Spectrum Mobile - anyone make the switch?
 

I have Spectrum for TV and internet in Moultonborough. Am considering switching from Verizon for mobile service. Curious if others in the lakes region have made the switch and whether they like Spectrum Mobile service (which supposedly uses Verizon's towers).

Only guidance I can provide is that virtual providers, like Spectrum, don't get the privilege of using Verizon's roaming partners. In the Lakes Region (and NH) area, it is US Cellular. USC covers areas, particularly in northern NH that Verizon doesn't, they rely on the roaming agreement in sparse areas. I can't comment on their administrative prowess, tho. Technically, if you can go with Verizon only towers, you should be all set with coverage.

I wanted Spectrum for internet and tv and they told me they are not in The Weirs area, so I had to go with Atlantic Broadband. Haven't moved yet but they are scheduled to install in a couple of weeks.

I use Straight Talk for my IPHONE and works well in our new house (we are not moved in yet, though). Hubby is getting a flip phone from Consumer Cellular- I believe it is the AT&T network, so we are hoping it works up there.

At&t?
 

I've been using a Verizon "hot-spot" for three distant locations with my Smartphone.

One southern location has been slowly dropping coverage. According to the local dealer, that's now normal. :eek2: (The new normal?)

Next, I hope to go with AT&T, and their "hot-spot".

Any experience(s) would be helpful.

Another issue with MVNOs is deprioritization. If Spectrum runs on Verizon towers, its users will come second (or third, fourth, etc.) to Verizon users when accessing the network. Midweek and off-season aren't usually an issue (July 4th week made me change my service) but weekends can be horrible. Of course, that mostly applies to data usage--some texts I'd sent and received had been slowed, and some calls didn't go through, but not many--but it's an important overall part of the decision. Good luck!

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AT&T vs Verizon
 

I was told AT&T has the state and federal contract to expand LTE coverage for first responders communications. They spent millions of our money on new locations throughout NH. I was told by an LEO that they are not there yet as they are testing out coverage.
My guess is to hold out on any switching services until AT&T is finished. Verizon has competition as to coverage. Care to comment?

ATT&T FirstNet
 

You are correct. It is part of a nationwide initiative financed by the federal government known as "FirstNet". AT&T/FirstNet are two years in to a five year buildout in NH. The most significant and early increase in coverage is in Coos County, where many new towers are being built.

Likewise AT&T is building additional towers, or leveraging existing towers, throughout the rest of the State.

While the goal is to provide near seamless coverage throughout the State for first responders using voice & data, the contract allows AT&T to "sell off" excess capacity to the general public. When completed I believe it will easily equal or surpass Verizon's current coverage and offer many new benefits as well.

I use both networks and find that AT&T is quickly catching up in what was previously Verizon only coverage, and is actually filling in areas (Coos in particular) that never had coverage....

One huge advantage to AT&T over Verizon is with their service you can multi task on your phone or I pad. You can be on the phone and use other apps or even text. You cannot do that with other services.


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Verizon multitask
 

You can multitask on a Verizon phone depending on phone and how it is set up. I recently used innocaption which uses VOIP/CDMA and LTE spontaneously. Works very well on my HTC 10 but does not work on the Galaxy.

In fact I had innocaption running while I was filling out a form on Chrome.
Talk about multitasking!

AT & T works on both apple and android with no set up necessary, works right out of the box

AT&T not only will be able to sell the extra capacity on the first responder network, but by taking all the first responder traffic off their regular network, it is supposed to have freed up a lot of bandwidth.

With very, very few exceptions, AT&T has been a superior experience than Verizon. And, at $71 a month for two phones prepaid with 16GB each, it's a bargain.

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I switched from Verizon to Spectrum mobile last year. Since that time I have driven across the country and also down to Florida. Nowhere did I experience any problems with my Spectrum Mobile. Spectrum Does use Verizon Towers for their transmissions. At a cost of $14.00/gig of data with unlimited talk and text or $45.00 for unlimited data. The only drawback is that you have to have spectrum internet to get their mobile service.

FirstNet in NH:
https://www.nhbr.com/att-invests-mor...s-up-firstnet/

https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-deci...r-all/14512309

I am thinking about making the switch too, the quoted rates INCLUDE taxes and fees, which make it really attractive. The downside is my phone, a pixel bought from Verizon, is not switchable, I would have to buy a phone. So that still has me thinking about it.