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Old 10-27-2016, 05:02 PM   #41
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Consumer cellular uses the AT&T network- not Verizon.
Consumer Cellular Review 2016 | Cell Phone Plans
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Old 10-27-2016, 05:06 PM   #42
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My mistake, sorry.
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Old 10-27-2016, 06:54 PM   #43
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I have had a TracFone account for about three years now and I'm satisfied with it. The account uses the Verizon network so I have good coverage, especially out west. Initially I had an LG phone but in January I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Stardust phone for use with the account. I got the phone at Target on sale for $50. It has a four-inch screen and 3G connectivity.

The TracFone account is pay-as-you-go with no monthly fee, you just purchase minutes when you need them. The minutes are bundled with data and text message allotments. Since I don't talk on the phone much it works out well for me-- so far this year I've spent $215 on my TracFone account, including purchase of the Samsung phone.

TracFone will also allow new customers to bring phones into their system, but I don't know how this works. There is a list of phones that are eligible for this.

For Internet connectivity I have a Verizon account with a hotspot, like several of you do. TracFone's 3G data is good for minimal Internet use such as email or getting the weather report, but you can't do serious web surfing with it.
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Old 10-27-2016, 08:04 PM   #44
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Cell service

I am a retired Verizon Communications Engineer. I initially worked for New England Tel & Tel when I was first hired in 1971 (yes i know... I'm dating myself). I went through all the mergers and divestitures and spent three years at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Andover Massachusetts. When I retired in 2006 I continued working as an Engineering Consultant for various Telecom and communications companies as a contractor both on the wired line infrastructure as well as the wireless cellular side of the business. I don't say this because I am partial... Verizon Wireless has the finest network. I've worked for them all. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a killer Verizon Wireless Retiree cell plan...
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Old 10-27-2016, 08:59 PM   #45
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YES! Thanks for that; I was an agent for "the other guy " for years and because they were the LEC (local exchange carrier) for landlines we did very well here. Went to Costco in SLO recently and asked the cellphone guy who works for Wireless Advocates- the agent they contract with what percentage of Verizon business they do and he said 85%.
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Old 10-27-2016, 10:34 PM   #46
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I don't say this because I am partial... Verizon Wireless has the finest network.
I agree, after having used 3 of the 4 big carriers over the last 10 years, and traveling all over the country. Verizon is a cut above the others in terms of signal quality and coverage. I even got cell coverage and data at Big Bend National Park. The Verizon map shows zero coverage there.
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Old 10-28-2016, 09:27 AM   #47
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We have just returned home from Chilliwack with our new escape & have Verizon. Yes, we were told that for $2.00 per day (on the days we used it) our phone would be good in Canada. It was good in the Chilliwack area. However, we chose to travel trans Canadian hwy. and re-entered the US in Montana. Beautiful country but most of the time our phone did not work. We also found that when we crossed into Canada our GPS did not work. Lesson learned. IF I had it to do over again & if I were going to spend any amount of time in Canada, I would go buy one of the disposable trac phones to use while there instead of thinking I could depend on Verizon. Also talked to Canadians who frequent the US & they find their phones do not work well in the US & they buy a disposable cell phone with minutes to use while in the US. From our experience, I would recommend to anyone traveling to make sure either gps or cell phone will work & always carry a map just in case neither does.
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Old 10-28-2016, 10:07 AM   #48
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According to a "leaked memo" Verizon shut down their CDMA service in Canada and are using GSM & LTE. Translated this would mean they are not using Telus anymore which is the best carrier for coverage in most of Canada. While they claim the switch is because Global carriers are retiring their CDMA networks that is not the case, at least for now with Telus. I think they are doing it because they get much better roaming rates from the other Canadian carriers- at your expense!
Verizon switching to GSM and LTE in Canada, Mexico and other countries for global roaming service
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Old 10-28-2016, 12:40 PM   #49
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According to a "leaked memo" Verizon shut down their CDMA service in Canada and are using GSM & LTE. Translated this would mean they are not using Telus anymore which is the best carrier for coverage in most of Canada.
The Bell/Telus network (the two companies collaborated on infrastructure) is LTE in most areas, so non-CDMA Verizon customers could still be carried on Telus - although with poor rural coverage due to depending on LTE - but I agree that if they "shut down their CDMA service" it must mean swithcing partners, since Verizon doesn't actually have any infrastructure in Canada.

If Verizon did switch, it would be to Rogers, the only GSM operator. For many years Rogers clearly had the worst coverage of any major network in Canada, and as of a couple years ago it was still poor in rural areas of the west, but I don't know the current state.
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Old 10-28-2016, 12:53 PM   #50
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...Beautiful country but most of the time our phone did not work. We also found that when we crossed into Canada our GPS did not work.
There are places on even major highways in the B.C. mountains that no mobile network has coverage... but there is variation between companies.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) works - meaning it can determine your location - everywhere you have a view of the sky (and thus of the satellites). What can be lacking is map data, and I have heard of vehicles sold in the U.S. with built-in navigation systems that did not include Canada (or only included southern portions of Canada). This is inexcusably stupid, but built-in navigation systems of vehicles sold in Canada always (as far as I know) include the U.S. - they have maps for North America.

I assumed that all aftermarket GPS-based navigation systems sold in North America would have maps for all of North America and that may be true for those sold in Canada; certainly mine do. I checked the first product of this type listed by BestBuy.com (a basic Garmin) and was surprised and disappointed to find that it included only U.S. maps. Exactly the same model is not offered by BestBuy.ca, but the similar Garmin models here all come with maps for Canada and the U.S. (but still not Mexico). That's idotic, and this discussion serves as a good heads-up to U.S. residents to make sure they have suitable maps loaded before venturing across the border.
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Old 10-28-2016, 01:00 PM   #51
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My buddy bought a new Highlander and found the nav maps out of date for his area. He talked to Toyota service and found that they only update the maps once a year and it cost $250 for western Canada and U.S. and another $250 for eastern Canada and U.S.
I'll be keeping my TomTom with lifetime map updates, assuming I buy a Highlander.
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Old 10-28-2016, 01:23 PM   #52
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My buddy bought a new Highlander and found the nav maps out of date for his area. He talked to Toyota service and found that they only update the maps once a year and it cost $250 for western Canada and U.S. and another $250 for eastern Canada and U.S.
This is definitely an issue with built-in navigation systems, and one reason that I don't consider such systems to be of much value. I would suggest buying a $250 GPS navigator and sticking it over the Highlander's screen, but unfortunately that screen is probably also needed to operate the entertainment system... and who knows what else.

Another approach is to use Android Auto or Apple Carplay to put your smartphone's map on the vehicle's screen, but Toyota does not have these systems. Most other brands with similar vehicles do have this capability, on their newest models.

The east-west split is interesting.
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