Should 3Gstore.com Sell and Support Alltel Service

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1754

Since 2005, 3Gstore has played with the idea of selling and supporting Alltel EVDO Service.
For one reason or another, its just never happened.
Once again, 3Gstore is throwing this thing around and this time we wondered to ourselves what others might think of the idea.

So how about Alltel-ites and Alltel-customers-in-waiting?
Why would you like to see 3Gstore sell Alltel EVDO Service?

karlyn · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:02 pm Post subject:

Is this a trick question? Wink

Of course I think you should sell Alltel service!

Seriously, I would have purchased my Alltel service through 3Gstore if I could have. Your forum and informative websites had already sold me on the added value you folks could provide.

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Update (1/22/08 ): I decided I should edit my post and elaborate as to why I think making 3Gstore an authorized reseller would benefit Alltel. In a nutshell, if it weren't for 3Gstore I most likely wouldn't be an Alltel subscriber.

When I first learned of Alltel's EvDO service I browsed to Alltel's website to learn more. I found some basic information on my local coverage area and subscription options. Two PCMCIA cards were listed as available at the time -- the Kyocera KPC650 and the newly released UTStarcom PC5750. Since two of my laptops have Express Card slots I called 866-alltel7 and asked if they sold some sort of adapter that would allow me to use one of the available data cards in an express card slot. "Um, no," I was told. "Do you sell any express card modems or is there any other option for me?" I asked. "Sorry, no," was the reply. "Maybe you could find an adapter at a computer electronics store." I didn't want a "maybe" solution.

Fortunately I don't give up easily. I googled "evdo" and quickly found 3Gstore's informative evdoinfo.com and evdoforums.com websites. There I learned it was possible to use a data card in an EvDO router with Wi-Fi and more specifically, which router was best suited for use with each of the cards offered by Alltel. Being able to connect wirelessly to the router would allow me to use my laptops with the service.

The next day I walked out of an Alltel store with both a data card and a new cell phone. (The corporate store rep didn't know specifics about Alltel's data card offerings either but by the time I walked into the store I no longer needed the help.) I ordered my router from 3Gstore a couple days later and I've been a happy Alltel/3Gstore customer ever since.

For any Alltel execs that may be reading this thread -- I hope you come to understand the added value 3Gstore provides. Their pre- and post-sale support is truly remarkable. I suspect a scenario similar to mine plays out many times each month and while 3Gstore is not currently an authorized Alltel agent they are, in fact, helping sell Alltel's data service every day. Putting them in a position to actively promote Alltel's service would benefit everyone.

mudpuppy93 · EVDO User Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 42

Same here- if it wasn't for this forum I think that I would still be stuck with my horrible dial up. I would have loved to go with Sprint or Verizon from 3gs but they don't have any kind of coverage where I live. About the only way I can say thanks is to get a router or antenna from you guys when I get the extra money.

Big Twin · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject:

In a second! Exclamation

ImaNoob · EVDO User Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 39

My vote is to support Alltel. Whenever I can get the spare money, I'll be ordering an external antenna for my Alltel UTStarcom UM150, and looking to get a Cradlepoint and possibly an Amp. Just need to work on getting the money together. Very Happy

-Noob

Bigdave · EVDO Addict Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1067

Duh, ya think? Laughing

I would certainly like to use 3GStore exclusively for my EVDO needs. I can think of quite a few customers I could send your way as well!

Edit: After thinking about this I wanted to add more here. I am a huge fan of Alltel. I live in an area where I am able to choose between all the major carriers and I choose Alltel every month since I'm not under contract. (Although I also have a Sprint data card but only until Alltel turns on Rev A.)

My experience has been pretty good with Alltel once I learned how to talk to CS to get to someone who knows a little about what I need taken care of. The secret being to decide as quickly as possible if the person on the phone has a clue or not and then, if not, to hang up and call right back until I get someone with a clue. Obviously this typically involves spending much more time than I should have to. It also seems like it's a much more expensive way of doing business from Alltel's side, but heck, what do I know? I'm just the consumer. . . . . .

With 3GStore my experience is that normally all that is needed is to send an email. If I do need to call then EVERYONE who might get on the phone knows EVDO.

