3G broadband data coverage for RVers

Ed_G · 07-10-2011, 09:59 AM

I am soon to acquire an iPad for my RV traveling communications ( email and web browsing ) and I have a choice of two providers for this broadband 3G service, Verizon and ATT.

My Question: For those of you who travel extensively in the Western United States, which of these two services do you feel provides the better coverage for your Internet?

Clay L · 07-10-2011, 10:10 AM

Verizon - hands down.
All of them have dead spots but we are rarely without 3G service even in some pretty out of the way places. Bouse AZ for example.

WheelingIt · 07-10-2011, 10:13 AM

Verizon...no doubt about it. All you have to do is look at the coverage map.

We've travelled w/ Verizon for a year and a half now. Very good coverage overall. End of last year we added an antenna and amplifier which improved our coverage even more.

Mike Canter · 07-10-2011, 10:39 AM

From my experience Verizon is a lot better service than AT&T. AT&T penny and dime you to death and I think they are more expensive than Verizon. Consumers Reports rate Verizon way over AT&T. There is also a difference in data formatting for transmission and the Verizon format is the same as Sprint and they share each other's towers and the format allows for faster data flow. 3G is just about in every city and along the major highways but not so much in the backwoods and it will slow down regardless of the provider. 4G is coming and is right now in major cities but not as widespread as they make it to be.

two2go · 07-10-2011, 11:08 AM

I found Verizon to be good in our travels from MN to CA. A friend who lives in AZ and travels CA to WA had AT&T but switched to Verizon because he was not satisfied with ATT performance.
Oddly for me, Verizon performance at our home in suburban Denver was awful, and I finally had to give them up for a wired service. I bought a Virgin Mobile (Sprint) modem, and their service is OK at best--coverage not so good.

texnet · 07-10-2011, 02:24 PM

I vote AT&T. I have been on their network since 1987 (before they were AT&T)

lblampman · 07-10-2011, 02:45 PM

I'll add that I've had AT&T phones for longer that I can remember but I also agree that in general Verizon has better 3G coverage overall. However, make sure and look at the coverage maps for the areas you think you'll be in most of the time. I recently got a Verizon 3G modem and found that the signal in the campground where we spend most of our time is zilch while AT&T has a great signal (so I'm using my AT&T phone for tethering). If you move about 5 miles either direction from the campground Verizon has a great signal. It does show that situation on the Verizon coverage map, I just didn't look before I ordered the 3G modem.

Les

**RJay** · 07-10-2011, 02:47 PM

Traveled 44 states including Alaska, Verizon hands down. My SO started with AT&T and converted to Verizon.

JohnH59 · 07-10-2011, 04:36 PM

We have both AT&T and Verizon iPads. The Verizon by far has better overall coverage. I can't tell much difference, if any, in speed.

Alfred622 · 07-10-2011, 04:53 PM

I have both also.... Verizon has more bars in more places than AT&T. Especially the places where I like to go camping. I got a Wilson amplifier & repeater (with an antenna on a 20' pole) for those "out nowhere" situations. About the only time I did not have service was North of Zipple Bay (the Lake of the Woods in extreme Northern MN)....likely because the trees were so tall where we were camping. Verizon has been pretty reliable too.

If you have not gotten your phone yet, take a look at the new Verizon Droid 3. It is one amazing phone and, with its slide out keyboard, you have the best of both worlds.

macnkat · 07-10-2011, 05:24 PM

Same as others...Verizon no question. I had the AT&T iPad and lost signal across the desert going to Phoenix and that doesn't happen with my Verizon iPad. Also, my son has an AT&T iPhone and the DW and I have the Verizon iPhone and more times than not when parked we get 3G and he is either a weak signal or none.

kjburns · 07-10-2011, 05:29 PM

The coverage maps will tell you. Much of the AT&T coverage in the west is EDGE, a non-3G connection. Verizon 3G is almost everywhere. There are holes, but for the most part, they're in the most remote areas.