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Old 12-07-2014, 08:56 AM
 
Location: Ohio River
24 posts, read 32,390 times
Reputation: 19

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Hi, I am relocating to the La Crosse area soon. Currently I have AT&T cell service, which barely worked at all during my recent visit. Surprisingly I had no signal even when not in a rural area. What cell providers do you folks use there that I can switch to?

Thanks
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Old 12-10-2014, 09:42 PM
 
361 posts, read 856,454 times
Reputation: 232
Verizon and US Cellular are the best in the LaCrosse area (IMO). Our family mainly went with Verizon but either will be good.
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Old 12-18-2014, 12:44 AM
 
Location: Ohio River
24 posts, read 32,390 times
Reputation: 19
Thanks a lot! I called a couple of cell stores in the area to ask and they also said the same thing.
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Old 02-20-2015, 02:09 AM
 
3 posts, read 20,883 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by olivertheworld View Post
Thanks a lot! I called a couple of cell stores in the area to ask and they also said the same thing.

I would stay away from US Cellular.. I have been with them for almost two years, and when my contract ends in about 7 months.. I am done with them.
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Old 02-21-2015, 09:15 AM
 
63 posts, read 226,240 times
Reputation: 53
Quote:
Originally Posted by KD9AXO View Post
I would stay away from US Cellular.. I have been with them for almost two years, and when my contract ends in about 7 months.. I am done with them.
The most shocking statement of your post is the fact you still have a contract ... Never had US Cellular but I have not heard great things.

US Cellular, Sprint, and Verizon are the main providers in La Crosse. Verizon is the newest to the market and 5 years ago didn't cover much. I don't even think there are AT&T or T Mobile stores in the area (because the companies have poor coverage in the area). Most providers don't want to blanket the area with towers because their return on investment would be poor (Not enough customers and due to the geography, the towers cover small areas). When you look at cell phone coverage maps, many have blank spots in SW Wisconsin because of this.

We have Sprint and the coverage is okay. The main reason we picked sprint was because we get a discount since my employer uses them. We have been in the valleys from Bangor to Genoa to Arcadia and we have always at least had voice and text coverage. Outside of La Crosse/Onalaska/Holmen/etc, unless you are along interstate 90 or in a town, don't expect to get data coverage (even 3G). We have noticed the following:
1.) Friends with Verizon seems to have worse coverage than Sprint (They tend to have some dead zones)
2.) Friends with US Cellular seem to have better coverage than Sprint (They tend to have better data)

US Cellular has the best coverage because back when CenturyTel (Now CenturyLink) was in the cell phone business, they had the best coverage in the area. When they got out of the cell phone business, US Cellular bought all of their towers. Despite the fact US cellular advertises that they are a national carrier, they really are not one (They don't even advertise in the Twin Cities or Chicago markets because they know they cannot compete). I have heard complaints from people who go outside of WI and have issues with coverage with US Cellular. In a big city, it should be a given that you have cell service.
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Old 02-21-2015, 07:32 PM
 
Location: La Crosse, WI
149 posts, read 313,720 times
Reputation: 128
2 brothers..one has Us Cellular, other has Verizon. US Cellular wins hands down if you plan on going outside the city at all...Us Cell has better coverage... Verizon isn't bad, but if both cost the same, i'd go US Cell.. i don't own a cellphone.. I believe Verizon picked up Centurytel after they got out of the cellphone business? We had Sprint maybe 8 years ago and it sucked...but maybe its better now.
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Old 02-21-2015, 10:14 PM
 
114 posts, read 324,208 times
Reputation: 139
Quote:
Originally Posted by huggybear28 View Post
Despite the fact US cellular advertises that they are a national carrier, they really are not one (They don't even advertise in the Twin Cities or Chicago markets because they know they cannot compete).
US Cellular sold their Chicago and StL (plus some other midwest) markets to Sprint a couple of years ago. They still have their corporate HQ in Chicago, but do not offer their own plans in the Chicago area anymore. I don't recall if they have ever had a Twin Cities market, but their only current licensed market in MN is the far SE part (Rochester), even though it doesn't look like they have any MN stores. Their customers can still get nationwide service because of agreements with other carriers. They have never really been a national carrier, but rather one of the biggest regional carriers. I'm still a USCC customer with a really old regional plan where I pay roaming outside of their home markets, and now that they sold the Chicago market, I roam most places I go outside of southern WI.
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Old 01-22-2016, 02:53 PM
 
49 posts, read 127,729 times
Reputation: 19
Everyone I know that has US Cellular hates it. The tricked my older grandparents into alot of things they didn't need or understand when the renewed their plan. They were obviously out for the money and not the customer....like most companies. I won't get into all the details, but when we went back 32 days later when my grandma didn't understand all the bill charges it was too late to take back the phone or change it. All companies have issues, but this was disturbing to me. I've had both Sprint and Verizon. Verizon (while having the most towers with coverage) - was spotty service where I lived or interference. I had to go outside my house and 10 feet down the block for service to work. I cancelled as soon as i could. Sprint was better coverage and lower price for me.
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Old 01-22-2016, 03:13 PM
 
Location: Tucson, AZ
404 posts, read 477,008 times
Reputation: 716
For me, Verizon gets a great signal on the north side but is pretty weak at my house on the south side. It's not perfect, but it's the best I know of.
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