I don't live in the boonies but I am frequently there. One of the
things I was most concerned about with my Treo was that it was digital
only. It has proven to be a nonissue. I always buy a phone that has a
jack on the back for an external antenna. I have a mag mount antenna
for my truck. There's a place in northern Montana where we hunt, about
20 miles south of the Canadian border. I get 1 bar at the top of any
hill. We are about 25 miles from the nearest cell site. A bag phone
will work better than a cell phone without an external antenna but not
even in the same league as any cell phone with one. Transmitting is
usually not the problem, it is receiving. If you can't receive the cell
it is irrelavant how many watts you can transmit. If you can receive
then a 1/2 watt transmitter is adequate.




tom wrote:
The best bet in the boonies is analog. The digital service is taking
over the high population areas, but analog still rules in the sticks.
The best cheap phone for boonies is an old fashioned bag phone.
Instead of .6 watts power, they have 3 watts power. This makes a
considerable difference in area of reception. I've been able to get
them at Goodwill for about $10. The only trick is to find someone who
can program it to work with your provider. I searched internet for the
"Motorola Bible" and in it are instructions on how to program the
phone. You need to get some setting stuff from Verizon and program
that into the phone. You need to call back Verizon and tell them you
have a new phone and give them the electronic serial number. In a
minute you are good to go.

I've been using a bag phone for the boonies for the last five years.
It will work almost everywhere I go in the Great Basin of Oregon,
Nevada, and California. In many places I can get reception, my wife's
regular phone won't even get one bar.

The bag phone won't have any bells and whistles, but for emergency use,
it is great.

tom