Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. #1
    Mark
    Guest
    For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your belt
    that does nothing.

    I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland, etc).
    The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.

    Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean absolutely no
    coverage at all.

    This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist area -
    especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.



    See More: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)




  2. #2

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 11:00:37 -0400, Mark <[email protected]> wrote:

    >For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    >leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your belt
    >that does nothing.
    >
    >I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    >mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland, etc).
    >The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    >
    >Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean absolutely no
    >coverage at all.
    >
    >This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist area -
    >especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.


    It may be disappointing, but the Nextel coverage maps show that there is no
    coverage north of Laconia and the Lakes Region. Do many other cellular
    providers offer coverage in that area?

    I would think that it's a hard area in which to provide coverage due to the
    topography (mountains as high as 6,288 feet and valleys) and the area is
    sparsely populated, so there's not a big incentive for the companies to
    erect towers. The last I knew the Kangamangus Highway (which is a beautiful
    ride) was not even plowed during the winter, so it's not going to be a high
    priority for cellular coverage, especially with its topography.

    Nextel's coverage is very good in Seacoast NH and in the central part of NH.
    In fact, Nextel's coverage is better than AT&TWS's coverage. I used to have
    AT&TWS but switched to Nextel. My wife has AT&TWS (until November 24!) and
    when we are travelling around the state, she always ends up using my Nextel
    phone instead of her AT&TWS phone because she has lost reception with hers.

    Sandy




  3. #3
    Mark
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 15:46:14 GMT, [email protected] wrote:

    >On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 11:00:37 -0400, Mark <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >>For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    >>leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your belt
    >>that does nothing.
    >>
    >>I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    >>mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland, etc).
    >>The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    >>
    >>Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean absolutely no
    >>coverage at all.
    >>
    >>This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist area -
    >>especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.

    >
    >It may be disappointing, but the Nextel coverage maps show that there is no
    >coverage north of Laconia and the Lakes Region. Do many other cellular
    >providers offer coverage in that area?


    Ayup. Counless other people all walking and talking at the major attractions.

    >I would think that it's a hard area in which to provide coverage due to the
    >topography (mountains as high as 6,288 feet and valleys) and the area is
    >sparsely populated, so there's not a big incentive for the companies to
    >erect towers. The last I knew the Kangamangus Highway (which is a beautiful
    >ride) was not even plowed during the winter, so it's not going to be a high
    >priority for cellular coverage, especially with its topography.


    Oh, it's plowed and well maintained. As a matter of fact, they have just
    started a repave and I didn't think it was that bad at all ! Be warned if you
    are planning on heading up there in the next few months....very slow road now
    due to the construction.

    >Nextel's coverage is very good in Seacoast NH and in the central part of NH.
    >In fact, Nextel's coverage is better than AT&TWS's coverage. I used to have
    >AT&TWS but switched to Nextel. My wife has AT&TWS (until November 24!) and
    >when we are travelling around the state, she always ends up using my Nextel
    >phone instead of her AT&TWS phone because she has lost reception with hers.
    >
    >Sandy





  4. #4
    Wayne Redick
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)


    "Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    > leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your

    belt
    > that does nothing.
    >
    > I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    > mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland,

    etc).
    > The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    >
    > Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean

    absolutely no
    > coverage at all.
    >
    > This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist

    area -
    > especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.


    When I go on vacation ( i.e.not being bothered with calls to my Nextel) and
    there is no Nextel coverage I forward my calls to my hotel/motel and change
    voicemail greeting to reflect this in case of emergencies.I check my Nextel
    voicemail via landline.I rent a Globalstar satellite phone if I will be a
    dead areas over a few days and expect a chance of important calls (death in
    family..etc).
    Wayne





  5. #5
    Mark
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 16:18:19 GMT, "Wayne Redick" <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    >
    >"Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    >> leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your

    >belt
    >> that does nothing.
    >>
    >> I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    >> mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland,

    >etc).
    >> The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    >>
    >> Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean

    >absolutely no
    >> coverage at all.
    >>
    >> This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist

    >area -
    >> especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.

