As shown on the AT&T coverage map, the areas around Columbus, NC and Mill Spring, NC have little or no AT&T coverage. I am frequently in the area around Lake Adger now and I usually just turn my phone off to save battery life. There are a few spots where I can get 1 bar which will allow me to send or receive a text, but phone calls fail within seconds of connecting. The dead zone covers Mill Spring all the way up to Lake Lure. I can't believe that AT&T coverage here is so awful. Even in Columbus, NC which is the intersection of US-74 and I-26, you can only get 1 or 2 bars when standing outside (forget indoors). Sprint and Verizon have excellent (3G!) coverage in this area since they have towers located on Tryon Peak, just north of Columbus which covers this entire area. After speaking with AT&T "Offices of the President" they told me that there are no plans to add coverage in this area. I will have to wait out the contract and switch to Verizon.