Cell phones/service

I was thinking about getting a cell phone to keep in touch with the parents and friends back home (keep us from paying long distance and the problem of not enough lines in the dorms?) Any opinions on having a cell phone while working up there? Which service providers have decent coverage around Cedar Point? Thanks,

Shawn

Aim: gtguy18

My cell phone works out there and it's At&t. I think a cell phone out there is a good idea. Not enough lines in the apartments, like you said, but don't it to the park. You'll get busted for having it on the job. I think, though, cell phones are the way to go.

No problems with Sprint PCS on-point for me.

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

I use Verizon Wireless, which works pretty good as well. I have the Free:Up plan so I put money on my phone just like a phone card, and don't have to worry about monthly bills.

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~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Park Admissions TL '02
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Who's afraid of the big bad... sea gull?

I also have the Verizon Freeup Plan. I have yet to use it at Cedar Point yet but I was pretty darn close when I was taking the turnpike out to Bowling Green for a visit a few weeks ago. I did have one problem though. Every time I dialed a number from my phone, it prompted me to enter the number again. I wasn't being charged for roming or anything like that. I really have no idea why it was doing it. I don't know if this is a problem for anyone else but it started happening as soon as I left Lorain County and it went back to normal as soon as we got back into Lorain County. It works normally down here in Columbus. Other than that problem, the service worked fine out there.

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Brad Wagner
The Ohio State University
2002: Snake River Falls

I seem to have a lot of trouble getting a clear signal with AT&T, though I can usually get the call out. YMMV

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

*** This post was edited by Gemini on 4/10/2002. ***

Buy a phone card and use the commons phones. Its really not as hard as everyone says to get a line out.

I have a prepaid phone from Cricket. It covers only Toledo and Sandusky but the signal is very clear. It has unlimited minutes and long distance is only $0.08 a minute as long as you prepay it.

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Disaster-2000
CP&LE RR and White Water Landing 2001
Mine Ride-2002
weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

AT&T don't have service in Sandusky. SIgnals are hard to get. Especailly in buildings. If you use AT&T you'll be in Extended area. Depending on your plan that may be extra money. there is Cellular one service in Sandusky and Sprint. Other than that I'm not real sure. Just watch your contract really carefully.

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Sprint PCS. 'Nuff siad.

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Neil Rupp
'02 Marketing - Group Events
TDBDITL

Cellular One Is now Verizon Wireless in the Sanduksy Area Verizon has a great Service.

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I used AT&T and didnt have a problem at all, I was in extended area but that was included in my plan so i dont pay extra, but my signal is really good.

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Camp Snoopy ATL '00
Camp Snoopy TL '01
Gemini TL '02

Verizon works very well at the Point, and it seems to have the best coverage on the islands, if that's important to you.

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It's very hard to drink all day...
Unless you start first thing in the morning.

Good, I love Verizon, and since I have to pay for more minutes this Friday in order to keep my service, it is a good thing that my phone will be working well!!

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~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Park Admissions TL '02
----------------------
Who's afraid of the big bad... sea gull?

Verizon wireless did NOT work @ the park for me AT ALL last season. I know one of my GTTP buds was right behind me on MFs line (he has Sprint) and he called my phone and it said it was off. I had to be clear down Rte 4 before I could get a signal. Don't think its just my phone either. I had a thread here last season asking people about Verizon/cell phone usage at CP and the majority agreed that Verizon was useless at the Po!nt. When I worked there I simply carried a phone card with me in case I needed to get in touch with someone while I was on the Po!nt.

Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Next VP of GOCC?
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)

Agh; well, I will have both just to be prepared... You can never tell until you're there and see what happens.

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~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Park Admissions TL '02
----------------------
Who's afraid of the big bad... sea gull?

I use VoiceStream and it does have coverage in Sandusky but I would never recommend getting a phone with them because as soon as you're outside any town with more than 15,000 people then you have no coverage. (In other words rural areas and crappy little two-house towns don't have coverage)

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Jon

Park Op 2000, 2001, 2002
"He's gonna rue the day he came up against The Extreme baby!
Bill I'm talking imminent rueage, imminent rueage..."

Verizon had a capacity problem in Sandusky a couple of years ago, on busy weekends it was hard to get through. This has been fixed, judging by the service I received last year. Service for me was TOTALLY reliable (digital phone) all over Cedar Point and Sandusky, and I was able to use the phone from Put-In-Bay where my friend on Sprint wasn't able to get a signal. So, for me, I have no complaints at all about Verizon.

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It's very hard to drink all day...
Unless you start first thing in the morning.

Nobody has mentioned them, but I was, as of now, leaning towards Cingular wireless. They told me that they have coverage up in Sandusky, and their new plans claim to have no roaming charges (so provided I buy a tri-band phone, I can use Sprint PCS's towers too). Anybody have an opinion on them?

Shawn

OK...I used to work for a wireless company, so I can give the deelio on them...

Cingular Wireless is said to be extremely good signal-wise. But I also heard that their rates are way too expensive for what you get.

Verizon is a decent service, I had them about 2 years ago...didnt have many dropped calls, and hardky eve had no signal except in bad weather.

I have AT&T now, and I can say this is the best cellphone service I have ever seen. I havnt had a dropped call yet, always get a signal, and no roamong charges. Although I have never been in sandusky, I am covered there, so I dont see why it doesnt work.

Northcoast wireless - CRAPPY. Theres a reason you get unlimited minutes for 34.95 ; Their towers suck, and every other call gets dropped. I had them for about 3 months, and I payed the early termination fee to go to AT&T. enough said.

Ive never had Sprint PCS but from what I hear, theyre good. Clear signal all the time, and cheap phones if you buy longer service plans, although just about every wireless company does that now.

VoiceStream isnt in ohio, sorry guys.

So thats the lowdown. Remember these are just what Ive heard and my own personal experiences. Make your own choices. Hope this helped!

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We who are truly brave, will never live in fear."
Challenge Park '02

*** This post was edited by MainChallengeMan on 4/11/2002. ***