Next question....staying in touch

[NCOretiredEd]

Those that do stay in touch with the world by either or both, Cell and Laptop, what service is the best out and about? I've read reviews that say Verizon is the best for overall country coverage which includes rural america both for Cell and WiFi.

[48Rob]

Ed,

No expert advice here...but on many trips across the country, "locals" in many areas were in awe of my Verizon coverage/ability to get and keep a signal, while their providers/phone simply would not work.

Rob

[Redgloves]

Verizon Wireless has worked well for me all over the US.

As for WIFI, have been unsing a MIFI device. Works well, except in Vegas hotels that block internet!

The MIFI fits my lifestyle. Basciallly where ever there is cell service I have internet, even going down the highway.

[mikeschn]

I just recently picked up a Verizon iPhone4. It kept me in touch from Michigan to Missouri and back.

I even added a bluetooth keyboard to the iPhone, and could have done without my computer if I wanted to.

Mike...

[NCOretiredEd]

!

The MIFI fits my lifestyle. Basciallly where ever there is cell service I have internet, even going down the highway.

BINGO!!! that's what I am looking for. Now!!! being a baby-boomer, MIFI is that thingy thing that you can get added to a laptop internally....right, if you know what service you will acquire?

[07rascal]

+1 on what Slowcowboy said.......Verizon is almost non-existent in SD and ND too. I can use it about anywhere east of the MS River, but while out west last fall it was a crap shoot at best. Course, we basically hate cell phones anyway, so it was kinda a blessing in disguise!

[Deryk the Pirate]

Ive been useing Verizon since it was bell atlantic. On the east coast where I live I get great coverage every where I go and with my droid phone and an app from my app store on my phone I tether my cell phone to my laptop for internet access at no extra fee's. Right now Im at my friends house in the pine barrens and he doesnt have internet and Im very happy with it. Yes verizon is a little pricey but till metro pcs gets a better coverage range Im stayin where Im at.

[vreihen]

BINGO!!! that's what I am looking for. Now!!! being a baby-boomer, MIFI is that thingy thing that you can get added to a laptop internally....right, if you know what service you will acquire?

MiFi is a trademarked box that you carry with you, that is essentially a personal wifi hotspot. It has a 3G cellular data radio and a wifi access point in it. Powered on, it lets up to 5 wifi devices (notebooks, ipods, kindles, etc) have Internet connectivity. Great device, except that you have to carry it with you in order to use it.

Many smart phones include "tethering" features, which let you use your cell phone as a 3G connection for your computer. Since I assume you always have your cell phone with you, it is one less item to carry. There are multiple tethering options available, from one that is of questionable legality/morality that costs you nothing and taps your cell phone's data plan to the extra fee charged by Verizon and a few other carriers to provide MiFi-like wifi links using your phone as the relay source.

The killer is the cost of doing it morally legal. Verizon gets $30-$40/month for the MiFi or a cell phone tethering plan, on top of your cell data plan. If you don't plan to use it every month, this could get expensive! There are a few pre-paid data services out there, that utilize a USB gizmo to connect your phone to the 3G network. Many of them use Sprint as the carrier, so you're limited to areas where Sprint has coverage or a roaming data agreement with Verizon. If you search this forum, this has come up before in other posts.....

[Redgloves]

Granted smartphones can be tethered to a computer, just like the MIFI.

I have not looked in to the smartphone option or cost.

As for dragging along the MIfI, can be charged two ways, direct 110 plugin which allows for upto 5 other WIFI enabled devices. Can also operate on internal battery.

Also connects to laptop via USB cord, which means that only the directly connected computer has internet access.

Whenever I travel, the laptop is one of the first packed items along with my electronic gear bag because of geocaching, so dragging the MIFI along is no big deal.

My monthly cost is $60 for "unlimited" access. My mother recently started using the same device with a different data package with a smaller monthly fee.

Most areas east of the Mighty Mississippi River are heavily populated with cell phone towers. I can find valleys surrounded with hills where there is no cellphone coverage, and West of Mississippi River will be population based.

Search for what device fits your lifestyle and needs.

Jean

[NCOretiredEd]

I will have to think and search alot for the right thing for me. As I stated, no cell signal here at my house and when I'm away from the house I have US Cellular. Having Verizon would be no different but if I was on their broadband plan I'd be throwing money away while home also. Must think a bit more about this.......................

Thanks for the replies.........

