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Honda CRV vs 2020 Prius Prime for trip to Rocky Mountains

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Northerner, Aug 5, 2020.

  1. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

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    There are large parts of Colorado with no cell phone service or extremely unreliable service. Verizon and ATT are probably the best two networks, but neither covers the mountains well. I guess cell phone service has gotten good enough in populated areas that people take it for granted now.

    A tip for next time, if you don't want to use Toyota's clunky garbage navigation system, you can download offline areas in Google maps. That lets you search for places and navigate without needing data. Some streaming apps also let you download music for offline listening.
     
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  2. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    That is why some of us keep reminding people that modern cell phones are not a sufficient substitute for an old era spare tire. There is plenty of geography in the Intermountain West without cell phone coverage, regardless of your service provider choice, especially when traveling off the most beaten paths.

    While each provider has different holes, on average Verizon has the best coverage in this general region, with AT&T slightly behind. Then the gap to the others is significantly wider.
     
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  3. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Indeed! I seem to remember a very long stretch of I-40 in AZ that had no AT&T coverage. Must have been most of the state. And that's not even getting off the main road.
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    There's no cellphone coverage on the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Lake Louise as well and they're popular national parks.
     
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  5. Northerner

    Northerner Active Member

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    Yes, live and learn, I guess. Never needed either before the trip, but I’ll be more prepared next time. As it was, Toyota’s navigation was fine. I just couldn’t ask SIRI to plot a course, or anything else.
     

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  6. Tips

    Tips Member

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    Sounds like you had a great vacation and your pictures are beautiful two!

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  7. Northerner

    Northerner Active Member

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    Actually, as I was thinking about this later, I believe that I still usually had cell phone coverage - just no internet. I made almost no phone calls but noticed “bars” whenever there was no internet. I did notice no cell service when I was out hiking.
     
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    At least in my experience, with my particular equipment, is seems that a certain minimum number of bars is needed to get data service, and a bit lower to get voice service. But one bar showing means no usable service.

    I'll have to watch for coverage the next time I drive through North Cascades National Park, but seem to remember that the bulk of it is no bars, even on the highway. And most certainly not on the trails.
     
  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    We went there in '95. What an amazing place!!! We were visiting my sister-in-law & family in Cochrane (near Calgary) and didn't even have cell phones yet.
     
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