Built in vs. Stand-alone GPS?

JaxDad wrote:
Edited to shorten.

pnichols wrote:
Hmmm ... if an eSim card can be installed in an iPhone or an Android phone that ties one to a global service provider ... then:

1. Do you then get billed each month by the global service provider ... just like you would if you had a sim card locking your phone to one of the common U.S. providers?

2. If one uses their smartphone only in, say the U.S., but via a global service provider - then are you saying that wherever you are in the U.S. - your phone will connect to whatever specific U.S. providers' cell signal is the strongest at your particular location ... i.e. be it a Verizon tower, or an AT&T towers, or a SPRINT tower, etc. at the time?

If both the answer to both 1. and 2. above is "yes" ... then who are some 4G or LTE global providers that I could switch to, where can I find what plans they offer, and if there our some then WOW .... it seems like a no brainer to set up this kind of arrangement on my upcoming purchase of my first ever smartphone (to be Android based) so as to get best possible cellular signal coverage in the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada for RV travels?

(P.S. Unlimited and speed un-throttled from a global provider meeting the above requirements would be the ultimate - but that probably doesn't exist or is extremely expensive if it does exist.)

1. Yes, I get on bill each month.

2. Yes, my phone seeks out and jumps to the strongest signal, regardless of carrier. Every phone already jumps to the strongest signal, but only within the network it’s locked to, unless roaming. My phone is in a perpetual state of “roaming”.

I use GlobalSIM, I’m told there’s others, I just don’t know who they are. Global is the biggest.

It’s not expensive, I have 2 permanently assigned phone numbers (in my case one 416, one 305, both of which are always ‘live’) unlimited calling (no roaming charges, no long distance), texting and data (never throttled, no tethering restrictionists) almost anywhere in the world for $75 / month.

Thanks for your information follow-through .... I'm learning a lot, but it sure seems like a lot of research is going to be required if I want to break away from the comfort of good old Verizon (with it's expensive, limited full speed with unlimited data, good but not perfect, etc., coverage).

By the way, I notice that the GlobalSIM's coverage map seems to show vast areas of no coverage in Western U.S. places where we like to travel in our RV. Unless I'm interpreting the GlobalSIM's coverage map wrong - pure Verizon coverage my be better or at least easily equal GlobalSIM's coverage. I thought providers like GlobalSIM offered service that would jump between U.S. networks so as to automatically use the strongest signal ... hence easily providing service coverage well beyond what the Verizon-only coverage map shows?

Here's the GlobalSIM coverage map - which seems to show large poor/no coverage areas in the Western U.S.:
https://www.globalsim.co/coverage/

valhalla360 wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

No, a dual SIM phone just ties you to 2 service providers.

What you want is an eSim with a global service provider.

This allows the phone to switch between different networks and work "locally" in other countries without changing sim cards.

That does work...but it's an expensive solution.

I’m paying LESS now than when I was on a conventional provider.

Edited to shorten.

pnichols wrote:
Hmmm ... if an eSim card can be installed in an iPhone or an Android phone that ties one to a global service provider ... then:

1. Do you then get billed each month by the global service provider ... just like you would if you had a sim card locking your phone to one of the common U.S. providers?

2. If one uses their smartphone only in, say the U.S., but via a global service provider - then are you saying that wherever you are in the U.S. - your phone will connect to whatever specific U.S. providers' cell signal is the strongest at your particular location ... i.e. be it a Verizon tower, or an AT&T towers, or a SPRINT tower, etc. at the time?

If both the answer to both 1. and 2. above is "yes" ... then who are some 4G or LTE global providers that I could switch to, where can I find what plans they offer, and if there our some then WOW .... it seems like a no brainer to set up this kind of arrangement on my upcoming purchase of my first ever smartphone (to be Android based) so as to get best possible cellular signal coverage in the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada for RV travels?

(P.S. Unlimited and speed un-throttled from a global provider meeting the above requirements would be the ultimate - but that probably doesn't exist or is extremely expensive if it does exist.)

1. Yes, I get on bill each month.

2. Yes, my phone seeks out and jumps to the strongest signal, regardless of carrier. Every phone already jumps to the strongest signal, but only within the network it’s locked to, unless roaming. My phone is in a perpetual state of “roaming”.

I use GlobalSIM, I’m told there’s others, I just don’t know who they are. Global is the biggest.

It’s not expensive, I have 2 permanently assigned phone numbers (in my case one 416, one 305, both of which are always ‘live’) unlimited calling (no roaming charges, no long distance), texting and data (never throttled, no tethering restrictionists) almost anywhere in the world for $75 / month.

