With Alltel on the docket to be gobbled up by Verizon Wireless, I keep forgetting about that. Shame on me because there’s still some good news for their current customers, some of which I’d like to see migrate over to VZW when the deal is complete.

Take today’s news for example: Alltel is bundling up services into "Connect Packs" like these:

• Connect Pack 1 – Unlimited data minutes for $9.99 per month. Provides unlimited access to the Web, email, news, weather and more. The unlimited data minutes can be used on Alltel applications including Alltel TV, Celltop, ringtones, games and more.
• Connect Pack 2 – $14.99 per month delivers everything from Connect Pack 1 as well as unlimited Alltel TV on Demand with seven popular channels; Alltel Radio Basic, with 10 great channels of commercial free radio; and a subscription to Alltel’s popular Ringback service, allowing customers to change the usual ringing sound that callers hear with thousands of tunes that match their personality.
• Connect Pack 3 – Includes Connect Pack 1 plus unlimited messaging for $19.99 per month. Includes unlimited text, picture, video and instant messaging.
• Connect Pack 4 – Connect Pack 2 plus unlimited messaging and e-mail for $24.99 per month
• Connect Pack 5 –  $34.99 gets you Connect Pack 4 plus unlimited access to My Cast Weather, a RealTone Jukebox monthly membership with access to three new RealTones each month and unlimited Alltel Navigation.

Alltel either ran out of services to bundle or didn’t want one more Connect Pack, which I would have dubbed "the Six Pack". To qualify for and choose a Connect Pack, you’ll need a phone plan at $39.95 or more per month.