phone service while on Alaskan cruise?

Aaron

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Aug 10, 2004, 10:56:19 AM8/10/04

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We're going on the Celebrity Mercury in about 2 weeks. We'll be spending a
few days in Seattle before and a few days in Vancouver after the cruise.

We'd like to have access to a phone - to check messages, get in contact with
work, family, friends, etc. I was wondering if it's better to get a calling
card (prepaid? thru our long dist carrier?), or possibly upgrade to
nationwide service on our cell phone? Right now, via AT&T Wireless, we just
have unlimited service while we are in Florida. Everything else would be
roaming (if we're outside the state and make a call). I can talk to AT&T
and get the nationwide service before the trip, but I'm just wondering if
this will even work while on the cruise or in Canada.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Aaron

JEFFCOUD

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Aug 10, 2004, 12:08:13 PM8/10/04

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Hey, you must be on my Mercury sailing! I am going 8/20. Sailing with some
friends and family, about 10 in all.

You might want to call AT&T about getting some help on the roaming. There
might be a plan, even short term, that could help out. Seems like a might get
some coverage on my Cingular phone (at least in Juneau) so I'm just going to
wing it.

Jeff

Jean O'Boyle

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Aug 10, 2004, 3:59:37 PM8/10/04

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"JEFFCOUD" <jeff...@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20040810120813...@mb-m12.aol.com...

Jeff, my Cingular phone worked nowhere in Alaska last month...my
granddaughter who lives in Sitka said Cingular does not have service
there..I ended up using a prepaid AT&T phone card to reach my family back
home..

--Jean

jtc

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Aug 10, 2004, 4:33:01 PM8/10/04

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we were able to use our AT+T cell phone service when we were in Anchorage a
few weeks ago. It also worked in Seward, Talkeetna and Homer. safe travels.

--
jtc
"Aaron" <amheck@take_this_out_attglobal.net> wrote in message
news:nm5Sc.16683$4s6....@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...

jcoulter

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Aug 10, 2004, 5:23:57 PM8/10/04

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"jtc" <jch...@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:1iaSc.20141$Jp6....@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net:

> we were able to use our AT+T cell phone service when we were in
> Anchorage a few weeks ago. It also worked in Seward, Talkeetna and
> Homer. safe travels.

The bigest problem is the kind of phone. Alaska does not seem to have GSM
signals but does have the more traditional servicce

>
>
>

sheree

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Aug 10, 2004, 8:31:33 PM8/10/04

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i believe you can go to a nationwide plan then cancel it when you return.

verizon has service in juneau and ketchikan as far as I know as does most of
the others. espeically with a gsm phone

--
Sheree

"Aaron" <amheck@take_this_out_attglobal.net> wrote in message
news:nm5Sc.16683$4s6....@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...

Jean O'Boyle

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Aug 10, 2004, 9:13:04 PM8/10/04

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"sheree" <sheree...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:FNdSc.55852$zc4.24...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...

> i believe you can go to a nationwide plan then cancel it when you return.
>
> verizon has service in juneau and ketchikan as far as I know as does most
of
> the others. espeically with a gsm phone

Sheree, I have the nationwide plan with Cingular.

--Jean

jcoulter

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Aug 10, 2004, 9:16:04 PM8/10/04

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"sheree" <sheree...@optonline.net> wrote in
news:FNdSc.55852$zc4.24...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:

> i believe you can go to a nationwide plan then cancel it when you
> return.
>
> verizon has service in juneau and ketchikan as far as I know as does
> most of the others. espeically with a gsm phone
>

my GSM did not get any signal in Ketchikan. (and did in Norway even out os
sight of land so go figure)

sheree

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Aug 10, 2004, 9:44:45 PM8/10/04

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nationwide plan so there's no roaming. whether you get service is another
story! i'm told verizon and att have service there.

--
Sheree

"Jean O'Boyle" <j.ob...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:AoeSc.5248$lN4...@newssvr23.news.prodigy.com...

JEFFCOUD

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Aug 10, 2004, 11:23:16 PM8/10/04

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Dang! Well that's good to know Jean and thanks for telling me. I may have to
call Sheree McG from a pay phone in Juneau then!!

Jeff

L...@notmine.com

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Aug 11, 2004, 5:50:28 AM8/11/04

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Verizon is CDMA not GSM

LB

L...@notmine.com

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Aug 11, 2004, 5:51:12 AM8/11/04

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GSM is "the" way in Europe

LB

JLeary256

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Aug 11, 2004, 7:40:51 AM8/11/04

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>We're going on the Celebrity Mercury in about 2 weeks. We'll be spending a
>few days in Seattle before and a few days in Vancouver after the cruise.
>
>We'd like to have access to a phone - to check messages, get in contact with

ATT calling cards are a good buy, but for sure service avoid the temp phone
set up at the docks, walk a few blocks for a permanant pay phone. As for cell
service I have Verizon nationwide and america's choice, good service in most
of interior Alaska- main areas and Juneau, and Ketchikan. American's choice is
very limited in areas and roaming is only a few miles out of the covered
cities.

sheree

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Aug 11, 2004, 8:21:57 AM8/11/04

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i take it you have cingular?!!!

we have verizon and I'm going to their store tomorrow to doublecheck it will
work!

--
Sheree

"JEFFCOUD" <jeff...@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message

news:20040810232316...@mb-m12.aol.com...

JEFFCOUD

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Aug 11, 2004, 4:09:39 PM8/11/04

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Yeah, I have Cingular, although my phone has picked up usable signals almost
everywhere I've been lately...Puerto Rico, Montreal, Toronto, so I'll continue
to hope. I think it's multi-band. Roaming charges don't bother me. So we'll
see! I'd call Cingular, but it's likely to be like calling a cruise
line....I'll know more than the person on the other end of the phone.

Jeff

jcoulter

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Aug 11, 2004, 4:25:14 PM8/11/04

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jeff...@aol.comnojunk (JEFFCOUD) wrote in
news:20040811160939...@mb-m20.aol.com:

multiband won't make a difference, but the kind of service TMDA good GSM
bad

Tomasek

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Aug 11, 2004, 10:11:22 PM8/11/04

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As you type we are getting GSM service. ACS (local) and Cellular One
(Dobson) both have upgraded to GSM.

In Southeast Alaska you'll pick up Cellular One, which traded us for
customers in California with AT&T. At least the last time I was in
Juneau it worked plus it worked from Kodiak, just showed extended home
area there.

Susan in Anchorage

Timmer

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Aug 11, 2004, 10:50:09 PM8/11/04

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My Cingular phone worked fine (July 31--Aug.7). We have nationwide, no
roaming, and had good service in Ketchikan and Skagway. My husband called
the office and his mother while on board but out on deck (not in the cabin).
The phone roamed until it picked up service.
Laura

JEFFCOUD

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Aug 11, 2004, 10:57:32 PM8/11/04

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Laura -- thanks for the info! Hope springs eternal!

Jeff

jcoulter

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Aug 12, 2004, 7:06:55 AM8/12/04

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Tomasek <Tom...@alaska.net> wrote in news:411a...@news.acsalaska.net:

> As you type we are getting GSM service. ACS (local) and Cellular One
> (Dobson) both have upgraded to GSM.
>
> In Southeast Alaska you'll pick up Cellular One, which traded us for
> customers in California with AT&T. At least the last time I was in
> Juneau it worked plus it worked from Kodiak, just showed extended home
> area there.
>
> Susan in Anchorage
>

Thanks for the update. There was no service in Southern AK in may Glad to
hear you are getting GSM