    >
    >When I go on vacation ( i.e.not being bothered with calls to my Nextel) and
    >there is no Nextel coverage I forward my calls to my hotel/motel and change
    >voicemail greeting to reflect this in case of emergencies.I check my Nextel
    >voicemail via landline.I rent a Globalstar satellite phone if I will be a
    >dead areas over a few days and expect a chance of important calls (death in
    >family..etc).
    >Wayne


    We ended up changing the voicemail to reflect this, but didn't bother
    forwarding the calls anywhere. We just checked the messages on the nextel
    voicemail each night.

    My main concern wasn't someone being able to get me - it was us being able to
    call out in an emergency situation. The comfort factor just wasn't there...



  6. #6
    Dave Markson
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    >For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    >leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your belt
    >that does nothing. I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile
    >area of themountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage
    >(Storyland, etc). The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.


    If you spend any amount of time in Northern New Hampshire and Maine then you may
    as well turn off your Nextel and GSM phones until you leave. It's all
    TDMA/AMPS today. CDMA is coming soon and GSM eventually. Nextel is primarily a
    business phone so I don't anticipate them building out remote areas or tourist
    traps.

    The Kancamagus is a cellular black hole. You won't find any cell service for
    miles at a stretch. I suspect tree huggers and lack of electricity are the
    biggest factors. Some great views along the way.

    --
    Dave
    Visit my New England Cell Phone Page at
    http://markson.net/cell_phones.htm
    (to reply take out the "remove" in my e-mail)



  7. #7
    DV
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    Isn't the whole point of cellular convenience??? Your way has none.


    "Wayne Redick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain

    area,
    > > leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your

    > belt
    > > that does nothing.
    > >
    > > I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of

    the
    > > mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland,

    > etc).
    > > The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    > >
    > > Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean

    > absolutely no
    > > coverage at all.
    > >
    > > This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist

    > area -
    > > especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.

    >
    > When I go on vacation ( i.e.not being bothered with calls to my Nextel)

    and
    > there is no Nextel coverage I forward my calls to my hotel/motel and

    change
    > voicemail greeting to reflect this in case of emergencies.I check my

    Nextel
    > voicemail via landline.I rent a Globalstar satellite phone if I will be a
    > dead areas over a few days and expect a chance of important calls (death

    in
    > family..etc).
    > Wayne
    >
    >






  8. #8
    Mark
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:26:41 GMT, Dave Markson <[email protected]>
    wrote:

    >>For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    >>leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your belt
    >>that does nothing. I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile
    >>area of themountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage
    >>(Storyland, etc). The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.

    >
    >If you spend any amount of time in Northern New Hampshire and Maine then you may
    >as well turn off your Nextel and GSM phones until you leave. It's all
    >TDMA/AMPS today. CDMA is coming soon and GSM eventually. Nextel is primarily a
    >business phone so I don't anticipate them building out remote areas or tourist
    >traps.


    That would just be a foolish decision on Nextel's part. Just because people
    are on vacation doesn't mean they don't still conduct business.

    >The Kancamagus is a cellular black hole. You won't find any cell service for
    >miles at a stretch.


    That is just not true. I've been traveling that every year for the last 8
    years. This was the 1st year I had no cell service on that 32 mile road.
    Cingular had full coverage end to end.

    >I suspect tree huggers and lack of electricity are the
    >biggest factors. Some great views along the way.





  9. #9
    noname
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    When I took the kids to Storyland, I was ripped myself. The lack of
    coverage up there is amazingly mindboggling. UNICEL gives me 4 bars on
    analog up there. You have to ride route 16/125 to Wakefield before
    coverage comes back.

    It would be very interesting to see if they have coverage in Loudon NH,
    home of New Hampshire Int'l Speedway, and since NEXTEL is the sponsor of
    NASCAR next year, maybe they'll even have cell service at the race.

    To be fair, their maps don't show coverage, but I agree -- it is pretty
    stupid not to have it in that area, especially when there's plenty of
    analog (I don't think any digital networks are up there).



