Ok ,I looked for any recent related threads on this subject, and havent noticed anything that would help. I am sure it is not a new question, but here goes anyway.
I dont have the dough to shell out for cell amp, etc. So will anyone please tell me who is the best cell phone company for over the road trucking?

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making the swift move, to Knight

i would say either AT&T (cingular) or verizon...

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I have ATT but will be switching to Verizon at the end of my contract. The Verizon air cards have better coverage than the ATT air card as well.
I have run into many dead spots with my ATT cell phone but have friends with Verizon that get coverage in the same places my phone dropped out. The prices seem comparable as well especially now that they both have unlimited calling plans with no roaming charges.

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Knowledge is Power

Go with AT&T and you won't get stranded.

I can't tell you the number of times I have stopped for a driver with NO signal.

My most recent stop, last week. MM 87 in AZ. You can see the tower across the road (north side) The guy I stopped for had ZERO signal. He had Verizon.

Another in south TX along Hwy 59 just west of Victoria. Driver had Sprint...no signal.

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I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

Don't expect to have 100% coverage with any cell service. It's just not gonna happen. I've personally had very good service from Verizon. But I do HATE their commercials!

We have Verizon. No problems with it for the past 2 years. Had Sprint for 4 years previous and dropped/dead areas were left and right. I'll keep Verizon.

I agree with ya about the commercials though, Big Don. But you gotta admit, it's not as bad as a day glo truck burping out a box on a curb like Sprint's, lol.

I'm going with Sprint in a few weeks, after I get through training and I'll let you know how their service is across the 48

Let me save you the trouble. I had them for 3 years...it sucked.

Although their international service and rates are better than AT&T

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I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

lol - I really appreciate the effort - I'll shop around before going with Sprint -thanks, cj.

If you're going west, Sprint Completely drops around the Archway in Nebraska and doesn't completely pick back up until you are about 100 miles from Reno....then you lose it again between Donner and Sacramento. There are some spots it picks up (SLC, Reno, Salt Flats....) but for the most part...your screwed thru most of Nebraska, all of Wyoming (except Cheyenne) and most of Utah and Idaho. If you take I84, you lose it completely between Boise and about the Halfway mark in Oregon.

If you're going south from Seattle on I-5, you lose it at Siskiyou Pass in Oregon and you WILL NOT get service back until you get to Redding California.

If you are taking the lower route (I40, I10, I-Eight)the only problem spots I had were between San Antonio and El Paso (cuts in and out) and Between Eloy AZ and the California State Line. Also a little spotty between Memphis and Nashville.

If you go the I81 corridor, you lose it for the 22 miles you are in WVA and then on I77 and I64 between Wytheville Va and Beckley WVA. There are some dead spots in Eastern Ky also.

Other than that....Midwest is good except Lower Kansas (Pratt to Liberal on US 54) and Rural parts of Northern Iowa (Waterloo especially.)

Sprint is a charm on the Eastern Seaboard and all thru New England.

LOL, I just realized, Sprint has more dead spots than most Cemetaries....good thing I went to Verizon! HA