FYI! Droid does not work in AK!

[M-dot D-dot]

In case anyone was wondering; verizon has NO data available in Alaska. So now I have to go back to using my old phone and now have a Droid serving as an itouch. (I'm in the Air Force and didn't cancel my verizon plan when I transferred here).

 

[spectrrr]

Major bummer!

 

[uberjeff]

In case anyone was wondering; verizon has NO data available in Alaska. So now I have to go back to using my old phone and now have a Droid serving as an itouch. (I'm in the Air Force and didn't cancel my verizon plan when I transferred here).

Actually there is data available in parts of Alaska, however the service is provided by a roaming partner as Verizon has none of its own towers in Alaska. If you had the phone shipped to you and activated it in Alaska it might work for voice but will not work for data. There needs to be at least one valid data session on a Verizon tower before data roaming is allowed. Check the coverage map on vzw.com, and if it shows service in your part of Alaska your problem is with data authentication that must be completed on network. There is no way around it. Next time you are back in the lower 49 states reactivate it, make a data connection and then it should work fine in any part of Alaska that has roaming coverage available. There are no additional fees for domestic data roaming. Just be careful if you head to Canada.

 

[shane.h]

That's not quite right. I bought my Verizon phone in Texas last week, used it just fine with data and everything, and it doesn't work here in Alaska - I'm stuck on voice only. I have all my functionality at work and at home, through the Wifi connection + voice, but still - it sorta defeats the purpose of switching to Verizon based on their advertising and the promises of a rep in the store.

If I had to guess, Verizon only has a data roaming agreement with one of the 2 CDMA providers up here (either ACS or Alaska Digitel), and we're sitting on the other provider's towers by default. My friends here who have Verizon tell me that they sometimes randomly get data access for a few hours at a time, which would be consistent with my (otherwise unsubstantiated) theory that Verizon has an agreement with the provider with the weaker towers.

It's only my first day back in Alaska, so I haven't had much time to poke around for a solution, but if I find out a workaround I'll post it here.

 

[colnago]

..It's only my first day back in Alaska, so I haven't had much time to poke around for a solution, but if I find out a workaround I'll post it here.

...such as "Allowing Data when Roaming" in the phone's settings menu?

 

[shane.h]

...such as "Allowing Data when Roaming" in the phone's settings menu?

Yup. I got off the phone with the Verizon rep and they confirmed that my plan covers data roaming in my area. OP might want to check to confirm also, just so that it's in the account records (in case something goes wrong later).

So after changing the "Allow data while roaming" setting, acknowledging the possibility that significant charges may apply, and then restarting my phone, it works fine now here in Fairbanks. And we'll find out if I get charged extra anyway.

 

[colnago]

That would definately suck if roaming charges apply, given the conditions up there...hope it works out.

 

[professor0530]

I also was stationed in Fairbanks a couple years back. When i first moved there my verizon phone didnt work at all, voice or data. After a month or so they started using ACS towers. To make a long story short my first bill came in and was over 800 $. After talking to everyone and there mothers who worked for verizon i did not have to pay the bill. Everything was worked out after words and never had a problem again.

 

[vjdupree]

In case anyone was wondering; verizon has NO data available in Alaska. So now I have to go back to using my old phone and now have a Droid serving as an itouch. (I'm in the Air Force and didn't cancel my verizon plan when I transferred here).

Anchorage of Fairbanks?

 

[djrottweiler]

I am in Alaska and have GREAT service with sprint on my tour, we will see how well my HTC EVO 4G reception is. I did much research before deciding between sprint or verizon since we do not have a either up here. After all my research and knowing many people on verizon with crappy service, I went with sprint and have loved every moment of it. The new Evo come in tmrw I can not wait!!!

 

[mwalla]

I am in Alaska and have GREAT service with sprint on my tour, we will see how well my HTC EVO 4G reception is. I did much research before deciding between sprint or verizon since we do not have a either up here. After all my research and knowing many people on verizon with crappy service, I went with sprint and have loved every moment of it. The new Evo come in tmrw I can not wait!!!

How is the data in the Evo working for you? I'd love to ditch ATnT and get an Android device, but I haven't heard any accounts. Do you get 3G in Anchorage?

 

[corbinator]

OP try dialing *228 and updating your roaming, you may have been set up in texas and your roaming hasn't been setup in AK yet. When you dial select option 2 and just wait. Post back and let us know if it worked.
If you went into a VZ store in AK and complained about it this is what a rep would do.

 

[barry99705]

OP try dialing *228 and updating your roaming, you may have been set up in texas and your roaming hasn't been setup in AK yet. When you dial select option 2 and just wait. Post back and let us know if it worked.
If you went into a VZ store in AK and complained about it this is what a rep would do.

He's probably got a new phone by now. His post was last year. Also, pretty sure there aren't any Verizon stores in Alaska, at least there weren't any there when I left.

 

[smguy101]

God help me if the Air Force ever stations me in Alaska

 

[corbinator]

He's probably got a new phone by now. His post was last year. Also, pretty sure there aren't any Verizon stores in Alaska, at least there weren't any there when I left.

Yeah I noticed that after I posted. DURR I am a jarhead after all.
and the store thing was figurative.

 

[barry99705]

God help me if the Air Force ever stations me in Alaska

Eielson is a nice base, and Fairbanks is a pretty nice town. I graduated high school in North Pole, which kinda explains my handle.

 

[theredchord]

Has anybody on Verizon in Alaska been able to activate/reactivate there phone in Alaska. I want to be able to flash roms. but the way I understand it is sometimes you need to reavtivate your phone witch as far as I know you can't do while roaming. Thanks