[Geysers] cell phone/old Faithful functionality question

[Chase Ellison]

I have been working in the park this summer and have a Verizon phone.
I have found that most older Verizon phones do not work however, I
recently purchased a new phone with verison on the "americans plan"
(or whatever) I now have 5 bars of Digital at Grant, Old Faithful, and
Mammoth. I recieve 3 bars of analog at Canyon, and 1 bar of analog at
Norris. I do not however recieve service at lake.  Also, old plans
(more than 2 years old) seem to not work in the park. But Like I said
I do have 5 Bars of digital in Old Faithful with Verizon. So whatever
that may mean. Also, Many people also get very good service with
Cingular I know at Grant and Old Faithful most people that i have seen
have full digital as well. Also, it may be in your intrest to take
your phone to a verizon store and have them update your ERI code that
seemed to work on my old phone so I could get service up here.

Chase Ellison

On 8/26/05, Jan and Lew <janet.johns5 at verizon.net> wrote:
> 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
> 
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