RTR internet/cell phone ?

[Gypsysoul]

I have a sprint phone and hotspot that I use regularly. I know from my travels out west that service is spotty with sprint. I don't want to change services, however I would like to have phone service and internet while in Quartzsite and If I stay on afterwards down by the river. Which phone service do you find has the most bars in these areas? I am looking for a service that is inexpensive and that I can prepay. I also would like to find an inexpensive hotspot for surfing and watching movies. Any advice is appreciated.

Caryn

 

[highdesertranger]

Verizon works great, that's what I have. I believe ATT also works. others will respond. highdesertranger

 

[Gypsysoul]

Verizon works great,  that's what I have.  I believe ATT also works.  others will respond.  highdesertranger

Ty highdesertranger Is it a prepay service or contract?

Caryn

 

[highdesertranger]

I have both, a contract for my phone and a prepaid for my hotspot. highdesertranger

 

[TMG51]

I have both a Verizon hotspot and a prepaid GoPhone through AT&T. Both work at the RTR site, but both are spotty. I.E. might have 3 bars on a small hill and thirty yards away have no reception.

 

[MrNoodly]

Most cellular carriers work well along Interstate highways. The RTR site is only a couple of miles from I-10. Also, there's a flock of cellular towers on a peak east of town, and two more within town limits.

 

[rvpopeye]

My prepaid Straighttalk hotspot uses Verizon towers.

 

[Gypsysoul]

I have both a Verizon hotspot and a prepaid GoPhone through AT&T. Both work at the RTR site, but both are spotty. I.E. might have 3 bars on a small hill and thirty yards away have no reception.

Do you mind me asking the price for the Verizon hotspot?

 

[Gypsysoul]

Most cellular carriers work well along Interstate highways. The RTR site is only a couple of miles from I-10. Also, there's a flock of cellular towers on a peak east of town, and two more within town limits.

Ty I am fairly certain Sprint does not work out there. Does anyone have sprint and have had service at the RTR? I just want to be prepared to have some kind of service.

Caryn

 

[Gypsysoul]

My prepaid Straighttalk hotspot uses Verizon towers.

Does Verizon have the best service out there?

 

[highdesertranger]

My pay as you go hot spot from Verizon is 35 bucks for 2GB. highdesertranger

 

[frater secessus]

OpenSignal maps carrier towers and reception with apps.

Verizon map of Quartzsite:  2 bars, but fast
T-Mobile map:  3 bars, much slower
Sprint map:  no one with Sprint has used OpenSignal in the area
AT&T map:  as with Sprint

OpenSignal runs in the background and records cell tower reception info.  Next time you on wifi it uploads the anonymized reception info to the database to create maps like those above.  I run it as a service to other mobile data-dependant folks.

I will remind folks that if you can't get a voice call through, old fashioned SMS will usually get through much better.   It doesn't have to be realtime so the text will "see daylight and run through it", Emmett Smith style.  And most nav/gps apps will text (and interpret) the lat/long which may be the easiest way to find someone in such a large space.

 

[Goshawk]

looking at WALMART web site I see that Straight Talk has several hotspot devices. Always get one that can use 4G LTE on the verizon towers. Be very careful of your purchase as straight talk also sells AT&T coverage, and will definitely mix up the two when trying to sell to you. The device itself is around $40.

then you need to buy the data to use with it. That will cost $15 to $40 depending on the amount of data.

If you are not well experienced with buying hotspots technology from resellers (walmart via straight talk are resellers); then go direct to Verizon. You may be able to rent a hotspot from Verizon, and pay the data fee.

Your goal is to get this all below $100 on Verizon data towers.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

I have my "personal Hot Spot" on my AT&T phone, will this work at the RTR?
I am just curious, and hope this is allowed in this thread.
Sharon

 

[frater secessus]

If you get reception there on your phone and you can use that hotspot now, you should be able to use it there.

 

[rvwandering]

Both our AT&T phone and hot spot work well at Quartzsite.

 

[highdesertranger]

thanks T&K I knew some people had AT&T there. so now we have verified Verizon and AT&T working at Q. any others? highdesertranger

 

[Gypsysoul]

Ty Does anyone know the names of the prepaid phone services that run off of ATt and Verizon towers? Those should work there as well, shouldn't they?

 

[blars]

IIRC I got some sprint 3g in town, but not at the RTR site. Sprint does not pretend to have LTE in the area. In Ehrenburg on the Plato, my phone got spotty sprint 3g, but my tablet got nothing.
T-mobile 2g worked, but I don't know about 3g or lte.
Verizon worked everywhere.

 

[Almost There]

Ty Does anyone know the names of the prepaid phone services that run off of ATt and Verizon towers? Those should work there as well, shouldn't they?

The problem with a lot of the off brand phone services is that they contract for tower usage with whoever offers them the cheapest deal.

They usually use some of everyones' towers in different locations. This creates a problem for users because no one can say definitively that 'Service Provider XX' will work in ABC town. Who knows what towers they're using, it's impossible to tell!

It's one of the reasons why they're often times cheaper.

BTW, for anyone else with Verizon no contract (technically prepaid) phone service. I had 5 Gbts of data for $60.00 a month - I could have gotten 6 with auto pay but didn't want the hassle of the auto pay. When I ran out of data before rollover date, I went to put my service on autopay to get the extra gig. Muchas hassle for me as a Canadian!

Long story short - Verizon now has a new 'prepaid plan' - 10Gbts for $70.00 with a rollover feature as long as you pay the next month before or on it's due date. Only available in the stores not through customer care.