[NCOretiredEd]

Thats all fine and dandy folks just don't ever visit wyoming. Your verizon services will tell you no serivice in most of our state.

Got rid of my crap verizon cell phone years ago and never miss it.

I am now able to sit in my house and make a cell phone call on union wireless and I don't have to climb the haystack any more.

it works good in other states too like Nebraska.

the bill never increase a single penny in a month unlike verizon and theres no extra charges like verizon.

I can stand beside a no serivice verizion phone user and have cystal clear reception.

I have heard verizon works good country wide. Just depends where you are in the country!!!!!!!!!!!! heeeeeeee!

Wyomingnites don't use Verizon as it won't make a cell phone call.

SLowcowboy.

So! you're in Wyoming......I'm sure you know where Powell is then:



Skip came from Powell. three year old gelding. Father was a roper and mother a cutter. I worked a ranch north of Billings in Stillwater Valley a few years back during the same time as the Great Montana Cattle Drive.

[Pottercounty]

I really do think Verizon has the best coverage across the US however, I have a funny story that happened about 7 yrs ago. We were traveling through the southwest on our Goldwing trike, pulling our cargo trailer and decided to visit Four Corners. We shopped at a little store there and I pulled out my cell phone(Verizon) and attemped to call our next hotel stop. I got no signal..at all. While we were in the store, the Navajo woman shopkeep, Elaine, was using her cell phone. I asked her what carrier she was using & she replied, T Mobile. Then she told me a Verizon TV crew were there one day filming a commercial with the guy who walks around saying, "Can you hear me now". She said it was funny because as they were filming this commercial, the producers could't get a signal on their Verizon phones yet they still filmed the commercial over 3 days. Complete Irony...

[CARS]

I am trying to think of all the carriers I have had/tried over the years.

Cellular One was the first in the early nineties. Had one of those big bag phones that worked anywhere but felt like you were carting around a automotive battery!

Midwest wireless. Great plans, great service, great reception. So good Alltel bought them. I hated Alltel. So I switched to Unicel. Weeks later Verizion bought Alltel!

I did have a usb modem from Alltel that provided dial-up speeds wireless.

I've had Unicel for 3 years now and tether it to my laptop via usb cable. Here again, I am not in a 3G zone so it's dial up speed.

Late 2010 Unicel was bought by AT&T. They built a new tower 1/2 mile away and promised a new phone comparable to what I have now. Yet, 6 months after that initial letter was sent, the tower is not yet activated and they essentially "throttled down" my current carriers signal strength.

AT&T doesn't offer the same unlimited data usage or free tethering like Unicel does so I am at a cross roads. I may go back to Verizion or just pay the extra $$ for a (hopefully) hell of a signal from that new tower.

I wish Sprint had more presence in this area. Seems like you need to live in a big city or along an Interstate to get their 3G/4G coverage. They advertise "unlimited everything for one low price".

[wagondude]

I had good service with Cingular (now AT&T Wireless) when traveling across country (even through northern Wyoming). Im now with T-mobile (now owned by AT&T). I seem to have more areas of less coverage, but it works OK for 98% of my needs.

[proformance]

T-Mobile is not owned by AT&T. AT&T has negotiated an offer to purchase T-Mobile, but the offer is only one of a long chain of issues that must be addressed first. The biggest if which is approval from the FCC which may take over a year and several concessions to approve the transaction.

As far as best coverage go, all carries have there strong areas and week areas. AT&T is great in 90%+ of the nation. Verizon is no better. It just depends on where in the US you are. AT&T has limited issues in the NY area and some of the northern rural areas of the heartland. Verizon is strong on the east, but if you get out into the southwest deserts, Verizon will rapidly deteriorate.

AT&T gets a bum wrap because admittedly, their NY service is not on par with Verizon. And, most of the journalist and stock traders that writes about cell service providers come from the east coast and most from the NY area. So, they presume the entire nation is experiencing equally poor service from AT&T, which is not the truth. AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile is expected to remedy most if not all of the limited coverage in rural and NY areas.

FYI: My wife has been a telecommunications employee for over 30yrs. Started with AT&T in the mid-70s and is back with them today. I here all the stories of competitor false advertising of non-existent 4G, and implied poor coverage by AT&T. As I said, all service providers have strong areas and week areas. Decide where your going to spend most of your travels and obtain service from a provider that has the best coverage for that reagon.