cell phone service in Smokey Mountain section

[tass]

Knowing that there were points on this section that people had made some sort of contact helps me a lot! I truely appreciate the responses. I'm fairly new to backpacking having taken only long weekend trips in Michigan thus far, so this is a big deal to me. Thanks all for your time and thoughts!

[WorldPeaceAndStuff]

The type of phone you have will matter as well. I have a galaxy nexus which is notorious for bad radios. Friend has a moto device. We're both on Verizon and when I lost service he still has service half the time.

[Don Newcomb]

As I understand it, there are no cell towers anywhere inside the park. So the only time you will have any cell service is when you are near the park boundary (such as climbing out of Fontana) or on a mountain peak with a good line-of-sight to a tower outside the park.

I've tried using my cell phone at Mt. LeConte overlooking Gatlinburg. From there, telephone calls have been iffy, and text messaging possible only if it is not raining.

At the Lodge we found that service depended on your carrier, phone, location and the weather. On the decks at the office and dining room were the best spots. AT&T iPhone could send picture messages. A Verizon BlackBerry couldn't sustain a phone call. T-Mobile had enough 2G service to send and receive texts. Some guests were able to make calls. Not much worked if it was raining. Since you can see the towers a few miles below in Pigeon Forge and Zion Grove, the issue is not that their are no towers but that the carriers point their antennas down at the local area, not up at the mountain, where no one lives. Backpackers need to ask their carriers to direct some of the antennas up at the mountains, because there are customers up there who might want to send a text or make a call.

[TNhiker]

Backpackers need to ask their carriers to direct some of the antennas up at the mountains, because there are customers up there who might want to send a text or make a call.

nawwww.........

i'll pass..........

life existed for many years without cell phones in the mountains-----it can continue to do so.........

[HooKooDooKu]

Earlier this year, I was at Laurel Gap Shelter and had my cell phone along. At the shelter, you couldn't get any cell connectivity. But if I went up the mountain back towards Balsam Mtn, I found it interesting that I couldn't get a cell signal for voice or texting, but could get a 3G/4G signal to send an email.

[theoilman]

I was just in Smokies from Newfound Gap to Fontana, with an iPhone 5 and Verizon. Service was spotty at best. Some places with no signal you could move 25 feet and get signal though.

[Don Newcomb]

......life existed for many years without cell phones in the mountains-----it can continue to do so.........

Understood and it annoys the everloving poo out of me when everyone has to loudly FaceTime from Blood Mountian or Preacher Rock but it allows me to spend more time in the woods if the family gets an occasional text message. Also, life existed without Goretex, titanium pots and freeze-dried food but I don't know too many people these days who are ready to go back to using wool, waxed cotton and pemmican, instead.

[centerfieldr162]

T-Mobile gets service at Newfound Gap and Clingman's Dome parking lots. Only place I've ever had service. Otherwise, I lose it as soon as I enter the park.

[Farr Away]

Most of our hikes have been without cell phones. I told my hiking buddy that I'd sacrifice his phone to the river gods if I saw it (long story).

The few times someone has had one, Verizon seemed to have the most coverage.

-FA

[RockDoc]

Used to be that you walked up to somebody on the AT and instantly had an interesting conversation, often leading to a long-term friendship.

Now, half the time they are on the phone speaking to someone back in the city, and you just stand around feeling uncomfortable, or else move on...

There is a place for talking on the phone, but it's probably not on the trail or at a shelter or camp. IMO.

I would have more respect for the practice if I actually heard important information changing hands, but no, it's all out of boredom.