Use of Verizon cell phone in Ketchikan, AK

Has any used Verizon cell phone service in Ketchikan, Alaska. I have heard T Mobile works but nothing about Verizon. Appreciate any information.

Verizon works fine in all Alaska ports

Verizon works fine in all Alaska ports

Yep. Verizon actually works anywhere in Alaska that one can get a signal. Of course there were a fair number of places in Alaska where we couldn't get any signal but it wasn't a problem at the ports. The interior was another story. ;p

Even my cricket wireless worked everywhere

Worked fine last summer

We were there week before last and no problems with my phone or iPad with Verizon.

yes, like everyone stated, absolutely no problems with the signal with verizon. Worked like a charm in all the ports!

On our trip to Alaska we used our Verizon phone in Ketchikan to call home. No problem with the cell transmission.

Then we later got the bill - we got hit with ROAMING Charges, big time.

We no longer have Verizon.

On our trip to Alaska we used our Verizon phone in Ketchikan to call home. No problem with the cell transmission.

 

Then we later got the bill - we got hit with ROAMING Charges, big time.

 

We no longer have Verizon.

Unusual, Alaska is part of the US. My Verizon plan includes all US states.

I called home from Ketchikan - just like a "regular" phone call - no extra charges.

Did you call from onboard the ship? Or while off the ship?

On our trip to Alaska we used our Verizon phone in Ketchikan to call home. No problem with the cell transmission.

 

Then we later got the bill - we got hit with ROAMING Charges, big time.

 

We no longer have Verizon.

We have Verizon as well and just returned from Alaska. No problem with service and no roaming charges in any of the ports. Sounds very strange as Alaska is included in the national plans.

It worked fine me.

Tony

I stopped at a mobile store in Juneau to ask about Verizon coverage since I didn't see any advertising for Verizon. YES, is the answer....but it is a different carrier (I don't recall the name). All ports in Alaska are covered by Verizon.

On a side note....I was "shocked" to "hear" so many complaints from people on a Vancouver bus to the airport. "What?" I don't have coverage in Canada?

I stopped at a mobile store in Juneau to ask about Verizon coverage since I didn't see any advertising for Verizon. YES, is the answer....but it is a different carrier (I don't recall the name). All ports in Alaska are covered by Verizon.

 

On a side note....I was "shocked" to "hear" so many complaints from people on a Vancouver bus to the airport. "What?" I don't have coverage in Canada?

Verizon is happy to sell a plan for Canada. For $25 you can get an entire month of coverage in Canada through Verizon. In Vancouver it works fine. In almost the entire rest of the province of British Columbia there is no service whether you have the plan or not. There is a lot of very beautiful "empty" in BC. :)

I have heard that Verizon works fine in AK ports too, but I just called them to verify and was told 1) there are no international plans for AK (which cracked me up and I had to let the agent know that AK is not international [emoji51]) and then he told me 2) that they don’t have service there. Bizarre. I’ll trust you guys before them.

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On our trip to Alaska we used our Verizon phone in Ketchikan to call home. No problem with the cell transmission.

 

 

 

Then we later got the bill - we got hit with ROAMING Charges, big time.

 

 

 

We no longer have Verizon.

I wonder if you picked up a Canadian signal.

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I have heard that Verizon works fine in AK ports too, but I just called them to verify and was told 1) there are no international plans for AK (which cracked me up and I had to let the agent know that AK is not international [emoji51]) and then he told me 2) that they don’t have service there. Bizarre. I’ll trust you guys before them.

 

 

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If you go on Verizon's website, it will show that Alaska is covered and the cost, if any, for Canada.

Depends on your plan.

Dial 611 on your Verizon cell phone.

Talk to a rep. I did this just yesterday because of this thread. Other than a monthly international surcharge plan I was able to opt for an add on that is $5 per day for Canada and Mexico, doesn’t affect my regular plan, and only kicks in on a day that your Verizon phone is actually using a Canadian or Mexican cell tower. You get full use of phone, text messages and data at your normal plan rates.

Great option for Vancouver, BC pre/post cruise for hotels, taxis, restaurants, keeping in touch with other members of your party, etc.

