Alltel wireless customers in many rural areas in South Carolina and Georgia will sit in limbo until a buyer is found for their territory.

Verizon Wireless completed its $5.9 billion acquisition of rival Alltel on Friday, but through an agreement with the federal government Verizon did not acquire all of the overlapping areas.

About 2 million of Alltel's 12 million customers will not automatically switch to Verizon Wireless. As a condition of the merger approval, the Federal Communications Commission told Verizon that it had to sell off 105 of its overlapping network areas, including Burke County in Georgia, and Edgefield, Barnwell, Bamberg and Orangeburg counties in South Carolina.

"If they are interested in becoming a Verizon customer, then it is a normal process. They would have to port their number. They would have to come into one of our locations. It is just as though they were with another carrier," said Verizon spokeswoman Caran Smith.

But they are still beholden to their Alltel service contract and would pay the penalties for breaking it in order to find another wireless service, Ms. Smith said.

She said the divested territories are being managed by a trust until a buyer is found, but customers should not notice any changes to their service or calling plans.

The other 10.8 million Alltel customers nationwide will become Verizon Wireless customers as soon as the former competitor is integrated, some as soon as this spring, according to the company.

Customers' current service plans, prices and features, including My Circle, will remain the same throughout the transition, the company said in a written statement.

"Ultimately, the Alltel name will be retired," Ms. Smith said, which means the Alltel store locations will also be re-branded or closed.

Ms. Smith said it will take several months to implement a plan for its retail operations. Alltel stores will remain open during the transition.

Employees below executive level will continue in their jobs as Verizon assesses its staffing needs, the company reported.

OVERLAP LIMBO

As a part of its acquisition of Alltel Corp., Verizon Wireless was required by the federal government to sell off 105 of the overlapping territories. Those areas will not be incorporated into Verizon's network and will be managed by an outside trust until a buyer is found.

Former Alltel service areas awaiting a buyer include:

South Carolina counties

- Edgefield

- McCormick

- Barnwell

Georgia counties

- Burke

- Jefferson

- Warren

Source: Verizon Wireless