Vermont cell phone service

[djd66]

If you want the experience of not having cell coverage, you should just leave your phone at home.

The cell phone coverage at Sugarbush has definitely gotten worse in the past few years. I show 4 bars but can't make a call or send a text. This has been very common with many people I have talked with. I don't use my phone that much - but when I need it,... it does not seem to work. (I have a brand new Iphone XMax on ATT) I did a speed test this weekend and was able to get 44 mbs down,... but only 28kbs up. Maybe this is why I have trouble "sending" texts. Seems like there is some kind of issue with the local hardware.

 

[cdskier]

If you want the experience of not having cell coverage, you should just leave your phone at home.

The cell phone coverage at Sugarbush has definitely gotten worse in the past few years. I show 4 bars but can't make a call or send a text. This has been very common with many people I have talked with. I don't use my phone that much - but when I need it,... it does not seem to work. (I have a brand new Iphone XMax on ATT) I did a speed test this weekend and was able to get 44 mbs down,... but only 28kbs up. Maybe this is why I have trouble "sending" texts. Seems like there is some kind of issue with the local hardware.

AT&T has an iPhone app called "Mark the Spot" that you can use to mark spots of coverage issues and report to AT&T. I've done it a couple times, but maybe if more people did it they would look into it. Don't know if AT&T actually owns equipment up there or uses someone else's network, but their coverage maps show pretty much full coverage in the whole valley (which is just laughable as the maps even show full coverage on 100 through Granville Gulf).

 

[Glenn]

Vermont actually had a program to increase access in certain portions of the state. There was a big write up awhile back. I believe the son of the founder of Bose was involved? If I recall correctly, they were putting up microtowers on power line poles along certain sections of state highways and towns. Unfortunately, the company wasn't able to make money. And I believe the individual running the company passed away.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I enjoy the lack of cell phone coverage in VT. Makes me realize I'm definitely someplace special.

So Vermont will no longer be, "someplace special" within a decade when they step their tech up to 21st century?

 

[WWF-VT]

If you want the experience of not having cell coverage, you should just leave your phone at home.

The cell phone coverage at Sugarbush has definitely gotten worse in the past few years. I show 4 bars but can't make a call or send a text. This has been very common with many people I have talked with. I don't use my phone that much - but when I need it,... it does not seem to work. (I have a brand new Iphone XMax on ATT) I did a speed test this weekend and was able to get 44 mbs down,... but only 28kbs up. Maybe this is why I have trouble "sending" texts. Seems like there is some kind of issue with the local hardware.

I have a Samsung Galaxy 7 phone on AT&T and have no issues at Sugarbush

 

[flakeydog]

Years ago (in the cell phone Stone Age) The valley and some other parts of more rural Vermont had cellular one which became unicel. If you lived in the MRV, it was your only choice. If you lived in chittenden county or anywhere on the I89 corridor, you had to have Verizon. The problem was that no one provider worked in both areas because they used different signals. Live in Burlington but ski and/or stay at Sugarbush? Too bad, no phone for you. Live in Waitsfield but work in Burlington, good luck (and enjoy the lack of network sharing you got from good ‘ol Cell One). Want an iPhone? No dice in VT. It was this way until AT&T bought out Unicel. It took another 4-5 years for Verizon to get service in the Valley. You still cannot get service in the deeper parts of the valley along Rt 100 (Warren village to about Flatbread) but most other places it’s not bad. The rest of the state still had a ways to go. It is frustrating to see the cell phone providers fill in their maps with such a broad brush and claim success. Those of us that use the service to live and work up here beg to differ!

 

[ThinkSnow]

So Vermont will no longer be, "someplace special" within a decade when they step their tech up to 21st century?

Guess that depends on whether or not the increased services bring out more d-bags posing questions like yours.

 

[deadheadskier]

Guess that depends on whether or not the increased services bring out more d-bags posing questions like yours.

