Is there any way to flash the eris to the ntelos network since they run on CDMA?

I would say just go with vzw, but I do know a lot of people cant do that... So I will not tell you how but where to look, there are places that offer flashing a phone over to there company knowing that they are also cdma. you can walk into a store and as them if they know anyone who can flash you phone over to that company...

found this on a comment forum for ntelos

I know you can use Verizon phones on the nTelos network, I have done it before. But, when I tried to get the nTelos store to put a eris on my account they told me that the data would not work. It would work as a phone, but none of the 3G stuff. And, they want to charge me for a smartphone, even if it doesn't work.

Yes but you need software  and a lot of info to do that. Check crqiglist for phones and to be honest you will lose features if you bring a phone from a different company it always happens