Verizon Wireless CDMA System vs. Unicel GSM System in Northeast N.Y.

[Blaise]

Unicel definitely wins here.

I have performed numerous tests between the two and Unicel GSM is definitely the service to choose if you live or travel often in Essex County N.Y., the Adirondacks or the Champlain Valley.

I have a report prepared on my findings if anyone wants to see the details of the report please let me know or send me a private message. The report would be too long to post here unless everyone is interested.

[jones]

VZW wins in TV Ads though.

[viewfly]

Maybe a brief summary of the cities or areas could be posted.
I assume that I will roam onto Unicel with Cingular service?
This is great news and thanks for the specific post.

viewfly

[Blaise]

Basically if you travel from Albany NY to the Canadian Border on I87 (the Northway) you will have much better coverage with a GSM 850Mhz phone.

Unicel has recently placed sites in strategic locations to provide better coverage in these areas. Unicel is also still working on their network to provide even better coverage. The Verizon coverage in these areas hasn't changed much in the last 10 years, and from talking with them they do not plan to any time soon.

Unicel mostly has good reliable service with a few dead spots. Verizon has good service in a few spots with a lot of spotty coverage, jumping from Analog to Digital Towers and roaming with MANY dead spots. Also noticed with Unicel if you only have just 1 bar you can make still make a good call. However, with Verizon you need at least 2-3 bars and sometimes at 5 bars calls will still not go through (no matter what time of the day).

I travel around this area for my job, and I use a cell phone all the time for my job, so I need the best and Unicel is the best.

[music4praise]

Originally Posted by Blaise

Unicel definitely wins here.

I have performed numerous tests between the two and Unicel GSM is definitely the service to choose if you live or travel often in Essex County N.Y., the Adirondacks or the Champlain Valley.

I have a report prepared on my findings if anyone wants to see the details of the report please let me know or send me a private message. The report would be too long to post here unless everyone is interested.

Which Verizon phone were you using to do your tests?

[Fullstrength]

Originally Posted by jones

VZW wins in TV Ads though.

I think verizons ads are designed for really docile sheep. I watch them and say do they think we are idiots ? is that what they are trying to convene.

[Blaise]

The Verizon phones I used for the comparrison were the LG TM510, Samsung SCH-a650 and the Nokia 6236i. All 3 phones seemed to perform really similar, the Samsung probablly was the worst out of the three.

A lot of my friends have Verizon service here with various top of the line phones (RAZR, E815 etc...) and they all complain about the same problem - spotty coverage, jumping from Analog to Digital Towers and roaming with MANY dead spots. Quite often when you try to make a call with full service the call will not go through and then the signal will drop. Very unreliable.

[bobolito]

Originally Posted by jones

VZW wins in TV Ads though.

LOL! That's quite true.

[macsesso]

Originally Posted by Blaise

The Verizon phones I used for the comparrison were the LG TM510, Samsung SCH-a650 and the Nokia 6236i. All 3 phones seemed to perform really similar, the Samsung probablly was the worst out of the three.

A lot of my friends have Verizon service here with various top of the line phones (RAZR, E815 etc...) and they all complain about the same problem - spotty coverage, jumping from Analog to Digital Towers and roaming with MANY dead spots. Quite often when you try to make a call with full service the call will not go through and then the signal will drop. Very unreliable.

While I do not doubt the validity of your statement in general I doubt whether your friends with the top of the line phones are bouncing from analog to digital.

[Blaise]

No my friends that have those top of the line phones have really poor service in my area because Verizon does not have many towers nearby. You need a tri-mode here so you can roam analog on Unicel towers.

Originally Posted by macsesso

While I do not doubt the validity of your statement in general I doubt whether your friends with the top of the line phones are bouncing from analog to digital.

[macsesso]

Originally Posted by Blaise

No my friends that have those top of the line phones have really poor service in my area because Verizon does not have many towers nearby. You need a tri-mode here so you can roam analog on Unicel towers.

If they are roaming they are not roaming on analog. The phones you mention are all digital so their phones are not jumping to analog.

[Blaise]

I know that! That is why I said that you need an analog capable phone in my area so you can roam off some of the older Unicel sites with AMPS capability.

Since Verizon does not have many sites in myy area, my friends with the digital only Verizon phones have poor service/coverage because they can not roam analog.

Originally Posted by macsesso

If they are roaming they are not roaming on analog. The phones you mention are all digital so their phones are not jumping to analog.

