Add a US Cellular forum?

jameswadewilson · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject: Add a US Cellular forum?

From talking with someone at US Cellular a couple of days ago it seems that they are going to be providing EVDO finally!

Doing some Google searches it appears that there may already be some US Cellular sites with EVDO.

Has anyone else had any experience with US Cellular regarding EVDO? RevA, data caps, quality of service, where is there service etc.?

Could a US Cellular forum be started?

I put this is the Verizon forum since I'm actually a Verizon customer, but I have to roam on US Cellular's site ( 1xRTT Evil or Very Mad

) because of Verizon's poor coverage.

JerryR · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: US Cellular

Hi EVDO Newbie!

Cruised past your post on US Cellular EVDO. That would be great if US Cellular started up EVDO broadband in our area. I live a few miles from you in Mars Hill and am line of site to USCellular and Verizon cell sites.

Where did you hear about USCellular starting EVDO service, how soon do they think it will be before they roll-out service in our area?

Thanks!
Jerry

jameswadewilson · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:47 am Post subject: Howdy neighbor!

Are you getting EVDO in Mars Hill from Verizon? I know that Verizon has EVDO around the Asheville area.

There is a Verizon site in West Asheville that we can barely pick up and and one on Viking Mountain that I'm not sure if we pick up.

I have the antenna pointed somewhere between the two that works better than 1xRTT, but does drop out often enough to make VOIP not work.

US Cellular is making noise about adding EVDO on the Rich Mountain site North of Hot Springs at the end of the year or early next year. Don't know for sure...

JerryR · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:26 am Post subject: Mars Hill verizon coverage

Hi:
Thanks for the quick reply.

I borrowewd a Verizon AirCard from work and got five bar service from a Verizon tower less than a mile from my house near Mars Hill. Downloads came in at around 1.050 Mb/s and uploads at around 120kb/s using only the antenna on the AirCard. The Verizon tower location is approximately (35.873840, -82.581422). I understand that the lease will not be renewed when expired in approximately two years.

I currently use MAIN wireless service, but they're shutting it down in September, so I'm looking at alternatives. I'm a USCC customer now and they have a tower also line of site to me on Big Knob near Mars Hill. I would love it if they had G3 EVdo service.

Are you currently using an antenna or an amplifier for your long-haul service from near Asheville?

Let me know if I can help further neighbor.

jameswadewilson · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

I can't believe that Verizon is going to shut down a site! Hopefully they'll still be able to cover your area, but I suppose that's why you're interested in US Cellular...

I'm disappointed in MAIN - they have received a lot of money in grants, but seem to be mostly providing wireless access where there is already cable or DSL. I can't believe that they are abandoning you also!

I've just been calling Verizon and US Cellular and reminding them that Madison County let them put up towers so they do owe us top notch coverage and service. Verizon isn't working for us, we've been badgering them about coverage for YEARS. US Cellular finally put in a tower close by, but it appears that they have just figured out that data could be a moneymaker.

I also stop in the Verizon, US Cellular, and AT&T stores and ask them about coverage occasionally and ask them to pass the "lost a customer due to lack of coverage" along to their management. US Cellular gave me this number to call and ask any data coverage questions: 828.776.0423

I have a high gain Yagi on the roof with an Intelligain SG800 amplifier and just barely get EVDO, It varies between an EVDO RSSI of -117 to -99, but just goes away occasionally for a few seconds.

I've though about going with a satellite dish, but the direction to point the antenna seems to wander around a few degrees.

JerryR · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:08 pm Post subject:

Wow! All sounds like the same old story on your end of the county! Grapevine news told me about Verizon dropping a tower just up the road from my house when the lease expires. We live about 1.8 miles from I26 and my guess is that they
have the I-26 corridor covered using towers right on the interstate. I guess things could change.

I feel as you do about MAIN. my neighbor and I were their first customers three or four years ago. Sounds like the g'ment check cleared so they can now pull their equipment out of all the remote spots. I enjoyed 1Mb/s DL and UL service from them
when they were here.

I am a consulting engineer, and need high speed service. I'm looking for the best alternative other than satelitte right now.

I understand that French Broad EMC is stringing fiber throughout Madison now to cover high speed commercial accounts. I may check with them to see if I can re-sell their internet over fiber and start a small (20-30 customer) Neighborhood ISP.

Sounds like you've got a good system there. What kind of data rates are you getting with your RSSI? We can email back and forth if you'd like (jerryrobinson@ieee.org) and not bother the group with our local issues. I'd like to hear more. Thanks!