Which Carrier Provides the Best Mountain Coverage?

[DiscGo]

I have been on Verizon for years and despite its great reputation, I don't love it. I am considering signing up with T-Mobile because the company is developing a great infrastructure, and I love the way it is being run. The T-Mobile users I know have recently cautioned me to stay away. I'm curious what carriers you guys you and how satisfied you are with them for using outside of the city on your outdoor adventures.

[rockgremlin]

I use Verizon, and it's been really pretty good outside of the urban areas. Heck, on my drives back and forth between SLC and Cedar City and/or Moab, I could stream Netflix non-stop almost the entire way.

I have been contemplating going to T-Mobile because of their unlimited data plans. Last time I checked, I could keep my current phone, and get unlimited data for less than what I pay with Verizon. I almost pulled the trigger but didn't for the same reason you're hesitating -- data coverage. I wasn't sure how good the coverage would be. So, I too would like to know how T-Mobile (or any other carrier) performs in terms of data coverage.



Of course, if you got an Iphone the data carrier would be irrelevant. You could do everything from walking on water to colonizing Mars just by channeling Steve Jobs' aura...

[accadacca]

Verizon has the best network. T-Mobile is horrible in remote locations. Unless things have changed recently, Verizon is still #1 in the mountains, etc.

[accadacca]

I use Verizon, and it's been really pretty good outside of the urban areas. Heck, on my drives back and forth between SLC and Cedar City and/or Moab, I could stream Netflix non-stop almost the entire way.

I have been contemplating going to T-Mobile because of their unlimited data plans. Last time I checked, I could keep my current phone, and get unlimited data for less than what I pay with Verizon. I almost pulled the trigger but didn't for the same reason you're hesitating -- data coverage. I wasn't sure how good the coverage would be. So, I too would like to know how T-Mobile (or any other carrier) performs in terms of data coverage.



Of course, if you got an Iphone the data carrier would be irrelevant. You could do everything from walking on water to colonizing Mars just by channeling Steve Jobs' aura...

I’ve got the unlimited data plan on Verizon. It’s awesome! I like to use data too, see my history. I’ll tether and stream football games while I’m camping.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171127/119950772976fea0ee466261ed5d6de8.jpg

[Iceaxe]

I found AT&T to give the best mountain coverage. YMMV

[rockgremlin]

40 - 53Gb of streaming data?!

Dayum!!! :eek2::eek2:

[Iceaxe]

:roflol: :roflol: :roflol:

Dayum.... I use 2 or 3 GB a month.....

But then again I'd rather drink beer and have sex with beautiful women instead of streaming data...

:lol8:

[accadacca]

40 - 53Gb of streaming data?!

Dayum!!! :eek2::eek2:
My kids use it too. If they want to watch a movie in the car or camping or hell if the wifi is having issues at home. Just tether off one of our phones! LOL!

I get HD quality video while camping at Jordanelle, Moab, Sand Hollow, Pineview and the list goes on. I have a Mac Mini in the trailer hooked to the TV. Plus the kids have phones and iPad's. You can tether multiple devices from one phone and crank up the data bro! :cool2:

[Iceaxe]

Maybe a stupid question.... but... if you are camping why would you want to waste your time watching TV?

[accadacca]

Maybe a stupid question.... but... if you are camping why would you want to waste your time watching TV?

Because we can!

Mostly at night after we get back to the trailer. I’ll watch a football game and the kids watch movies.

[Iceaxe]

Because we can!

Mostly at night after we get back to the trailer. I’ll watch a football game and the kids watch movies.

I always wonder what people who don't like beer or sex do when camping...

LMAO

[twotimer]

I always wonder what people who don't like beer or sex do when camping...

LMAOI don't like beer.

Campfires are nice.

BTW...I've got Verizon. I think it's great.

[BruteForce]

Without a doubt, Verizon. I can now be just about anywhere on any mountain and get great coverage. Sad, really - because a few years ago, I could claim "out of service area", but not so much anymore! :)

[DiscGo]

Scott P- Who do you have and are you happy?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Scott P]

Scott P- Who do you have and are you happy?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Unfortunately, mountain coverage is not consistent from town to town. Only Union picks up at our house very well. We can barely get Verizon (I can call and marginally hear by walking across our street), but nothing else. Unless things have changed, AT and T works in Meeker, the next town south, but Verizon does not work. AT and T doesn't work in Baggs, the next town North, but Verizon does.

Union is the only carrier that consistently works in all towns in this area, but it's a rural Wyoming and Northwest Colorado specific carrier and isn't the best in other parts of the country.

Even though it isn't the best one around here specifically and we can barely get it (and Meeker can't get it at all), Verizon still has the most widespread coverage.

[Scott P]

Mostly at night after we get back to the trailer.

Staying in a trailer (especially if you are watching TV) isn't camping. :wink:

[rockgremlin]

Staying in a trailer (especially if you are watching TV) isn't camping. :wink:


I gotta agree here.

Land yacht camping is just dragging your living room around on wheels. If that's camping, then technically I go 'camping' every night after work. :mrgreen:

[Sombeech]

If there's 1 person in the group up in the mountains that has coverage, it's the Verizon guy. I used to have both at the same time, 2 phones, 1 for work, 1 personal. The Verizon was really dependable up in the remote areas but it was horrible inside a lot of the buildings like the schools I worked in, so I had to rely on T Mobile for calls inside the buildings.

