cell phones for travel

[kipandbob]

H, All,

My wife & I are planning to purchase a new 3455SA in the near future and embarking on the road after my Q1 '10 retirement. What's the consensus out there as to a good cell phone, "smart" phone and service provider for coverage over at least most of the country. I'm, of course, assuming there IS such a thing.

Thanks, in advance,
-Bob

[sailer]

This is a very big q,,,,,,sailer

[Emmel]

We've been with Verizon for quite a few years now and have been very happy. So far, Ohio to Oregon to Florida and Texas, service has been good, not too sure any service is everywhere in the US.

[NCFischers]

Verizon has worked for us all over the US without a problem.

[CasaDelSol]

Back in 2005 when Florida had those 4 bad hurricanes we never lost service here in the Tampa Bay area. I know friends who had other carriers that did lose service. We have been with them for over 15 years. Sometimes the customer service leaves a little bit to be desired, but overall good experience.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Verizon here. We also use the Verizon air card for our Internet.

Been with Verizon since 2003 and have not had any problems to date. As Fulltimers we have traveled most of the US with great satisfaction. Every now and again when we get out into the boonies we may have a problem getting a signal but that is not too often.

[ols1932]

We've been with Verizon since 2002 or just prior to that (memory, you know) and we've had great results. We have been some places (out in the boonies away from everything) where we had poor reception but we use a Wilson cellular antenna which has given us great reception. The only problem with that is that with Verizon's "New every two" program, their new phones don't have an external antenna connection. At least that's what people at Verizon Tech Support have told me, in addition to those at several Verizon stores.

Orv

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

And we have had Sprint for several years, air card too, and are quite pleased. We even killed the land line at the stick built, and are totally un-tethered, just like full timers. We have had slow connections, and dropped calls, and on the rare occasion, no service, but when we had no service, Verizon did not either. No one did. We picked Sprint because it did work at the stick built, and Verizon did not.

Are you elibible for any discounts because of where you worked?? That might make a decision for you.

Cell service keeps getting better and better, air cards too. Sure beats that cord tethering you to a wall, and the air card sure beats the devil out of standing in a phone booth, outside, connecting to AOL with a cord and a quarter! WAHHOOO

[exav8tr]

We have been with Verizon and use the Air Card for internet also. As other folks said there are times when service is slow and nonexistant, but true with any provider. We also use the Wilson Antenna and 3 watt booster for our internet and ocassionally connect our phone to it. Have no experience with any other provider. I seem to see more Verizon stores across the country, although I don't stop in each one, in fact very rarely stop at any of them, but they are there if you need them.

[Delaine and Lindy]

We use AT&T for both wireless and for our wireless Internet. It works for us and we have been in most of the USA. We also use the cradle point.


Just last week we went to buy a small Laptop we have two 15" and a 17" Laptops but find they are to big to use in the Car or Truck. After researching several options we decide cost was just more than we thought for the service and the equipment. We decided we would try the I-phone its Internet/Phone capable and very small and portable. Its awesome in 3-G network. We got the Apple, it is Wi-Fi capable and very easy to use. And at any Wi-Fi hot spot you have internet! Just another idea. GBY...

[Countryfolks]

I wouldn't bother with a smart phone unless you needed/used their capabilities. We've found the standard cell phones do all we want. Smart phones are also too expensive to buy/replace and I already have a handheld computer.

[richfaa]

We use Verizon and the verizon aircard. Good serice 98% of the time. The service will be good with most carriers as long as you are in or near areas of high population. Carriers put towers where their are large numbers of people to use the service. Do some homework on different knds of cell phone service.

[OntMont]

We use a Verizon air card when we are in the U.S. We have never really pushed the limits of their service area, but since we do live in Canada, that has presented some challenges for their Customer Service people, but they always went the extra mile to make it work for us.

[bob n pam]

We use AT&T, both cell and connect card with a Wilson antenna. The service has been good most places, although it seems much slower than it should be.

[dsprik]

quote:Originally posted by Countryfolks

I wouldn't bother with a smart phone unless you needed/used their capabilities. We've found the standard cell phones do all we want. Smart phones are also too expensive to buy/replace and I already have a handheld computer.

I totally agree on the smart phones. Unless you are really familiar with these expanded features, it's a bad idea in my opinion. I have been considering one for the past year. I could use the Microsoft Mobile suite of programs and HTML availability that most standard cell phones don't have, but the staggering increase in monthly costs for service - especially the extra charge for Blackberry service (even though I like their Storm), has really kept my wallet in my back pocket.

I would NOT purchase any cheapo, bottom of the line "free phone" offered by all cell companies. Get a middle of the road model. Read carefully. Many phones are aimed at the teen/young adult market and have features I would not use.

I have had Alltel for 7 years and I have been very happy with them. Verizon has just bought them out - full conversion at the end of Oct this year - and this makes them the largest cellular company in the US.

[PowellsMonty]

I have a blackberry and palm treo.....in a box in the closet. Use a Motorola flip phone. Didn't want to pay $30.00 a month for email/internet service on the smart phones when my face is stuck in front of a laptop or desktop anyway. Ever notice that those that have smart phones can't lay them down? If I were away from a computer all day, say outside sales, I would use one.

[Alex Sian]

quote:Originally posted by ols1932

We've been with Verizon since 2002 or just prior to that (memory, you know) and we've had great results. We have been some places (out in the boonies away from everything) where we had poor reception but we use a Wilson cellular antenna which has given us great reception. The only problem with that is that with Verizon's "New every two" program, their new phones don't have an external antenna connection. At least that's what people at Verizon Tech Support have told me, in addition to those at several Verizon stores.

sadly, most of the staff operating in carrier stores wouldn't know an rf/jack from a headphone jack.

this article has recently been updated to show which phones from verizon, sprint, at&t have rf/jacks and can be tethered: http://bit.ly/tetherable

[BB_TX]

We switched to Verizon last year. Had AT&T before.
At a campground we spend 20-30 days each year in southern Colorado, with AT&T we could not get reception unless we drove about 5 miles to town, then it was good. Others with AT&T could get fair service in the campground, even with the basic "gimme" phones. Bought new phones to see if it would get better. Much worse. Then we could not even get service in town. After going round and round with AT&T to try to get the phones replaced with something that would work, we gave up. AT&T would provide no support at all. Their response was that they were sorry but we had selected those phones. They would be glad to sell us new models. Would they guarantee them to work at the campground, or at least in town. No. They said they had no cell towers in that area. I asked how others there could get AT&T service, and we could get it in town with the old phones. Sorry, we don't have towers in that area.
So we switched to Verizon. Now we can sit in the camper at the campground and use the phone. And service has been good everywhere else we have been with them.

[kipandbob]

Thanks to all who responded. Looks like Verizon is the way to go!

Cheers,
-Bob

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by EVDOalex

sadly, most of the staff operating in carrier stores wouldn't know an rf/jack from a headphone jack.

this article has recently been updated to show which phones from verizon, sprint, at&t have rf/jacks and can be tethered: http://bit.ly/tetherable

I talked directly with Verizon and they backed up what their stores are saying. We have been to seven Verizon Corporate stores and not one, not one carries a phone with an external antenna jack. There is on that has an external antenna access but it's under the battery. This is not an acceptable phone for our use.

I'm not concerned about using my phone as a modem since we have our own WiFi, but I do want to be able to extend my phone's range with an external antenna. We still have one older phone that we've kept so that we can do that. My new phone doesn't allow me to connect an external phone.

Orv