Former Alltel Wireless customers in the area may have already noticed the change in color of their billing statement from blue to red.

“If that hasn’t happened already, it should within the next couple of days,” said Chuck Hamby, Verizon Wireless public relations manager. The change is a sign that the merge to Verizon is one step closer to completion. A full billing system merge is scheduled for July 11.

Most folks will get to keep using their same cell phone. However, “If it’s an old, old phone,” Hamby said, “they will have to get a new phone.”

Free phones are available with most plans, although those phones are generally limited in their high-tech capabilities, Hamby said.

Most customers can stick with their current Alltel contracts until they expire, at which time the switch will be necessary to continue service with Verizon.

“The change should be seamless for customers,” Hamby said.

Chris Fraizer, Verizon’s Live Oak officer manager, said customers can still purchase Alltel phones until July 11. As of Monday, a rack of the soon-to-be obsolete phones were still displayed at the local Verizon store.

If customers experience any roaming problems with their phone service, they can dial *228, which helps a phone recognize recent tower updates in the area, he said.