Old cell phones work in Alaska?

[mxw1]

Hi,

This seems like an easy question but my provider can't give me a yes or no; just maybe.

Here is my question;
I plan on driving my motor home up to Alaska during the summer of 2015, and meeting two other couples when we get to Anchorage. I'd like to be able to use my cell phone to make the connection with friends, if for nothing else.
My cell phone was bought from Verizon in March of 2007, I believe it's an LGVX8300; which is supposed to be 1X Generation. It works fine everywhere we have coverage in the states. My provider is Verizon. I don't use a cell phone very much.

I went to my local Verizon store in Santa Maria, Ca.and asked the associate there if it will work in Anchorage and he told me No, because I need to have a 4G phone (4th generation). I believe the only 4G phones available are "Smart Phones" and I'm not interested in having one and paying extra for the monthly data connection charge.

I called the Verizon 1-800 Help line and talked to someone who said it might work in Anchorage, but it might not...

I called the local Verizon store in Anchorage and asked the sales associate there and at first he said yes, but then put me on hold and came back on line and said it might not, because they use a 4G system...

So before I drive all the way there with my old phone, has anyone had any recent experience with using their old cell phones near Anchorage?
I understand that my phone will not work in Canada and cell phone coverage is spotty in Alaska, but where there is cell phone coverage, will it work with their 4G system?

Sorry for the length of this post, but I wanted to present as much info as possible.

Thanks,
Mike

[alaskan-rver]

Remember that the terms "cell phone coverage" and "Alaska" mostly only apply to urban areas. Coverage outside of towns, particularly in mountainous areas, will be spotty at best.

[mxw1]

Thanks for everyone's help on this.

I can't believe Verizon made such a mystery of this.

I guess I'll just use my old phone a little longer...

Again, thanks for everyone's replys.

Mike

[Tee_Jay]

We have one smartphone and one flip phone on Verizon. They work anywhere there is service in Alaska. Here in WA the signal is 4G and they both work.

[jnharley]

Our Verizon phones worked just fine in Alaska this past summer. I have a smart phone and my husband has an old dumb dumb phone. We turned them off in Canada and used free wifi to check email. Watch out if you use your phone near the Canadian border. Turn off your roaming capabilities because Verizon was pretty nasty to us about getting our account credited even though we used the phone in the U.S.

[wcjeep]

4g has less coverage than 1x or 3g for now.

You could also buy a local pay as you go phone when you get to Alaska (burner phone).

[sue_t]

CDMA is best up here. In some areas of Yukon that is the ONLY service available. Those with iPhones, or with phones that require 3G or 4G won't get cell service in many places.

Apparently a new service provider will have service along the whole of the Canadian portion of the Alaska Highway this summer. I'll believe it when my cell phone rings here at the cabin. We don't have any service here now.

[Stefonius]

The VX-8300 is a "dumb" phone. It is CDMA, EVDO and GPS capable. It will work just fine anywhere in the USA for making and receiving phone calls or texts. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something.

I repaired cell phones for a living back when they were the size of bricks and cost four figures. It's a dead art, but it has left me with an in-depth understanding of how the equipment operates.

[enblethen]

1st generation smart phone should work.