I'm taking a road trip this summer, starting in New Hampshire and hitting 30-something states between NH, Louisiana, California, Washington, and everything in between. I'm looking for a cell carrier that will work everywhere in the country, and has a good no-roaming nationwide plan option. Added bonus if it works in Alaska too.

I have my cell phone service through AT&T (formerly Cingular) and I don't incur roaming charges anywhere in the continental US, Hawaii or Puerto Rico (sorry can't address Alaska as I've never been there). It "works" almost everywhere except perhaps in one or two very remote locations.

I have Verizon and been to a lot of cities and never had an issue. At this point, I believe most major cell companies have the nationwide plans

Alaskakid:
I have T mobile and think is excellent specially now with their 5 Favorites, which means you pick five of your top contacts and you could either call their land line or cell phone (it does not matter which carrier they have) and you could talk to them all day and all night and not get charged minutes. As previous poster I have not been to Alaska (yet) but it does include Puerto Rico & Hawaii so I don't think you'll have a problem there (make sure if you do go with them that you sign up for the national plan) they have some starting at $39.99 and gives you 1000 minutes, and unlimited nights and weekends. hope this helps, enjoy your trip.
Gina

There have been posts here about specific western areas - Grand Canyon, for example. At the time, no one had good coverage there.

I'm with AT&T and do not have any issues either. I agree all major carriers have the nationwide plan. It's the phone you have to worry about. DH and I are on the same plan (of course) but sometimes he won't get a signal and I will because his phone isn't that good. Since he got a new phone, there hasn't been any issues.

here's AT&T's coverage map. Looks like some in Alaska too.

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/

I had one bar in grand canyon but at one spot only near el tovar....it would still cut off though.

I had one bar in grand canyon but at one spot only near el tovar....it would still cut off though.

There's always anecdotal stuff - there's a spot on the Bay Bridge and another on 101 near Candlestick Park that cut out regularly on AT&T. Verizon - I couldn't talk to my son when he was in his dorm room in Palo Alto -- he had to go outside for service -- but AT&T worked fine.

Most major carriers have nationwide coverage which is true but it does really depend on the phone also. I have had a Nokia for years and have never had trouble anywhere in the US I have been (with the exception of very remote areas). I have a friend who had an LG and had problems in her own backyard.

I completely agree with Beth. The phone really matters.

We've road tripped west across the country eleven times and while we all have different carriers, my verizon cell always got the best service.

The only places with 'spotty' service - altho i DID have it - were on Ruby Beach in Olympic Nat'l Park - the furthest point in the PNW - and at Gouldings Lodge (a reservation) on the border of Utah and Arizona in Monument Valley. And even there i did get a signal when i stood in that 'perfect' place between their restaurant and the little museum.

I even had service in Death Valley Nat'l Park and Joshua Tree Nat'l Park. Not that we needed it but always found it interesting who had it and where.

While verizon can drive me crazy around here re other issues, i truly believe its the best in terms of national coverage. Hope this helps.

If you absolutely, positively have to have phone service everywhere in the US (or the rest of the world.)

www.iridium.com/

I have T-mobile and have no roaming and service in cities and, yes, in Alaska, although not much outside the populated areas. But it worked fine in Homer/Seward/Anchorage/Fairbanks/Denali.

Agree that Verison has service almost everywhere (don't know about Alaska and in some of the more remote areas out west - especially national parks - no company has service.)

And there are lots of national plans with no roaming charges. I didn't know anybody still charged them. It always pays to check all of the offers as soon as your plan required time runs out - since they're making them better/cheaper all the time.