On Apr 4, 3:12*pm, Stephen Sprunk wrote:

Other carriers, who were not constrained by backwards compatibility,
were all-digital (using CDMA, GSM or iDEN) from the start and served
only metro areas, where they could cover the most potential customers
for the least amount of money. *As their customer base grew, they
extended coverage outwards and/or formed roaming agreements, but mainly
to serve customers from metro areas who wandered, eg. on freeways from
one city to another. *They weren't, and still aren't, interested in
serving rural customers.

According to the fine print on my cell phone contract, I will get
charged for roaming if I end up in a rural area not served by the
carrier. But I think I'd have to go far off the beaten track to be in
such an area--they have the major Interstates and small towns covered.

(As mentioned, on my original old analog cell phone, the 'home area'
was only my metro area evem though the company covered a rather large
portion of the country.)