[Geysers] cell phone/old Faithful functionality question

[Jan and Lew]

Dear Paul,

I know more than I care to know about the cell towers and cell phone 
service. And the answer is---THERE IS NO ANSWER!   Up to last 
summer--haven't checked lately--Union Telephone Company (based in the 
Tetons) owned the digital tower at OF.  The contracts they sign with various 
companies are lies.  Yes, Verizon had a contract with this company, but 
because of the contract, the analog tower is ALWAYS choosen.  I spent at 
least three hours one hot day--three years ago-- with Union tech people 
proving that very fact.  OK, so you can get just digital if you have a 
digital only phone--most of the good plans require a dual phone--regardless 
of which phone company plan you purchase.  If you have a duel phone at OF, 
you always get the analog tower.

Last year when Lew was sick we bought a phone at Walmart which was digital 
only, owned by Alltel, and worked great in Yellowstone.  Doesn't work this 
year though.  Seems Alltel didn't sign a new contract with Union.  My point 
is that even if you FINALLY get something that works, it doesn't work for 
long because the contracts with Union change all the time--at least every 
six months--this is what the tech people at Union told me.

This year we opted for a tracfone (very expensive) because:
1. it is digital only
2. they have a contract with union.
3. they require no contract from us.

Lew is at the park right now (buying land for us in Idaho---YEH)  It works 
great.  It is  expensive minute-wise.  But for this trip we decided we 
wanted assured contact rather than cost.

Oh yes, you could get a contract from Union, but it only covers the Tetons 
and OF and you go roaming in West Yellowstone.....


Janet Johns