Update, cell phones and Internet in Alaska

[jrgwdenner]

This is what we have experienced on our trip. In Canada, we had to use a phone card to call home. They can be purchased at Walmart and, probably, most grocery stores, etc. We also went to Internet Cafes to use the internet or visited the Visitors Centers to check our email. Once in a while we were able to get on an open wireless connection but they were scarce. When we got to Fairbanks, my Verizon phone had a great connection. Wireless is available from some of the larger hotels. In Anchorage, both Verizon and Cingular phones worked and we were able to get on open wireless connections. Here in Valdez, Cingular is the only connection available and we have WiFi in the campground.

The biggest surprise is that we have not been able to get voice messages off our Cingular phone while in Alaska. We even talked to Cingular about it. The reason for the problem is because we're on a different carrier up here. We also have not been able to connect to the internet via our Verizon phone because we're on the third party carrier.

Overall, we've only had to wait for an internet connection of some sort when we were in the Yukon, so connections to home have been pretty good. Just thought you'd want to know.