Does anyone have any experience with different carriers other that AT&T and Verizon? We currently have AT&T and it seems ok but the price is getting crazy for what we get. I’ve been looking at TMobile and that seems like way more bang for the buck. Anyone know how that coverage is around international falls/Rainy Lake or Red Lake and Lake of the Woods? There has to be other options out there.
If you like AT&T coverage, there are some cheaper alternatives, I am sure puretalk.com uses AT&T network and you should be able to use the phone you have now. AT&T prepaid plans are even cheaper than postpaid
I have AT&T through Red Pocket, $20 a month
You can also go through All the major carriers with Red Pocket
We have T-Mobile and it’s not good in that area. Completely lose coverage while on LOTW and lots of dead spots around the Chippewa national forest and from Red Lake north to baudette. Coverage is fine around I-falls but not sure about on Rainy.
It has gotten better over the last few years but I wouldn’t recommend if you need good coverage in those areas.
Thanks. That’s exactly what I was hoping to find out. Sounds like I will have to keep exploring other options.
Not what your looking for but I like not having coverage in certain areas. 
Confirming T-Mobile is terrible as far as coverage if you’re an outdoors person. Even in the Hinckley area where my hunting property is, all the towers are along the freeway so 5 miles off the freeway you’ve got no coverage. Also no coverage on many northern MN lakes.
Verizon is the way to go, You hear about everyone else complaining but you never hear a Verizon customer complaining about coverage. Just saying……..
Verizon best coverage I have found, you will have to pay a bit more but at least I can use my cell in northern mn.
Verizon is the way to go, You hear about everyone else complaining but you never hear a Verizon customer complaining about coverage. Just saying……..
I feel like the areas he asked about AT&T has better coverage than Verizon. I would give them a close second though. I know a friend who switched to Xfinity and seems pleased and the cost was less than mine.
Verizon is the way to go, You hear about everyone else complaining but you never hear a Verizon customer complaining about coverage. Just saying……..
Funny you mention it… Verizon sucks azz up around Brainerd. There’s so many random dead spots and it’s getting so annoying I’m looking to switch to AT&T.
https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/Best-Coverage-in-Minnesota-USA
Verizon is all I’ve ever had. But since moving here, it’s getting really irritating randomly loosing coverage all over the place.
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Check out GSN vs CDMA and buy an unlocked phone for one of them. Then you can use any carrier and switch whenever you like. I use an unlocked through straight talk with AT&T towers.
T-Mobile doesn’t have the best coverage. The single comes in better on Apple devices than Samsung. I once complained that T-Mobile says I have coverage at my house according to their map. They updated their map and greyed out my house. 
Personally I have never had a problem with Verizon traveling north. Verizon may by expensive but you get what you pay for.
Verizon is the way to go, You hear about everyone else complaining but you never hear a Verizon customer complaining about coverage. Just saying……..
I drop calls with Verizon all the time. In the metro and north.
I drop calls with Verizon all the time. In the metro and north.
That could actually be your brand of cell phone that is causing that.
Only 3 sets of cellular antennas are used. Tmobile/sprint, Verizon, and AT&T., All carriers and service providers use these towers. All you’re paying when on a plan is for “convenience” and some providers only rent some towers. Get a good unlocked phone and pair it with a pay per month AT&T plan. I pay 35$ for unlimited everything.
Ive never had a dropped call on verizon and I have had it for 20 years or so. Yes, I have had times where I had no signal, the short stretch by Red Lake and the stretch on the East Side of Winni, but that is it. There was a time I went with a buddy to Crane Lake and they had ATT and they had coverage when I didnt, but I didnt really care because I was on vacation.
That could be but have an IPhone 14 now and a 12 previously. Dropped calls weekly in the metro.
Yeah, I am on Android. Ive heard more issues with iPhones than Androids TBH, but some phones are just funky. I make sure to restart mine often especially if I drive out of my normal range to make sure it picks up the towers, Ive heard that helps too.
I have both phone. Android for personal, and an iPhone for work. They both drop calls on Verizon. It’s getting really irritating and that’s why I’m switching. Plus, Verizon has very little 5g coverage. If I’m going to be paying a premium price for the “best” service, I should have the best speeds right?
You would think.
5g is overrated IMO and likely why you guys are having problems.
Can’t comment on the areas you are interested in but I have Tmobile. Coverage good along major roadways but not so great off the beaten path. At our deer shack in northern WI I have almost no signal while Verizon phones do ok. We have a signal booster. But 1/2 mile away sitting in a ground blind under big pine canopy I had full 5G signal. I could stream video while no deer came by.
5g is overrated IMO and likely why you guys are having problems.
My problem is with 4g. Verizon doesn’t have any 5g around me…
That is really strange RJ!
Thanks for all the input everyone. It’s very much appreciated. It sounds like I should look into the month by month plans. We do use our phones as a hotspot a considerable amount in the fish house and on long trips so the little one can watch movies and play games so that’s something I will have to see if offer. Sounds like I can 100% rule out T-Mobile though.
i thought there was another smaller company that actually used verizon towers. it might be charter spectrum actually. my parents switched to them and they were like half price of what they were paying at AT&T. for me verizon has always been the best coverage but yes it is getting expensive every month.
I have been using straight talk with the Verizon plan for 3 years. Works as good as my previous Verizon plan at 1/3rd the price. Lotw,red and I falls it works great. Not sure out on rainy lake though.
Had verizon most my adult life, recently switched to xfinity and it sucks. Serious suckage. Suckville, USA. Big time suckathon. The Big Suckowski.
I’ll be switching very soon
For reference have a S22
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