News flash: Verizon bought Alltel last year. Most of you probably knew that but Alltel and Verizon Wireless are still operating as two completely different entities which might have some of you wondering what the deal is. Well, Verizon Wireless is scheduled to account for this takeover during the Summer, closing Alltel stores or changing them over to Verizon Wireless stores depending on the market.  But in some locations they are getting an early start.

The guys at PhoneDog saw one Alltel store with a sign readin:

“This Alltel Wireless location is closed – please visit us at our new location inside of Verizon Wireless.”

They headed over to the local Verizon Wireless store and amongst the normal products and offerings, tucked away against the back wall, was a dedicated Alltel section that was still branded as Alltel:

Verizon Wireless is finally swallowing Alltel but the digestion won’t occur until summer. It is then that we’ll see the Alltel brand completely dissolved and everything will become Verizon Wireless. What we’re seeing above is likely part of a testing incorporation phase where Verizon acclamates customers with the takeover in a subtle way, asks them how they feel about the handling of it, and they’ll apply the good and remove the bad when doing the same in other markets.

So if anyone reading this is searching for the answer to the question “Why is Alltel in the Verizon store?”… now you know why!