EVDO launched yesterday (07 / 20 / 2007). EVDO is broadband data, such as internet, over cell phone towers. Advertised speeds are 400K to 2.4Mbps. That means I can use my cellphone as a modem and ditch my expensive 3Mbps Charter cable internet. As far as reception... Alltel is flawless in this area. I replaced my home phone with Alltel almost 4 years ago and have never looked back. Anyone looking to get a contract or prepaid service can get a hold of me inside the Houghton Lake K-Mart at the Alltel Kiosk any day but Sunday and Tuesday. Jason Peterson Wireless Consultant Alltel Wireless 989-387-0577

Don't even bother with Sprint PCS in the Houghton Lake area. I could barely get one bar of service on the NE side.

Alltel works flawless in the Houghton Lake area.

Alltel works awesome in the Houghton Lake area, and throughout northern Michigan for that matter. I have had Sprint, and my wife had Nextel, and both are crap when you get away from the major roads. My Alltel has worked the best and I travel a lot. My mom has an Alltel and my dad has a Nextel and she has service on her phone pretty much wherever his Nextel does not. They travel to Alaska, Texas, Wyoming, N. Dakota, and Maine every year and Alltel (thanks much in part to sharing towers with Verizon) has proven to be very reliable.