Cell Service

[DontFenceMeIn]

Which cell phones carriers are most reliable for NE Wyoming?

[Mjolnir]

AT&T seems to do okay.  Depends on where you are.

Cell boosters are recommended if you're in the boonies.

[Cyclonesteve]

I had a Sprint phone on my trip to Newcastle & it worked but was always roamming. Not a problem for my "plan" but still annoying.

[Old Ironsights]

In general, I've found Verizon to have the best average/aggregate coverage.

However, I have Union Wireless (GSM (AT&T) system) because I live in a Verizon Hole and don't have a wireline.

[MamaLiberty]

Both Net10 and Tracphone pre-paid have worked well for me all over the north and south east portions of Wyoming and NW South Dakota, as well as in S. California.

[Old Ironsights]

Both Net10 and Tracphone pre-paid have worked well for me all over the north and south east portions of Wyoming and NW South Dakota, as well as in S. California.

Net10 & Trackfone use Verizon cell towers in WY.

[Kelly]

I use AT&T and the Verizon tower in Upton is 1 mile from my house.  Due to the thick trees, however, I only get half strength service.  There are also dead zones between towers - like anywhere else.

Over all, AT&T is pretty good but as mjolnir mentioned, get a signal booster if you are very rural (and shop around; they are pricey).

Kelly

[Don Wills]

It depends where you're at.  At my house I don't get AT&T and I do get one or two bars on Verizon.

[MamaLiberty]

Net10 & Trackfone use Verizon cell towers in WY.

I understand that they use whatever towers are available, not just those of one company. In any case, I've had no trouble with them.

[Old Ironsights]

It all depends on the local contracts.

In the Chicago area, they use(d?) the AT&T towers and provided SIM/GSM phones.  My wife still uses a GSM Tracfone here (with a 219 area code)

If you want to purchase a tracfone locally however, it's CDMA/Verizon (no SIM chip).

[DontFenceMeIn]

thanks for the input, it is much appreciated

[kingskid]

I only have a simple Virgin Mobile cell phone and am not sure of its coverage, so I may want to buy a prepaid one for the Jam trip in case I want to call the chicken sitter.  Where does one buy prepaid cell phones anyway?

KK

[KTKEWW]

Stop n’ Go.

Use FRN’s to buy it if you have the option. Anonymity is one of the benefits of pre-paids, grasp the concept. While you’re in WY scouting around, pull the battery on your cell, better yet, leave it on and at home, your trip will only be tracked in your memory and notes then.

[clemmac]

Where does one buy prepaid cell phones anyway?

Spouse and I junked our AT&T cell service a year ago, we went to a Radio Shack store and bought two Tracfones.  We've found the service coverage to be possibly a bit better than the AT&T service.  No, we do not text very often and we seldom use the things for anything besides making telephone calls !

Yes, these phones work just fine in Crook and Weston counties.

[kingskid]

Thanks, guys, for the advice!

KK