CELL PHONE COVERAGE ?

Kittykath wrote:
We camp at a seasonal location, not too far from civilization, and since I spend lots of alone time in my camper, it's not a question that I need to have some kind of service. During the 2013 season, I had ZERO service. This past summer, I could at least make phone calls. Sort of. My fellow campers with Verizon, not even a hiccup in coverage. What gives???

Very likely it was because Verizon owned the local cell tower.

At my father's home in Arkansas - there is one cell tower about 3 1/2 miles from his house. It used to be an Alltel tower.

That tower/ market area was one which Verizon got when they bought Alltel.

T-Mobile and Sprint were worthless in the town up until last year. I could make a cell phone voice call with AT&T about half the time.

They upgraded the tower to LTE in mid-2013. And doubled the capacity for concurrent connections.

Now AT&T works very well. Sprint is acceptable. T-Mobile works for voice, but no data and only a roaming rates.

Changes in the tower equipment and who owns the tower can make all the difference in which phone company equipment works, and which doesn't.

We've been camp hosting in far west Texas most of this year. We've found our AT&T phone is more reliable than our Verizon phone. (Yes, one of our phones is AT&T and the other is Verizon.)

But I won't expect it to be the same next year. Phone companies do lots of changes in the background of their networks.

Sometimes it helps, sometimes it seems to cause more problems if you don't have the latest and greatest cell phone.

Bumpyroad wrote:

Kittykath wrote:
This campground did indeed have a landline, but the office phone was far away from the campsite, and how does one take first aid instructions from a landline when the patient is that far away? No time to waste. Cell phone.

henny penny, the sky is falling, the sky is falling. not enough bars, your battery is dead. oh my, oh my.
bumpy

Not sure if you're trying to be funny or what, but it sure wasn't funny at the time.

http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/2013/stories/menke-evan-healing.html

Someday maybe We will even get cell service at our house......... Maybe not . If we drive 1/2 mile we can too have service..... Just like climbing up the telephone pole wait we do live at Green Acres.........

Kittykath wrote:
This campground did indeed have a landline, but the office phone was far away from the campsite, and how does one take first aid instructions from a landline when the patient is that far away? No time to waste. Cell phone.

henny penny, the sky is falling, the sky is falling. not enough bars, your battery is dead. oh my, oh my.
bumpy

This campground did indeed have a landline, but the office phone was far away from the campsite, and how does one take first aid instructions from a landline when the patient is that far away? No time to waste. Cell phone.

When I hit the road full time I bought a burner phone with T-Mobile. AND another cell phone with ATT. Just so I would have 2 different providers and/or 2 phones on board in the MH in case of an emergency.

I only traveled east of the Mississippi and the ATT phone kept me connected all the time. My Sprint USB mobile broadband kept me connected to the internet the whole time also....and still does! :C

Bumpyroad wrote:

Terryallan wrote:


The Campgrounds all have land lines. It is much more reliable than cell phones. And there is very little cell service at the top od the Blue Ridge.

but, but, but, if you spend $400 on your latest electronic toy, you gotta justify it somehow.
bumpy

I recon so. My phone is one of the FREE every 2 year phones from Verizon. No texting, no games, no internet. If I don't answer. Leave a message. If I want to I'll call you back. I'll not be tied to a phone on a camping trip

Terryallan wrote:


The Campgrounds all have land lines. It is much more reliable than cell phones. And there is very little cell service at the top od the Blue Ridge.

but, but, but, if you spend $400 on your latest electronic toy, you gotta justify it somehow.
bumpy

Kittykath wrote:
I would love to think I can be without my cell phone. Not since that fateful day last year when a boy at our campground almost lost his life due to severe burns from a campfire explosion. Access to 911 saved him. Also, we camp with folks with existing health problems. Camping somewhere without cell service is not an option and would be irresponsible. I can turn off my cell phone, but it will always be within reach.

The Campgrounds all have land lines. It is much more reliable than cell phones. And there is very little cell service at the top od the Blue Ridge.

I would love to think I can be without my cell phone. Not since that fateful day last year when a boy at our campground almost lost his life due to severe burns from a campfire explosion. Access to 911 saved him. Also, we camp with folks with existing health problems. Camping somewhere without cell service is not an option and would be irresponsible. I can turn off my cell phone, but it will always be within reach.