Cell phone coverage outlining areas? (Albuquerque, Alamogordo: sales, home, living)

[Hunter Wold]

Have tried different cell phones for Grants to Fence Lake and South to Quemado.
No luck. Cellular 1 is spotty, even with 4 bars I get "emergency only" or "call failed". Sometimes 2 bars and get connection. Not reliable.
Anyone use the old "Bag Phones" with antenna?

We cannot get a 'regular phone' system in West of Fence Lake.
Century Tele wants about $10,000, yes that's right....

Appreciate input.
Oh, smoke signals failed also

Happy trails,
HW

[Devin Bent]

Have you tried Verizon with a cell phone that receives both analog and digital?

Also I saw on-line devices that you put in your attic to receive and relay a weak signal. I almost got one for here, and then Verizon strengthened the local signal. (Also with a flat roof, I don't have an attic.)

If not, what about one of those big satellite phones like the reporters use in Iraq? It has to cost less than $10,000.

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

Have you tried Verizon with a cell phone that receives both analog and digital?

Oh yeah Verizon is great. When i had Qwest i'd lose the signal at I-25 and San Antonio all the way to Alamogordo but now with Verizon i have signal all the way from Albuquerque to Alamogordo. So for 45 dollars a month plus free long distance i'm very happy with Verizon......

[coltraneandcoffee]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Oh yeah Verizon is great. When i had Qwest i'd lose the signal at I-25 and San Antonio all the way to Alamogordo but now with Verizon i have signal all the way from Albuquerque to Alamogordo. So for 45 dollars a month plus free long distance i'm very happy with Verizon......

That's a really decent rate. I was wondering about cell coverage myself, and possibly considering ditching the landline idea all together once I move to NM...Im not sure exactly where I'll be living, and Im sure some reservations have better coverage than others...and depending on how far in I am....but has anyone found it more convenient to ditch a landline phone totally andjust keep a cellphone? This may only seem appealing to young 20's like myself who are accustomed to being 'on call' with a cellphone 24/7

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by coltraneandcoffee

That's a really decent rate. I was wondering about cell coverage myself, and possibly considering ditching the landline idea all together once I move to NM...Im not sure exactly where I'll be living, and Im sure some reservations have better coverage than others...and depending on how far in I am....but has anyone found it more convenient to ditch a landline phone totally andjust keep a cellphone? This may only seem appealing to young 20's like myself who are accustomed to being 'on call' with a cellphone 24/7

Done that a long time back. Why pay 30 dollars a month when only at home when for 45 dollars you can take it and use the phone anywhere with you. Especially if ypu have AAA and breakdown in the middle of nowhere it's a nice secure feeling having a cell phone.

My internet is with Comcast cable so again no need for a land line.

[Devin Bent]

Why not give it a try? You can get a fairly good idea of Verizon coverage with a map at their web site. Some places you can't get cable or DSL and then if you want broadband, you can get the Verizon wireless broadband. It is expensive but you get $20 off if you have Verizon cell phone service. If you lug your portable computer around with you, then the broadband travels with you -- a nice feature.

Wait until you get here until you get your service. My experience is that sales people promise the moon, but when you try to switch states, it can be difficult. We came here with Cingular and they wanted new contracts without new phones just to switch states. We said, yes, we'll get new contracts, but it will be Verizon with new phones.

[Hunter Wold]

Being in Fence Lake the "Only" cell tower is up on the Zuni mts.
Tried Verizon (only works down the road 20 miles), Cellular 1 (get 'emergency use only' indication; with a Razzor phone, Trac phone works 10 miles away.

Going to try a "Bag Phone" by motorola on cellular 1. I was told "no cell towers allowed in our area due to military restrictions". Low flying f-16's and c-130? trainng air crews from Saudi??

appreciate all suggestions..

HW Happy trails.

[Ozark-Baby]

Originally Posted by Hunter Wold

Have tried different cell phones for Grants to Fence Lake and South to Quemado.
No luck. Cellular 1 is spotty, even with 4 bars I get "emergency only" or "call failed". Sometimes 2 bars and get connection. Not reliable.
Anyone use the old "Bag Phones" with antenna?

We cannot get a 'regular phone' system in West of Fence Lake.
Century Tele wants about $10,000, yes that's right....

Appreciate input.
Oh, smoke signals failed also

Happy trails,
HW

Check out Verizon.

[Hunter Wold]

Tried Verizon (only works down the road 20 miles)...
Verizon is only good in a few areas down where I am.

Talked to Cellular today...Digital "Bag Phone" is the answer...cost $510.00.
Still cheaper than $thousdands for Century PHone to get it down(they are out of La.?)
Thanks,
HW

[Xaa]

[quote=Hunter Wold;2648649]I was told "no cell towers allowed in our area due to military restrictions". Low flying f-16's and c-130? trainng air crews from Saudi??
Kind of. When the military says you can't have a cell-tower near an area, it usually means they are doing low-altitude flight training there (or other similar situations where clarity of communication is important), and they don't want cell-phone signals blocking their transmissions - someone might crash and die. The military likes cell-phones, ordinarily, they have a lot of use for instant communication that you carry in a pocket.

I think a "bag phone" is probably going to be your best solution. Tracphone in my area (Curry/Roosevelt Counties) is out, and has been since the 25th. Nobody knows what happened, my guess is they lost their contract with the local carrier (Plateau) or they just don't want to be bothered servicing this area anymore. Calls into a tracphone get a pre-recorded message from Alltel that says "That number does not exist", while all calls out on the phones - even to 911 - get a message "we cannot complete your call." Alltel says it's not their problem, it's the tracphone system telling their computers that the number is invalid. Meanwhile, tracphone says there is no problem - or, if you can get someone on the line to admit there IS a problem and try to fix it, you spend three or four hours poking numbers into the phone, changing the telephone number, etc, etc - all to no effect. Their system in this area is just... Switched Off. And either nobody knows why, or those who do know aren't talking.