JaxDad wrote:

No, a dual SIM phone just ties you to 2 service providers.

What you want is an eSim with a global service provider.

This allows the phone to switch between different networks and work "locally" in other countries without changing sim cards.

That does work...but it's an expensive solution.

JaxDad wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

pnichols wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
My cell phone is ‘local’ (no roaming, no long distance) in most of the world, I can switch between several phone numbers in a couple of key strokes, or switch between most cell providers automatically or manually, again with a few key strokes.

I confess that I don't know, and have never heard of, how to switch the DW's Verizon based smartphone or my Verizon based flip phone to another network automatically or manullly for making calls, sending texts, or accessing the Internet.

Probably most Verizon customers don't how to do that either. When our phones have "no bars", we assume that means no Verizon cellular access is available ... even though AT&T/Sprint/Etc. cellular signals may be present and strong enough for their customers to access.

In the Western U.S. on RV trips we are often not able get out with our cell phones - and I always assumed that was because of Verizon signal strength. I sure wish our phones could access any provider in those places just in case other providers happened to have strong enough cellular signals there. :(

Look for a "dual sim" phone. You can put in sim cards from two carriers and then select the carrier you prefer.

Even with a single sim phone, it only takes a few minutes to swap out the sim card and boom, you are on a new carrier.

That said, I wouldn't keep multiple carriers going in one area but say you are going into canada, switching carriers can make a lot of sense. We travel a lot (internationally) and usually stop in the airport and for $10-30 a local carrier will pop in a new sim card with a phone plan already activated. Only downside is your normal phone number won't work (we have a phone number thru skype that works regardless of carrier and that's what we tell people to use)

No, a dual SIM phone just ties you to 2 service providers.

What you want is an eSim with a global service provider.

This allows the phone to switch between different networks and work "locally" in other countries without changing sim cards.

Hmmm ... if an eSim card can be installed in an iPhone or an Android phone that ties one to a global service provider ... then:

1. Do you then get billed each month by the global service provider ... just like you would if you had a sim card locking your phone to one of the common U.S. providers?

2. If one uses their smartphone only in, say the U.S., but via a global service provider - then are you saying that wherever you are in the U.S. - your phone will connect to whatever specific U.S. providers' cell signal is the strongest at your particular location ... i.e. be it a Verizon tower, or an AT&T towers, or a SPRINT tower, etc. at the time?

If both the answer to both 1. and 2. above is "yes" ... then who are some 4G or LTE global providers that I could switch to, where can I find what plans they offer, and if there our some then WOW .... it seems like a no brainer to set up this kind of arrangement on my upcoming purchase of my first ever smartphone (to be Android based) so as to get best possible cellular signal coverage in the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada for RV travels?

(P.S. Unlimited and speed un-throttled from a global provider meeting the above requirements would be the ultimate - but that probably doesn't exist or is extremely expensive if it does exist.)

valhalla360 wrote:

pnichols wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
My cell phone is ‘local’ (no roaming, no long distance) in most of the world, I can switch between several phone numbers in a couple of key strokes, or switch between most cell providers automatically or manually, again with a few key strokes.

I confess that I don't know, and have never heard of, how to switch the DW's Verizon based smartphone or my Verizon based flip phone to another network automatically or manullly for making calls, sending texts, or accessing the Internet.

Probably most Verizon customers don't how to do that either. When our phones have "no bars", we assume that means no Verizon cellular access is available ... even though AT&T/Sprint/Etc. cellular signals may be present and strong enough for their customers to access.

In the Western U.S. on RV trips we are often not able get out with our cell phones - and I always assumed that was because of Verizon signal strength. I sure wish our phones could access any provider in those places just in case other providers happened to have strong enough cellular signals there. :(

Look for a "dual sim" phone. You can put in sim cards from two carriers and then select the carrier you prefer.

Even with a single sim phone, it only takes a few minutes to swap out the sim card and boom, you are on a new carrier.

That said, I wouldn't keep multiple carriers going in one area but say you are going into canada, switching carriers can make a lot of sense. We travel a lot (internationally) and usually stop in the airport and for $10-30 a local carrier will pop in a new sim card with a phone plan already activated. Only downside is your normal phone number won't work (we have a phone number thru skype that works regardless of carrier and that's what we tell people to use)

No, a dual SIM phone just ties you to 2 service providers.

What you want is an eSim with a global service provider.

This allows the phone to switch between different networks and work "locally" in other countries without changing sim cards.

pnichols wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
My cell phone is ‘local’ (no roaming, no long distance) in most of the world, I can switch between several phone numbers in a couple of key strokes, or switch between most cell providers automatically or manually, again with a few key strokes.

