I need the best nationwide coverage

If he is going to be travelling across the US...DO NOT go with GSM, get a CDMA + AMPS phone. Your best bet for nationwide coverage is a Verizon Americas Choice Plan.

 

ok...heres the deal. Verizon has 2 networks running at the same time...one old one (AMPS) with limited features, and a new CDMA network which is what all there phones now use. Most phones have a combination of CDMA and AMPS, meaning you get more coverage. but a lot of their new phones only give you CDMA access, which means less coverage. If you travel outside of major cities, you NEED a phone that uses both CDMA and AMPS. These phones will be refered to as "Tri-Mode"

Any more questions?

 

if you have anymore questions...feel free to private message or instant message me!

 

You might also consider a GAIT plan from Cingular or ATT. Verizon seems to be the network of choice of many people on this forum, but the GAIT plan from Cingular has no roaming, either. The GAIT phones do not have too many fancy features, but they work on the newer GSM netoworks, as well as the older digital format, TDMA, and also analog. You certainly do not want GSM only.

I have my phone "registered" in western NY, but spend most of my time in relatively rural NH/VT, and the phone works (Sony Ericsson T62u) and I do not pay any roaming.

Just another option to consider.

 

Sprint also has their Free and Clear America plan. No roaming charges and no long distance just about anywhere you can get a signal. Sprint sells lots of tri-mode, dual-band phones so you can pick up both digital (800 and 1900) and analog signals. It's a $5 add-on to their regular plans. I travel a lot and have not had any problems with picking up signals. - sheureka

 

Is he going to do any work at the CG Stations at Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Point Arena or the Eureka, Ukiah or Crescent City areas here in Northern California? I live near Ukiah, and travel to all those areas fairly often, and cell service can be a hit or miss thing, let me know