AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, other?

[Bruce Sparks]

Which carrier seems to provide the best coverage onthe southern sections of the AT (Georgia to Southern Virginia)?

[RED-DOG]

Verizon diffently has the best coverage no matter where you are at on the AT. RED-DOG

[HikerMom58]

Verizon... hands down.

[Camel2012]

I used US cellular in 2012. I was at many places where Verizon and at&t had no service but i did, and they never had service without me also having service.

Just putting that out there. They are like the 5th largest American carrier, and i know they use att towers, but not sure about Verizon, but I'm pretty sure they use those too. My phone was borrowed often by att people in the south. YMMV

Just my experience, and this year, I'm going back with a straight talk phone for the much cheaper monthly payment, and i don't care about signal on the trail, as long as i have service in town.

[chaco727]

I give US cellular good marks down south and up north. It worked almost as good as Verizon, except one time down in TN (I think) I went 5 days with absolutely no signal and had to borrow someones Verizon phone. It did work better than ATT, I can say that for sure.

[slims]

Verizon seems to be the best. I had good results with my T-Mobile phone though. Data service was spotty but cell service was usually good.

[Hosaphone]

Verizon is also way more expensive... How critical is it that you have coverage at all times while hiking the AT? How much data/voice will you be using? Why not consider one of the prepaid options if you aren't already locked into a contract?

[Praha4]

I always use a Verizon no-contract phone on AT hikes, and Verizon definitely gets better reception in the southern AT. I actually found that AT&T was better in Vermont, but Verizon was okay there too. T-Mobile is worthless on the AT, it only works near cities and towns.

[Miner]

When you get away from the cities out into the sticks. The Verizon networtk has better coverage on any of the 3 big trails (AT, PCT, CDT). This doesn't mean that there won't be times when verizon won't have coverage and another carrier will. But more times then not, it will be the other way around. However, at AT in most places isn't that far from civilization so for part of most days, many of the major carriers will have coveage at some point. Keep checking in likely spots until you do. Even in the 100 mile wilderness of Maine, I was able to browse the internet on my phone part of the time.

[Rain Man]

Even in the 100 mile wilderness of Maine, I was able to browse the internet on my phone part of the time.

Perhaps you overlooked this portion of the OP?-- "the best coverage onthe southern sections of the AT (Georgia to Southern Virginia)?"

Rain Man

.

[Del Q]

NOT AT & T for sure.............from Damascus to Central NH, down south AT & T is poor, pretty good elsewhere, go with Verizon

[Miner]

Perhaps you overlooked this portion of the OP?-- "the best coverage onthe southern sections of the AT (Georgia to Southern Virginia)?"

Rain Man

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No I didn't overlook it. I was making a point that the AT isn't as remote as some would have you believe by using the most remote spot on it.

[Danl]

Something I found while hiking once. I found myself without service and while walking I passed under a power line and had an epiphany. I turned the phone on and made a call took two steps and lost the signal, two steps back and made another call. Just saying. Anyway my cousin has ATT and I have Verizon so hopefully when he doesn't I will.

[shelb]

I realize you were asking about the "southern sections"...

My experience is limited to Waynesboro, Virginia through Rausch Gap, Pennsylvania. My friend had an iphone with AT&T. I had a HTC Incredible (droid) with Verizon. My friend had better service than I did - hands down. However, I think it might be the phone I had - not the service provider. I will be able to report better this year as I switched to an iphone - but still kept my Verizon service.

[Nooga]

I used Verizon and had good results on my thru hike. I would also suggest the Walmart service plan (Straight Talk?) as others used it with good results as well. Much cheaper.

[Old Hiker]

NOT AT & T for sure.............from Damascus to Central NH, down south AT & T is poor, pretty good elsewhere, go with Verizon

I had/have ATT - I had fairly decent PHONE coverage OUTSIDE the towns, but when I got to about 2-3 miles from a town, my coverage disappeared. I had NO data pretty much. People all around me with Verizon were chatting away and I had zero! I still had problems outside towns, though. It was VERY frustrating for my wife when I couldn't call in at night. I had to update the Trail Journal in town. This to mile 497 or so.

[barf_jay]

I have AT&T and it is horrible...rarely have service. Friend had Verizon, always had service....so go with Verizon.

[prain4u]

AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, other?

The answer is "Yes!"