Smartphone coverage

imported
#1 
									Any past thru-hikers know which network has the best Smartphone coverage through whole AT? I have a British touchscreen Samsung smartphone.

(please don’t write that I shouldn’t bring a phone, bc I didn’t have one the 1st thru-hike and need one this time)

									_Shera_
#2 
									I used ATT during my hike with okay coverage.  Others who used Verizon had much more coverage out on the trail, including some small towns like Hot Springs that only had Verizon reception.  

									_Blue_
#3 
									I second Verizon.  Superior coverage on the AT. 

									_Snags_
#4 
									Third for Verizon.  I used ATT on the AT last year and my friends with Verizon definitely had better coverage.

									_Mrs Joy_
#5 
									I used a burner phone that accessed any available cell network and had a signal over 75% of the trail.  Reception was intermittent only at the far south and far north portions of the trail.  Didn't have service in Baxter State Park except amazingly I got a signal on top of Katahdin!

									_Croft_
#6 
									What brand was the burner phone, Croft?  And was it a smart phone or a brick or what?

									_Mrs Joy_
#7 
									It was a Trac phone, small and lightweight.  Even the charger was lightweight.  Turned the phone on twice a day out on the trail, made a call once every 2-3 days and it held a charge for 10-14 days.  I got it either at Wal-Mart or Best Buy.  Cost of phone was $19.  No contract.  Buy minutes as you go.  Trac phone offers a lot of double minutes deals so I ended up paying 5 cents a minute.

									_Croft_
#8 
									I understand it is easier to get data ie text messages than voice in many places on the trail.  Is that really the case what can we expect in the northern part of the trail?  We have a contract with AT&T and an iPhone.  Can anyone give us some insight in what to expect.

									_Old Goat_
#9 
									South of Caratunk you could usually get a signal at the tops of mountains but not always.  Poor or no service in most of the gaps.  Service in Andover, Rangeley and Stratton.  No service in and around Caratunk ME.  Weak signal in a few spots in the 100 mile Wilderness.  If you stand within 3' of the boulder at the south (west?) end of Abol Bridge you'll get a signal (I'm serious).  No signal in Baxter except at the top of Katahdin.  

									_Croft_