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Qwest Dumps Sprint, Will Resell Verizon Wireless
Hopefully the new offer will be more exciting than the last one....

Qwest currently resells Sprint wireless phone & EVDO broadband service, but tacks on a $5 premium and imposes a 5GB monthly broadband cap -- both of which users could avoid if they just sign up with Sprint. The offer really never excited anybody, including Qwest's CEO, who last month started talking to other wireless carriers. So it's not too shocking to see that Qwest has officially dumped Sprint and will resell Verizon Wireless service as part of their broadband/wireless bundles.

Only 824,000 of Sprint's 54 million subscribers were from Qwest, but that's nearly a million people who didn't realize they were paying more for the same service but with a lower monthly EVDO cap. The deal never really made sense for a smart shopper, unless you really enjoy having all services on one bill. As it stands, existing Sprint customers will get a "comparable" Verizon Wireless handset for free. We'll offer more detail (contract migrations, pricing) once we have them.
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Verizon Wireless...

Was the only logical other choice in the areas that Qwest services.
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Alltel cover many parts, but none cover all of the midwest. AT&T's roaming arrangement would have many users being out of contract for excessive roaming. I think Alltel would do Ok, but I'm not sure if they have native service in areas like Denver.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Verizon Wireless...

Alltel would have been a great choice. They partner with both VZW and Sprint for roaming and they partner with Alltel. It's just a matter of Alltel covers A LOT more of the smaller areas than Sprint & VZW
bsoft
join:2004-03-28
Boulder, CO

bsoft to en102

Member

to en102
Alltel has very little native coverage in Colorado.

Remember that "the areas that Qwest services" includes the Seattle area (T-Mobile's headquarters is in nearby Bellevue), Denver (great T-Mobile coverage) and Phoenix.

Most of Qwest's territory isn't in the "Midwest", unless you think the Pacific Northwest/Southwest/Mountain States are "Midwest". Iowa and Minnesota are the notable exceptions.

The advantage to having "Qwest" wireless is that you may get discounts if you have other Qwest services (DSL, etc.).

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: Verizon Wireless...

I guess what I consider midwest isn't the Wiki definition.
Either way, here's Alltel's basic coverage area, and Qwest has its major cities as your note as Seattle and Denver.. neither have Alltel native service.

»people.ku.edu/~cinema/wi ··· _cel.gif

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

No loss.

And this is a big loss/win for whom? Qwest.. they don't even matter. What is said, people are stupid enough to pay the extra for the service.. Morons.
cablebob7
join:2005-06-13
Bellingham, WA

cablebob7

Member

1 Bill

I know that i can get cheaper wireless rates, but i do like the one bill for everything and the free calls to home. that in my eyes make it worth it to me.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

Re: 1 Bill

said by cablebob7:

but i do like the one bill for everything
I like to spread the wealth... Plus with auto bill pay, I don't worry if I pay one or 2 dozen.. I pay for that service so I use it..
viperlmw
Premium Member
join:2005-01-25

viperlmw to cablebob7

Premium Member

to cablebob7
Then you will probably like this new service better. Ed says that this relationship will be much more like the relationship Qwest has with DirecTV, where Qwest is able to provide a $5 discount for bundling the services. Sounds like discounts may be available here.

I find it ironic that many customers who may opt for this may be riding old USWest/Qwest mobile facilities, as Qwest sold their wireless network to VZW several years ago.
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

EPS4

Member

Branding

I find it interesting that the new service won't be called Qwest Wireless, but Verizon Wireless... also, that VZW won't allow Qwest handset owners to switch their existing handsets to VZW- since Qwest Wireless is Sprint, wouldn't they all be CDMA? (Or are the Sprint handsets not dual-band or something? I suppose cellular 800Mhz coverage would be important for VZW in former AirTouch territory.)

xirian
Premium Member
join:2003-01-26
Beacon, NY

xirian

Premium Member

Re: Branding

said by EPS4:

I find it interesting that the new service won't be called Qwest Wireless, but Verizon Wireless... also, that VZW won't allow Qwest handset owners to switch their existing handsets to VZW- since Qwest Wireless is Sprint, wouldn't they all be CDMA? (Or are the Sprint handsets not dual-band or something? I suppose cellular 800Mhz coverage would be important for VZW in former AirTouch territory.)
They would need to have verizon software for said phones to flash it with, as sprint phones use java whereas verizon uses BREW.
viperlmw
Premium Member
join:2005-01-25

1 edit

viperlmw to EPS4

Premium Member

to EPS4
I'm not so sure it won't be called Qwest Wireless. An interesting note at the end of this article: »www.unstrung.com/documen ··· d=152939

"With Sprint, Qwest was simply buying and reselling Sprint contracts as a wholesaler. But with Verizon, it will act as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and actually market and sell the service as if it were its own."