Some people have to conduct business up here. The coverage is atrocious compared to NH & ME. Been screwing me all day today. I've never thought to myself, "oh, how special is this! I have to travel 45 minutes to reach a spot I can get a signal again. My customer is really going to enjoy me not being able to respond to an urgent need."

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[AdironRider]

I'm sure making sure medical device/pharma salesmen are happy is really high up on people's priority list.

Vermont has so little population it would never be worth a private company to invest in the needed infrastructure. I deal with the same issues here in Wydaho. This seems like a decent form of government stimulus if they can get it.

 

[Jully]

I'm sure making sure medical device/pharma salesmen are happy is really high up on people's priority list.

Vermont has so little population it would never be worth a private company to invest in the needed infrastructure. I deal with the same issues here in Wydaho. This seems like a decent form of government stimulus if they can get it.

Well VT is trying to get people to come work remote because they are an aging, shrinking population in many areas. Cell service is an important pre req for anyone working remotely! People in professions like you say aren't all that far off that demographic.

 

[AdironRider]

DHS does not live in Vermont. He also isn't going to stop doing business there because there isn't cell service. There is zero incentive to improve the situation ultimately from a private investment. It's govt funded or bust.

Even on the government side, which I ultimately support, not many people are going to super eager to fund cell service for a couple people's occasional inconvenience. So I see why the situation is what it is there.

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't disagree with anything you say AR. Not a lot of incentive for private funding to improve the network up here.

It comes down to low population and as Smellytele pointed out; topgraphy. Remote areas of NH and ME aren't nearly as bad as VT because the valleys tend to be wider.

It's also not so much the business in VT that is compromised, it's the business I'm trying to conduct out of state while I'm up here. Even with the improvement in the past decade, you still can't drive from Burlington to WRJ on 89 without a call failing somewhere along the way. State Highways? Forget about it. 104 from Newport to St Albans today had coverage for less than half the drive.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[AdironRider]

It does seem like they should at least have coverage along 89.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Guess that depends on whether or not the increased services bring out more d-bags posing questions like yours.

It was a rhetorical question, only serving to point out your silly, illogical, regressive construct.

 

[BenedictGomez]

It does seem like they should at least have coverage along 89.

Once you leave 89 in places it can be dicey, but I've never had a dropped call I can remember while on 89, it's a very unspecial highway.

 

[Hawk]

I have a Verizon account and ski at Sugarbush. There is a cell phone tower at the mountain and one in the valley. I have excellent coverage most of the time. The only gaps from MA all the way to the resort are one or two places on 89 and the Roxbury valley all the way up to the top of the gap and that is all.

 

[Zand]

Hope you guys never end up Northeast of Burke (especially past Island Pond)...there's a little service in Canaan and that's it.

 

[ThinkSnow]

It was a rhetorical question, only serving to point out your silly, illogical, regressive construct.

Dictionary result for rhetorical question

noun

• a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer
  
  
  So, in other words, you were trolling

 

[ThinkSnow]

Some people have to conduct business up here. The coverage is atrocious compared to NH & ME. Been screwing me all day today. I've never thought to myself, "oh, how special is this! I have to travel 45 minutes to reach a spot I can get a signal again. My customer is really going to enjoy me not being able to respond to an urgent need."

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

Are you delivering transplant organs? I conduct business in VT for 2 jobs. When needed, I plant myself where reception is not a problem, or let the customer know reception may be questionable, and contact me when they can. Never been an issue.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Dictionary result for rhetorical question


[*]a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer


So, in other words, you were trolling

No, I was making a point.

Are you delivering transplant organs? I conduct business in VT for 2 jobs. When needed, I plant myself where reception is not a problem, or let the customer know reception may be questionable, and contact me when they can. Never been an issue.

Wow, you're really wanting to go down with this ship, aren't you.

See how easy it is DHS, it's all your fault. You just need to either stay-put-all-day or do a better job educating your customers! C'est simple.