Road trip and cell coverage

[adkkev]

From the Google website:
“Use offline maps
After you download an area, use the Google Maps app just like you normally would. If your internet connection is slow or absent, your offline maps will guide you to your destination as long as the entire route is within the offline map.”

Alternate routes or traffic information won’t be available when using Google maps offline.

 

[ironz]

Parts of west Texas may not have full service, but along the major interstates, it's generally ok.
As for a non-cell-dependent map, at least in Texas, whenever you cross over the border (if on one of the major roads), we have visitor centers near the borders that will give you a paper map of Texas.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

When we did a road trip through Utah last year, in every national park, we lost cell service. We had already put in the destination into Waze so all the directions were there. Plus, we also had the paper back-up from AAA.

From our experience 99.9999% of Utah is a dead zone

 

[starry_solo]

From our experience 99.9999% of Utah is a dead zone

Which is why we rented a satellite phone!

 

[disykat]

We have AT&T and didn't have any problems on our road trip through the SW last Fall. I did screen shot my map app before setting out on a few drives that seemed more complicated just in case, but never had to rely on it. Usually we talked through our route the night before or in the morning, so we were pretty prepared. I had planned a set itinerary and made hotel reservations, etc.

 

[adkkev]

From our experience 99.9999% of Utah is a dead zone

This is a funny post for sure. Although this was definitely not our experience last May.

 

[bcla]

From the Google website:
“Use offline maps
After you download an area, use the Google Maps app just like you normally would. If your internet connection is slow or absent, your offline maps will guide you to your destination as long as the entire route is within the offline map.”

Alternate routes or traffic information won’t be available when using Google maps offline.

The fun part is being without internet service and then going off course. I remember getting lost once around Vancouver Island and the way I got back was I found a Tim Horton's and then used their free Wi-Fi from the parking lot to get a new route. Once I went off course the map just stayed static.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

This is a funny post for sure. Although this was definitely not our experience last May.

Oh it was ours and….. never say “let’s just get an early start and grab something to eat on the way”. No. That plan has a 100% failure rate.


FYI we did the drive from Grand Junction Colorado to Flagstaff over 3 days. Desolate mostly

 

[tvguy]

From our experience 99.9999% of Utah is a dead zone

I don't know, I have been told the BYU Dairy Chocolate Milk will really liven up your trip.

 

[Stratman50th]

Beware of "coverage maps". We had Verizon since it started. Moved to central Florida and the coverage has been horrible. Their map says the area is in the zone. Finally switched to ATT because of cost mainly, but coverage is way better as well.
Haven't been out west in many years, Havasu in 98 when my grandmother died was the last time so I'll be following along preparing for our next road trip.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Beware of "coverage maps". We had Verizon since it started. Moved to central Florida and the coverage has been horrible. Their map says the area is in the zone. Finally switched to ATT because of cost mainly, but coverage is way better as well.
Haven't been out west in many years, Havasu in 98 when my grandmother died was the last time so I'll be following along preparing for our next road trip.

My husband has Verizon and has never had an issue with being in FL such as Orlando. Visited friends in Championsgate area still didn't have an issue.

Things like distance to cell tower is going to come into play, traffic on the towers, inside vs outside etc. But if you're wanting to know if the destination you'll be going to has any coverage that is going to help you or if there is a known dead zone.

FWIW on Verizon they do give a disclaimer "This map shows approximate outdoor coverage and is not a guarantee of service. Actual coverage may vary and is subject to change."

In addition 4G vs 5G and all of that will matter.

My mom used to have a lot of spotty coverage in her house with Sprint, great coverage until you started going to the Family room which was half-underground (a split level house). Conversely me 15 miles away from her (also with Sprint) had perfect signal all throughout my house including in my basement completely underground. Didn't mean there wasn't coverage on a general viewpoint.

 

[bcla]

My husband has Verizon and has never had an issue with being in FL such as Orlando. Visited friends in Championsgate area still didn't have an issue.

Things like distance to cell tower is going to come into play, traffic on the towers, inside vs outside etc. But if you're wanting to know if the destination you'll be going to has any coverage that is going to help you or if there is a known dead zone.

FWIW on Verizon they do give a disclaimer "This map shows approximate outdoor coverage and is not a guarantee of service. Actual coverage may vary and is subject to change."

In addition 4G vs 5G and all of that will matter.

My mom used to have a lot of spotty coverage in her house with Sprint, great coverage until you started going to the Family room which was half-underground (a split level house). Conversely me 15 miles away from her (also with Sprint) had perfect signal all throughout my house including in my basement completely underground. Didn't mean there wasn't coverage on a general viewpoint.

A big issue with the OP’s planned trip will be terrain.

 

[sheilafri]

I guess I have to do some homework because I have no idea how to use maps on my phone other than Google Maps which appears to dependent on cellular service.

