Wal Mart Straight Talk Coverage?

[Popnfrsh24]

So, I just went and bought my FINAL (hurray!) piece of equipment before I leave this saturday for georgia. I went to wal mart to buy a cheapo pay as you go phone, because the plan I have now is 90 bucks a month for unlimited talk/text/data...yeah I don't think I will need that. I was looking forward to getting one of these phones because i heard they use the verizon network, and I am currently on the T-mobile network. I wanted the cheapest most simple phone there, but unfortunately this one does not use verizon network! It actually uses AT&T network. And I heard that maybe it doesn't use all of the AT&T network, just maybe some..not sure?

Did anyone else go my route and get this smart talk flip phone on the straight talk AT&T network? How was coverage? Should I be so concerned about coverage? The only thing I was planning on using my phone for was to text my parents every few days or so to tell them I am alive, or call them to check to see if there is some bad weather I should be concerned about. The last thing I want to have happen is to me be in an emergency situation and have no cell coverage.

Anyone have any input on how t-moblie's coverage was on the trail? If it is good compared to at&t, i might try and talk to them to see if I can change my plan and get a cheapo t-mobile flip phone instead.

Thanks!

[Teacher & Snacktime]

This a question near and dear to my own heart, as I just got a TMobile pay as you go after giving up the expensive but always-reliable Verizon. So far all the people I've asked just respond with "you won't get any coverage from any carrier" but I can't believe that. I'll just have to hope the TMobile works.

[starbright]

I have straight talk and everywhere we were had signal. Enough to get online, text and call.

[MuddyWaters]

This a question near and dear to my own heart, as I just got a TMobile pay as you go after giving up the expensive but always-reliable Verizon. So far all the people I've asked just respond with "you won't get any coverage from any carrier" but I can't believe that. I'll just have to hope the TMobile works.

Believe what you read. On the southern AT:
Verizon is #1
ATT is a distant #2 . So distant to be useless much of the time.

[SunnyWalker]

I have been from coast to coast, in airports, in the trees of the South and near Big Bend in TX and never had a problem with a Straight Talk phone. Out here they use Verizon. The chart they show shows coverage over most of all the USA. Currently am planning on taking my smart phone I bought thru Straight Talk. $45 a mth unlimited everything. Pretty good deal.

[SOBO_Pace]

At&t will not work most of the way. Verizon works just about everywhere.

[fredmugs]

Over the 9 years it took me to section hike the AT I can't even tell you how many times my AT&T phone had no coverage and somebody offered up their Verizon phone.

[Sailing_Faith]

Fwiw, trac phone uses Verizon and can be had for 20 bones. Not that you want to carry 2 phones....

[bigcranky]

The last thing I want to have happen is to me be in an emergency situation and have no cell coverage.

Yeah, understood, but there are so many dead spots along the trail that this is actually pretty likely. Even though Verizon has decent coverage, you'll need to be on the ridgeline to get it, and even then you might not be able to hit a tower. In an emergency you'll need to rely on yourself and maybe some other hikers, and not count on calling 911 for rescue.

[The Snowman]

I almost always get a signal with ATT on the trail CT/NY mostly.

[SunnyWalker]

BignCranky: I agree with your advice. Oh well. On another thought, thanks to your input I ordered and received a Sea to Summit bag for a hanging food bag. Thanks, friend. It sure is a nice, I mean really nice waterproof bag.

[ridingpa]

Different straighhttalk phones use different networks. Ones with a v on the lower left corner of box use verizon, a for att and s for sprint. Their droids use the sprint network.

[The Old Chief]

If you bought the straight-talk phone in Indiana it may or may not work well on the AT. These phones are made by Tracfone and I have two. I bought them by zip code and one will work well here in central N.C. and the other one, bought in a N.C. mountain Walmart does not get a signal here. They both work pretty well on the trail. You can go to Straight Talk's web site enter the zip code for where you bought the phone and see a coverage map of the U.S. for that phone. If all you need to do with the phone is notify family every two or three days you can get a dirt cheap trac fone at Dollar General for $10.00, buy a couple of hours of airtime (you'll probably get free double minutes) and the phone will meet all your needs. I've used mine to call my wife from Journey's End on the Long Trail at the Canadian border and the reception was fine.

[solobip]

My experience with straight talk phones (in the South) have been that the Phones are marked either "C" for CDMA (Verizon / Sprint) or "G" for GSM (ATT / T-Mobile, also the GSM phone have sim cards, and the CDMA do not. Straight talk will allow you to switch phones on your account at their website, enter the id and transfer. I used to have a T-Mobile and i once got service in Big Frog Wilderness when a friends. I-phone on ATT did not. Whodathunk. The CDMA phones have excellant coverage on Straight Talk. Cheaper to use Tracepohone which is the supplier of Straight Talk though. Good luck on your hike.

[Deb]

My experience with straight talk phones (in the South) have been that the Phones are marked either "C" for CDMA (Verizon / Sprint) or "G" for GSM (ATT / T-Mobile, also the GSM phone have sim cards, and the CDMA do not. Straight talk will allow you to switch phones on your account at their website, enter the id and transfer. I used to have a T-Mobile and i once got service in Big Frog Wilderness when a friends. I-phone on ATT did not. Whodathunk. The CDMA phones have excellant coverage on Straight Talk. Cheaper to use Tracepohone which is the supplier of Straight Talk though. Good luck on your hike.

This is all accurate info. I would only add - before you buy a Straight Talk phone, go to the Walmart website and check out their re-conditioned Straight Talk phones. You can get a feature-loaded phone for $30 and it comes with a 30 day/1000 minute phone card that is normally $30.

[max patch]

Different straighhttalk phones use different networks.

Exactly. You can't generalize about "straightalk service" as it depends on the phone.

Also, as info, both the google nuxus 4 (the "best" android as determined by those that write and test about such things) and the last 3 iphones are available on straighttalk. At $45 a month unlimited everything. iphone uses tmobile.

[Wise Old Owl]

Believe what you read. On the southern AT:
Verizon is #1
ATT is a distant #2 . So distant to be useless much of the time.


It is reversed in PA I have Sprint and ATT - I leave the Sprint at home and the verizon.... The office provides me with several carriers.