GCI Cell Service in the lower 48 (Anchorage, Fairbanks: living in, price, moving to)

[awestover89]

My husband is moving to Anchorage at the end of this month, and we currently have T-Mobile which doesn't have any service listed in Alaska. We were planning on switching to GCI, but I was looking at their coverage map and for talk/text the entire lower 48 is listed as roaming. I will still be living in Chicago for at least a few months, and we will probably vacation in the lower 48 most of the time, so we are a little worried that GCI might charge us a ridiculous amount if we switch and I use my phone.

Has anybody used GCI in the lower 48? How does it work?

[ysr_racer]

I would go with Verizon, they seem to be everywhere.

[6.7traveler]

I had GCI when I first came up here three summers ago... I went down to Arizona for that winter and my phone had zero service even right in town. I kept trying to get them to work with me and suspend my contract until I came back up as I literally could not use my phone... But of course they couldn't help and still wanted money.

Anyways I now use AT&T and have good service almost everywhere (except manley hot springs where GCI works and AT&T doesn't, other villages and remote places might be the same). However, For the road system, I am satisfied with AT&T.

[awestover89]

Originally Posted by 6.7traveler

I had GCI when I first came up here three summers ago... I went down to Arizona for that winter and my phone had zero service even right in town. I kept trying to get them to work with me and suspend my contract until I came back up as I literally could not use my phone... But of course they couldn't help and still wanted money.

Anyways I now use AT&T and have good service almost everywhere (except manley hot springs where GCI works and AT&T doesn't, other villages and remote places might be the same). However, For the road system, I am satisfied with AT&T.

Started looking into AT&T, a little more pricey than GCI, but I think it will be the best option since we will be around the lower 48 as well. Better to pay a bit more and not have to really worry about roaming. I think for the most part we'll be staying around Anchorage area, possibly ranging Seward to Eagle River, with occasional weekend trips to Denali or Fairbanks, so we won't really need the extra remote service areas GCI covers.