I confess that I don't know, and have never heard of, how to switch the DW's Verizon based smartphone or my Verizon based flip phone to another network automatically or manullly for making calls, sending texts, or accessing the Internet.

Probably most Verizon customers don't how to do that either. When our phones have "no bars", we assume that means no Verizon cellular access is available ... even though AT&T/Sprint/Etc. cellular signals may be present and strong enough for their customers to access.

In the Western U.S. on RV trips we are often not able get out with our cell phones - and I always assumed that was because of Verizon signal strength. I sure wish our phones could access any provider in those places just in case other providers happened to have strong enough cellular signals there. :(

Look for a "dual sim" phone. You can put in sim cards from two carriers and then select the carrier you prefer.

Even with a single sim phone, it only takes a few minutes to swap out the sim card and boom, you are on a new carrier.

That said, I wouldn't keep multiple carriers going in one area but say you are going into canada, switching carriers can make a lot of sense. We travel a lot (internationally) and usually stop in the airport and for $10-30 a local carrier will pop in a new sim card with a phone plan already activated. Only downside is your normal phone number won't work (we have a phone number thru skype that works regardless of carrier and that's what we tell people to use)

ScottG wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
$750 built in vs $20 mount for cell phone running a mapping app...hmm

And yes the cell phone will work fine if you are going into areas without cell coverage. The major mapping apps allow you to download the maps to the phone ahead of time.

Sorry but it will not work. Having the maps downloaded into the phone is no more usefull than having a map in your back pocket. Without cell service or GPS, the phone has no more idea of where it is than you do with that map.

Maybe if your phone is 20yrs old. All modern phones have a built in GPS that doesn't require a cell signal to locate the phone.

Having a cell signal can help the phone find it's location a bit quicker on startup. When you first start a GPS up, it can take a few minutes before it has enough signals to figure out exactly where it is. By checking which towers it can connect to, it knows it's within X miles of those towers, so it can narrow down the location more quickly...but in actual use, it doesn't make much difference as once the location is found, it can keep it without any significant delay.

If someone really wants a stand alone GPS unit, get a small tablet (about the size of most built in dash units), Maybe $75-100 plus a mounting arm and you simply connect to your phones hotspot (plus download the map if you are worried about lost signals).

JaxDad wrote:
My cell phone is ‘local’ (no roaming, no long distance) in most of the world, I can switch between several phone numbers in a couple of key strokes, or switch between most cell providers automatically or manually, again with a few key strokes.

I confess that I don't know, and have never heard of, how to switch the DW's Verizon based smartphone or my Verizon based flip phone to another network automatically or manullly for making calls, sending texts, or accessing the Internet.

Probably most Verizon customers don't how to do that either. When our phones have "no bars", we assume that means no Verizon cellular access is available ... even though AT&T/Sprint/Etc. cellular signals may be present and strong enough for their customers to access.

In the Western U.S. on RV trips we are often not able get out with our cell phones - and I always assumed that was because of Verizon signal strength. I sure wish our phones could access any provider in those places just in case other providers happened to have strong enough cellular signals there. :(

I have built in GPS in my GMC 2500HD and also carry a Garmin RV760 and then our phones have google maps. All have advantages/disadvantages.

google maps is great for knowing how LONG it will take to get somewhere
google maps will give rerouting instructions if there is a faster route.
Of course that assumes you have cell coverage.
and the reroute doesn't know if the route is "trailer friendly"
the "map" is the size of display of the phone so I rely on voice directions. Not always the bgest.

Garmin RV760 give good turn by turn and does a decent job of finding trailer friendly routes.
Garmin doesn't get real time traffic so may not reroute for accidents, closures etc.
Directions on which lane to stay in or use are good.

The GM built in IMHO has very good turn by turn directions, the best of all often giving exact lanes to be in with advanced warning often even the name of a business/landmark before a turn.
It doesn't automatically reroute for obstructions, but on several occasions I've hit the onstar button and the onstar advisor rerouted me on a RV friendly route when I told her I was pulling a 35 ft trailer. On another occasion I was informed that I should stay at the rest stop because all lanes were blocked due to an accident and the backup was approaching 25 miles. They said it was being cleared call back in an hour for an update. So.. we had some coffee, and waited.
Onstar will also download custom maps if you request, like keep me on highway 1 as much as possible from LA to cresent city, avoiding 101 if possible.

Display in my case is the biggest of all and turns are shown directly on the DIC in the spedo cluster if needed.

Maps are not as current as the Garmin or Google, and even the annual update isn't real up to date and updates cost, unlike Garmin and google.

Which is best? One that did what all of the above would do combined!