[viewfly]

Originally Posted by Blaise

I know that! That is why I said that you need an analog capable phone in my area so you can roam off some of the older Unicel sites with AMPS capability.

Since Verizon does not have many sites in myy area, my friends with the digital only Verizon phones have poor service/coverage because they can not roam analog.

OK, I got it. What your saying is the digitial GSM service from Unicel (re Cingular's roaming partner) in Northeast N.Y. gives more reliable service than Verizon's digital CDMA service. That was the thread title afterall, so it makes sense.

That is good to know. Thanks.

[mysticman1952]

where do you apply for a job as a tester for verizon gsm-cdma? i have some background with trueposition.harry hwc@tds.net

[Fathead]

Originally Posted by jones

VZW wins in TV Ads though.

Yeah I know! It's a good thing Cingular doesn't play more tv ads than Verizon!

[bbkellner]

Okay, I really need some assistance here. I live in Weybridge, VT (05753), and I need the best service there (or very adaquite). I also go to boarding school in Hardwick, MA (01037) but I also need good service there. Verizon gets almost none in my MA location. So what should I get? I am leaning towards Cingular, but I need suggetions and help choosing phones with great service..

Thnaks,
Billy

PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT: BILLYKELLNER@GMAVT.NET

[agentHibby]

It does not look like any provider covers that area well.
If you want a local number and you go with a GSM phone in VT you will need to go with Rural Cellular, they should roam on Cingular or if you get MA number go with Cingular. Whatever you do make sure you get a 15 day trial and try it in both areas to see if you like it.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by bbkellner

Okay, I really need some assistance here. I live in Weybridge, VT (05753), and I need the best service there (or very adaquite). I also go to boarding school in Hardwick, MA (01037) but I also need good service there. Verizon gets almost none in my MA location. So what should I get? I am leaning towards Cingular, but I need suggetions and help choosing phones with great service..

Thnaks,
Billy

PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT: BILLYKELLNER@GMAVT.NET

From Cingular's Street Level coverage map it doesn't look like they will be providing that much better service in/around your MA zp code either. Of course it's always best to try a carrier out yourself because maps often don't tell the whole truth. Cingular has a 30 day trial so you can try them for yourself.
In your Vermont location you will be roaming with Cingular. Roaming is included with Cingular national plans but Cingular, as well as other carriers, have been terminating people's service lately for roaming more than 50% of their minutes in a 3 month period so be aware of that.
Cingular's street level map can be found at http://63.241.153.180/coverageviewer/B2B.html

I hope this helps.

[EdwardP]

Originally Posted by bbkellner

Okay, I really need some assistance here. I live in Weybridge, VT (05753), and I need the best service there (or very adaquite). I also go to boarding school in Hardwick, MA (01037) but I also need good service there. Verizon gets almost none in my MA location. So what should I get? I am leaning towards Cingular, but I need suggetions and help choosing phones with great service..

The T-Mobile coverage maps indicate fair to no service in the general area of Hardwick. Up in Weybridge, it shows roaming coverage which is probably on Unicel.

T-Mobile general coverage map for Hardwick, MA.

[jones]

Originally Posted by bbkellner

I also go to boarding school in Hardwick, MA (01037) but I also need good service there. Verizon gets almost none in my MA location. So what should I get?
PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT: BILLYKELLNER@GMAVT.NET

Most of Hardwick, MA is a Dead Zone
No Matter what carrier you choose
from what Coverage Maps are saying.
Where in Hardwick?

[carpentierk]

blaise -
I live in dannemora, have you happened to travel through there? I have Verizon (a razr, i hate it) and I don't get service in like a 5 mile radius around my house. I would like to switch to unicel because I've heard rumors that there's service in dannemora. do you know for sure?

[Blaise]

I believe the last time I drove through Dannemora I had service with Unicel. If you go to the Unicle dealer in Plattsburgh and talk with them they should let you know if there is service in your area, also they might let you take a test phone for a couple of days.

Unicel is still the king in the Noth Country as far as I am concerened. More service in more areas then Verizon...

Originally Posted by carpentierk

blaise -
I live in dannemora, have you happened to travel through there? I have Verizon (a razr, i hate it) and I don't get service in like a 5 mile radius around my house. I would like to switch to unicel because I've heard rumors that there's service in dannemora. do you know for sure?

[djjim]

Small local carriers tend to buiild out the area they serve better than the large national carriers. This is why I have Alltel in the Carolinas and had USSC in NH. USCC blows Verizon out of the water in central/northern NH and alot of Maine. This is why Unicel is so good in the Adirondacks. Noone really has Unicel in northern NH for some reason?? I wonder why?

