Which mountain has poor cellular coverage

[hiroto]

Since we are talking about Wi-fi coverage, how about cellular coverage?

Most mountain nowadays has pretty good coverage and it is essential for
skiing trip with family and friends. But occasionally I get caught surprised
with mountain with very poor coverage.

One mountain which really surprises me is Bretton Woods. When I visited
them three years ago, they still had no signal, and when I visited last week,
I saw some signal, one bar at the most but never strong enough for me to
establish call with my wife.

Is there other mountain with surprisingly bad cell coverage?

 

[Edd]

Wildcat

 

[crank]

Good idea.

Stratton has lousy cell phone coverage.

How about mountains with good signals? Here's 2 I know of: Okemo and Jay Peak.

 

[redalienx11]

Belleayre is hit-or-miss. theres some sweet spots, but also some dead spots.

 

[jack97]

One mountain which really surprises me is Bretton Woods. When I visited
them three years ago, they still had no signal, and when I visited last week,
I saw some signal, one bar at the most but never strong enough for me to
establish call with my wife.

Hmm, I was there two days ago. I have T mobile/rim, second story in the lodge, no problem with email. At west mountain summit, no problem.

 

[billski]

Mansfield/Spruce at stowe had non-existent coverage except from a local carrier. All that changed this fall, in early December, I had coverage Verizon Wireless at the mountain - Icouldn't believe it - used to have to go to town of Stowe

 

[shadyjay]

Cell phone coverage at a particular mountain is dependent on which carrier you have. In recent months, I have worked on cell phone towers (new installations) at Mt Snow, Stratton, Bromley, Magic, and Stowe, for Verizon. VZW is already at Jay Peak. Existing Okemo coverage is good via Extended Network on Unicel. Nextel is up on Stratton. As for Sugarbush, VZW has NO coverage anywhere in the MRV, though Unicel has some coverage and there is good Cingular (cough) AT&T coverage. Sprint is also up there, thanks in part of their sponsorship of ASC in later years. I've been trying to recommend a site at the Bush for VZW to help out the Valley itself, but to no avail... yet.

 

[thinnmann]

Belleayre is hit-or-miss. theres some sweet spots, but also some dead spots.

Sweet for Verizon near the top of Tomahawk and Lift 7. Dead elsewhere. I'm guessing, but I think it is because the frontside faces protected Ashokan Watershed and building anything like cell towers is verboden. Near the top you get some bleed-over from the west side. I leave the phone in the car or back at the place just to prevent frustration. I hate getting calls, or all of a sudden getting a signal with voicemail notification while skiing. I wanna get away from that stuff when I'm out there and shut up and ski.

Even at the place we rent in Halcott the signal goes in and out. I think it depends on how busy the local network is and the wind direction.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Cell phone coverage at a particular mountain is dependent on which carrier you have. In recent months, I have worked on cell phone towers (new installations) at Mt Snow, Stratton, Bromley, Magic, and Stowe, for Verizon. VZW is already at Jay Peak. Existing Okemo coverage is good via Extended Network on Unicel. Nextel is up on Stratton. As for Sugarbush, VZW has NO coverage anywhere in the MRV, though Unicel has some coverage and there is good Cingular (cough) AT&T coverage. Sprint is also up there, thanks in part of their sponsorship of ASC in later years. I've been trying to recommend a site at the Bush for VZW to help out the Valley itself, but to no avail... yet.

Work for Green Mountain? I might have bumped into you at Stratton/Magic. (I don't do cell, just Two-way).

Your absolutely right, it depends on the carrier. One might be great and another will have nothing. (If it's nothing, it's probably Nextel.)

As for the MRV, what about the former ATT tower owned by ATC next to MRG?

 

[hiroto]

Hmm, I was there two days ago. I have T mobile/rim, second story in the lodge, no problem with email. At west mountain summit, no problem.

That's interesting. I have Verizon. As shadyjay says, there seems to be big
differences among carriers.

 

[bobbutts]

SNH on verizon:
Bad: Sunapee, Crotched
Good: Pat's, Ragged, Whaleback

 

[jack97]

I have Verizon. As shadyjay says, there seems to be big
differences among carriers.

My info is over 7 years old, back then all major carriers were leasing space on the cell towers. These towers were operated by separate companies, they deal with building or renting the land the tower is placed on and maintaining the tower. I talked to a local guy, he said that his towers have three levels (in height) and the majors will bicker over who gets to put their equipment on the highest spot. Technically this would minimize the shadowing effect, thus you would have better distance and coverage. Also, there was talk that more major carriers will lease cell coverage from local operaters, thus the equipment had to account for this.... my t mobile switches over up at Conway NH and at other parts of the country.

 

[noski]

As for the MRV, what about the former ATT tower owned by ATC next to MRG?

I worked on this for months a couple of years ago and finally got to speak with Corporate at Verizon. I talked with the director of new development. I pitched as hard as I could about the fact that providing service to Vermont ski area locations (MRV is all I cared about) would enhance and improve service to their millions of customers from the greater Boston and NYC areas. I told them residents of the the MRV had decent service with Unicel (T-mobile is ok too), but to no avail. They were focusing new develelpment on the I-89 and I-91 corridors. They actually sent me a letter to that affect.

 

[MRGisevil]

I've noticed that the only place a cellphone seems to work at Jiminy Peak is at the summit- not good for trying to meet up with friends @ the base.

 

[wa-loaf]

ATT is ok on the hill at Wachusett, spotty in the lodge.

I had excellent reception at Hunter while the Verizon guys had nothing.

 

[frozencorn]

Don't usually have too much of a problem, but had zero at Stratton last week. (Sprint) The MWV hills can be pretty spotty too. Never had a problem in Stowe.

 

[hardline]

att great at stowe.
belleayre no coverage what so ever
i dont even get coverage untill i have been on 87 for 30 min

 

[billski]

Cell phone coverage at a particular mountain is dependent on which carrier you have. In recent months, I have worked on cell phone towers (new installations) at Mt Snow, Stratton, Bromley, Magic, and Stowe, for Verizon. VZW is already at Jay Peak. Existing Okemo coverage is good via Extended Network on Unicel. Nextel is up on Stratton. As for Sugarbush, VZW has NO coverage anywhere in the MRV, though Unicel has some coverage and there is good Cingular (cough) AT&T coverage. Sprint is also up there, thanks in part of their sponsorship of ASC in later years. I've been trying to recommend a site at the Bush for VZW to help out the Valley itself, but to no avail... yet.

Thanks Shady. Glad to get it right from the authority!

 

[bigbob]

I have a Nextel and a Unicell. Nextel works at Sunday River, Loon, Waterville Valley, Killington. Unicell works pretty much everywhere the Nextell does and SugarLoaf.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

Stratton is very strange i have sprint, it always says i have full service but you cannot ever place or receive a call, go figure.