  10. #10
    Dave Markson
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    >>If you spend any amount of time in Northern New Hampshire and Maine then you may
    >>as well turn off your Nextel and GSM phones until you leave. It's all
    >>TDMA/AMPS today. CDMA is coming soon and GSM eventually. Nextel is primarily a
    >>business phone so I don't anticipate them building out remote areas or tourist
    >>traps.

    >
    >That would just be a foolish decision on Nextel's part. Just because people
    >are on vacation doesn't mean they don't still conduct business.


    Nextel seems to be aggressively building out VT and even northern NY. Not sure
    why NH does not seem to be in the plans right now.


    >>The Kancamagus is a cellular black hole. You won't find any cell service for
    >>miles at a stretch.

    >
    >That is just not true. I've been traveling that every year for the last 8
    >years. This was the 1st year I had no cell service on that 32 mile road.
    >Cingular had full coverage end to end.


    USC and RCC/Unicel are the only cell providers on the Kancamagus. I forget who
    had the decent signal along the way. We went through last fall and there were
    sections where my phone could not even "see" an analog signal (toward the north
    end). Granted, with an external antenna/ bag phone/amplifier you probably could
    get service "end to end".

    --
    Dave
    Visit my New England Cell Phone Page at
    http://markson.net/cell_phones.htm
    (to reply take out the "remove" in my e-mail)



  11. #11
    Dave Markson
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    >It would be very interesting to see if they have coverage in Loudon NH,
    >home of New Hampshire Int'l Speedway, and since NEXTEL is the sponsor of
    >NASCAR next year, maybe they'll even have cell service at the race.


    Yes, covered well. Not very far off the beaten path.

    --
    Dave
    Visit my New England Cell Phone Page at
    http://markson.net/cell_phones.htm
    (to reply take out the "remove" in my e-mail)



  12. #12
    FS
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    The coverage at Loudon was fine at the race. I was there and did not
    experience any problems what so ever.


    "noname" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > When I took the kids to Storyland, I was ripped myself. The lack of
    > coverage up there is amazingly mindboggling. UNICEL gives me 4 bars on
    > analog up there. You have to ride route 16/125 to Wakefield before
    > coverage comes back.
    >
    > It would be very interesting to see if they have coverage in Loudon NH,
    > home of New Hampshire Int'l Speedway, and since NEXTEL is the sponsor of
    > NASCAR next year, maybe they'll even have cell service at the race.
    >
    > To be fair, their maps don't show coverage, but I agree -- it is pretty
    > stupid not to have it in that area, especially when there's plenty of
    > analog (I don't think any digital networks are up there).






  13. #13
    Susank
    Guest

    Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    Thats why some of us have Verizon. My hubby was up there 3 weeks ago. Made
    2 calls to me in that exact location. No problems at all..Loud and clear.

    Sorry Nextel


    "Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > For those of you preparing for the annual trek to the White Mountain area,
    > leave your Nextel phone home. It will just be an added weight on your

    belt
    > that does nothing.
    >
    > I was astonished at the zero coverage in about 100 square mile area of the
    > mountains. The popular children attractions had no coverage (Storyland,

    etc).
    > The Kangamangus had zero. N. Conway and surrounding towns....nothing.
    >
    > Just to clarify....when I say zero, I don't mean spotty. I mean

    absolutely no
    > coverage at all.
    >
    > This is a pretty big hole to fill and this is a fairly large tourist

    area -
    > especially around the autumn season. Extremely disappointing.






  14. #14

    Re: Re: New Hampshire coverage (or lack of it)

    On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 20:50:58 -0400, noname <[email protected]> wrote:
    [snip]
    >It would be very interesting to see if they have coverage in Loudon NH,
    >home of New Hampshire Int'l Speedway, and since NEXTEL is the sponsor of
    >NASCAR next year, maybe they'll even have cell service at the race.

    [snip]

    I have traveled Route 106 from Concord to Laconia several times, going right
    by the Speedway in Loudon. Nextel has coverage along Route 106.

    Sandy




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