Hi Guys and Gals of the trucking world

If you're truly OTR and not local/regional, either Verizon or ATT .. whoever has the best deal going on, but if I had to choose 1 of those two and money was no object, I'd choose ATT because of better data network overall from my experience with dead areas with Verizon data where I know ATT data works. I think most of the carriers are with ATT for their in-truck communications (Qualcomm, etc) either because the nationwide data footprint is better and more extensive or ATT offers better bulk pricing plans.

If you're not into data, and just concerned with phone operation and SMS texting, there may be plenty of other options worth considering outside of ATT & Verizon

 

I have Sprint for my cell phone which generally is okay but I have limited data which you can't get from Verizon & ATT.

 

As far as service goes use verizon. If you want to go cheap dont get tmobile get metropcs instead. I personally have metro pcs and had 3 codrivers with tmobile. Its the same exact service only tmobile customers pay more, we tested it out in all 48 states. Honestly i love metro pcs unlimited data the month isnt even over i already used 30 gb haha. I figure if duspatchers, customers, brokers or anyone else csnt get a hold of me they can wait. And i can wait i sure as hell dont want to talk to any of them anyways.

 

i've driven all over us, no service covers every where. when working, i use a major carrier, and one of sub carriers, straight talk, net 10, etc. i look for a sub carrier that leases from all the mega carriers....i've had sprint, verizon, tmobile (no att) to have a full service and smart phone options......thats one phone. my second phone would be a sub carrier that leases "lines" from tha major carriers, their phones are usually proprietary, cheap, etc.
so, i'd have two phones,one major with smart phone, data, wifi, etc options.... second phone cheap bare bones, but usually covered what my major didnt.....nevertheless, sometimes neither phone worked........I80 west to east for example, i've usually had a consistent problem, although i've had folx tell me att works well I80.
i'm not fond of some dispatchers/broker's, especially one's that wanna drive from behind tha desk. but i kept two phones operational for carrier/customer's sake when i knew there was a legitimate need for communications, late, etc...
i understand "my way" may not be necessary or worth tha expense, just sharing how i dealt with communications.........short of a satcom phone, lol,

 

If I am not mistaken, many services have maps on the internet with their range of coverage. I think too that in some instances, one company "rents or leases" cell towers from one another, but I could be wrong. What is important is that you want the best coverage you can get for the prices available.

Some will say ATT, some will say Verizon, some will say Sprint. You have to check for yourself, the plan YOU want at the prices YOU can afford.

I for instance can have the superset, duperest plan out there, but why. I cannot for the life of me see any reason to spend more money than I need to for service plans. What is a cheaper plan today, will only increase in price soon enough. It is a game they all play to get your business then sock it to you later.

I have had now for the past few years, a pre-paid disposable phone. Guess what, when I was out there in Nevada a few years ago?

I was able to call Maine.

So certainly I have no problem in cheaping out. But I also do not text, email, whatever else every one else does.

 

Verizon all the way. Their newer network has 4g pretty well everywhere. Service is also very good. In the rare occasion you have no bars but do have 4g you can make the call or receive it over the data network. I recently upgraded phones and now I cannot find a dead spot. I travel mainly 80,90,94 in the west and in the east I do pa,nj,NY,MD.

 

Verizon is better in Wyoming and Montana. Better meaning it works on the highway, where my co driver with T-Mobile only worked in towns.

 

I use T-Mobile and only have a few areas where I get absolutely no service.

But I'm considering jumping to Verizon for my personal line and leaving my daughters and my WiFi hotspot at my apartment on T-Mobile.

Verizon has been cutting their prices to where it's pretty tempting.

 

I will give you a little advice, there are a couple phone companies who rent the technology from both verizon and AT&T, but are a lot cheaper. I think walmarts phone service is one who has access to verizon at iirc 35 a month for a lot of data and nation wide service.