Internet and Cell Phone in Calais, ME (Bangor, Ellsworth: how much, buy)

[ballow123]

I want to ask which internet provider are you guys using right now in Calais? Is time warner available in this area?

Also, I am in Calais today and found out that my cell phone is not working. It is roaming. What cell phone provider should I change to? Even I bought TRACFONE in walmart, it is also roaming. **** me off because when I ask the people in walmart, they said it works in this town and I can't return it back anymore.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by ballow123

I want to ask which internet provider are you guys using right now in Calais? Is time warner available in this area?

Also, I am in Calais today and found out that my cell phone is not working. It is roaming. What cell phone provider should I change to? Even I bought TRACFONE in walmart, it is also roaming. **** me off because when I ask the people in walmart, they said it works in this town and I can't return it back anymore.

I have us cellular and it works fine in Calais.

[maine4.us]

If you didn't buy your tracfone in Calais, it will not work properly. Calais is an EXCEPTION to the normal tracfone market. Go to Walmart and buy the 9.95 tracfone, but make sure the model number ends in a C. The same exact phone with a model number that ends in a G will not work in this part of Maine.

G- GSM (ATT, T-mobile, and some Canadian carriers) We're the 3% of America that ATT does NOT cover
C- CDMA (Verizon, UScellular and Canadian Aliant)

Tracfone makes much more money off the G phones that use those carriers, but in places like Maine, they do sell the C phones. Problem is when out of our area with your tracfone, will cost you double minutes.

Been there, done that, have the t-shirt.

[mommax3plus2]

att has a tower in calais. canada has towers that are more powerful and override their signal. if your on canadian time, your on a canadian tower. us cell is pretty good about not making you pay the roaming charges, att not so much. us cell has better (more reliable) service in this neck of the woods.

[ballow123]

Currently, I am using t-mobile and there is no service at all in Calais. My plan is to switch to AT&T since I checked my address on this website (Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans - Wireless from AT&T), it showed me that there is a good signal Calais area. I do not think I would like to switch to US cellular because I cannot use my phone with their service (iPhone). What do you guys think about AT&T?

About TRACFONE, I bought it at walmart in Calais but it is still not working in the area. I probably bought the model number ends with G. However, this morning, I went back to walmart and try to return it even though the phone is out of box. They want to refund my money back. I really like walmart, they provide the best customer services.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by ballow123

Currently, I am using t-mobile and there is no service at all in Calais. My plan is to switch to AT&T since I checked my address on this website (Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans - Wireless from AT&T), it showed me that there is a good signal Calais area. I do not think I would like to switch to US cellular because I cannot use my phone with their service (iPhone). What do you guys think about AT&T?

About TRACFONE, I bought it at walmart in Calais but it is still not working in the area. I probably bought the model number ends with G. However, this morning, I went back to walmart and try to return it even though the phone is out of box. They want to refund my money back. I really like walmart, they provide the best customer services.

Hate to suggest this, well maybe not hate to, but, depending on how much coverage there is with the att tower, you may not be using the iphone anyway. I used to have att, and the coverage was very bad in the downeast area.

[mommax3plus2]

i live downeast and switched to att from us cell. i'd recomend us cell.
att will tell you they have towers and coverage, and they do, but its spotty. in calais the canadian towers override the us signals and you get roaming. us cell is nicer about taking those off, att will do it once or twice and then tell you its your responsibility to notice when you are roaming (canadian time). i had to get a block on the canadian towers which means my service is much more spotty in calais now, and almost non existant between calais and machias. another feature i dont like is that att phones have app buttons installed on your phones that you can not remove. accidentally hitting one of those buttons incurs a $2 data charge (unless you have a data plan). you dont even get a "you are about to use data, do you want to continue" type message and again, att is not particularly friendly about removing those charges after the first time. they will offer to block data, but then you loose your ability to send and recieve pix and vids. their helpful customer service people will tell you it is your responsibility to make sure you lock your phone.
as soon as i can, we will be switching back.

[maine4.us]

ATT coverage goes about 5 miles out of Calais, and then you don't pick it up until Ellsworth when you go south. Going west on 9 you don't get service until about 10 miles out of Bangor. You can Roam on the Canadians, but that is going to be expensive. If you are happy with service right in the Calais area, and do not travel much, ATT is okay, otherwise, forget it.

Even US cellular does not do too hot with data. I bought an Android smartphone, and the phone is a great computer, but a terrible phone. I can't send or receive mms outside the immediate Calais area. I am going to sell the smart phone, take the hit on the contract, and go back to a plain tracfone. In this area there is no sense having a smart phone. You can text using the Canadian towers, but you can't surf the internet. You can't make calls with a wi-fi connection either.

We are the 3% of America that ATT does not cover!