Verizon in Alaska?

[mockturtle]

I am currently on my way through BC on my way to Alaska. I have no cellular at all, nor can I use my Jetpack. Only if I am in an RV park that has Wifi am I able to communicate. Does anyone know if Verizon works in Alaska?

[The_Texan]

Have now been in 7 Alaskan cities and ports this spring, and have had Verizon data & phone service in every section we have been in. This is an improvement from the last trip, just a couple years ago.

[AKSuperDually]

AT&T get 4GLTE across most of the state, in the same areas verizon gets a standard 3G, 4G in some. Verizon is finally here, but using everyone else's towers and network....and they've been slow to expand good service. It'll work fine, just not as good as AT&T.

[2lazy4U]

Mockturtle, Verizon has some really cheap phone plans and not all require contracts. Maybe get one for the time you're up there, if you feel you need/want a cell phone, then discontinue when back.

[mockturtle]

Skid Row Joe wrote:

mockturtle wrote:
I guess my Straight Talk service won't let me use the Verizon signals in AK without my contract being 'terminated'. But since I'm not likely to be going to Alaska again soon, I'll just leave things as they are. Wifi when I can get it and use a pay phone if I must. After all, people didn't used to have cell phones, did they?

I haven't seen a pay phone in many years? Might want to contact Straight Talk before using up there.;)

I did contact them. That's how I found out I could not use the Verizon signals in Alaska. The contract only includes the contiguous United States. Yes, there are pay phones around. Haven't used one in probably thirty years or more.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

mockturtle wrote:
I guess my Straight Talk service won't let me use the Verizon signals in AK without my contract being 'terminated'. But since I'm not likely to be going to Alaska again soon, I'll just leave things as they are. Wifi when I can get it and use a pay phone if I must. After all, people didn't used to have cell phones, did they?

I haven't seen a pay phone in many years? Might want to contact Straight Talk before using up there.;)

[mockturtle]

I guess my Straight Talk service won't let me use the Verizon signals in AK without my contract being 'terminated'. But since I'm not likely to be going to Alaska again soon, I'll just leave things as they are. Wifi when I can get it and use a pay phone if I must. After all, people didn't used to have cell phones, did they?

[2lazy4U]

Thanks to whoever mentioned getting the Verizon Canada plan. Just signed up. $30 for 250 minutes and 250 text, incoming text free. I don't use my phone much, but at the normal rate of $1/minute while in Canada, this is much better.

[rkassl]

Once we arrived in Tok, AK, our Verizon cell phones worked just like back home. NEVER attempted to use them in Canada, used our OnStar phone on the truck to communicate if required. What we found in British Columbia and especially in the Yukon, cell service was usually available only close and in various towns, not between them at all.

[fishhogg]

Is their life without a cell phone? I often wonder how I made it my first 50 without one??

[EEWally]

Our Verizon texted just fine in Alaska but voice was funky there. We would "dial" the number and hit "Send." It would come back and say there was a problem so dial the number again but do NOT hit Send. The call would then go through. Strange.

[The_Texan]

We leave Sunday for Alaska and I just got off the chat with a Verizon rep. 100/100 for $15 and 250/250 for $30 month.

[bee_46]

Thanks for the information on 3G phones. I keep my phone and hope for the best. I do plan on adding Canada for our trip. I guess worse case is I have to get a 4G phone once in Alaska.

[Fer2005]

My kids and I have 4G and my wife had 3G when we were up last year. I added the Canada plan, then it was 1000 mins. and unlimited text. Also had 100 MB of data for $25. We had coverage where everybody else had coverage. Didn't use the data much unless we really needed it but it was available.

We had coverage in AK in most places.

Once away from the cities service is spotty at best, both in Canada and AK.

[pchartrand]

We just got back from Alaska Last week. I have an iPhone 5s and it worked in Anchorage, and all the way north up route 1 and Route 3 to McKinley Park. It also worked well in Juneau, and Ketchikan. It was spotty in Skagway. I agree with some of the other posters to call Verizon and add Canada to your contract for the month. I did not do that, but wish I had.