Wireless voice and data services in AZ and Western US

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Posted by Christine Baker on December 13, 1998 at 01:22:00:

This winter I'll probably be in Arizona for the most part, maybe Mexico occasionally. Next Spring I plan on working my way up to Alaska, maybe via Montana/Idaho, who knows .... I hope I can get a "vacation" rate for any AZ services.

I need to be able to make voice calls and would really like to be able to get on the net.

So far I haven't found any cell service provider in AZ offering unlimited nights and/or weekends. Since I need to do a lot of web work, that's bad news. Especially since cell connections are so slow.

I'm considering just getting either Cell One or Airstream as I really need to have a phone SOON. Airtouch is not an option as I already got LOTS of E-mails complaining about Airtouch. Cell One got much more positive reviews, and I know absolutely NOTHING about Airstream, apparently new to AZ.

Cell One seems to have a large home area, but the guy at the Walmart in Cottonwood knows as much about modems as a tree. And he's not one of those people who'd let me talk to the people he's calling for help. Oh no, he gets me a bunch of phone numbers for outside vendors. Been there, done that, never again ....

I'm looking for a Motorola bag phone that works with my $300 Megahertz XJ 4288 modem. And of course it would be great to have a phone that keeps track of the minutes used.

Somebody recommended AT&T, and it sounded good to have nationwide coverage without roaming charges. They also have the dual digital/analog service. But read my postings, I'm not getting anywhere with them.

Sprint PCS sux, drops the connections just going across the Bay Bridge and the sound quality is awful.

In conjunction with cell service, I'm considering DirecPC. Already monitored the DirecPC newsgroup and am aware of the FAP problems, but it's not an issue to me since I don't download that much. My main concern is how difficult it is to set up the dish since I'm traveling.

Today I also spent some time at Iridium's site. But I couldn't find any prices and AT&T had really worn me out. I suspect it's way too expensive.

I've done some web searches for "wireless" but couldn't find anything useful. There were some pages claiming they had unlimited off peak and wholesale cell service and phones, but while they had E-mail contacts, they haven't even responded since I E-mailed on Thu.

On my way up to the Bay Area a few days ago I saw quite a few signs for PageNet's new service, 2-way messaging etc. I used to have a PageNet pager in the Bay Area and it was awful, NOT reliable at all! Is this new service any better?

I'm looking to spend maybe $100/month, preferably less, maybe a little more for unlimited off peak time and satellite access. I don't have to be on the web 14 hours a day every day. But I'd like to be able to get an urgent client message even when I'm in the middle of the desert. I can always drive to the next town and check my E-mail with the cell phone and/or use a pay phone with a calling card.

Next week I'm going back to AZ as soon as I feel that I won't have any complications after having a wisdom tooth pulled on Monday. I guess I'll go to Phoenix right away and just go to Cell One's and Airstream's stores, since I couldn't get any info on the phone.

Is it true that you can cancel any cellular contract within the first 30 days? That would help.

Any recommendations, solutions and/or feedback on any of these services or any alternatives will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks much, Christine

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: This winter I'll probably be in Arizona for the most part, maybe Mexico occasionally. Next Spring I plan on working my way up to Alaska, maybe via Montana/Idaho, who knows .... I hope I can get a "vacation" rate for any AZ services.

: I need to be able to make voice calls and would really like to be able to get on the net.

: So far I haven't found any cell service provider in AZ offering unlimited nights and/or weekends. Since I need to do a lot of web work, that's bad news. Especially since cell connections are so slow.

: I'm considering just getting either Cell One or Airstream as I really need to have a phone SOON. Airtouch is not an option as I already got LOTS of E-mails complaining about Airtouch. Cell One got much more positive reviews, and I know absolutely NOTHING about Airstream, apparently new to AZ.

: Cell One seems to have a large home area, but the guy at the Walmart in Cottonwood knows as much about modems as a tree. And he's not one of those people who'd let me talk to the people he's calling for help. Oh no, he gets me a bunch of phone numbers for outside vendors. Been there, done that, never again ....

: I'm looking for a Motorola bag phone that works with my $300 Megahertz XJ 4288 modem. And of course it would be great to have a phone that keeps track of the minutes used.

: Somebody recommended AT&T, and it sounded good to have nationwide coverage without roaming charges. They also have the dual digital/analog service. But read my postings, I'm not getting anywhere with them.

: Sprint PCS sux, drops the connections just going across the Bay Bridge and the sound quality is awful.

: In conjunction with cell service, I'm considering DirecPC. Already monitored the DirecPC newsgroup and am aware of the FAP problems, but it's not an issue to me since I don't download that much. My main concern is how difficult it is to set up the dish since I'm traveling.

: Today I also spent some time at Iridium's site. But I couldn't find any prices and AT&T had really worn me out. I suspect it's way too expensive.

: I've done some web searches for "wireless" but couldn't find anything useful. There were some pages claiming they had unlimited off peak and wholesale cell service and phones, but while they had E-mail contacts, they haven't even responded since I E-mailed on Thu.

: On my way up to the Bay Area a few days ago I saw quite a few signs for PageNet's new service, 2-way messaging etc. I used to have a PageNet pager in the Bay Area and it was awful, NOT reliable at all! Is this new service any better?

: I'm looking to spend maybe $100/month, preferably less, maybe a little more for unlimited off peak time and satellite access. I don't have to be on the web 14 hours a day every day. But I'd like to be able to get an urgent client message even when I'm in the middle of the desert. I can always drive to the next town and check my E-mail with the cell phone and/or use a pay phone with a calling card.

: Next week I'm going back to AZ as soon as I feel that I won't have any complications after having a wisdom tooth pulled on Monday. I guess I'll go to Phoenix right away and just go to Cell One's and Airstream's stores, since I couldn't get any info on the phone.

: Is it true that you can cancel any cellular contract within the first 30 days? That would help.

: Any recommendations, solutions and/or feedback on any of these services or any alternatives will be greatly appreciated!

: Thanks much, Christine

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