A T& T and Verizon

I manage the cell phone program for the company where I work. We have 150 salesmen and service techs spread across the country. Our customers tend to be off the beaten path. We have 90% of our lines with AT&T. There are a few locations in the upper midwest (MN, MT, WI) where AT&T just doesn't cut it and we've put guys in those areas on VZW.

Both carriers have done an admirable job in expanding coverage across the country. Either will likely provide you what you want but the only way to know for sure is to study the coverage maps closely for those areas where you spend time. Both carriers have gaps in coverage.

Beyond AT&T/VZW, the options are much less attractive. Sprint & TMO offer some great pricing, but this is really a case of "you get what you pay for". If you stay near an Interstate Hwy or metro area, they may work fine for you. But if you travel a lot to more remote locations, those two will let you down more often than not.

Mountain Mama wrote:
I know it's been discussed many times about which of these 2 carriers are best for those who travel the US extensively. I'm wondering if anyone uses both carriers? We are not big phone users but understand the necessity of having them on the road so I'm wondering if it would be best to have one as main carrier (can u say contract?) and have another like a Trac or Go phone with the other carrier so if you're in an area where one doesn't work or not very well? Anyone do this? Your thoughts?

We have an outside antenna and can use it with any phone.

Here's how:

Also get a 12 volt cellular band amplifier. Attach the antenna to the input of the amplifier. Buy a stickum patch output cable for the amplifier. Whenever you want to use the phone, turn ON the amplifier, hold the stickum patch to the back of the phone while making the call. After the call, hang the stickum patch and it's cable on a peg by the amplifier and unplug the amplifier's cigaratte lighter cable from the cigarette lighter socket to turn the amplifier OFF.

This system gets you much greater range than just the antenna by itself due to an amplifier being involved. This system also greatly increases the range at which a Verizon Jetpack will work by laying the Jetpack on the stickum patch on a table with the amplifier turned ON whenever using the Jetpack. Works like a champ to really reach out to the Verizon towers when camping or traveling out in the middle of nowhere.

I've been able to make cell phone calls using this system when the Verizon phone by itself showed no bars at all. Those cellular amplifiers along with a rooftop cellular antenna make a fantastic combination for longer range cell phone use.

Now .... if only I could get a Jetpack data plan with a bunch of gigabits .... by using the antenna and amplifier I could watch Netflix movies in the evenings when camping out in the middle of nowhere.

Thought about moving from Verizon to Straight Talk, but after 3gigs of data a month you getted throttled back....won't work for my usage.

Recently took advantage of Verizon's double data offer which ends 10/31/2014....we now have two smart phones and a jetpack with 40 gigs of data per month with no throttling for $250. Yes, it's expensive....but you get what you pay for.

we split the ticket. he has ATT, I have Verizon. we both have hotspots= 20g of data a month, more than enough.
Sometimes he has service, and I don't and just as often its the other way around.

1xRTT
Was the first step change from analog to digital on CDMA phones like Verizon and Sprint
It's voice and text only connection

wintersun wrote:

Mountain Mama wrote:
I'm not really concerned about Data coverage as much as I am voice coverage...I want to have phone service if, and when, I need it.

For voice and roaming you can get service almost anywhere. Data requires 3G or 4G service but with voice all you need is 1xRTT. We have been in very remote areas where Verizon 3G or 4G was not available but switched our phones to use 1xRTT only and had no problem making a call.

With Verizon you have no need to use roaming so may save money as compared to T-mobile and other carriers. If you want to have the phone for an emergency or other important use then go with Verizon as you have the best odds of being able to make that call wherever you happen to be.

AT&T knows it does not compare to Verizon so their marketing states how much of the population they cover versus geographic area or mention being tops
in reliability, basically avoiding their second place spot.

What is 1xRTT & how does one change to it?

When I first got a cell phone it was with Alltel...and then couldn't get a signal while in the city of Fredericksburg, VA! Switched to Verizon immediately as some friends told me of their coverage. Verizon is pricey, very much so if you're bundling everything, but it's served us well for over 12 years. We've had signal while traveling cross country on the train, even in the middle of nowhere. Can still count on one hand when we did not have a signal!

Mountain Mama wrote:
I'm not really concerned about Data coverage as much as I am voice coverage...I want to have phone service if, and when, I need it.

For voice and roaming you can get service almost anywhere. Data requires 3G or 4G service but with voice all you need is 1xRTT. We have been in very remote areas where Verizon 3G or 4G was not available but switched our phones to use 1xRTT only and had no problem making a call.

With Verizon you have no need to use roaming so may save money as compared to T-mobile and other carriers. If you want to have the phone for an emergency or other important use then go with Verizon as you have the best odds of being able to make that call wherever you happen to be.

AT&T knows it does not compare to Verizon so their marketing states how much of the population they cover versus geographic area or mention being tops in reliability, basically avoiding their second place spot.

We have used straight talk from Walmart for several years and have no issues with either coverage or service with AT&T. We just completed a trip from Florida to So. Cal and up the coast to Washington, then back through the Midwest to Florida. We also included a side cruise tour into Alaska through the Yukon. Had coverage everywhere except in Canada. We are happy.

We go to the dunes west of Yuma. We have Verizon, and, I've been in the middle of nowhere, miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles of sand, and have service. Not great, but I could make a call. That speaks for itself, for me. I've tried other services, some that were cheaper, some more, but none can stack up to coverage on service like Verizon.