I use Google Maps on my iPhone. Here is how to download a map to access when offline. Tap the image to enlarge and focus in on instructions.

 

[Stratman50th]

My husband has Verizon and has never had an issue with being in FL such as Orlando. Visited friends in Championsgate area still didn't have an issue.

Things like distance to cell tower is going to come into play, traffic on the towers, inside vs outside etc. But if you're wanting to know if the destination you'll be going to has any coverage that is going to help you or if there is a known dead zone.

FWIW on Verizon they do give a disclaimer "This map shows approximate outdoor coverage and is not a guarantee of service. Actual coverage may vary and is subject to change."

In addition 4G vs 5G and all of that will matter.

My mom used to have a lot of spotty coverage in her house with Sprint, great coverage until you started going to the Family room which was half-underground (a split level house). Conversely me 15 miles away from her (also with Sprint) had perfect signal all throughout my house including in my basement completely underground. Didn't mean there wasn't coverage on a general viewpoint.

Kudos to your husband. I live here. Had a problem. Map was wrong. Got rid of Verizon, problem solved. Enough said.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Kudos to your husband. I live here. Had a problem. Map was wrong. Got rid of Verizon, problem solved. Enough said.

Pretty sure you weren't interested in actual conversation but if you had been you'd see the OP is talking about a road trip not living every place they go

So again I repeat the coverage maps are good for determining if you'll have any coverage or not. Make of that what you will

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

A big issue with the OP’s planned trip will be terrain.

Yeah that can happen everywhere. I know when we go to the Lake of the Ozarks there's a dead zone portion for everyone I forget where but it's before you get to the heart of the Lake area. It's a short portion but must be enough blocking any signal. It used to be the case that if you were on the Lake itself your signal was probably not going to be strong or it would be non-existent but then they installed closer towers to the waters.

I had excellent service in Puerto Rico with T-mobile in January. My husband's service was mostly roaming with Verizon but they had an agreement with a 3rd party provider so his signal switched to that one. There was a small portion in kinda the middle of nowhere but in the thick of a treed windy road that neither of us had signal but otherwise no issues and pertinent to the OP's questions we had google maps going and it could at least continue reflecting the map for us to see and the directions themselves started back up right when signal was restored

 

[sam_gordon]

Beware of "coverage maps". We had Verizon since it started. Moved to central Florida and the coverage has been horrible. Their map says the area is in the zone. Finally switched to ATT because of cost mainly, but coverage is way better as well.
Haven't been out west in many years, Havasu in 98 when my grandmother died was the last time so I'll be following along preparing for our next road trip.

I totally agree (with the first sentence). Coverage maps are more "here's what SHOULD happen". But are no guarantee of coverage. I'd use coverage maps to show there is no coverage (totally believe) and if I'm near the edge of coverage, I'd expect issues.

I will say my Mom has been in Poinciana for ~20 years and I don't remember her complaining about coverage, I think she's been on Verizon.

 

[Stratman50th]

I totally agree (with the first sentence). Coverage maps are more "here's what SHOULD happen". But are no guarantee of coverage. I'd use coverage maps to show there is no coverage (totally believe) and if I'm near the edge of coverage, I'd expect issues.

I will say my Mom has been in Poinciana for ~20 years and I don't remember her complaining about coverage, I think she's been on Verizon.

She's a little ways to the east of us. We're like just outside of the northeast tip of Lakeland. It was never great service here but it has been mostly unusable over the last few months, which to me was a reason to change. That would also be a warning to the OP, things do change. When we eventually do hit the road we might consider a backup carrier. I'm also installing a cell range extender as well as a wifi extender.

 

[sam_gordon]

She's a little ways to the east of us. We're like just outside of the northeast tip of Lakeland. It was never great service here but it has been mostly unusable over the last few months, which to me was a reason to change. That would also be a warning to the OP, things do change. When we eventually do hit the road we might consider a backup carrier. I'm also installing a cell range extender as well as a wifi extender.

This is one reason why, whenever there's a post on this board (or others) asking "who's got the best cell coverage", I usually tell them to ask their coworkers and neighbors. I've driven by Lakeland when going between Tampa and my mom's. And yea, it's not very far. Prime example of a specific carrier being fine in one area and poor <30 miles away.

 

[JLTraveling]

Oh it was ours and….. never say “let’s just get an early start and grab something to eat on the way”. No. That plan has a 100% failure rate.

Before cell phones/GPS, we were on a family road trip driving through Delaware of all places when I needed a restroom. So my dad got off at the next exit. We drove and drove and drove and never found a single public facility of any kind (gas station/fast food/store/whatever). Got back on at the next exit and kept going. Crossed the state line and immediately found all sorts of places. So we joked for years that there are no bathrooms in the state of Delaware. Then we happened to meet a family who used to live very close to that particular exit. Turns out, if we had turned the other direction after exiting, we would have gotten to civilization lol.