Cell phone coverage East Coast

Can anyone tell me if or how well cell phones work traveling the east coast. I'm planning a trip from Albany NY south to Jax. How is coverage outside and in the canals? Thanks.

Verizon over ATT and most others for covetage.


Even then there are gaps in Verizon without a cell booster. But very small unless you stop in an anchorage that is a dead zone.

Thanks psneeld. I am most curios if the is any coverage on the outside especially outside NJ on down to Norfolk.

Last June, off shore, from Deltaville to Atlantic City, Verizon and AT&T worked about the same but the Android had better connectivity than the iPad.

todays cell phones are only good to about 5 miles offshore without amplification.

some places more and occasionally less....but 5 on aerage.

even in places like the middle of Delaware Bay cel is spotty.

Much of the Chesapeake if you arent dead in the middle is OK with Verizon, but at some points, figure more than 10 NM from a tower and you are not able to connect.

Did the Great Loop this year which included the AICW from Stuart to Norfolk, Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, New Jersey coast within 3 miles of shore to New York city, and the Hudson river from NYC to past Albany. Coverage was excellent with Version on a Samsung smart phone which was also used as a hot spot. You will find a few spots without data service on the upper Hudson river, a couple of spots off NJ coast, a little of DE bay, a little in Chesapeake Bay, some spots in NC, and some on the marshes of SC and GA. All that said, I guess you have data coverage 90+% of the time and voice 95+%. I don't remember being without data more than 2 hours.

Ted

I appreciate the I put. Last time we traveled canals, the Erie and Oswego River, was before cell phones. I guess that dates me. It's been a long time sense we have cruised, but we're going to give it go again.

I'll speak as someone who has been in the business a long time. The detailed interactive coverage maps the major carriers have on their websites are now very accurate. Most segment between voice/SMS text coverage and various levels of data speed coverage. If you are going to be cell dependent, then I would second the idea of a repeater-amplifier connected to a dedicated tall marine antenna.

Sprint and Verizon work well to about 12 miles offshore. As stated, you will have some dead spots, not not many and not for long. I welcome the breaks!

Verizon is the highest priced but has the best coverage.

Verizon works for me to about five miles out. But works like crap in my HOUSE!! (i'm kinda in a bowl next to a creek).

caltexflanc said:

I'll speak as someone who has been in the business a long time. The detailed interactive coverage maps the major carriers have on their websites are now very accurate. Most segment between voice/SMS text coverage and various levels of data speed coverage. If you are going to be cell dependent, then I would second the idea of a repeater-amplifier connected to a dedicated tall marine antenna.

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I'll join you as someone in the business only 5 years. The maps are extremely accurate and you will occasionally find coverage where the map doesn't indicate it, but very seldom find a lack of coverage where coverage is shown. Amplifier always good.

We tested out of curiosity and Verizon's coverage is the best. Very seldom you won't find service on the East Coast. Sprint has several significant areas without coverage, New Jersey being the largest. AT&T slightly better than Sprint overall but one huge area on the NC coast without service. T-Mobile actually is second in coverage along the coast to Verizon. Very small areas without coverage.

Now, inland along the loop route and near those areas, it's not even close. All but Verizon have some large areas of the country not covered. I say this even though we're primarily a Sprint and T-Mobile reseller.

And here's a great all in one map from T-Mobile.

https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/lte-comparison-map

Ski in NC said:

Verizon works for me to about five miles out. But works like crap in my HOUSE!! (i'm kinda in a bowl next to a creek).

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We've had to have repeater type antennas for the home before. Had one from Sprint for years. Now we're lucky to live in an area everyone covers completely.

I can with VERY good faith blow that T mobile map out of the water.

Without a repeater, maybe the coverage is good on land, but coming down the ICW, T mobile for my crews recent IPhone has been horrible at best this fall.

We are doing a survey and comparison for my son who is an IT expert and phone guy for a major corporation, so I took his request seriously.

I wiuld NOT base my plan on these service maps as a boater because they are NOT accurate in my opinion...maybe on land but not on the ICW.

Witout a doubt Verizon from NJ to the Keys wins hands down, ATT second and TMobile a distant 3rd.

psneeld said:

I can with VERY good faith blow that T mobile map out of the water.

