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  1. #1
    Registered User turtle fast's Avatar
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    Default cell phone coverage

    I have read that folks are not too happy with ATT (formally Cingular) cell phone service while on the trail. However, has anyone come to do any research as to which cell service is the best? I have heard positive things with US Cellular and Verizion.....any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Registered User Summit's Avatar
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    I have been pleased with Verizon Wireless in N. Georgia and NC. Not sure how it fairs further north.

  3. #3
    But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
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    Sprint is horrible, you need to live in their head quarters to have reception. I have heard Verizon does decent on the Maine AT, but know that a lot of cell phones, no matter what company, have difficulty getting a signal on the trail in Maine.

    Kirby

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Summit View Post
    I have been pleased with Verizon Wireless in N. Georgia and NC. Not sure how it fairs further north.
    In Damascus, Verizon was "one tick", and sprint was clear (I hear). In Pearisburg, Verizon was clear. Both places cingular was useless, except for contacting god. He told me, I was an idiot for switching. Who else do you want to talk to???
    Rambler

  5. #5
    Lone Walker butynski's Avatar
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    I have Verizon and have been in the woods in several states and had very good luck. (Louisianna, Kentucky, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Colorado, New Hampshire, Vermont, California, Texas, and a few more) Granted, it did not always work, but for the majority it worked well.
    Lone Walker

  6. #6
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    I thru-hiked this year with Verizon and was very pleased. The only places that it didn't work were national parks like the Smokies, Shenandoah, the White Mountains, and much of Maine.

  7. #7
    Registered User Frolicking Dinosaurs's Avatar
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    We have used US Cellular, ATT / CIngular and Verizon. Verizon is far and away the best for coverage.

  8. #8
    Registered User Hurley's Avatar
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    I had cingular last year when I sectioned the smokies and had no reception at all. I was hoping that after the AT&T crossover would result in better coverage, but still I have crappy coverage. I haven't been back to the trail yet, but in order to use my phone at my house and my parents house in FL, I still have to walk outside. Not a big deal, but then again, mommy still pays for my cell phone I have a feeling that my phone won't work at all till I get into trail towns. On the other hand I'm really excited about not having to use my phone at all.

  9. #9
    Registered User Tennessee Viking's Avatar
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    Alltel has pretty much all coverage up most of the way. No Maine coverage. There are some small remote communities where its roaming service.

    Sprint is hell. You can only get it only on major highways in the country. I had Virgin that runs off Sprint. Everytime I went into the country and dropped off the main highway or interstate, I had no service.

    T-Mobile is just getting into some of the smaller communities now. Coverage is growing but might take some time.
    ''Tennessee Viking'
    Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
    Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer

  10. #10

    Default

    OK, this may be a drunk post but......WaHHHHHH. Honestly, folks, 10-15 years ago this 'cell phone coverage' debate would have meant nothing to no one. Get over it, your phone don't work, you're in the woods, WAAHHH.

    Buy a phone card and call MOMMY when you can. Otherwise shut up and stop gripping else wise we all find out that you could not have made it 20 years ago, engineer of the whining express
    Last edited by Frolicking Dinosaurs; 11-25-2007 at 07:04. Reason: Language

  11. #11
    Registered User Summit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CaseyB View Post
    OK, this may be a drunk post but......WaHHHHHH. Honestly, folks, 10-15 years ago this 'cell phone coverage' debate would have meant nothing to no one. Get over it, your phone don't work, you're in the woods, WAAHHH.

    Buy a phone card and call MOMMY when you can. Otherwise shut up and stop gripping else wise we all find out that you could not have made it 20 years ago, engineer of the whining express
    Yeah, I think your "drunk" post is out of line. Just because we have technology today that we didn't have 20 years ago, why shouldn't we make use of it? Do you still not have electricity in your home and hunt gather food off the land everyday? If not, why not, according to your analogy?

  12. #12
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    It was funny when it was first posted, editing took the smartarse humor out of it.

  13. #13
    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    verizon works in nj and pa on the trail. im planning on taking my PDA in 2008 for e-mail and text. if we have the tech, why not use it?

  14. #14

    Default

    well if you see a use for it, by all means, you dont have to justify it.

    as for me, i don't take electronic stuff into the woods, outside of a headlamp. just doesnt seem right. and i can't promise that i won't think differently of the 'guess where i am calling you from' types.

  15. #15
    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    what other ways are there to keep in touch with home. i have kids and grandchildren that will want to know how i am doing. any ideas for this. im not happy about carrying rechargable things (PDA). but have no other ideas.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by kayak karl View Post
    what other ways are there to keep in touch with home. i have kids and grandchildren that will want to know how i am doing. any ideas for this. im not happy about carrying rechargable things (PDA). but have no other ideas.
    personally, i would choose to carry a calling card for direct communication, and i would just pen letters on my off days to anyone i wanted to let know about how i was doing.

  17. #17
    But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
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    Quote Originally Posted by kayak karl View Post
    what other ways are there to keep in touch with home. i have kids and grandchildren that will want to know how i am doing. any ideas for this. im not happy about carrying rechargable things (PDA). but have no other ideas.
    You can always carry a calling card, and either use a pay phone or find someone who will let you use their phone and call who you need to. My has requested I carry my cell phone and to use that when I get in town if I can get reception, but it will be off and in my backpack while I am hiking, I will either carry my charger with me or send it from town to town in a bounce box.

    Hope this helps,
    Kirby

  18. #18
    Registered User Frolicking Dinosaurs's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kayak karl View Post
    what other ways are there to keep in touch with home. i have kids and grandchildren that will want to know how i am doing. any ideas for this. im not happy about carrying rechargeable things (PDA). but have no other ideas.
    You could also use public computers to keep in touch via email by setting up a free on-line account (Juno, Yahoo, and many others) I have one with all the family addresses as well business contacts (doctors, utility providers, insurance carriers, etc.). This was a real Godsend recently when I was out of town for an extended period after my mother frolicked off to heaven.

  19. #19
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kayak karl View Post
    what other ways are there to keep in touch with home. i have kids and grandchildren that will want to know how i am doing. any ideas for this. im not happy about carrying rechargable things (PDA). but have no other ideas.
    I carried a phone card on my last section, and found actual pay phones in a couple of places. If you ask nicely, many places will let you dial an 800-number (which is how you use a phone card). Many hostels provide a phone for hikers to use, as long as you use a phone card for any long distance charges.

    I've carried a cell on some hikes, and while it can be convenient at times, it's something of a two-edged sword -- just when you *really* want it to work, it doesn't get a signal. (That said, of all the services we've had over the years, Verizon really does work better in the southern mountains.) A cell phone also provides a sense of security (for both you and your family back home) that really doesn't exist.

    Finally, if you want to keep in touch with the family, please don't make or receive calls at shelters. We were at one shelter last spring with hikers who spent several hours calling and getting calls -- family, work, family, text messages, -- just a constant barrage of one-sided conversation and ringing phones. It sort of defeats the purpose of getting away from civilization, ya know?
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigcranky View Post

    Finally, if you want to keep in touch with the family, please don't make or receive calls at shelters. We were at one shelter last spring with hikers who spent several hours calling and getting calls -- family, work, family, text messages, -- just a constant barrage of one-sided conversation and ringing phones. It sort of defeats the purpose of getting away from civilization, ya know?
    one day you'll learn to stay the {bleep} out of shelters. people who use them hate being in the woods
    Last edited by Frolicking Dinosaurs; 11-25-2007 at 20:54. Reason: ::: Dino brushes LW's fangs with soap :::

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