best phone for rural area

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

hendo wrote:
> Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best plan(s)/coverage but
> that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s that doesn't work worth a
> darn here (it's fine when we're travelling) and an LG-4400 that is OK, but
> nothing to write home about.

If your Moto doesn't work, my guess is that even if Verizon still carries the
Kyocera 2325 it probably still won't work - but Kyo would be my second choice
behind Moto for phones that hold weak signals well. If I still had my 2325 I'd
offer it to you, but I sold it a couple months ago.

--
JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net
PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"hendo" <hendo@citlink.net> wrote in message
news:zD36d.5175$H73.3059@news01.roc.ny...
> Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best plan(s)/coverage
> but
> that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s that doesn't work worth a
> darn here (it's fine when we're travelling) and an LG-4400 that is OK, but
> nothing to write home about.
>
> What's your best guess for my situation? Verizon is trying (I think), but
> we
> still don't even hae text messaging here.
>
>

Sort of depends on your exact location and if you are willing to spend a few
bucks or not. My customers in Northern rural Idaho (farming areas, lakes,
ski areas, places away from cities) have the same sort of problem at home.
Look at some of the Cellular building and home repeaters (about $500) at
www.cellantenna.com A directional antenna on the TV Mast or top of the house
(way high up) pointed towards a tower, a 3 watt amp, and an unidirectional
antenna inside. Gives a better signal for all phones (even if you change
em), and depending on your area (if there is a different providers tower
just outside your area), may let you use whatever services they provide
rather than your local limited provider.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 02:03:11 GMT, "hendo" <hendo@citlink.net> wrote:

>Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best plan(s)/coverage but
>that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s that doesn't work worth a
>darn here (it's fine when we're travelling) and an LG-4400 that is OK, but
>nothing to write home about.
>
>What's your best guess for my situation? Verizon is trying (I think), but we
>still don't even hae text messaging here.

I have a friend who lives out in the country outside of Grass Valley
CA and who travels all over the US, often in remote areas. She went
back and forth from the Verizon store to her house until she found a
phone that worked (the old one worked, but was 2 years old and dying)
well at her house, and she ended up with the Nokia 3589i.

HTH

jc

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

hendo wrote:
> Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best
> plan(s)/coverage but that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s
> that doesn't work worth a darn here (it's fine when we're travelling)
> and an LG-4400 that is OK, but nothing to write home about.
>
> What's your best guess for my situation? Verizon is trying (I think),
> but we still don't even hae text messaging here.


I have a two year old Audiovox 9155 that works quite well in rural areas
simply because you can -manually- force a switch to analog. Now you should
know that digital features like voice mail and sms text messaging don't
function on analog but at least you can often get a call out on analog when
no digital is present. The phone has text messaging and a web browser in
digital mode.

--
-Philip

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"hendo" <hendo@citlink.net> wrote in message news:<zD36d.5175$H73.3059@news01.roc.ny>...
> Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best plan(s)/coverage but
> that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s that doesn't work worth a
> darn here (it's fine when we're travelling) and an LG-4400 that is OK, but
> nothing to write home about.
>
> What's your best guess for my situation? Verizon is trying (I think), but we
> still don't even hae text messaging here.

If you can find one, try the Startac 7868. It is trimode so Verizon
will activate it on all its plans, and it has the highest analog
wattage (great for weak signals) allowed by law.

Also, it can be forced into 3watt cellular with some hacking and
vehicle amp/antenna. This will give you reception up to 10-15 miles
from the nearest tower in your car. google group search for 7868 and
3 watt for specifics.

-MVL

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

You won't have any problem finding one. eBay is crawling with them. Don't
pay over $45-60. I have four. Best phone I ever had. Craving a little
change, I gave up and got a v60s. OK phone, but the analog section is
notoriously bad. I use the website to change over to one of my old StarTacs
occasionally. Much better phone.

By the way, if you REALLY want to experiment cheaply, pick up an old
Audiovox 9000. They are one step above free on eBay, batteries last like a
week in digital, fairly bulletproof, great analog section. Downsides:
decidedly un-sexy, and not the smallest phone out there. No camera,
"pay-extra-for-it-now", garage door opener, symphonic ringtones. Just a
phone. A really good phone.

Dean
___________________________________________________

"MVL" <mvl_groups_user@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5695030d.0409291644.49767914@posting.google.com...
> "hendo" <hendo@citlink.net> wrote in message
news:<zD36d.5175$H73.3059@news01.roc.ny>...
> > Help! I live in rural SE Utah - Verizon offers the best plan(s)/coverage
but
> > that doesn't say much. I've got an Motorola V60s that doesn't work worth
a
> > darn here (it's fine when we're travelling) and an LG-4400 that is OK,
but
> > nothing to write home about.
> >
> > What's your best guess for my situation? Verizon is trying (I think),
but we
> > still don't even hae text messaging here.
>
> If you can find one, try the Startac 7868. It is trimode so Verizon
> will activate it on all its plans, and it has the highest analog
> wattage (great for weak signals) allowed by law.
>
> Also, it can be forced into 3watt cellular with some hacking and
> vehicle amp/antenna. This will give you reception up to 10-15 miles
> from the nearest tower in your car. google group search for 7868 and
> 3 watt for specifics.
>
> -MVL

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"Dean" <dean173@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:Ixz7d.944$6y6.56@trndny02...

> By the way, if you REALLY want to experiment cheaply, pick up an old
> Audiovox 9000. They are one step above free on eBay, batteries last like a
> week in digital, fairly bulletproof, great analog section. Downsides:
> decidedly un-sexy, and not the smallest phone out there. No camera,
> "pay-extra-for-it-now", garage door opener, symphonic ringtones. Just a
> phone. A really good phone.

I have Verizon for phone service, not those things that you say are downsides,
so you couldn't give me one of the newer phones if I had to give up my
Audiovox 9000. You are correct, that it get a connection when others fail,
and since much of my time is spent off the beaten path, I just want a good
durable phone that connects.

Tom J