Updated Cell Phone Suggestions???

[Phantom]

Again -- if you are referring to Alton area

My daughter & I both have AT&T ... she is at WAM with horrid spotty coverage (when at the Marina she actually has to rely on WiFi)

I am up in Saunders Bay area and have no issues

Overall, cruising the Lake I see little difference between my former Vz coverage and the current AT&T... there is always areas that are spotty. But it is EXTREMELY frustrating if your home/base area is one of them. Thus the warning of AT&T in the general Alton area


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[B-Laps]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Again -- if you are referring to Alton area

My daughter & I both have AT&T ... she is at WAM with horrid spotty coverage (when at the Marina she actually has to rely on WiFi)

I am up in Saunders Bay area and have no issues

Overall, cruising the Lake I see little difference between my former Vz coverage and the current AT&T... there is always areas that are spotty. But it is EXTREMELY frustrating if your home/base area is one of them. Thus the warning of AT&T in the general Alton area


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Verizon has terrible coverage at WAM as well.

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Again -- if you are referring to Alton area

My daughter & I both have AT&T ... she is at WAM with horrid spotty coverage (when at the Marina she actually has to rely on WiFi)

I am up in Saunders Bay area and have no issues

Overall, cruising the Lake I see little difference between my former Vz coverage and the current AT&T... there is always areas that are spotty. But it is EXTREMELY frustrating if your home/base area is one of them. Thus the warning of AT&T in the general Alton area


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The new tower in Alton just off Rte 28 and approximately above Echo Point is active for AT&T, and has been for almost a year. Where before the tower, my daughter and son-in-law had spotty coverage at our house just outside Sandy Point and about a half mile off the lake, they now enjoy four to five bars at our house, including in the middle of our house which is solid walls toward the antenna.

Verizon, which is also on the tower, has yet to turn on their equipment, although it has been there for almost the same amount of time as ATT . When in sight of the tower at Prospect Mt south of the Alton Circle, coverage for Verizon is good, and also is good going out the bay and out on this end of the lake, overall. We hang out in Robert's Cove on occasion, and always have good coverage down there out on the water.

I keep my boat at WAM as well, and unfortunately you are correct, Phantom; the coverage in the Marina is somewhere between slim and non-existent.

I am ready to upgrade my phone, but if Verizon doesn't get that tower up soon, I may switch over to AT&T. I would like to pare down my Metrocast business, including phone, but can't do that without good cell coverage.

Verizon in Alton Bay right now...Depends on where you are. ATT in Alton Bay...much improved with some spotty areas still a problem. Of course, in rural hilly, mountainous areas, coverage can be expected to be spotty.

[Highlander]

We live near Echo Point and had Straight Talk via Verizon for a few years. The service was spotty at best and very poor at our house. We waited for the new tower to go online only to find out that AT&T will be the only cell carrier on that tower and that Verizon will only have data available from that tower. We switched over to AT&T in the spring and now have great service at the house. Both carriers have their dead zones around the Lake and between here and Concord. Overall I would say that AT&T has as good or better service overall than Verizon and is much better in the Alton Bay area.

[patman]

If you have Verizon...and your house is in a dead spot...call customer service and make noise about switching and then ask about a femtocell, or "network extender" It's a gizmo that plugs into your home internet, and acts as a tiny ("femto") cell tower in your house. Retail was about $150, some reps will give it to you for free, others will give a deep discount. It depends on who you talk to and how good a story you can tell. That doesn't help on the road or on the lake, but it works great at home. Other providers may have similar deals, I only know about Verizon.

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by patman

If you have Verizon...and your house is in a dead spot...call customer service and make noise about switching and then ask about a femtocell, or "network extender" It's a gizmo that plugs into your home internet, and acts as a tiny ("femto") cell tower in your house. Retail was about $150, some reps will give it to you for free, others will give a deep discount. It depends on who you talk to and how good a story you can tell. That doesn't help on the road or on the lake, but it works great at home. Other providers may have similar deals, I only know about Verizon.

A friend has one. I borrowed it. If I remember the specs, it is good for an area of approximately 5000 sq ft. Sounds great, until you figure out that is about 40 foot radius from the antenna. From the most central place in my house, I could not be on my cell over at my detached garage, or standing across the street talking to my neighbor. My friend uses his at "the lakehouse" and it is just barely effective sitting on the beach with the unit sitting in the window of the cottage. In range, it worked quite well. I just don't want to spend the money on a gizmo when if the antenna was active on that tower, I would have great service on my phone anywhere in my 1.6 acres!

Thanks for the suggestion, Patman...can be a good solution for some folks, but just won't work in mine.

[goldengirl]

This subject has come up many times at our lake house. We are in Meredith and have Sprint and the service is terrible and got worse this year since they removed a tower in the Weirs area (we were told). Like some have said, "spotty" at best or no service at all. Most of our visitors have had good luck with Verizon. We plan to change providers and hope for better luck. Last weekend our landlines weren't working either so we had no phones at all! Ugggh

[glennsteely]

I have a sprint unlimited plan here in new jersey, 5 phones, unlimited everything, have had the same main number on the plan (mine) for almost 15 years. I come up to the lake 2-3 times a year, (on a good year) and i never have any issues at all.....besides the up and down the mountains and hills normal reception issues, my service ia always very good at the lake.