Cell Coverage in the Whites - Best Provider?

[LRiz]

Hey guys,

I know this is a bit of a ridiculous post (since I never ever use my phone when hiking ), but I am curious as to your opinions on which cell phone provider has the best service in the White Mountain area. I tried doing a few forum searches but didn't come up with any recent information - the best I could find was from 2007 or so.

My motivation?

I really want to get one of those Google Nexus One phones, but don't want to have to switch from Verizon to T-Mobile (who appear to have rather lousy service up north per their little coverage map thing). Kind of lame, I know. Should be spending that $$$$ on gear!

Thanks,
Larisa

 

[HockeyPuck]

A site called signal map allows you to search a zip code and see which provider has the best reception (if any).

Results appear to be based on user input. Take it FWIW.

HockeyPuck / Trevor

 

[BIGEarl]

I have Verizon and they're terrible! Nearly every time I try to make a call it won't go through. Then, I borrow Sue's phone and the call almost always goes through, first try.

 

[LRiz]

Thanks, Trev...

I have Verizon and they're terrible! Nearly every time I try to make a call it won't go through. Then, I borrow Sue's phone and the call almost always goes through, first try.

Really! Verizon has been awesome for me. I get reception from almost every 4k summit in the Whites (except, funnily enough, Washington). Do you happen to know what service Sue has?

 

[BIGEarl]

....
Do you happen to know what service Sue has?

Verizon.


Hmmm.... Maybe it's the phone.

 

[Paradox]

I also have Verizon. I am very happy with the coverage. I frequently call the wife from the trail to let her know how I am doing and to check on patients. I don't recall ever having a problem. My old phone was the freebie, but it was waterlogged in November. Now I have the "Barrage" model... tough to say, but I think it might get a bit stronger signal.

 

[Paul_Bear]

I have Verizon and they're terrible! Nearly every time I try to make a call it won't go through.

I have the same problems with Verizon in the mountains. I've stopped even carrying the foolish thing on hikes.

At home in the flatlands, reception is great.

 

[BIGEarl]

To a degree, I was kidding.

There are places where I have trouble getting a call out. For those cases, I borrow Sue's phone and the call usually goes through. She has the model that was replaced by the Barrage. Both are ruggedized phones. This is the direction I'll go when it's time for a replacement.

 

[Christa]

I, too, have Verizon and have pretty decent coverage throughout the Whites. There are a few spots as you're driving around that just don't have service, but they seem to be fewer with Verizon.

Earl - probably your phone. Back when I was with Sprint, I had this one spot on my way back and forth to work that I would drop a call every single time I hit it. When I went to get a new phone, I explained what was happening and they steered me toward one that had a better antenna in it. The right phone can make all the difference in some of the fringe service areas!

 

[Stash]

Verizon.

Hmmm.... Maybe it's the phone.

There was a thread on VFTT for some other reason that mentioned not holding your hand over the base of the phone as this covers the antenna. I've found that this is the case with mine. On another note some brands work better (LG isn't one of them according to multiple sales people I talked to with a recent phone shop).

As for brands. Verizon certainly is better than ATT in the Whites. I had to swith from Verizon to ATT a few years ago because only ATT works at my house and saw marked reduction in signal in the Whites.

 

[Quietman]

I'm sure that others will have more details, but on some summits like Washington, you're actually getting too many tower contacts and it confuses the phone. I've had to go 100 ft. down from some summits to get a good signal. Happens on S. Pack in NH all the time as there are 3 towers up there!

In comparison, Verizon has beat out my brothers At&t and Sprint coverage consistantly. A couple of times though, a Tracfone was the only one to get a signal!

 

[smitty77]

She has the model that was replaced by the Barrage. Both are ruggedized phones. This is the direction I'll go when it's time for a replacement.

I have Verizon and have been very happy with the service throughout New England.

Stay away from the Casio branded "ruggedized" phones. They are nearly indestructible and while many would see this as a plus, for me it is not. It makes it a lot harder for me to get a new one. And why do I need a new one? Because the phone stinks!

