"Signs" that Alltel-to-AT&T conversion is still a year away

Recently I noticed a new sign posted at Alltel stores in Sioux Falls. The signs says "Now doing 1 year contracts."

I think this is a sign of how long it will take AT&T to get moving on the network conversion. I knew network conversion was going to be a long process. My original guess was 2 years until full network conversion. I still see Sioux Falls being fully on the AT&T network by mid-summer 2010 with the I-90 and I-29 corridors completed by Thanksgiving 2010. That is just an estimated guess. Note that AT&T might not actually turn on the new equipment until the entire network conversion is complete (or nearly complete) for the area. This is a "flip the switch" theory of tower conversion.

I heard (not from the most reliable source) that Alltel towers had GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile technology) on them already for roaming revenue. If this is true, it would just take a software update at each physical tower location to make the switch for AT&T official on the Interstate corridors...kind of. --explanation of kind of...Each site will need full antenna upgrades and new equipment to switch the main antenna system to GSM from CDMA (Alltel, Verizon, Sprint technology). The "backup" system used for roaming is not intended to handle as much traffic as the primary system.

Until the new AT&T system comes on line...keep dreaming about owning an iPhone.