Without a repeater, maybe the coverage is good on land, but coming down the ICW, T mobile for my crews recent IPhone has been horrible at best this fall.

We are doing a survey and comparison for my son who is an IT expert and phone guy for a major corporation, so I took his request seriously.

I wiuld NOT base my plan on these service maps as a boater because they are NOT accurate in my opinion...maybe on land but not on the ICW.

Witout a doubt Verizon from NJ to the Keys wins hands down, ATT second and TMobile a distant 3rd.

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TMobile needs amplification in many areas that Verizon doesn't. Now, you mention iPhone. I admit to being prejudiced against iProducts. However, there is a significant difference in brands of phones in terms of reception. Someone else in this thread mentioned that often Samsung's reception is better than iPhones.

You're right that the maps don't give you an idea of whether you'll have reception one mile or ten miles from shore.

I learned one thing too from the hurricanes. Satellite phones, even if you just have an emergency plan. They were extremely valuable when everyone's cell service was out. Also, saw their value in Puerto Rico. Perhaps not for most people but for any of you who very much need to stay in reach.

Just begain to lose cell service appx 12 miles out in sea due East of Asbury Park, NJ. That's my experience when we went shark fishing few months ago.


Id upload a screenshot of where but the picture file to big and cant crop a 450kb pic to a 190kb pic. On here or cant figure it out yet.

Most of the AT&T stores have an amplifier in the store... Talk about false advertising!

We cruise full time. New England to So FL. Verizon has been consistently good for us. We both work and need internet. Except for the Alligator Pungo canal, The middle of Pamlico sound, and the Chesapeake between Tangier and Reedville, we can stay connected without a booster. Our cruising friends all still agree that Verizon is the best along the East Coast , but others are catching up.

psneeld said:

I can with VERY good faith blow that T mobile map out of the water.

Without a repeater, maybe the coverage is good on land, but coming down the ICW, T mobile for my crews recent IPhone has been horrible at best this fall.

We are doing a survey and comparison for my son who is an IT expert and phone guy for a major corporation, so I took his request seriously.

I wiuld NOT base my plan on these service maps as a boater because they are NOT accurate in my opinion...maybe on land but not on the ICW.

Witout a doubt Verizon from NJ to the Keys wins hands down, ATT second and TMobile a distant 3rd.

Click to expand...

Tell me where exactly. I live in eastern NC and travel up and down the length of the ICW. Pick a point where the carrier map shows coverage and we'll go test it. Sounds like you are not using the interactive detail maps which take it down to the tower level.

Verizon has the best coverage but I got tired of their "data usage" issues on MIFI. I switched to Sprint for phone and use the phone as a hotspot for my personal computer and of course as phone. Side by side realtime comparison with Companies boat phone (verizon). Up and down the eastcoast ,gulf and recently in Puerto Rico after Hurricane. Eastern shore Outside is quiet(dead ) for both services 18 miles offshore. Not much appreciable difference in most of the inland/harbors near shore areas. Puerto Rico was hands down terrible Verizon coverage on temp cell towers. My company reached me on personal cell phone(sprint) and asked me if I quit because they couldn't get a hold of the tug for days on the boat phone.

caltexflanc said:

Tell me where exactly. I live in eastern NC and travel up and down the length of the ICW. Pick a point where the carrier map shows coverage and we'll go test it. Sounds like you are not using the interactive detail maps which take it down to the tower level.

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OK, maybe the detailed maps are correct...but only if they show all the holes in the ICW coversge I have found with TMoble and ATT.

and ckvetage, not maps are what people buy and the "sales" maps are what they are.

Own Verizon stock but using AT&T. But then, using the cellphone about 30 minutes a month with a flip-phone. (Not a phone person, and forget about texting me.)

markpierce said:

Own Verizon stock but using AT&T. But then, using the cellphone about 30 minutes a month with a flip-phone. (Not a phone person, and forget about texting me.)

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Wifey B: You could get cricket or someone cheaper....lol. If you need to make copies of something do you hire a monk?

psneeld said:

OK, maybe the detailed maps are correct...but only if they show all the holes in the ICW coversge I have found with TMoble and ATT.

and ckvetage, not maps are what people buy and the "sales" maps are what they are.

