Alltel Wireless, U.S. Cellular Align With Prepaid Cell Phone Offer

U.S. Cellular and Little Rock-based Alltel Wireless have joined together to begin offering a no contract wireless service in select Walmart stores across 18 states beginning in May.

The two companies are touting the alliance as “the first of its kind in the industry.” The service is called U Prepaid.

“Teaming with Alltel to gain distribution in Walmart gives us another opportunity to be where our customers want to shop and to offer more customers a prepaid service that helps them control their monthly budgets,” said Carter S. Elenz, executive vice president of sales and customer service for U.S. Cellular. “U Prepaid customers with U.S. Cellular will be backed by our high-speed network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier.”

The new alliance provides Walmart customers simplified service plan choices. Depending on where customers live, the prepaid service will run on either U.S. Cellular’s high-speed national network or Alltel’s coast-to-coast network.

“Alltel is proud to bring the strength and equity of our U Prepaid brand to U.S. Cellular to create this unique alliance,” said Lesa Handly, chief marketing officer for Alltel Wireless. “Together, we can leverage our position as the “local” wireless carrier offering a hometown alternative in the communities we serve.”