Cell Phones?

[CruzerKat]

Does anyone know if Motorola/Nextel cell phones work in Alaska?

Ports and inland.:confused:

[AkSusan]

It's not the phone but the service. We have a lot of locals (ACS, Alaska Digital) and the main one for connection outside is Cellular One. Cellular One has recently upgraded to a GSM network here in southcentral but not sure about southeast.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[wolfie11]

Cellular One upgraded to GSM in the interior and since that network is connected somehow to SE (I don't get charged on my local plan whether I'm in Fairbanks or Juneau) I would assume they upgraded there. However, the service is TERRIBLE! Half the time, I either don't get service at all, it says I'm roaming when I'm not, and I even get connected to their rival cell company ACS sometimes when I make a call. My roomie has a GSM phone from Michigan and he has to go stand in this one parking lot in the middle of town to get service - it won't work anywhere else. Another friend who visited from Maine could receive calls, but couldn't call out. So don't count on cell phone service as a given anywhere and if you get service it will be a bonus.

[jodyrick]

Does anyone know if Motorola/Nextel cell phones work in Alaska?

Ports and inland.:confused:

 

I too had that question. I called Nextel on several occassions to speak with different people and although I was never satisifed with their answer, it appears that Nextel does not have service anywhere in Alaska, yet. That means, your Nextel phone is basically useless in Alaska. I am counting on my parents cell phone to work, albeit roaming or what have you, it will probably work to check in over a 12 day cruise.

[debinnh]

LOL! A few years ago this wouldn't even be a question. Who do you need to call that urgently? You are on vacation! Relax and leave your cell phone off!

[bearbait]

No Nextel. Bad GSM. I have an old Cingular plan, older phone, if I can get a signal it will work. Surprises the tar out of me. I keep it turned OFF except

when I really, really, need to make a call. Like an emergency. Your coming

to the Last Frontier, your on vacation, I'm sure the updates on the condition

of Aunt Nellies bunions and Uncle Joe's tomato garden can wait until you get

back home. What would you have done before you had a cell phone???? Nothings changed, we already have a new Pope and the price of gas will either

be higher, lower, or the same when you get back. And for goodness sakes leave

your nasty cigars, pipes and cigarettes on the ship. We have nice, clean, healthy air here in Alaska. Breathe it, enjoy it, just don't pollute it. Most of all

have a nice day.

[CruzerKat]

Well, I knew that question couldn't have gone without some negative feedback...but thanks to all for your help.

The main reason I was asking was for emergencies and if by chance my BF and I got seperated then we could just beep each other.

I mainly use my phone for work on a everyday basis and other than that it's usally turned off...especially on vacation.

And bearbait..."What would you have done before you had a cell phone????" ...I guess I wouldn't have had to ask this question...and I'll make sure I give Aunt Nellie and Uncle Joe your regards....but most of all...have a nice day! :)

[wolfie11]

I firmly believe in travelling with a cell phone (and hoping I get service). I have houses/kids/cars/pets, etc., any of which can have an emergency. I would much rather get a call saying "the toilet's leaking, what do I do?" and walk someone thru the process of checking everything than an email saying "the toilet was leaking and I couldn't get ahold of you, so I called the plumber and the bill's $400!" Plus a 2 minute call at my convenience to make sure the house hasn't burned down is much more cost effective than finding a place to email and paying for computer time. I don't use a cell phone for business, though, so I'm in no danger of work calling to find out where I put the Jones contract.

[bearbait]

Didn't mean that to be a negative reply. Just would like to see people enjoy

life without an appendage stuck in their ear. Emergencies happen. But you

would be absolutely amazed at how many things will take care of themselves

without you knowing about them. That's how others learn to take care of things themselves. You just can't be everything to everyone all the time,

 

Cell phone service is spotty in southeast Alaska but I would say I have never

gone much longer than a couple of hours without being able to pickup a signal. I don't have the map in front on me but there are some stretches around Dixon Entrance where you go longer without a signal. Also between Ketchikan and Juneau it can be spotty again.

 

I have never had any problems with service in Anchorage or southcentral. Some areas between Trapper Creek and Fairbanks don't have any service. Again I think it depends on what type of service and type of phone you have. I think the worst for service are the new GSM phones, Sprint and Nextel.

