What was your phone/connectivity like last year (or in years prior)?

[indiebry]

The contract for my current provider (AT&T) is ending soon and I'm considering alternative providers. Can y'all tell me what service/phone you've used @ Coachella and if ya had difficulties making calls, texting, accessing internet while on the polo grounds? My friends and I had some horrendous times trying to communicate and coordinate, so I'm interested in what everyone else's experience has been.

Thanks, looking forward to my 5th Coachella in 2012.

[Neighborhood Creep]

Worst first post ever

[Mugwog]

Two words:

WOKKY

TOKKY

[Fish Tacos]

I have Verizon it was fine. kept it on airplane mode most of the time to save battery.

[algunz]

I don't use my phone on the polo fields. Smoke signals work best.

[GuyInTucson]

There were extra portable cell towers surrounding the Polo Fields last year that helped dramatically with signal. I had no problems last year at all. The year before it was rough at times but I still had decent signal at times.

[fatbastard]

With the exception of clusterfuckchella, AT&T has provided a mobile tower over the past couple of years. No problems whatsoever since then.

[mmsk123]

2010 I had Tmobile. Very spotty data/none at all but cell calls still worked.

Last year had Verizon and was fine. Back to Tmobile this year so hopefully it'll be better.

[CrimesceneCookie]

t-mobile here. I didn't get anyone's texts until hours later. Phone service was fine though.

[BeaverCat]

I had T-Mobile too. I should have just left my phone at home. No service whatsoever.

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

In 2010 we had AT&T and no issues. In 2011 I had Verizon and my daughter had AT&T and there were no problems at all. About 10 members of our group got there later than us and we used phones to keep in touch and find them...no problems at all.

[loopy]

our camp had a combo of AT&T and Verizon, no issues as far as calls/texts. did notice that us AT&Ters really had slow internet though, which the Verizon users didn't seem to have problems with.

[choice cat]

I have had AT&T both years that I attended so far, in 2010 it was a disaster. Last year seemed to be a little bit better but it still wasn't that great for me, both text and calling although I didn't try calling very much. It has been suggested by another board member on a similar thread to send time stamped texts, rather than just "where are you?" or "what stage are you at?"

for example:

It is 2:15 I am at Gobi, will be at Mojave 3:30 on right side of soundboard, 5:00 in sahara.

[chiapet]

I have AT&T and have problems every year. Starts out okay earlier in the day and around sunset, texts start to get delayed, by night texts and calls aren't going through. The texts start showing up around 2AM, without fail.

Last year there was open wi-fi which was reasonably fast. I might give that a try next year for getting iMessages to other iPhone users rather than relying on AT&T's network.

[BlakeG]

2010: Verizon, horrible service
2011: Verizon, great service

[guedita]

I have had AT&T both years that I attended so far, in 2010 it was a disaster. Last year seemed to be a little bit better but it still wasn't that great for me, both text and calling although I didn't try calling very much. It has been suggested by another board member on a similar thread to send time stamped texts, rather than just "where are you?" or "what stage are you at?"

for example:

It is 2:15 I am at Gobi, will be at Mojave 3:30 on right side of soundboard, 5:00 in sahara.

Yes, time stamp your texts no matter what.

Also, do some planning before the event with your friends if you are trying to arrange a meet up. Your festival experience is so much better if you aren't wasting a lot of your time sending and receiving texts. Designate a meeting point and set a particular time of the day to meet there. Have an idea of what your plan/schedule will be like for each day. Don't get caught up trying to coordinate multiple meet ups. Enjoy yourself.

[NachoCat]

You have to make meet up spots specific as well. Find a meeting spot that you can actually touch and agree to meet there. Don’t just say “meet at 5:15 Sahara left side” figure out the meeting spot before hand and stand right on top of it. When it gets crowded you can be 20 feet away from someone and it’s tough to find them so be as specific as possible as far as location.

[Gribbz]

I have verizon and haven't experienced any problems on the polo fields.

[Gribbz]

I guess it doesn't matter. We always meet on the right side of the sound board.

[faxman75]

Verizon. No issues 2005-2011.

[Gribbz]

Fax, how's your service at Sasquatch? I feel like my phone was the only one that worked.

[NachoCat]

All of my friends that have Verizon NEVER have problems anywhere. Cant wait to switch to them.

[sonofhal]

I have AT&T and have problems every year. Starts out okay earlier in the day and around sunset, texts start to get delayed, by night texts and calls aren't going through. The texts start showing up around 2AM, without fail.

My experience exactly.

[Coach Bombay]

Tmobile '10: Basically no service.
Tmobile '11: Worked well for the most part, still should time stamp your texts though.

[EndersRapture]

I had Tmobile for 2010 and 2011 and both times, texts would sometimes work, but a lot of times would be very delayed (once it got busier in the night). I have Verizon now and am hoping 2012 will be better. I've definitely learned that phones are not a reliable meet-up source at coachella.

[wazdog]

It is 2:15 I am at Gobi, will be at Mojave 3:30 on right side of soundboard, 5:00 in sahara.

this.

time stamping within your text message is key. i had a prepaid AT&T sim and it worked fine. i had my work BB too and found BBM worked fine as well.

[Gribbz]

All of my friends that have Verizon NEVER have problems anywhere.

Pretty much.

[guedita]

I guess it doesn't matter. We always meet on the right side of the sound board.

DON'T SPOIL THE SECRET.

[Courtney]

It has been suggested by another board member on a similar thread to send time stamped texts, rather than just "where are you?" or "what stage are you at?"

for example:

It is 2:15 I am at Gobi, will be at Mojave 3:30 on right side of soundboard, 5:00 in sahara.

Yes, time stamp your texts no matter what.

Also, do some planning before the event with your friends if you are trying to arrange a meet up. Your festival experience is so much better if you aren't wasting a lot of your time sending and receiving texts. Designate a meeting point and set a particular time of the day to meet there. Have an idea of what your plan/schedule will be like for each day. Don't get caught up trying to coordinate multiple meet ups. Enjoy yourself.

Yes & yes.

Mostly when I go with friends, before we get into the festival we coordinate a 6pm-ish meet up for dinner, and an end-of-the-night meet up to walk back to the car, but otherwise I just wander on my own. Trying to text and find friends and being stressed out about worrying where other people are is not how I choose to spend my Coachella.

[SoccerRyot]

Sound advice about coordinating your meet up places and times beforehand.

I have Verizon and the only time I had trouble receiving texts in 2011 were when I was near the front of the Coachella Stage. My friends and I were there (although separated) for about 3 hours on Sunday afternoon/evening and it wasn't until we left the area to meet up for dinner that a flood of texts came to my phone.