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Originally Posted by mparus1
Any suggestions for the best for a ForestRiver Forester?
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I think I can help you with some info on obtaining the best cellular phone service signal strength, but in my opinion, the best answer to your inquiry would depend (to a large extent) on these two factors : 1. what regions/areas do you anticipate traveling within, in your RV ? 2. Which phone service provider do you use for your telephone communications ?
I have covered all 49 states, as well as much of Canada, working as a trucker, and I found that (for me) the one carrier that covers the map the best (fewest "dropped " calls, least number of "dead" zones) was Verizon. That having been said, however, I will also mention this : No matter which service provider you choose, there will be some weak zones as far as signal strength. Just go down the road a ways, however, and your signal might be better. Regions with lesser populations will not have the greatest phone coverage, generally speaking. Your cell phone always seeks out (by design) the strongest signal it can lock into. This probably means the closest cellular antenna. Along the interstate highway system, I usually could get a signal, nine times out of ten, because the network of antennas along those routes is pretty good. Out in the boondocks, it's touch and go. Get into a town of some kind and chances are, in most cases, your phone works better.
Trying to find the best "deal" on my phone bill, I tried other telephone carriers (besides Verizon) years ago, but the coverage quality was not even close as I traveled. I stuck with Verizon since then. (Disclaimer : No, I do not work for Verizon - LOL)
Reliable access to communicate was more important to me than saving a few bucks on the phone bill. If my rig blew a tire or if a mechanical issue came up, I needed to make sure my phone could get a signal so I could take care of the situation. Also, I didn't want to go all day in some remote region with no access to family, friends, my company and customers, or the outside world. Go with one of the bargain priced phone services and that is what you will get.
By going with Verizon I personally never needed any signal strength amplifier for my phone. All over North America, over the years, I could make a phone call in or out at least 90% of the time, as long as I was on the Interstate Highway system. Myself, I would spend that money on a signal amplifier for my TV sets instead (If you don't already have one) Winegard makes a great TV signal amplifier, but that is best covered in a different thread, of course.
If you prefer to add a telephone signal amplifier to your RV (instead of using Verizon, for example) There are lots of em shown on Am--zon.com but I cannot recommend any certain one, because I have never tried them out, myself. Perhaps browsing through some reviews might give you an idea on which device to try out.
You might be tempted to inquire at a RV dealer/supplier, but retail prices you pay will almost certainly be considerably higher there.
I hope this info is helpful, Best of luck to you.. Please let us know what you decided to do, and how well it worked.. BeenThereB4
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