[mbisson]

I think you should direct this question to your service provider.

 

jmo

-Monte

[CruzerKat]

Thanks Wolfie11 and bearbait for your input.

This trip is one of my "trips of a life time" and I am so excited to see the wonder, splendor, and beauty of Alaska.

I can't wait to breath the freah air, meet the locals and take in all she has to offer.

We are taking a one week cruise and then BF and I will be on our own on land for another week. Wanting to see as much as possible with our limited time we will be in a different town every day....Denali, Talknekna, Homer, Seward, Palmer, Anchorage.

How great it has been to have people like yourselves on this site to help me and others to make things easier and more comfortable when you go to a place you have never been.

Thanks again and look I forward to sharing for a short time a piece of your state!

Kat

[GlacierLady]

I called our local radio shack here in Seward, which sells cells phones and service and inquired about Nextel service here. Nextel doesn't have any affiliation with the 2 providers we have,which means no service for Nextel because they don't have access for the towers we have.She said Nextel will not work in any of the state,but she might be wrong???The service we do get here can be very spotty and lots of dropped calls,if not down completly...happens alot.No service out of Seward city limits,and one brief spot in Moose pass otherwise no service between Seward and Girdwood/Anchorage at all.

 

Have you thought about buying a prepaid cell phone once in Ak?They are very popular here.Also cheap 2-way pagers could be handy if your worried about not finding each other easily,great idea for kids that like to roam so you can check in on them.

 

As a side note in case a princess/carnival person reads this......NO CELL PHONE service in WHITTIER at all!

[CruzerKat]

Thanks so much GlacierLady for going out of your way!

The suggestions are great and maybe a two way radio would be perfect for us.

BF is going fishing I believe in Seward so that will be an example of a day that we are not together all day...it would be perfect for him to radio me when he gets back and I can tell him where I am....like the Sea life Center or a local pub !! :)

Any suggestions for me with a day on my own in Seward? I will have a rental SUV.

Kat

[GlacierLady]

YVW ..Why aren't you going fishing with him? :) That would be MY 1st choice.Can I go with him? lol It really depends on what you like to do and what date your going to be here.Kayaking,horse riding,dog sledding,Exit glacier,blueberry picking,flightseeing,Sealife center,museum,film at library on earthquake @2pm,shopping,great hiking trails,lots of bars!!!Just don't drink n drive here,the cops are REALLY nasty on that!!The Yukon bar is the most popular..check out all the $$ bills on the ceiling.If you happen to be here on a Sunday night the Yukon bar is basically standing room only for a very popular and well known entertainer ..Hobo Jim.~~Enjoy Alaska~~

[mrdawson]

I hope to run into you with my big, knarley stogies I'll be enjoying as I stroll around in about 10 days!!

 

Mike

[CruzerKat]

Thanks again Glacier Lady,

We will be there the 2nd week in July and fishing is OK but we only have one day in Seward before driving up to Palmer that afternoon. (how many hours do you think it will take us to get to Palmer?)

So I really want to see Seward and not just a fishing boat.

My plans were to see the Sealife Center, Exit Glacier, the boat docks to see the catch's when they come in, some shopping, and driving around for some general good scenery for photo ops...what do ya think?

We are staying within walking distance to downtown Seward...so no drink and drive for me!

[Budget Queen]

Thanks again Glacier Lady,

We will be there the 2nd week in July and fishing is OK but we only have one day in Seward before driving up to Palmer that afternoon. (how many hours do you think it will take us to get to Palmer?)

So I really want to see Seward and not just a fishing boat.

My plans were to see the Sealife Center, Exit Glacier, the boat docks to see the catch's when they come in, some shopping, and driving around for some general good scenery for photo ops...what do ya think?

We are staying within walking distance to downtown Seward...so no drink and drive for me!

 

 

Allow 4 hours Seward-Palmer, more if you make several stops. :)

[WriterOnDeck]

I too am hoping my cell phone works -- I have Cingular, but have considered getting another plan before my mid-June cruise. I'm intending to use my phone for internet service, as while this is a quasi-vacation, it's also a working vacation so I will be emailing writing off at some points. Sure, I can use the internet access on the ship, but with my cell phone I have unlimited internet already paid for, so I was hoping to do that and save some money...

