Alltel Roaming Triangle
 

Ever since using the Alltel 6800 I have been very annoyed by the "roaming" triangle that does not flash no matter what, even if you know you're using a tower that has service agreements with Alltel. No matter what the triangle never flashes like other Alltel phones. I called Alltel about this and they didn't even offer up an excuse, just that there is no way to tell if you're roaming or not when you get the triangle and "No we won't reimburse you for roaming charges" even if you are in a partner area. Today I went to a non-Alltel area and after the new GPS ROM 3.16 update the triangle FLASHES! Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes... the Alltel triangle.

This is what I know.

Unlike Verizon & Sprint when you leave your local area of coverage you recieve the solid triangle (which should be) representing
"roaming on un-preferred networks" <--- which is what Alltel representatives and website both have revealed.
A flashing triangle represents roaming on preferred networks... namely Sprint & Verizon (which between the 3 covers just about every square millimeter of US soil) practically making true roaming very hard to encounter unless your in a very rural indigenous area mostly uninhabited.

Oddly, Alltel cannot disclose any current roaming, if incurred, at time on inquiry until other carriers send/recieve the roaming charges accumulated by each others customers.

This is my situation:

Me, my mother and father all have Alltel 6800's. My folks lives in Charleston. I live in Columbia; 100 miles between us. I bought my 6800 here and they bought theirs in Charleston. If I drive to Charleston the solid roaming triangle pops up about 5 miles outside of Columbia and stays on while in Charleston and until I return back to within 5 miles of Columbia. My father does not have a triangle in Charleson but if he drives to see me, he gets a solid triangle until he returns back. Seems the phone likes it origin of service initiation. Ridiculous I know because I have Ev the ENTIRE time and Alltel website/representatives specifically stated that if you have either 1X, Ev icons and/or can recieve data at ANY time then you are NOT roaming.

I have yet to return back to Charelston with the 3.16 rom on my device but even if I got the flashing roaming triangle, it would be partially more correct than a solid one. After this weekend, I will report my findings as I am driving to Charleston.

So why the triangle if we are really not roaming? Its something Alltel has programmed into their devices & network and although it is annoying, I still recieve terrific Ev reception everywhere and have accumulated nor billed for roaming.

Side note: And I would not pay for roaming if charges are brought before you and you have constant Ev/1X service.


Update 2/4/08 - After my trip to Charleston, my solid flashing roaming triangle did not appear. However a flashing triangle (preferred networks) was present the entire time in place of the solid. Again a flashing triangle is more accurate but still un-necessary since I am 100% sure I am in areas of Alltel coverage and I have a flashing triangle...