Cell phone coverage ?

[Pantheus]

I'm considering another cell phone, and wish to know the feelings of cell service coverage.

We have an emergency-use-only cell phone, that we take when one or the other of us is leaving the house, but no one has the number, but us.

But I find the coverage woefully sketchy, especially above Magalia. Even from in the house it half works, on the porch somewhat better, but get above middle Magalia and it dies. - We are using Virgin Mobile, which I believe to be a Sprint reseller.

If I were to get a full-on cell, what service should I consider, for better coverage?

Verizon ?    T-Mobile ?    A T & T ?     or ?

Please chime in with your experiences and advice.

Ken

[Sar 450]

We have Verizon,I have been really happy with the service.It works fine every time I have used will up in your hood.I don't remember trying it while up in the Highlakes.It works great in the Mineral-Chester area.

[KNUCKLEHEAD]

GET A SATELITE PHONE. It is only $950.00 for years and any time calling. For 2010 that is cheap.

[Pantheus]

GET A SATELITE PHONE. It is only $950.00 for years and any time calling. For 2010 that is cheap.

May I borrow YOURS, to see if I like it?

K.

[w8ng4msrgt]

GET A SATELITE PHONE. It is only $950.00 for years and any time calling. For 2010 that is cheap.

May I borrow YOURS, to see if I like it?

K.

I have thought about this option myself but I can't afford it. I may have to ask Knucklehead who they get their service through. From my short search it appears that there are some providers who will rent them for a week or so for about 20 bucks a week plus a buck something a minute airtime.

If I was going on a big outing with some people this may work but I think my best option would probably be to get my ham radio license and try to set up a relay call on the shortwave.

[chicomecha]

Verizon does not work well in the mountains, but I can make calls from the road into Spring Valley by that meadow.  At&T worked better up there.  Down here I am quite happy with Verizon's coverage.  All depends on where you plan to use it.  I would also recommend getting a tri-band phone, one that still has the ability to use the analog network, but not sure you can even still buy those phones.  there have been several time when I could not get on the digital network, but the analog one worked.

[Pantheus]

Are you saying the carriers don't control the phones?  ie:  One phone can cross carriers, and even have multiple carriers?

[chicomecha]

Each carrier pretty much controls their towers, but something different may happen with analog.   I used to have an AT&T phone, and it was good up there, but lousy enough down here to junk it.  My Verizon phone is better everywhere but in the mountains.  analog coverage has seemed to stay the same from carrier to carrier.

[Pantheus]

OK, then...  can one phone, any phone (or specific ones?) have multiple networks? or is that a sim card deal?

How about getting more specific...   does it matter which phone one gets?  If that is ok,  then could one get both Verizon and AT&T to get dual coverage?

How can both digital and analog reside on the same phone?  Same number?

You can tell a couple things about what I'm asking ...1) I know almost nada  2) need to explore what may not exist?  Want (near) everywhere coverage, at a price of cell coverage not satellite.

Looking into VHF ham radio (for another reason) and that may (possibly) solve the "up there" problem, if I get multiple channels, and licensed (or not).

[chicomecha]

It does matter which phone you get.  Each carrier uses a different protocol (CDMA, GSM, TDMA, iDEN, PCS, AMPS - which is analog) on their networks for communications.  For instance, the new iPhone can only access the AT&T network.  A Nextel phone only works on their towers.  A Verizon phone only works on their towers, which is why you see the cell phone companies putting up towers of their own, and not sharing.  They compete heavily on infrastructure and that investment, which is why they all have different strengths in different areas.  Sprint is terrible - not enough towers.

Oh, and only CDMA (Verizon) also has analog, or maybe an older TDMA (AT&T) phone, but good luck finding it in a store.  Dual band phone, one number, it switches automatically depending on availability of signal.  Analog sucks down the battery.