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

[eZAK]

We are looking to purchase new cell phones to replace our Moto Razr's.
We currently have Verizon pre-paid. We are some what neutral about keeping Verizon. In general, we don't use our phones a whole heck of a lot. It takes me about 3 mos. to go through 1,000 mins. It takes my wife about 5 mos. to go through 1,000.
We talk and text (would be nice to have a keyboard or voice recognition)

Also, We are open to paying for data to access the net on occasions.

So what we are looking at is a reliable carrier across the USA and a easy to use reliable phone with a good battery life.

[mowermech]

There will always be those of us who do not believe that we have a real NEED for a smart phone. The number of us may be decreasing, but we will always be here. I just hope that the phone manufacturers are smart enough to realize that the market for a phone that is JUST a phone really DOES exist, and they continue to make them. I suppose the day may come when I have to get a phone with all the bells and whistles. When that day comes, I will simply either not activate the bells and whistles, or refuse to use them.
I will not tie my life to a cell phone!
Having said that, my cell phone is in my pocket at all times, except at night when it is charging. Yeah, it is convenient. It will never become a necessity!

[jmtandem]

Sooner or later it will be as common an item as the TV.

It probably already is and lots more useful!

[hershey]

A smart phone is probably a common item in most people's future. I know there are a lot of people who are happy with their flip phones, my wife for instance but, our life is slowly (slowly?) being altered to the smartphones capabilities making it a necessary part of our life.
Video conference with family?
Immediate transfer of pictures and video to others?
Security monitoring of the home while away?
Monitor the kids and baby sitters???? Pet's.
Open/close the garage door?
Immediate access to important documents when traveling?
Apps that make RVing easier, travel easier.
Simple voice command to find a specific location anywhere.
How far to the next truck stop, service station?
The list is endless. Sooner or later it will be as common an item as the TV.

[mowermech]

Many areas of the West have poor cell coverage, regardless of carrier. Here in Montana, coverage is good near many towns, and along the freeway corridors, but generally on State and Federal highways between towns you can forget it. Oh, you might catch a tower from the top of a hill somewhere, but you will lose it in a half mile or less.
Verizon seems to be the best bet here, or one of the pre-paid plans that use the Verizon network, such as Trac-Fone.
wi-fi will not be found at the best camping spots (state parks and Forest Service campgrounds). Most of them don't have cell service, either.
Many commercial campgrounds have wi-fi, but it often isn't very good. "Adequate", but not "excellent". Some of the out-of-town RV parks don't have cell service.

[Altern]

The days of flip phones are over so you might as well get familiar with the smartphones now that you are making a change.
Iphone or android doesn't matter much because essentially they boil down to personal preferences.
I'm partial to Iphone because all my computer stuff is Apple - the next guy will say he likes android because he bought it first.
Good luck

[goducks10]

azdryheat wrote:
I absolutely rely on my smart phone as the wi-fi at almost all rv parks is abysmal. If it wasn't for my phone I wouldn't have internet on the road. I've been a customer of Verizon for a very long time and find them to be a very good company.

x2. Verizon has the best coverage IMO. It's sad but I couldn't exist w/o my smart phone.

[CA_Traveler]

We have both AT&T and Verizon. For the western states Verizon coverage is far superior. The vendor doesn't seem to matter in urban areas, it does matter in rural areas.

Others have posted that AT&T and Verizon are about equal east of the Mississippi.

Also AT&T 4G coverage (on my iPhone) is a marketing ploy and a joke. Make sure you have LTE coverage capability.

[jmtandem]

I don't go anywhere without mine. Verizon seems to have pretty good coverage. It is nice to be able to get the weather, internet, text, e-mail, traffic ahead on the route you plan to take, and sometimes even talk on the phone.

[donn0128]

DD has a semi smart phone. The keyboard flips up to text and has a regular number pad for dialing. It works just fine if all you want is talk/text functions. Besides no paying for a data plan you wont use.

[slarsen]

I was just reading on the WS Journal about a company called Republic. Unlimited phone, text and 3G for $25 a month. 4G is $40 a month.

[edbehnke]

verizon seems to be the best for usa coverage.

as for a phone, probably any of the smartphones would cover what you want. we have a razar and it has what you want.

[Mandalay_Parr]

There are several good ones.
I have an iPhone with ATT. Works good. I use the map function a lot.

[azdryheat]

I absolutely rely on my smart phone as the wi-fi at almost all rv parks is abysmal. If it wasn't for my phone I wouldn't have internet on the road. I've been a customer of Verizon for a very long time and find them to be a very good company.