I also stuck an apple sticker on the back of my Samsung just to piss some people off.

[tallsteve]

I have Verizon and I can't get a signal up AF Canyon but, I don't know anyone who can, no matter the carrier.

[rockgremlin]

I also stuck an apple sticker on the back of my Samsung just to piss some people off.


I'm fairly certain we were separated at birth...

88478

[accadacca]

Now the bastards at Xfinity are trying to charge me more for going over their monthly quota. You gotta be kidding me!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171201/518fe92a154f88afeb3a8cfe22f27096.jpg

[rockgremlin]

To be fair, $20 bucks for over a terabyte of data in one month seems reasonable.

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how you use that much data in a month. Does your entire family keep all their iProducts running nonstop 24/7?

[accadacca]

To be fair, $20 bucks for over a terabyte of data in one month seems reasonable.

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how you use that much data in a month. Does your entire family keep all their iProducts running nonstop 24/7?

Yes. I’m the only person in my family that watches cable. The rest of the family watches Netflix and other streaming services. At times we have 6 devices streaming at once, especially in the winter months.

I’ve come close to pulling the trigger on YouTube TV and dumping Xfinity for cable. I noticed during a free trial that they blackout a few sporting events though. Probably only a few, but they do have 4-5 more sports channels then I get for only $39/m.

[rockgremlin]

I keep getting dinged with overage charges from Verizon. I only use 8GB a month, but that last week is full of warnings and overcharges. I'm sick of it. Who uses T-Mobile here? Seriously wanting to make the switch, but don't want to get locked into something I'll eventually regert.

[Sombeech]

I use TMobile, been on it for 10 years. And every year I keep talking about making the switch to Verizon.

It's ok though, I only start looking at Verizon when I'm way up in the mountains and I can't pull up a YouTube video fast enough. Then I get home and everything's ok.

For everything urban, TMobile works. My signal never cuts out inside of buildings like it used to with Verizon.

[accadacca]

For mountain and overall coverage. Look at their maps.
Verizon > T-Mobile

[Sandstone Addiction]

Does anyone have any experience with one of these?

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/weboost-drive-4g-x-cell-phone-signal-booster-kit-470510/

89084

[hikster11]

Does anyone have any experience with one of these?

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/weboost-drive-4g-x-cell-phone-signal-booster-kit-470510/

89084I have one and it gives me a signal when I don't have one. With the booster I have a signal in most all of the San Rafael Swell. I still think the carry matters because my friend with AT&T doesn't always get a signal when I do with Verizon.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[DiscGo]

Update:

I signed up with T-Mobile and couldn't get good coverage. So I switched to AT&T and couldn't even get coverage in the back of Walmart. So after two 14 day return clauses I returned back to Verizon.

[Sombeech]

Update:
and couldn't even get coverage in the back of Walmart.

Man I wish I could return what I got in the back of Walmart

[rockgremlin]

Man I wish I could return what I got in the back of Walmart

This is gold. :roflol:



I signed up with T-Mobile and couldn't get good coverage. So I switched to AT&T and couldn't even get coverage in the back of Walmart. So after two 14 day return clauses I returned back to Verizon.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. I've been flirting with switching from Verizon to anyone else, and I almost pulled the trigger on switching to T-Mobile last Friday. Now I'm kinda glad I didn't.

Thanks for the helpful update.

[rockgremlin]

Posting this from the Wedge Overlook out in the San Raphael Swell.

This is why I pay a little more for Verizon.

[jman]

Posting this from the Wedge Overlook out in the San Raphael Swell.

This is why I pay a little more for Verizon.

What’s interesting is that in Kaysville where I live, I have 2 bars maximum around town.

But on the east side of Zion, about a mile north of the Mount Carmel junction I had 5 bars!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BruteForce]

Verizon in the West for sure. I've tested AT&T, Spring & TMOBILE. I've left a data card from each connected while driving to San Diego and Verizon never dropped once, where the others did routinely.

And, I also have a high gain mobile AMP setup that will boost my signal in even the most remote places. I love & HATE IT. Love it because when I want to stream Netflix, 1x becomes 4G, HATE it because when I'm remote, I really don't want that call or SLACK IM from work. :)

[Sombeech]

Once again this weekend we were up in the Uintas in a cabin, Verizon was the only service with any bars. We were all begging that he tether his phone and allow the whole gang to get some internet juices.

[DiscGo]

Update: Since making this post, I have tried AT&T, & T-Mobile and bone back to Verizon each time after a week. I have confirmed that Verizon has the best coverage for rural areas in the Western United States. My family and I recently drove through Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, & North Dakota. We had T-Mobile and Verizon phones and checked the coverage regularly. Verizon had coverage in about 85% of rural areas and T-Mobile had coverage in about 15%. There was only one spot for T-Mobile had better coverage than Verizon and a mile later Verizon caught up. If you need coverage in the Outdoors, I strongly recommend Verizon.

P.S. There are 2 canyons in Utah where I have had coverage with AT&T where Verizon did not have coverage but many more areas where Verizon had coverage and AT&T did not.