View Full Version : Cell phone coverage on the cdt
Timinator
08-23-2012, 06:45
Me with another question, trying to get all the questions in my head resolved. Assuming I bring an iphone on the trail would I get enough coverage to check on a few things on the internet every few days at least with a stable connection? I've heard verizon might work but couldn't find a sufficient answer. Any advice on this?
fiddlehead
08-23-2012, 07:30
In many parts of NM: I doubt it.
In or near the towns of NM (or interstate roads): Probably
In CO?: Not much for your first 200 miles NOBO. Probably better after that.
In WY? I'd guess not much. Again, around the interstates and towns: probably
In MT/ID: more likely in the south, less as you get into the more wilderness areas. Most likely none at all in the "Bob", probably OK in Glacier NP.
Hope that helps. I'd guess less than 20% of the time that you'd be in range of a tower.
Timinator
08-23-2012, 07:55
Ok thanks a lot. Any suggestions on service providers? I can get att for free by linking to my moms phone service through family plan but I heard verizon has better coverage.
I had a Verizon phone on the CDT last year, and found that I got overall more coverage than I had expected. You certainly can't count on it, but if you're paying attention and check at relative high points whenever highways or built-up areas are anywhere near, I would say that "every few days" is a reasonable expectation. I blog literally every trail day and upload accumulated blogs whenever I have sufficient signal, and that's about how it worked for me.