cell phone coverage on the water

[geofish]

I think it hit me last week while I was trying to download radar app images to see when the t-storms were gonna get me. T-mobile cellphone coverage on the waters off of St Marks is pretty awful! Which cellphone company does best out on the flats & bay? I was thinking Verizon, but now I see that maybe only AT& T is going to have that new Galaxy 8 "Active" waterproof version. Which carrier do y'all use out there?

[Salty Gator]

I get decent coverage with at&t in the refuge and st mark flats. My buddy w Verizon looses coverage when we go through the gate. Other than that they are the same. I can get coverage further offshore also.

[geofish]

cool, thanks! Very helpful

[fishdux]

My verizon phone (Iphone 6+) will pick up just about anywhere out of St Marks. I was 15 miles out the other day and it rang. It scared the crap out of me.

[geofish]

Fish calling on line 2 . . .

[doomtrpr_z71]

My coverage with Verizon sucks inside the refuge, only 1x no data, but after getting on the water past the lighthouse I have great service, 4g and all.

[bbb]

I've used my Verizon phone all around the flats, East and West with no problems. I may lose coverage like others are saying going through the refuge but pick it up again when near/on the water.

I was sending text messages, receiving calls and listening to Pandora 9 miles off Mexico Beach.

[Steve Stinson]

I have four land surveying crews that I provide phones to. They are often working in remote locations and we've found Verizon to be the most reliable. Unfortunately, they are also the most expensive.

[guthooked]

I have verizon and iphone 6 plus and my coverage is very good from shell point all the way over to the mouth of the Aucilla. Terrible coverage at Shell Island Fish Camp though.

[FishWithChris]

I have AT&T and the new Samsung Galaxy S8 Active that you're mentioning... I just got the phone so I haven't been ale to test it out on the water, but had the S7 Edge before that. The S8 Active is currently restricted to AT&T, but may become more widely available in the coming month or two if you can wait that long.

Get a phone that's water resistant and/or IP67 or IP68 rated. Both Verizon and AT&T do well, but I think Verizon may have the edge a bit over coverage areas in our big bend.

I suggest reaching out to George Goodson (bigphishy) or Jimmy Milton (milto something...) - they work for Verizon and can talk to you a bit further on the coverage and currently available phones.

[Salty Gator]

The 3 people I usually fish with have verizon and I have at&t. There are times I have service and they have none. There has never been a time when they had service and I didn't. Especially offshore and the refuge/east flats.

[Apalachee Inshore]

I have verizon and fish from Keaton to Panacea and have service probably 90% of the time, but the few signal issues I do have are usually around St marks. I rarely make it past the 3 mile line either.

[onefishtwofish]

I have Verizon. Milto sold me my phone! I have the water resistant iPhone 7. Like said before, in the St Marks refuge and on Mandalay Road, not so good. I can text, just not use internet and phone is spotty. Everywhere else on the flats is fine, from Appalachicola Bay to Aucilla.

[geofish]

Very helpful!!! Thanks to all

[Salty Gator]

I got this text from at&t a few days ago. My wife didn't get anything like this from Verizon. Pretty strong in addition to much better coverage on the water

AT&T Free Msg: Hurricane Irma Efforts - As Hurricane Irma continues to make its way toward Florida we'd like to help out during this difficult time. You won't be charged for any talk, text, and data overages from 9/8-9/17. Go to att.com/hurricaneirma for more info.