 

It does bother me to read the "attacks" on people who might be using cell phones. Not everyone enjoys a vacation the same. I for one am traveling with my elderly parents to help them out; I've been out of work for 6 months and just have gotten a short-term writing assignment, which I am hoping will grow into a much larger assignment in the second half of the year. So it's important to me to spend an hour or two several days a week to check in and send work. Not everyone has the luxury of a work-free vacation...

 

Just my $0.02 worth...

[annabanana]

Hi! I have a question related to cell phones and thought I would ask here, although unrelated to service. I hope you don't mind. I often use my cell phone as my alarm clock when traveling. Will I have problems with doing this on the cruise, rather than bringing a separate travel clock? TIA!!

[GlacierLady]

Will work as long as your batteries stay charged. :)

[John L.]

We use our cells for walkie talkies--great if we get lost from each other. On our last visit, I enjoyed watching the fishermen on the bridge in Ketchikan and my wife had no interest--she was store shopping. On this visit my BIL will be doing excursions we did last time and again the cells will be great to find each other after the event. Every time we fix a time to meet at a designated place, I end up sitting by myself waiting for the other couple--not such fun. The phones save a lot of time. I can't stand the real walkie talkies because either batteries are dead, we're out of range or one or the other has it turned off!!! I hope I can find that parking lot to make my call...

 

John L.

[Love Cruis'n]

I guess what bother me about cell phone users - any time - any place - is when they SHOUT their conversation. Everyone within a 50 foot radius is forced to stop what they are doing, and listen to one side of a conversation. Aargh :mad: That kills me.

 

I think most people appreciate that some folks are required by circumstances to stay in touch (or do work) and others find it handy to link up with each other (DW and I do it all the time in Vegas) its just that in the "digital" age, you can wisper or SHOUT, and the other party will still hear you.

 

And in all honesty, as one who has an electronic leash on my waist, hearing yours ring still sets a pavlovian response in me that takes me away from my vacation nervona for a breif minute. So when the make me KING - I'm going to rule that al cell phones be set to vibrate only. ;)

[CruzerKat]

I guess what bother me about cell phone users - any time - any place - is when they SHOUT their conversation. Everyone within a 50 foot radius is forced to stop what they are doing' date=' and listen to one side of a conversation. Aargh :mad: That kills me.

 

I think most people appreciate that some folks are required by circumstances to stay in touch (or do work) and others find it handy to link up with each other (DW and I do it all the time in Vegas) its just that in the "digital" age, you can wisper or SHOUT, and the other party will still hear you.

 

And in all honesty, as one who has an electronic leash on my waist, hearing yours ring still sets a pavlovian response in me that takes me away from my vacation nervona for a breif minute. So when the make me KING - I'm going to rule that al cell phones be set to vibrate only. ;)

 

Love Crus'in

I am in agreence with many points of your response.

Some people definetly need to learn cell phone manners.

And your vacation nervona reminds me of the TV commercial when their sitting at a beautiful quiet beach and they toss the phone into the water and reach for another brew:D

 

Readytocruiseagain,

Good luck with your writing assignment!:)

 

And a thanks to GlacierLady!

We are now the proud owners of walkie talkies!

Of course these can be equally as annoying as cells if not treated with a courteous manner.

So lets all sit back, relax, get ready to cruise, and get the party started...but remember to whisper.:p

[baseballmom]

CruzerKat, thanks for starting this thread, and special thanks to GlacierLady and Bearbait for sharing their knowledge with us! I also have a cell phone, which I consider a necessary evil. I hardly ever use it, and pay a whopping $20/month. HOWEVER...I will be traveling with my 15-year-old son, and on the days we're in port he will want to check in with his dad, my ex-DH (dad will be going through withdrawals because this will be the first time son will be gone for over a week!). Based on comments I've read here, my inclination is to take my cell phone as back up, but rely on my calling card (I do get a great long-distance rate) and find pay phones in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan and let son chat for as long as he wants (assuming no one else is waiting). That way, I'll also avoid the stress of a) dealing with poor reception and b) having to screech to be heard, thus annoying anyone and anything within a 50 mile radius. :D Happy travels, everyone.

 

Laurie

[tetleytea]

Hee hee, in Juneau I found I had the best cell phone reception right next to the float plane base. :rolleyes: Unfortunately when you're near the float planes, you've got other issues. :eek: