US Cellular is great at and around the lake. Going down the hill on 608 by the Cabinet shop is a little iffy, and so are the 3 dips on the way to Penhook, but I have great coverage everywhere else.

This is about NTELOS but they aren't an option one can pick on this form. They claim to be on the lake but it's rotten. I have been less than a half mile from the water and it goes roaming on me. Penhook is all roaming for NTELOS customers, and it did the same thing out near evington. They just don't have towers, I guess. Don't waste time with NTELOS if you're going around the lake.

No reception in house. 200 feet down the road, sounds like the person is standing next to you. Very spotty reception around this side of the lake. My parents have US Cellular and have great service.

I have tried every phone service in the area and each phone service has its faults, but now there is a new service in the area that seems to be perfect so far but it's not mentioned in our choices. "NTELOS" is now finally here at the Lake, works on and all around the Lake with no dropped calls, YEAH! It also features no Roaming ever, I give NTELOS thumbs up! AAA+++

Verizon has very spotty service in my location. I have to make a call near our bedroom window otherwise no service. Even then I usually only get 1 bar. Its not the phone since my wife has an LG camera phone and I previously had a Motorola V60 and had the same reception problem. Previous carriers I had (Sprint and AT&T / Cingular) were even worse. Verizon is the best for travelling and large cities however.

I dumped Sprint a few years ago because they had no coverage on the lake. The Cingular (then Suncom) saleswoman lent me a demo phone to take to the lake and ensure coverage. I have been with them ever since. I get a full signal at Bridgewater and near full all the way down the Roanoke river to the dam. I also get a near full signal out on Bull Run. I'm not saying that I don't get a signal on Blackwater and other parts of the lake, I just don't go there as often. I wish there was more info for on-the-water reception here. I am afraid to switch carriers since Cingular works so well, but it's nice to have options.