I had the introductory model GzOne and it would drop calls with great regularity, sometimes oscillating between 4 bars and Searching For Service, and would always drop when it tried to switch towers. The IT department at work finally got me an updated version (named the Rock), and being two or three generations later I decided to give it a try after much persuasion (I really didn't like the first one I had). While the bells and whistles are awesome (it even has a COMPASS, though I don't trust it) it still drops calls when it tries to switch towers. Seems to do well receiving 3G service, which I don't ever use, but it has lots of trouble with the traditional 1x digital service.

Maybe someone else has had better luck. It would be an awesome phone if they could just figure out how to make it do the "phone" thing really well.

 

[BIGEarl]

I'm sure that others will have more details, but on some summits like Washington, you're actually getting too many tower contacts and it confuses the phone. I've had to go 100 ft. down from some summits to get a good signal. Happens on S. Pack in NH all the time as there are 3 towers up there!
....

I have experienced this exact condition on Washington, Garfield, South Twin, Eisenhower, Flume, and Hight. Drop a little elevation and things work as expected.

BTW - I know the reception problem is related to the phone. My phone is a very basic phone. If Verizon had a cheaper Motorola phone I'd be using it. The reason I use Motorola is they seem more compatible with hearing aids (at least my hearing aids) than other phones. And, I've tried a number of other phones.

Sue's phone is quite a bit closer to the other end of the product spectrum (a much better phone).

 

[kltilton]

I've had good luck with Verizon living in North Conway. I do a lot of work north of the notches and it has been pretty reliable. I know AT&T has been making a push to add more towers/antennas in our area, but don't know if the service has improved yet.

 

[Paradox]

... She has the model that was replaced by the Barrage. Both are ruggedized phones. This is the direction I'll go when it's time for a replacement.

Yep! I had a standard issue "2 years then toss it cell phone" Which is acceptable, unless you are out in the woods and then slip and fall in a brook. Then the thing craps out and you are SOL. The Barrage liturature claims that it satisfies military specs, ie. is water resistant to 1 meter for 30 minutes, and dust and shock resistant. For my purposes, I believe that this is far more important than replacement insurance.

 

[Stan]

I hate to put in an endorsement with all the dineros I spend on Verizon bundles, but IMNSHO, Verizon tops all ... nationwide, too, from what I've experienced in my travels. Verizon knows a mark when they got one.

In a local grocery store I see other people casually chatting on the phone while I'm losing my signal but I have become convinced that it has more to do with the age and condition of the phone than the service.

Perhaps the strength of the battery effects the strength of the signal, too. That's why I keep my phone off, except when I need it, on the trail ... that, and a consideration for others ... my feelings about cell phone users in the mountains suggesting another use for privvies ...

Disclaimer: I own a small amount of Verison stock (I buy stocks in companies I think make money off me) and one share of Fairpoint Communications.

... one look at that national Verizon coverage map suggests election night ... Nov. '10.

 

[Remix]

I dont know what your intended usage of the phone will be, but if you are up high enough you will get coverage from any provider.

Most of the big providers have interactive zoomable maps on their web sites which predict coverage quality down to street level.


For example, see ATT Coverage Franconia/Littleton

 

[bobandgeri]

From our experience Verizon has the best coverage in the Whites, by far.

 

[zman]

Overall I love my Verizon service,great reception everywhere,,,I rarely use it when I’m hiking but here comes the but….it seems to be inconsistent in the mountains/summits- sometimes it shows lots of bars but my call won’t go through, other times no problem. If I’m hiking with 1Happyhiker I’ll use his local track phone which seems to always get coverage.

I reentry upgraded my phone to a the Google HTC Droid and I LOVE my phone- I haven’t made any calls while hiking but now I’m curious if my reception is any better- Time for another spreadsheet!!

 

[peakbagger]

One of these days Larisa when you get over your "obsession" with the whites and head up to the "real" north county or east or west, I have found Verizon has about the best coverage in Northern NH, north of route 2 (but real spotty), and spotty coverage in VT. Some parts of Maine (where the good mountains are) dont even have power lines, so coverage is spotty, although I see folks making phone calls from the top of Mt Katahdin frequently. Verizon bought the assets of Unicel a few years back. It was a company that was partially funded by the government to install cell towers in rural areas. Therefore Unicel installed towers in a lot of real rural areas. Verizon picked up the network and towers but did not have to divest their assets in VT. The trade off is that if the towers arent profitable, Verizon has no incentive to upgrade the towers so dont expect the latest and greatest service (unless they can turn it in to a marketing tool).