type in something that you like to do. If you look in a city like Denver, it has everything you can imagine. Hot Springs could start lots of activity groups, including volunteer groups.

[ashnat]

we've got lots of meetup groups around here. try typing in black hills meetups, too.

[DannyBanany]

Type in Rapid City meetups. In fact I wouldn't mind hiking with you because I love to hike and I know some pretty good spots around the Black Hills. Just DM me if you're interested. You're not an axe murderer are you??? Just kidding, but really....

[mtngal49]

I did type in meetup in Rapid City. Looks like the group is not very active. And no, I am not an axe murderer :-). I am a nurse and mom to 3 grown sons, so I would probably just try to give you some motherly advice! If I don't find some hikers in Hot Springs, I will take you up on your offer. Thanks!