Cell phone coverage

[BFI]

Need Help on Cell phone and plan selection. I am considering using a Verizon Cell phone plan for my thru hike this March. I'll be buying an "I" phone 4 or 4S and need to know if 4G, 3G is available on the trail, or at least if it is feasable to use a cell phone.

My original plan was to use a Spot but I've heard too many negative comments about the system.

Any info will be much appriciated. Thanks

[buff_jeff]

It seems like the general consensus is that Verizon has the best coverage along the trail. I know I had a Verizon plan and I'd say I had coverage about 80% of the time. Even in the few short years since I hiked most of the trail, it seems like coverage has gotten much better. For instance, when I stayed in Fontana Village in 2008, I had no cell signal, but my Dad had a signal summer of 2011.

I can't speak for 3G/4G, but it seemed like it was getting more popular as of the summer of 2010. I met a few hikers who updated blogs via their phones.

I'm not going to get into the hornets nest of whether cell phones are a "good" or "bad" thing on the trail, but I will say that cell phones are a very feasible means of communication on the trail. At the very least, you'll be able to get a call or text out every day or two.

[Spokes]

I've got a Verizon iPhone 4 and love it. Cell coverage has always been good for me on the majority of the trail but data coverage sucks most of the time.

[Storm]

I am going to carry a cell phone and am currently on Verizon. I don't plan on having the phone on except to check in occasionally. Verizon also has a tracking feature that costs around $10 bucks a month. I am going to have that put on my phone next month primarily to give the wife some peace of mind.

[mikec]

I've found that Verizon works best in western VA and WV. On more that one occasion, when camping in one of these areas, my Verizon phone works while the AT&T user that I am with can't get a call through. I usually have to lend him/her my phone.

[rusty bumper]

I used a Verizon LG Cosmos phone on my almost thru-hike and was able to text/talk/send email almost every day...Verizon coverage was pretty amazing. Often I'd have to wait until I got to a high enough elevation to establish contact with a cell tower, but at some point during the day I was able to do that. The Cosmos is not a smart phone, but for $10/mo I was able to add a "data package" to my service that enabled me to email my journal entries that I wrote every day to my wife who then posted them on-line. I used the data package only for email and never to access the internet...I cancelled it as soon as I got home. I also used the phone as my only camera...only 1.3 MP but for viewing pics on a computer screen, it worked out just fine. My phone was off all the time it wasn't in use. I also carried 2 batteries (extras are extremely cheap when ordered from an on-line source) and I charged them both every time I was in town.

Regarding the SPOT, I also carried that and I turned it on and sent out a location every evening after I set up camp. It worked perfectly every day except one while I was on the trail. My family and friends really liked getting that email with my location shown on Google maps every evening! A friend of mine also put all those locations into Google Earth (along with the AT) and gave me that file when I got home...that was really special!

[BFI]

Thanks for the Info.......

[Spokes]

I am going to carry a cell phone and am currently on Verizon. I don't plan on having the phone on except to check in occasionally. Verizon also has a tracking feature that costs around $10 bucks a month. I am going to have that put on my phone next month primarily to give the wife some peace of mind.

Are you talking about the Verizon Chaperone feature? If you have a smartphone you may want to consider a free alternative from Google called Latitude. Your wife (or anyone else you choose) can track you from a computer if she doesn't have a smartphone.

Latitude is explained in the YouTube video below and may save you $120 bucks a year. I've also included an old Computerworld article discussing the feature. Be sure to check out Seth Weintraub's "Ten Uses" article in the sidebar too!



Cheers!

[lush242000]

Need Help on Cell phone and plan selection. I am considering using a Verizon Cell phone plan for my thru hike this March. I'll be buying an "I" phone 4 or 4S and need to know if 4G, 3G is available on the trail, or at least if it is feasable to use a cell phone.

My original plan was to use a Spot but I've heard too many negative comments about the system.

Any info will be much appriciated. Thanks

The iphone is an amazing device. You can put the entire AT guide on it, it works as a good camera / video and has some awesome apps. Verizon is a CDMA carrier. It has better range than a GSM carrier but slower data speeds. That being said, Verizon will work fine. Keep in mind though that the battery on the iphone sucks big time. During normal usage it barely last a day. On the trail if you must keep it on I would suggest you turn off 3g, wifi, gps, notifications, and bluetooth. Turn the brightness down to zero. That would allow it stay on and use the least battery. You could also just keep it turned off until you need it. There are some accessories that will extend the battery life but they come at a cost and weight factor.

Needless to say, a Verizon Iphone will work just fine on the trail. Don't forget to put it in a ziploc though.

[Storm]

Spokes,

I do not have a smart phone. Don't know what the Verizon feature is called, my daughter told me about it cause she uses it to keep track of the kids. I'll probably only need it for one month anyway. LOL

[Spokes]

Spokes,

I do not have a smart phone. Don't know what the Verizon feature is called, my daughter told me about it cause she uses it to keep track of the kids. I'll probably only need it for one month anyway. LOL

OK, that's the good thing about Verizon. You can change your plan options on the fly.

Cheers!

[Zipper]

I had Verizon and loved it. Had coverage almost all the time except in steep ravines and in some parts of southern VA. I could almost always get a text through.