As for handsets, here is an interesting note from Xchangemag: »www.xchangemag.com/hotne ··· ,p2.html

"Before selecting Verizon as its new provider, the RBOC also was talking with AT&T Inc., which has GSM-based service. Qwest’s Sprint-based offering is a CDMA service, so moving subscribers to Verizon’s CDMA network would be a less painful transition for end users, requiring no handset exchanges."

Maybe this is referring to voice, not data handsets?
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

EPS4

Member

Re: Branding

Pretty much all handsets are data in some way nowadays, though... even my free three year old Samsung has Get It Now and game downloading, though it can only use the slow 1xRTT rather than EV-DO.
viperlmw
Premium Member
join:2005-01-25

viperlmw

Premium Member

According to Ed, it won't be Qwest Wireless. It is being sold by Qwest as Verizon Wireless.

The Beer
I Love It When A Plan Comes Together
Premium Member
join:2001-07-24
Lincoln, NE

1 recommendation

The Beer

Premium Member

Full Circle

Ok lets see here...

In Omaha

USWest Cellular -> Airtouch Cellular -> Verizon

USWest -> Qwest -> Starts Qwest Wireless

Qwest Wireless shuts down to resell Sprint

Sprint Resold by Qwest becomes Verizon.

Might be me but I think just not selling the network in the first place may have been a better bet.

Moonjo
Premium Member
join:2001-10-29
Aurora, CO

Moonjo

Premium Member

Re: Full Circle

Is it funny or sad that I've had my service since U S WEST Cellular to Airtouch to Verizon. Same number all these years.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

tc1uscg

Member

Like duhh

Ok, in another article, it mentioned that "Qwest customers will have "access" to verizon phones".. Ok, here's a clue, drive to a local verizon store, oh wait, we have the internet, lets go online and do this .. Now, walk up to a sales person, tap them on the shoulder (if they are not already up your a$$ from the moment you walked through the door) and buy a friggen VZW phone/plan. Now, call Qwest and cancel your plan, pay the ETF and your set to go. Do they think people are that stupid to feel it's a benefit to have the 2 partnered? Like the sky is going to open up and let in much more sunshine. It would be no different if Virgin Mobile started selling "Sprint" phones and their own "branded" units.

dmconwa1
@spcsdns.net

dmconwa1

Anon

Re: Like duhh

Are you really that ignorant? Qwest will use this the same way they use DirecTV. It's all about the bundle. I can imagine they will offer an opt in like they do for existing DirecTV customers to get the bundle savings of having it billed through Qwest. With the current arrangement if you have a bundle with Qwest you get anywhere from a $5-$17 bundle discount per month on a wireless plan depending on what services you have bundled. I think that would be attractive for a lot of Verizon users.

Ask DirecTV what the benefits of partnering with Qwest have been? Qwest is their top reseller. I can imagine this will be no different. They have already said they are going to sell this as Verizon. I imagine it will be same plans, same equipment, but having the option to bundle and get a discount just like the DirecTV arrangement.

tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Gulfport, MS

1 edit

tc1uscg

Member

Re: Like duhh

No, but you seem to be. Verizon isn't going to give ANYBODY a discount, much less a re-seller. You'll PAY what VZW tells Qwest to charge and you can bet it's going to be the SAME if not MORE then what you can get by walking into a Verizon retail store Now, go back and re-read again. I'm talking about the CUSTOMER.. I couldn't really give a rats rear about Qwest or VZ. Qwest will only make as much as VZ allows them to make. It looks good on the outside, but deep down.. they will do no better whith whoever they "signed" with.

dmconwa1
@qwest.net

dmconwa1

Anon

Re: Like duhh

Qwest will give the discount. Just like Qwest gives the discount to DirecTV customers who BUNDLE services through them. This really isn't a hard concept to grasp. Customer buys phone, TV, or internet from Qwest. Customer has Verizon wireless or is looking for wireless service. Qwest offers them a bundled rate to get Verizon through them. Verizon bills their normal charge Qwest gives a discount off the total bill. Of course there will be no discount if you buy Verizon from Qwest without bundling with another product, but that is no shock.

Verizon will also be offering Qwest products and services in their stores in the Qwest service area.

Qwest will also be working with Verizon on goverment deals to offer bundled services something that Sprint would not allow Qwest to do.

PGHammer
join:2003-06-09
Accokeek, MD

PGHammer

Member

Re: Like duhh

The government discounts make sense another way, as both Qwest and Verizon have several Rather Large Government Contracts (via GSA's Networx omnibus contracts, which cover all the government except the military, which has separate contracts with both companies). State governments (and in some cases, municipal and county governments as well) can now purchase services under Uncle's contracts.

Spicolli
join:2002-08-03
Saint Paul, MN

Spicolli

Member

qwest

I have qwest, and it was cheaper then when I had sprint so it did make more sense and was more convenient but I didn't have the high speed so I guess that might have been different. Also when I had Sprint I loved there network hated there customer service where as in qwests is much better so that was even more reason. I hate Verizon's service here in MN so now I'm not sure if I'll stay.