The same option is available for almost any other country in the world for $10 a day. The rep sent me an email with instructions for phone settings and plan details.

BTW, the rep also told me to be careful while on the cruise. He has had Alaska cruise customers that didn’t have the $5 plan tell him that while cruising along the coast they unknowingly connected to a Canadian tower and were hit by regular international rates. I believe that those rates were per megabyte. Ouch!!!

Again, check your plan to be sure.

Verizon has a LOT of grandfathered plans out there in the wild.

They seem to change every 6 months.

MrJulius

I have heard that Verizon works fine in AK ports too, but I just called them to verify and was told 1) there are no international plans for AK (which cracked me up and I had to let the agent know that AK is not international [emoji51]) and then he told me 2) that they don’t have service there. Bizarre. I’ll trust you guys before them.

 

 

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Wow. Sounds like Princess should recruit this person for their IT team. Given that level of incompetence he/she would fit right in. ;p

We were just in Alaska last week and have Verizon. Service worked fine in all of our ports, including Ketchikan - away from the ports it was pretty spotty (but I imagine that is true of all cell carriers, not just Verizon). We did the $5/day international add-on for our time in Vancouver, and that worked well. If you are in the port and too close to the ship, you can pick up the ship's cell tower (which then creates roaming charges).

away from the ports it was pretty spotty (but I imagine that is true of all cell carriers, not just Verizon).

On our trip to Alaska we used our Verizon phone in Ketchikan to call home. No problem with the cell transmission.

 

Then we later got the bill - we got hit with ROAMING Charges, big time.

 

We no longer have Verizon.

The problem MAY have been that you picked up a tower in Canada. You should see the little "roaming" icon on your phone if this happens. As long as you pick up a tower located in Alaska, you are fine...but this is a potential problem. It is a problem that can occur with any cell carrier at any location where you are very near a border.

Wow. Sounds like Princess should recruit this person for their IT team. Given that level of incompetence he/she would fit right in. ;p

Good one Thrak (y) :)

The Captain of The Rowboat,

Tony

Talk to a rep. I did this just yesterday because of this thread. Other than a monthly international surcharge plan I was able to opt for an add on that is $5 per day for Canada and Mexico, doesn’t affect my regular plan, and only kicks in on a day that your Verizon phone is actually using a Canadian or Mexican cell tower.

MrJulius

I have heard, not verified, that all the phone has to do is ping off a (in this case) Canadian tower and the $5 fee starts. Maybe someone can correct this or you can call Verizon to verify. (Of course from the other posts above not sure I would even trust a supervisor.)

I have heard, not verified, that all the phone has to do is ping off a (in this case) Canadian tower and the $5 fee starts. Maybe someone can correct this or you can call Verizon to verify. (Of course from the other posts above not sure I would even trust a supervisor.)

Cut 'n paste from the email that I received from Verizon...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

...TravelPass uses your domestic plan allowances for a daily fee Per line/day Available Countries Allowance

$5 Canada Uses Domestic Talk, Message, and Data

A 24 hour session starts when you place or answer a call, send a text or use data in a TravelPass country.

This includes background data and automatic updates. Incoming texts do NOT start a session. When ½ GB of data is used in one TravelPass session, the data speed will be reduced.

We'll send a text that lets you purchase additional high speed data OR the speed will simply resume with the next session.

No need to remove TravelPass when you return. It doesn't bill in the US.

Calls to numbers within the TravelPass country and calls to US numbers are covered by your domestic plan.

Calls to numbers of other countries are charged International Long Distance...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think the part that I highlighted in red would be the killer here. Every phone I know and all of the included apps on those phones, I suspect, are constantly running background data.

I would just assume that if the phone is on in Canada, then the $5 plan is on too.

MrJulius

I have a Verizon phone and was on a Alaska cruise last year that ended up at Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Juneau, and Ketchikan. Of the three port-areas, Hoonah was the worst as I think it had one shared tower and problematic reception. Juneau and Ketchikan were great in the "metro" area themselves, but once you went outside that area, no signal.

I would highly recommend contacting Verizon about a Travelpass, especially if your ship departs from Vancouver, BC. This will keep your costs limited at a flat rate.