Best Cellular Carrier in Rawlins, WY (Cheyenne: home, purchase, move to)

[BusyMammaOf3]

I just cancelled my cell phone account (with Cricket). And am about to purchase a prepaid cell phone for our move to Rawlins, WY.

I am getting conflicting information about the carriers in Rawlins with good service/reception/coverage.

I am hearing that Verizon & T-Mobile are decant. But my uncle said when he went to WY that his AT&T cell worked fine. But he didn't go to Rawlins. He went to Cheyenne...which would explain the good service.

I really need some quick input...so I can purchase a cell phone today or tomorrow. We don't have a home phone. So, going without a cell phone for too long isn't an option.

Thanks!
Erin

[Brian_M]

There's been a few threads over the years, looks like this is the most recent:

//www.city-data.com/forum/wyomi...e-company.html

And that mimics my experience (driving through Rawlins about twice a month)

[ElkHunter]

I have Verizon and have been through Rawlins many times. Works fine traveling all over the state. Sure, there are some dead spots between towns, but they are dead for every carrier.

In Wyoming, there are so few towers that you'll find that in most cases, Verizon and AT&T share towers. My son has AT&T and we've matched signals and there has only been a couple times that I had signal and he didn't. Although, in a lot of cases, he's had a weaker signal. But that could be attributed to type of phone and how it measures signal. When his was weaker, we could both, still make calls.

[BusyMammaOf3]

Hi Brian! I read this one. But forgot about it. LOL Thanks for the reminder. ;0) It's hard to get a good handle on what the best service is there. So many conflicting messages online. But I suppose that's just the way it is...especially when your talking about something like cell phone coverage. :0)

[BusyMammaOf3]

Thanks, ElkHunter! Appreciate your input!

So, I suppose I will do fine, in town or out of town with either Verizon OR AT&T. Just not Cricket.

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

I have Verizon and have been through Rawlins many times. Works fine traveling all over the state. Sure, there are some dead spots between towns, but they are dead for every carrier.

In Wyoming, there are so few towers that you'll find that in most cases, Verizon and AT&T share towers. My son has AT&T and we've matched signals and there has only been a couple times that I had signal and he didn't. Although, in a lot of cases, he's had a weaker signal. But that could be attributed to type of phone and how it measures signal. When his was weaker, we could both, still make calls.

[jody_wy]

Union workes good in Southern Wyoming too, plus it is a Wyoming Co.

[Clay Lady]

My husband and I have Verizon cell and internet connection. We had great reception while we were in Rawlins.

[CharlotteG]

My husband & I both have Sprint. We just moved here from the land of Sprint. He got his company to switch from Verizon to Sprint and they are finding that in a lot of the outlying, remote areas, they have better signal/coverage with Sprint than they ever did with Verizon.

We go through Rawlins 2-4 times a month and always have coverage.

[a42887]

They key word in your post is prepaid. Carriers don't give you access to every roaming partner they have with prepaid. This is reserved for contract customers. You can check their coverage viewers for prepaid phones to be sure. You will absolutely NOT get service with an at&t Prepaid phone in Rawlins. Their roaming partners are not the same for a prepaid account as they are with a contract account. See here and choose the GoPhone option at the top of the map:

AT&T Coverage Viewer

Below the map it will show Pay as you Go or Pick you Plan. Neither one offers service there. at&t uses what is called a GSM Network, which is compatible with T-Mobile, Union Wireless, etc. The ONLY GSM in Rawlins is Union Wireless. Every at&t customer in Rawlins is using the network of Union Wireless. They do now have prepaid options, and would be a good choice.

The other technology out there is CDMA, which is used by Alltel, Sprint, and Verizon. The ONLY CDMA coverage in Rawlins is by Verizon. Everyone with Sprint out in Rawlins is using Verizon as a roaming partner. You will likely be able to roam on Verizon with another prepaid CDMA phone, but there is no point when you could just get a Verizon prepaid phone. For the record: Virgin Mobile, which is Sprint's main prepaid service, will NOT work in Rawlins.

Long story short:

The only three main phones you really have to choose from are:

T-Mobile Prepaid (Which WILL roam on Union Wireless, I've been there myself)
Union Wireless Prepaid
Verizon Prepaid