[Bill Clinton]

In Dannemore you should have better luck with Unicel. Not only does Unicel have the best coverage in VT and upstate NY right now, they are also expanding and adding some new sites. The national carriers have covered most major cities and roads in the area and then moved on. Unicel is more reliable up here.

[carpentierk]

i'm going to switch to Unicel today! Verizon is my biggest pet peeve of the past few weeks and I'm going to be so excited to not have an account with them anymore! It was all fine and dandy when I lived in the "big city" of plattsburgh, but what's the point of throwing money away if I use less than 100 minutes a month because I don't get service where I work (Rouses Point) or live (Dannemora)!!!

[llockejr]

Originally Posted by Blaise

Basically if you travel from Albany NY to the Canadian Border on I87 (the Northway) you will have much better coverage with a GSM 850Mhz phone.

Unicel has recently placed sites in strategic locations to provide better coverage in these areas. Unicel is also still working on their network to provide even better coverage. The Verizon coverage in these areas hasn't changed much in the last 10 years, and from talking with them they do not plan to any time soon.

Unicel mostly has good reliable service with a few dead spots. Verizon has good service in a few spots with a lot of spotty coverage, jumping from Analog to Digital Towers and roaming with MANY dead spots. Also noticed with Unicel if you only have just 1 bar you can make still make a good call. However, with Verizon you need at least 2-3 bars and sometimes at 5 bars calls will still not go through (no matter what time of the day).

I travel around this area for my job, and I use a cell phone all the time for my job, so I need the best and Unicel is the best.

That's funny. I've noticed the exact opposite.
I've had Sprint, Nextel before they were Sprint, AT&T and Cingular before they were AT&T. Basically I've been playing the "Find a Provider Game" Since 2000 when I got out of the military and moved back up to the sticks that I currently live in. (Hadley)


We've finally just sucked it up and went with Verizon and have actually been able to USE our cell phones. (Had to ditch GSM for CDMA)

My wife's grandparents live in Montreal so we take regular trips from Exit 16 all the way to the border on I-87 (The Northway)

When you use a term like "Adirondacks" you're encompassing to big of an area in it's entirety with your generalization.

The Adirondack Park is huge. Both north to south and east to west.

[dmarkson]

Originally Posted by carpentierk

i'm going to switch to Unicel today! Verizon is my biggest pet peeve of the past few weeks and I'm going to be so excited to not have an account with them anymore! It was all fine and dandy when I lived in the "big city" of plattsburgh, but what's the point of throwing money away if I use less than 100 minutes a month because I don't get service where I work (Rouses Point) or live (Dannemora)!!!

Something is wrong with your phone. Verizon has good service in Rouses Point. I go through there a few times every year. It could be your phone settings as it's on the border of SID 300 (VT) and SID 1508 (NY). IIRC SID 300 is much stronger there, even on the NY side for several miles.

Unicel is better along RT 11 than Verizon, especially as you go west, although there are spots where both of them are roaming (Canada).

[carpentierk]

damn right something's wrong with it, its a crappy razr that I bought off ebay. But I don't think the phone I had before worked very well either. At any rate, I get service at my house now, which is a huge deal for me because it has never happened

[billp]

Wirelessly posted (LGE-VX8300/1.0 UP.Browser/6.2.3.2 (GUI) MMP/2.0)

Vzw has great service in up state ny just no evo but the 15 buck fee is worth for wap and any feature that use air time i have the 8300 lg would not swap it for any thing the only true dead zones i hit no one has service i get calls in and out clear as a bell w/no bars 99% of time i havd full power

[joelliot]

Originally Posted by llockejr

That's funny. I've noticed the exact opposite.
I've had Sprint, Nextel before they were Sprint, AT&T and Cingular before they were AT&T. Basically I've been playing the "Find a Provider Game" Since 2000 when I got out of the military and moved back up to the sticks that I currently live in. (Hadley)


We've finally just sucked it up and went with Verizon and have actually been able to USE our cell phones. (Had to ditch GSM for CDMA)

My wife's grandparents live in Montreal so we take regular trips from Exit 16 all the way to the border on I-87 (The Northway)

When you use a term like "Adirondacks" you're encompassing to big of an area in it's entirety with your generalization.

The Adirondack Park is huge. Both north to south and east to west.

If someone had at&t & Cingular before the networks where combined they have no idea how much better things have gotten in some areas... Of course, this might not apply to where you are.