REGIONAL — Customers of one Upstate cellular provider will do business as usual despite the company changing hands.

Alltel customers in 13 counties in northwest South Carolina — including Union County — will see no change in their service or who provides their cellular coverage even though the Alltel assets in those counties have been sold to another company.

As part of the Verizon Wireless/Alltel merger in 2009, Verizon Wireless was required by the Federal Communications Commission to divest certain former Alltel assets. Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. — or ATN — purchased the Alltel properties, licenses and network assets from Verizon Wireless in early 2010 and will continue to operate them as Alltel — a competitor of Verizon Wireless.

According to Alltel vice president general manager Jack Luciani, the federal government — upon approval of the merger between the two cellular companies — wanted to make sure viable competition still existed in all markets across the country. In doing so, the FCC told Verizon it could not own several markets, including that which encompasses much of the Upstate region.

ATN purchased the Alltel assets in Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Saluda and Union counties and will operate services under the Alltel banner.

The sale became official as of April 26.

All Alltel owned and operated stores — including those in Chester, Gaffney and Laurens — will remain open and local customers will still have all of the same benefits and rate plans they previously enjoyed.

That means Alltel customers in those 13 Upstate counties will see no change in service, billing or other aspects of their business with the cellular service provider. They will still have access to popular features such as "My Circle" and Anytime Plan Changes as well as all other industry-leading benefits Alltel — which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year — provides.

“We just want to make sure our customers know Alltel is here to stay,” Luciani said via a phone interview last Thursday.

Customers will be able to keep their existing handsets and rate plans and can expect to see the phone lineup include additional smart and multi media devices.

"My Account," Alltel's online account management service where customers can pay their bill, manage "My Circle" numbers and add new lines will also remain easily accessible at www.alltel.com.

As Alltel celebrates 25 years as the longest-running wireless brand in America, customers will continue to see the Alltel name and logo on store fronts along with broadcast, print and online advertisements featuring Alltel's TV spokesperson Chad.

Not only are the services staying the same for Alltel customers in Union County and the other 12 counties affected by this sale, but the cellular provider was able to negotiate ATN’s purchase of its assets without losing one job in the process.

Luciani admits there will be some growing pains as the transition period moves forward, but customers will not see any of those. Business will be as usual for all Alltel customers in Union County and the others in northwest South Carolina affected.

“I think there’s been a lot of confusion from the beginning,” the Alltel exec said, adding Alltel customers in Union County don’t have to do anything — their service is the same as it was before the sale was complete and will remain that way. “It’s going to look and smell just like it used to.”

Customers with questions regarding service can visit their nearest retail store or call Alltel Customer Service at 1-800-alltel-1 or 1-800-255-8351.

Luciani hopes this information will clear up some of the confusion that has surrounded the Alltel/Verizon merger and the sale of those other assets in certain markets.

"We recognize the value in the Alltel Wireless brand and are committed to providing our northwest South Carolina customers with the superior products, services and customer support they have come to expect from Alltel,” Luciani said in a separate press release. “We look forward to continuing to serve our customers in the area as well as working with the employees who support these markets."

Alltel Wireless is operated by AWCC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ATN. It will continue to operate as an independent wireless carrier in six states and service nearly 900,000 customers.

For more information, visit www.alltel.com.

About ATN:

Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATNI), headquartered in Salem, MA, is a telecommunications company operating advanced wireless, wireline and both terrestrial and submarine fiber optic networks in North America and the Caribbean. For further information, please visit www.atni.com.