What is your opinion on cell/smart phones for travling?

Had an opportunity to do a direct comparison this past summer between AT&T and Verizon for wireless cellular data when taking a three-week sojourn out west from Indiana to the Tetons, then to Yellowstone, and finally the Black Hills on our way back home. We had two iPhones on a Verizon data plan, and an iPad on an AT&T data plan. While we did run into locations where we didn't have service from either provider, most notably in Yellowstone, there were many times we had to use the WIFI hotspot service on an iPhone to connect to our iPad as there was no AT&T data service. This was necessary for us as our iPad was hosting our travel applications, including Allstay, iExit, etc. Having said this, I expect that there would be fewer incidence of that happening out east where both carriers have better coverage, but if traveling to the thinner populated western states, I'll be sticking with Verizon. No experience, so no comments on TMobile or other companies.

As for phones, we've had both Droids and iPhones, and while the iPhones cost more up front, I wouldn't go back to any of the Droids due to ease of use and availability of applications.

And a final comment... I was one of those folks that swore I'd never get that much use out of a smart phone. Said the same thing at one time about GPS navigation systems. While I can't say that I actually NEED either, the value I get from both of these technologies is such that I really wouldn't travel without them. Hershey's list on the first page of this thread lays out a number of the potential benefits, but there are many more beyond those.

pnichols wrote:
You're right ... a DSL connection ... I didn't realize anyone had those anymore. ;)

By the way, there is also one more (very rare) Internet access method that is the type we have in our residence here in the mountains. It's kindof a wide area WiFi. It's a system with the main Internet trunk feed broadcasted wirelessly from a town miles away to repeaters throughout our mountains. The repeaters aim line of site (high frequency carrier) or through the trees (low frequency carrier) into the canyons and then to antennas on roofs that in turn carry the Internet data via hard wiring into wall sockets inside the residences.

The coffee shop COULD HAVE had that type of Internet access, but I doubt it.

A company that was offering wide area WiFi in that area went broke before they signed up very many customers about 5 years ago. A salvage company took down their towers. I know exactly what the coffee shop has now though, because I installed their WiFi hotspot setup. The DSL is only 6MB tops, but it's the only game in town other than satellite.

We've had Verizon for years. Whether at home or on the road we've had good service and used one of their air cards for a while too, which also worked well for our purposes. You can choose to have the data plan or go with a basic phone & not get it. We chose not to have the data plan because we have no one to text with and don't do web searches. However, while traveling having a data plan can be a great asset.

I'd do some shopping around, check out provider websites to see the coverage map,which may indeed help you decide if you know what areas you will be visiting.

I use Virgin Mobile...my phone is an LG Optimus, costs me $45/month for unlimited everything. (Talk, text, data.)

You're right ... a DSL connection ... I didn't realize anyone had those anymore. ;)

By the way, there is also one more (very rare) Internet access method that is the type we have in our residence here in the mountains. It's kindof a wide area WiFi. It's a system with the main Internet trunk feed broadcasted wirelessly from a town miles away to repeaters throughout our mountains. The repeaters aim line of site (high frequency carrier) or through the trees (low frequency carrier) into the canyons and then to antennas on roofs that in turn carry the Internet data via hard wiring into wall sockets inside the residences.

The coffee shop COULD HAVE had that type of Internet access, but I doubt it.

We both have iPhones...before that, droids....we've gotten new phones every two years for the last 14 years. This year is the only time we are not anxious to get rid of our iPhone 4S's. We love them. The 5 or 5S just doesn't offer enough for us to do another contract. We currently have AT&T. Before this was Verizon for years. Staying with a company is not necessarily beneficial. The only thing we miss is they unlimited data we had with Verizon. But you get better incentives often with switching to a different company every once in a while.

We both have iPads. I won mine on Facebook from a KOA a couple years ago. We are both sitting here now on them. I have nice desktop in my bonus room with a 24" monitor. But it's so much easier and convenient to use the iPad.

If you will be traveling, then I believe a smartphone is indispensable. There are many apps that you can use at the fly. Gas buddy. Woodall's. KOA. MobileRVing. Flyingj. Next exit. And many more.

We upgraded to iPhone 5 last April from the sort of smart phone my sister gave us the year before. Verizon gave us $100 off so took the plunge. Being a neo-Luddite for most items, I am not succumbing to iPads or other latest gadgets but found on 3 subsequent trips that the iPhone is indispensable for finding gas stations, road conditions, weather, campgrounds, grocery stores, even GPS, although we have a Garmin Montana for trails and where wifi isn't available (remote areas in the west). The iPhone apps are pretty useful but you need to pick and choose from a large inventory. We rarely use the 2gb for internet use and only have the 65+ 200 minutes per month (no longer offered) and no texting (I can barely type).

Shearwater wrote:
Trac phones are the cheapest option - mine cost $20 and I have a 2 year subscription of 800 minutes/yr for $150 total. I think Trac phone uses ATT's towers.

If you want all the extras that a smart phone provides Verizon has, by far, the best nationwide coverage but at a price.

Tracfone uses AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, depending on which phone you select and where you activate it. Typically, the phone models that end in a 'c' (LG200c, LG505c, Z665c, etc.) are CDMA phones that use Verizon, while no letter or a 'g' (V170, LG840g, T245g, etc.) indicates a GSM AT&T or T-mobile phone. Currently, Tracfone's Android smart phones all use Verizon, regardless of your 'home' location.

pnichols wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
I was in a cell dead area (all carriers) of the Adirondacks, but I was still able to make and receive calls using a Google Voice app and a WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop.

Hmmmm ... that is a necessary situation for most rural businesses. It means that the coffee shop most have had one of three things: 1) Cable service for Internet access, or 2) satellite service for Internet access, or 3) cell tower connectivity for Internet access via a cellular band antenna somewhere on the building feeding a cellular band amplifier somwhere inside the building so that, even though you couldn't connect to cell towers, the coffee shop could.

The coffee shop would have also needed setup 1), 2), or 3) in order to have accepted credit/debit cards from it's customers.

You missed one... The coffee shop has DSL service from Frontier Communications, the local landline phone company.

Trac phones are the cheapest option - mine cost $20 and I have a 2 year subscription of 800 minutes/yr for $150 total. I think Trac phone uses ATT's towers.

If you want all the extras that a smart phone provides Verizon has, by far, the best nationwide coverage but at a price.