Cell phone carriers and service strength on the lake

[Misty IV]

I will be in the market shortly for a new cell phone, preferably a smart phone with the Andriod operating system. I am not ruling out an iPhone. I currently have Sprint with a full data service pack and have a lot of issues regarding service and constant roaming while I am at the lake along the shoreline at the house, as well while I am out on the lake. Many times while on the water I have absolutely no service at all. Along Rt3 through Mexico, Port Ontario & points east, I have no problems at all. I went to Sprint, Verizon & AT&T's websites to look at their coverage maps for the eastern shore, mainly the Mexico, Oswego & Pulaski areas. Some areas are good, some aren't so good...and this goes for all 3 companies.

I'm looking at input from everyone who uses these service providers, as well as others. My cell is my phone at the lakehouse and on the water. I need a reliable phone with good to excellent coverage and signal strength. Thanks for all input & suggestions!

[TOP SECRET]

I had a virgin mobile phone and coverage was aweful, switched to a droid on verizon and its perfect in both sodus and niagara, just make sure to disable roaming on whatever smart phone you get.

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[gokudl3]

I have att and reception on lake is usually perfect but at the launch or hamlin beach cant even make a call

[skipper19]

Sprint here too. Full data plan. Roaming is never charged on my plan and I have had no issues out to the 30 lines 10 to 12 miles out from port at the Oak. However at the Niagara bar, it tries to go Canadian on me, but will not allow a hookup. If you keep Sprint, I recomend the HTC EVO 4 G smartphones. Really nice and very fast powerful processer. 8 mp camera and a second camera on the front for self portraits and video chat.

4G is not a big deal, and it is only in limited markets, so you could do ok with the standard 3G and maybe save some bucks on the phone. The new sprint smartphones roam on other carriers with no issues very seamlessly. Unlimited data up or down.

Mark

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[Misty IV]

Interesting you mentioned the Sprint wanting to go to Canadian, as mine has done that a few times this year. Very rarely is it ever on the Sprint Network - always on roam and it kills my battery. I have to make sure I carry a phone charger cord on the boat all the time.

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[motoman]

Interesting you mentioned the Sprint wanting to go to Canadian, as mine has done that a few times this year. Very rarely is it ever on the Sprint Network - always on roam and it kills my battery. I have to make sure I carry a phone charger cord on the boat all the time.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

out on sat, my spint blackberry would"nt make or take calls in 270 fow my partners old verizon phone thats been dropped wet betten up worked perfectly. and this was off devils nose. im going to verision when my contract is up .

[jonboat]

I have AT&T, never had a problem out of Fair Haven or Oswego. Plenty of signal.

[AnglingAddict]

I have verizon with an iphone 4 and full data plan. Never had a problem out of Sodus, Fair Haven, Oswego or Mexico....always seem to have lots of bars and voice and data reception is perfect.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

My experience with Sprint was dismal. Verizon has given me coverage in most areas of the lake.

[Gator]

ATT and an iPhone4 seem to work great out of Sandy. For some reason though, I couldn't get radar on my phone just as the thunderstorm was pushing in on Sunday

[Misty IV]

Thanks for all the replies so far. My brother also has Sprint and while he was at the lake last weekend, he said he had absolutely horrible phone service, which was unusual for him. He has the new HTC EVO 4G and is has worked fairly well this year up there, but for some reason he had nothing all weekend until he got out to I-81 headed home. His wife has an iPhone and they had to use hers all weekend for communication chores. One thing I would definitely like whatever phone I get is to have the capability to do radar, as Gator does. My current phone does fairly well......when I have service. Looks like I'm leaning towards Verizon & AT&T.

[off track]

Verizon iPhone works great on the lake. Wouldn't change it for anything

Being able to keep an eye on Radar worked out great for us Sunday

[NitroMusky]

You will find that Verizon has by far the best coverage in upstate ny, AT&T is ok in the metros, but spotty in rural areas. Not even the iPhone release a few years ago could pry me from the Verizon network. My wife wanted the iPhone and there have been plenty of times since then I had coverage and she didn't, only very rarely has the reverse been true

[jimski2]

While travelling over the Grand Island Bridge, we noticed a kayaker who was hanging on to the side of his kayak in the water unable to get back in. This was in May and the waters were cold, and we feared he could end up over the Falls. Dialling 911, we reached a Canadian service who had no idea where we were. It took ten minutes to get to the Niagara Falls, NY Police and thirty more minutes to get the guy rescued since only a private boater at a marina was available. The Canadian systems are more powerful than the American 911 systems and they could be your receiving unit. Be prepared to give information you are in USA waters and the local emergency responder's name for your area. Know how to activate your Roaming System in an emergency also.

[Blind Squirrel]

I have a very old nothing fancy phone through verizon, I do have radar feature on it to keep track out on the lake.Last year I was 12 miles out of the oak and had to call the sheriff for a tow.The first few years on the lake I had a weak signal and it wanted to go to roaming, but that is not the case any more,signal has been good last few years.

[FISHINMAN]

I have att and reception on lake is usually perfect but at the launch or hamlin beach cant even make a call

Ditto on that

[chowder]

Flawless service from Verizon from Niagara to Port Ontario (except for that one phone I had that's at the bottom of Wright's Landing...)

[SHADE OF GRAY]

I have Verizon and the GZ 1 commando and always have signal in Oswego and most other places.

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