Cellular voice and data coverage in the western USA

[Eaglefreek]

From my experience working in parts of northeastern Nevada, parts of Utah and this week Montana, a few miles can make a difference. My personal phone is ATT and my work phone is Verizon. I'm glad I've got both at times because sometimes one will work and not the other and then I go over a pass and they'll switch. My ATT has been the most reliable. However, I've noticed which phone you have can make a difference also. There are times when a coworker with the same service, but a different phone may have worse or better service than mine, depending on which phone they have.

 

[craig333]

Very true. My old flip phone had better connections than my smartphone. I keep meaning to toss that in the glove box.

 

[DrivingMissRosey]

I'm an archaeologist and often am in remote areas for work around the desert areas of southern CA, NV, and UT. Verizon is the best provider for these areas, but no provider is perfect.

 

[highdesertranger]

I found that Verizon works best in remote locations in the western US. I have also found the smart phones don't work very well on voice in remote locations. they say they are connected but won't work. I have a mil spec flip phone, this year in several locations I could talk fine but 3 other people with various smart phones on Verizon could not. we were only about 3' apart. needless to say my phone got borrowed a lot. highdesertranger

 

[Mertens]

I live in limited service northern Nevada. Verizon is all anyone uses here. And I used to be a driller traveling all over the remote western US. Verizon is the way. Most guys I worked with that had any other carrier went and bought verizon "work phones". On the smart phone topic, I found my iPhone got better reception than my old Motorola flip. Might be scenario though, and I don't have too much experience with different phones. I always had a sat backup on me so i was never too worried.


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[Martinjmpr]

The only place I've been in the US where my Verizon phone has not worked but others have service is in the area around Royal Gorge West of Canon City. For some reason that area has ATT but nothing else.
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It's very much the exception to the rule, though. Usually if my Verizon phone doesn't have service, NOBODY has service, and conversely, if ANYBODY in a group has service, I have it.
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I've even had Verizon service in Death Valley, although only in the area around Furnace Creek. AFAIK there is still no cell service anywhere else in the park.

 

[craig333]

I had cell service in saline valley. It was freak six second occurrence though. I went with ATT way back (my first phone was a bag phone) when it was all analog and ATT had far superior coverage in out of the way places. Sad they let that slip. I'm going to have to get a cheap verizon phone.