Couple this with the fact that they obviously enjoy the challenge of resolving problems in this area and are really right on top of things simply because they are daily users themselves.

If anyone who may be deciding this on behalf of Alltel reads this then PLEASE, by all means, allow 3GStore to represent your product! This company will make your company look even better than it already does.

Michael · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the comments - keep em coming!
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bobevdo · EVDO User Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 52

yes because in a little while as soon as i can afford it i plan to buy a mac compatible usb modem.

but huawei ec360 support would be great. Wink

thorcomm · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:19 am Post subject:

Let me add my vote to have 3Gstore add Alltel service!!

crystalterrie · EVDO User Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 32

Absolutely. After the awesome help I got setting up my cradlepoint and booster antenna, I would have taken my card back to the Alltel store(still in 14 day trial) and bought from you, just because it was a relief to finally talk to someone that knows what I am talking about on the first try!
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I also feel like I should elaborate a bit more on why you really NEED to do this. Here is a repost of what I went through to even get to these forums.

"The most frustrating part of this whole experience has been trying to find someone that even knows what I am talking about! My first visit to the Alltel store resulted in blank faces and some pretty non-specific answers to questions I had about it. Then I tried the main customer service phone number. The sales rep sold me a data kit (phone tether) that wasn't even compatible with my daughters laptop(it's vista) and mine for my computer didnt work at all. Advanced tech support knew that my daughters wasn't compatible, refunded that, and mailed me a new phone to try to make mine work. It still didn't work, and tech support said their maps must be wrong(??) and that it probably just wasn't going to work for me.

I took that kit back, and the sales rep at the store (a different one)told me he knew of someone close by me using the UM150 with great results. He was right, it worked. BUT then he told me I could go to Staples(only computer store for 100 miles) and buy any inexpensive router. Staples, of course, had no clue what exactly I needed and just told me "It can't be done". That's how I ended up here, trying to research my options. I'll let you know how the cradlepoint and booster work out."

Update since then:
I bought the cradlepoint and the antennna booster from 3G, followed the directions and had both my laptop and desktop up and running in less than 30 mins. My speeds seemed slower than I expected, so I called 3G to make sure I had done the set up correctly. The support I got was outstanding. I believe it was Dario that helped me, and he was so patient, spending as much time as I needed to truly understand what he was explaining to me. Turns out I had actually managed to hook it up right, and we concluded that maybe I needed to move the router and booster around the house to find a "sweet spot". He never once made me feel as if I wasted his time, even though I had it all set up right, and I felt comfortable enough to ask a few other questions unrelated to the cradlepoint but about the whole EVDO/1x thing. Finding the sweet spot did the trick and I am LOVING this set up.

Alltel is the ONLY service available to me in my area other than dial up. I have been through 4 different dial up ISP's because of the constant sweeping of the lines and disconnects. Not to mention the fact that our phone lines here get alot of static on a frequent basis. It irritated me to have to fork out $46/month to have a land line we never used, plus the ISP fees, all for a service we didn't even like much! I managed through those issues for years, but when my daughter got her own laptop, it became critical to find other options. Even though I am not in an EVDO area (1X only here), my daughter and I are thrilled to both be online at the same time. If you have ever split a single dial up connection, 1X is like riding a rocket ship Smile

I've been bragging about this set up to my friends and have been pointing them to your site for the router and antenna. Too bad they couldn't just get it all at this site, rather than dealing with our Alltel store! If 3G does decide to do this, I will definitely buy from you when my contract is up Smile

westm · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 19

Your missing a lot of business if you don't. They've got great service and way more coverage than anybody else in my state.

fatsister · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject:

Absolutely!!!
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Nancie

PRIME1 · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:13 am Post subject:

Yes!!! Same here as for coverage. No Sprint in my area and Alltel's unlimited data plan are what I stay for. I too am just waiting on the money to buy myself a Cradlepoint. Wink

ronv1 · EVDO Newbie Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 3

NathanP · EVDO User Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 36

I, as well, can only get Alltel coverage, and I would rather spend my money somewhere with good customer support. I also vote YES!