Verizon cell phone coverage in BC, Yukon, AK

[LittleJimsSon]

Looking for info from Verizon wireless customers on the extent of signal coverage in BC, the Yukon and Alaska. I suspect there is scant (if any) coverage between cities, but would like to know what to expect. Dawson Creek, Watson Lake, Whitehorse I suspect get coverage. Any information is welcome. Thanks!

[sue_t]

All the communities in Yukon have cellular service, but some have only CDMA so your phone needs to be CDMA compatible to work in those spots.

Watson Lake, Whitehorse, Dawson City, Haines Junction all have 3G. I think maybe upgraded to 4G now. If your phone is CDMA compatible you'll get more coverage further.

For instance, 4G is in Whitehorse in the city area only. But CDMA works up to 60 km outside the city.

[Passin_Thru]

We buy burner phones all the time and have travelled 17 countries. Some last 6 mo so if you go back you still have time on them and an in country phone number. INdia and Europe have better phone service-coverage than the US.

[bobsinn]

My Verizon works just fine in Canada. It uses the Bell system up there. Back in 2006 (our last trip to AK) It didn't work in YT (Whitehorse) or NWT (Ft Laird) I had the N. American plan.

[Captain_Obvious]

From the Verizon Wireless service map - there is service in Alaska. There is also a store in Anchorage. http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/consumer/explore/why-verizon.html#our-network-coverage
You can also check out the international / Canada coverage. Yes - it is international roaming, but definitely check into adding the Canada roaming plan.

[davent1946]

I made a mistake on our trip south and missed a fuel stop south of Tok. Tried to nurse the rig into Haines Junction but had to shut it down about 10 miles short at a trail head parking lot. We use Verizon and
as I was starting to remove my bike from the ladder rack, wife said we had a signal. She called AAA, was routed to Whitehorse, they said it would be sometime "later". Things were very quite around that parking lot. About 30 minutes a car pulls in headed north, a guy gets out and said his friend called from Whitehorse and he had a 5 gal. can of diesel. I tipped him handsomely. Wife says the call never did show up on our Verizon bill. I dodged a couple big bullets that day.

[LittleJimsSon]

Thanks to all of you Verizon users who answered the questions I asked with facts! Really appreciate your information. See you on the road.

[AprilWhine]

One thing to keep in mind: if you are currently on a grandfathered plan on Verizon and add Canadian coverage, it cancels your old plan and puts you on one of the new plans.

Hubby and I drove to AK this summer. We each have a smart phone on Verizon with unlimited data. I did not add the Canadian plan because that would have cancelled our unlimited data plan. Instead, we just paid the roaming charge for calls and text messages, and disabled data roaming while in Canada.

Also note, the optional Canadian plan only covers voice and text, not data. One of our travel companions used their phone data and was surprised by the charge. 😉

[sdianel_-acct_c]

I called Verizon before our trip and they added Canada coverage for a reasonable monthly fee. When I returned to the US I called them and they cancelled the extra coverage and prorated the month. Worked great in Canada.

[Community Alumni]

I use an AT&T Go phone while in the US. I have an option $5 International package, it works in Canada and the US for voice, text and data (internet).

[2gypsies1]

VintageRacer: Verizon works very well in Alaska without roaming charges.

[Trackrig]

When in Alaska, Verison's phones if 3G, will roam onto Alaska Communications's cell sites and if they're 4G LTE, Verison has their own cell sites in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. If you have a 4G LTE phone and you can't get a Verison 4G site, the phone will go back to 3G and roam on Alaska Communications. You'll do just fine with a Verison phone in Alaska. Sam's Club, Best Buy and I think Costco a cell them. At the moment Verison doesn't have their own stores in Alaska.

Bill

[grooveman]

Don't know about cell coverage in those areas but I have Verizon and it works just fine in Canada. As long as you have the North America plan you won't incur roaming charges.

[rbrand]

obgraham wrote:
Stop at a WalMart in Canada and get a pay as you go cheapie.

I have never seen a cell phone for sale at Walmart Canada. I've bought them in the US, but not Canada.

Take a look at www.walmart.ca before you plan on buying one.

Verizon, Sprint and A&T do not exist in Canada.

[I_am_still_wayn]

VintageRacer wrote:
Verizon is a US company so it doesn't operate in Canada. That means zero coverage in BC and Yukon. Verizon doesn't operate in Alaska either. So you will be paying roaming charges. Ask about roaming coverage, find out who Verizon roams with, and look into their network coverage. All carriers post maps on their web sites.

Brian

This is so wrong!

Yes Verizon is a US coverage, but connects with Canadian towers to provide International Roaming for their US customers while in Canada. YOU WILL HAVE USE OF YOUR VERIZON PHONE IN CANADA AND ALASKA!