Coverage Reviews for Yosemite National Park, CA

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Rating | Carrier | Location

Verizon

Able to make and receive calls. Able to send and receive text messages. Could not complete calls to voice mail. No data service, had to use WiFi at Yosemite Lodge (slow -- 0.3Mbps)

T-Mobile

I had full bars on Tmoble cell but NO reception other than emergency only use message on phone. Virizon users had usage. That was very peculiar!

AT&T

I never got more than 3 bars and often times 1-2 bars but it was enough to get calls and most of the time to call out. Sending and receiving texts was fine. I was not able to retrieve any voicemails for some reason--they must go through 3G or something. Also, I never was able to download any emails or send any emails with the Edge network--it just wouldn't push through. (There is no 3G available.) I ending up having to take my phone and laptop to Curry Village to view emails.

Verizon

Amazing that cell phone companies have yet to put cell phone antenna's in the valley that provide coverage. I could only make calls using 1X with this phone. Never received any calls. They went to voice mail which I then had to check. Forget data service. You will need to get on a wifi network near the lodging that is available. Golden State Cellular is terrible. I know my phone is old but it has an external antenna that can be used. My wife's iPhone 4 on Verizon did not fare any better.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile has NO reception anywhere in Yosemite. Everyone else talking on phones had Verizon or AT&T

Verizon

Verizon works in many areas of the park, through their reciprocal roaming agreement with Golden State Cellular which actually provides the service. I've had coverage throughout Yosemite Valley, and even out in Yosemite West where no other carrier has coverage (Sprint may also roam onto Golden State). Supposedly, data service is now available (without data roaming charges) since a reciprocal data roaming agreement with Golden State Cellular was signed in 2010.

AT&T

I am a frequent visitor to Yosemite. I have AT&T and have used multiple phones. My fiancé has Verizon with the Droid 2. We have never had a problem with AT&T reception in Yosemite Valley or in the high country along Tioga road. You cannot get 3G, but edge works great, and this is expected for rural areas. You are there to enjoy nature, not use the data plan on your phone. The same cannot be said for Verizon. Verizon has terrible coverage in Yosemite Valley. It did not work at the Ahwahnee or at Curry Village and there was barely a signal at Yosemite Lodge. As previous reviews said when you start to hike out of the Valley Verizon begins to get a signal. AT&T also works on these trails. But think about when you want to use your cell phone in the park. While you are hiking or when you are at your hotel at the end of the night.

Verizon

Verizon reception is best of all carriers. Best in the east end of Yosemite Vally, non-existent on the west end except for Tunnel View, where it is weak. Weak at the Yosemite Lodge. Very good at Glacier Point and top of Sentinel Dome. Yosemite West subdivision is spotty, only one spot excellent, at the fork of Hennes Ridge Rd.and Yosemite Parkway. Reception excellent on the Yosemite Falls Trail and Vernal Fall (also known as the Mist) trail. Good at Tuolumne Meadows and on local trails 2 miles north and south. Non at Tioga Pass. Excellent all along 395.

AT&T

AT&T shows coverage at Crane Flat but there was no coverage. Other campers with Verizon, Nextel, and Spring had good reception. Too bad AT&T is so busy monopolizing that it fails to live up to its advertising.

Verizon

I have been working in Yosemite for about a year now. Reception is generally not a problem. There are some areas where calls cut out a bit but I don't feel like it is any worse than when I lived in San Francisco.

Verizon

Amazingly I got reception at the base of Nevada Falls on the Mist Trail. I couldn't believe it. Nicely done Verizon.

Sprint

In Yosemite neighborhood on southwest edge of the park. Poor signal, but usable. Roaming singal. NO data connection, voice only.

Verizon

Upper Pines Campground. 1 bar with Verizon vx6800. 2 Bars with work-issued Blackberry Curve I only turned the phones on in the evening to check for emails / messages. YMMV

AT&T

Had surprisingly good reception at the top of Half Dome (8800 ft alt). Had to call my cousin at work to rub it in. There was another guy up there who borrowed my phone because he had no bars. I think he had T-Mobile. I am, however going to change from AT&T to Verizon as soon as my contract is up because AT&T gets almost NO reception in Groveland where our vacation home is.

T-Mobile

No reception anywhere in the park. My hiking partner had reception in high spots like Nevada Falls but none in the valley (I think she's on a different carrier, though).

Verizon

I went to Yosemite and right when I got into the valley service was there. It was Extended Network, my txting worked. The service was ok it was Golden State Cellular. It worked ok just at night sometimes if I tried calling someone it would say all circuits are busy it was ok.

Sprint

I got decent ANALOG reception with my three-year-old dual-band Samsung phone when I visited Yosemite in August, 2005. I was standing in Curry Village. As one of the previous reviewers said, you may need to walk around a bit until you are happy with the reception.

AT&T

Last year with AT&T GSM I had excellent reception in Yosemite Valley. This year with Cingular NO RECEPTION. How is it possible to merge two networks and have worse service?

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