On May 6th Shentel – a local provider has completed their acquisition nTelos – a Virginia based wireless provider. Shentel works in conjunction with Sprint to expand their network. Just last year Sprint was able to enable LTE in most of Virginia including Roanoke, Va. and some of West Va. Read More.
Shentel has acquired all of nTelos’s stocks, wireless network assets, retail shops and ~290,000 existing nTelos customers.
What Shentel will be doing next
Customers
All nTelos customers will receive notices via mail, email, text etc.. To complete their server move over to Sprint or Boost Mobile (A sprint MVNO). We’re not 100% how Sprint will be charging the new customer and what plans will go to what carrier (Sprint or Boost Mobile) however it seems like the FRAWG nTelos plans will be transferred to Boost Mobile.
However we do know this:
- All nTelos customer will still be able to use their nTelos phones and service until they have completed their transition.
Once you receive your instructions from Sprint, you’ll have the following options:
- Choose a customized Sprint plan which is going to be same or better than what you have now and will include – Unlimited Text, Data, and the same amount of data you have right now along with the same price as what you pay now.
- Customer will also have the option to move over a standard Sprint plan and they will not have to worry about their contract ETF or anything like that.
If a customer does not want to switch over to Sprint – they will have the option to change carrier when their contract(s) are over.
Coverage
For all nTelos customer the coverage will improve all now you’ll have access to Sprint’s LTE coverage nationwide not just 3G, like before.
Sprint/Shentel are also going to be investing $350 Millon into the network over the next two year, so be prepared for carrier aggregation (Sprint’s fastest LTE network. Up-to 100 Mbps however much faster as time goes on, along with 5G like speeds.).
Phones
All customers with a handset – iPhone 5C or older – will keep their device, a new SIM card will just be inserted. For all other customers, you phone will be replacement for the new network improvements. Most likely, without ETF charges.
Store
All nTelos retail store will be converted to Sprint-branded stores. The employees will remain the same as of now.
You can visit any nTelos store or call customer service to move over to Sprint.
Our first report on Sprint and nTelos’s agreement to bring LTE. Click Here.
Our report on Shentel agreeing to buy nTelos. Click Here.