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Coverage is indeed important, but if a consumer chooses not to research it thoroughly, given a convenient tool by the provider, who's to blame for that?

I'm kind of curious where on the ICW VZ has better coverage than ATT. Maybe something's changed recently.

For business reasons I usually have a handset or two using all 5 major networks around somewhere. By the way, here in the Carolinas, US Cellular typically beats them all.

Wasnt that way 6 to 2 years ago when I had an ATT work phone and crew was Verizon.

Small gaps for ATT except Albemarle to Oriental, maybe a few other more significant ones like Ga sounds....just remember overall dissatisfaction enough that when I got my own phone, Verizon was the winner based on my experience with snowbirders and loopers.

Verizon was more consistent hands down.

caltexflanc said:

Coverage is indeed important, but if a consumer chooses not to research it thoroughly, given a convenient tool by the provider, who's to blame for that?

I'm kind of curious where on the ICW VZ has better coverage than ATT. Maybe something's changed recently.

For business reasons I usually have a handset or two using all 5 major networks around somewhere. By the way, here in the Carolinas, US Cellular typically beats them all.

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We carry them all for the same reasons you do. Coastal NC has always been it's own strange world. I remember at my cousin's house near Beaufort no major carrier having decent signal years ago. We found ATT to have significant issues around Pamlico Sound and spottiness around the Albemarle Sound area. More though we found slow service in many other areas which didn't impact voice but did data. As an aside, ATT has huge holes in coverage in the mountains of NC, but so does even Verizon. In those areas, I've heard resident describe it as depends on which block you live on.

We've found the provider's tools very accurate.

Another very complicated aspect of it all is who uses who for roaming and this has changed often.

There are places in our neighborhood in the mountains of Tennessee where, if you change ears, you can lose the signal. That’s with Verizon; ATT doesn’t make a connection to lose. Anywhere we visit is usually an improvement (strictly in terms of cell coverage).

angus99 said:

There are places in our neighborhood in the mountains of Tennessee where, if you change ears, you can lose the signal. That’s with Verizon; ATT doesn’t make a connection to lose. Anywhere we visit is usually an improvement (strictly in terms of cell coverage).

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Boating through the river canyon area, the mountains didn't help things either. You can go a hundred yards and it's all changed. I met a guy in Chattanooga who lived way up Hwy 27 and said didn't have to worry about him using his cell phone in his car on the way in and out of town as it was impossible to keep a connection long enough until you got all the way into town.

ATT has improved immensely here in eastern NC in the past 4 years, including Pamlico Sound. My daily phone is ATT now and has been for the last 5 years. I very seldom have to pull out the US Cellular device.

I have to note that T-Mobile in the last 2 years has also improved coverage and network speed dramatically in these parts, though not up to VZ, T, and USC, and not what I'd call "cruiser ready". But enough so they have begun opening T-Mobile and MetroPCS stores. Sprint is a bit better but friends don't let friends use Sprint.

caltexflanc said:

ATT has improved immensely here in eastern NC in the past 4 years, including Pamlico Sound. My daily phone is ATT now and has been for the last 5 years. I very seldom have to pull out the US Cellular device.

I have to note that T-Mobile in the last 2 years has also improved coverage and network speed dramatically in these parts, though not up to VZ, T, and USC, and not what I'd call "cruiser ready". But enough so they have begun opening T-Mobile and MetroPCS stores. Sprint is a bit better but friends don't let friends use Sprint.

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That shows how it all varies by location and use. In South Florida, all services are great so Sprint is very popular based on price and equal service. Boost and Virgin then follow along with 5 for $100 and $35 and such and then T-Mobile was booming but slowed down by Sprint lowering prices, now picking up a lot of seniors with their plan while Metro's $30 plans doing great.

Straight Talk and Walmart selling heavily to seniors. I'm still shocked Cricket doesn't take off with $30 plans but ATT just waited too long to push to the reseller market. Verizon the only one not owning other brands.

And the one to watch I believe still is Google. Project FI is lousy today but the concept is most interesting if they ever really get serious about it.

No, US Cellular has excellent coverage here in terms of service, just no coverage in terms of stores and recognition.