Cell Phone Service in Alaska

[derek005]

I was wondering if we can use our cell phones in Alaska without incurring any additional charges. My provider is Sprint. Thanks!!!

[smplybcause]

It'll work up there. I'm not sure if everyone is off the same tower or not, but I had no problems in port with Verizon. Though an excursion that took me up in a mountain lost coverage up there. Even had coverage a long while on the sailaway from Seattle if you're leaving out of there. 

[zqvol]

3 hours ago, derek005 said:

I was wondering if we can use our cell phones in Alaska without incurring any additional charges. My provider is Sprint. Thanks!!!

Last time I looked all the ports in Alaska are in the US, just like any other state. If you don't pay extra to use your phone in Florida or Georgia, you won't pay extra in AK.

[don't-use-real-name]

3 hours ago, derek005 said:

I was wondering if we can use our cell phones in Alaska without incurring any additional charges. My provider is Sprint. Thanks!!!

YES you can use your cell phone in Alaska - just not all of it.

Near habitation cities etc. should be fine although maybe spotty in the adjacent rural areas.

Definitely no cell towers out on the tundra -  coastal sea areas - well Alaska has a whole lot

of uncovered areas what did you expect a cell tower in every acre of Seward's folly ?

About those charges - check with your cell phone provider and or read your contract fine print.

Sometimes Alaska is not considered part of the USA (the lower 48 that is) and you are stiffed

for those charges - what part of the USA do you not understand - primitive cell phone companies ?

Also beware incurring roaming out of country charges in and near the area between Seattle

and Vancouver/Victoria. This can be avoided by having a rider put on your account for service

in Canada (like Indiana Jones there is always those snakes - those cell phone providers it is FEEs).

A simple way to avoid this is turn the phone off and only turn it on to use when necessary.

You can of course subscribe to use of the phone service provided by NCL on the ship and be

semi-fully connected.

 

In the short of it - Call Sprint your provider and ASK the question "Can you hear me now " AND

what can you do to connect me on my trip to Alaska - and the coverage - what actually do you cover ? 

Edited July 9, 2019 by don't-use-real-name

[derek005]

Thanks everyone for your responses. 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, derek005 said:

I was wondering if we can use our cell phones in Alaska without incurring any additional charges. My provider is Sprint. Thanks!!!

You will work fine in Alaskan ports. Need to be very careful when the ship is underway. You’ll have US cell towers for a while, but may jump to a Canadian tower and incur charges. Also, once you lose sight of land, the ship will turn on its cell tower and you will get ship roaming charges from Sprint. 

[azdmelani]

Verizon worked fine in ports and when the ship was docked.  make sure to turn to wifi only when sailing.

[mking8288]

Sprint has free roaming coverage in Alaska ports when we're there, check w customer service about it.  Data was slow.  No coverage at Prince Rupert, BC for a short day. Victoria, BC should ... Check their coverage map and frequency bands used.

[pbenjamin]

We had no coverage in Icy Strait Point/Hoonah. The tour guide said that they had satisfactory coverage normally but when there were ships in port their coverage more or less disappeared. We were using Verizon.