Did an actual PAY PHONE get installed in the new GH Lodge ??

Last year I lost my car keys in a yard sale (stupid me) and needed to get in touch with my wife.

Stack-o-quarters was the only way.

Maybe a cell phone at guest services would be nice...

Pretty sure there's one at the bottom of the stairs, next to the water fountains.

The phone in the Gatehouse is not an actual pay phone. It is a free local phone, but can be used with a phone card.

Just to add to the discussion...
Any cell tower improvements in MRV probably have to be in compliance with the federal mandate for Enhanced 911. In short, the "island" type coverage probably will not comply, because the locator requirement for E911 works via triangulation of a signal. This means three towers are required at a minimum. Time was, that a string of cell towers could "bump" a 911 call straight down the line until a vacant land-line connecton was found. Now this will no longer suffice. I'm oversimplifying, but I think that locating more towers in the MRV will take more time and money than we realize right now. I doubt any cell carrier will be willing to invest in infrastructure unless it is in compliance with E911. Repeaters may help, but perhaps not, considering the local geography. Mountain areas call for towers on top of mountains, which can be an unpopular solution. My Sprint coverage is good at the mountain, bad at the base of the access road, and roams throughout the valley. The towers are so far away that the battery dies quickly. But...Sprint works well for me away from the MRV, so I think I will keep it.

Cingular Baby. Good allover.

I used to have Sprint and when we would stay at the Bush, I would be the only one to have cell reception. That's because back then, Sprint was an ASC sponsor and they put up a couple antennaes - I know they have them at the top of Northridge - maybe top of LP, cause I never had service off the mtn. Now I got VZW and have very little anywhere in the Valley. Bummer - but I can go a few hours without using my phone. After all, I live only 10 mins north.

VZW is on-again/off-again as for coverage. Just when we think they're concentrating on one corridor, they switch us off to another. Though their main goal is to get off Unicel on 91 south of WRJ. Many of those sites are still in the permitting stages. These things take time.

If its the case of VZW can't do an island site for SB, I don't see them ever coming to the Valley. I don't think a tower through Granville Gulf will be easy to get through the permitting/enviros/etc.

Everyone wants their cell phone to work but noone wants to see the tower.
(see also: clean/reusable energy but no windmills - won't someone think of the birds & bats)

yada yada yada

-Jay

So Jay, what is allowing my t mobile blackberry phone to work in the valley? T mobile's footprint is generally limited to cities, yet it works at SB and around the valley.

random_ski_guy wrote:

So Jay, what is allowing my t mobile blackberry phone to work in the valley? T mobile's footprint is generally limited to cities, yet it works at SB and around the valley.

'Cause T-Mobile is partnering with someone as part of their "extended network" deal. According to some searching on Tmobile's website, they appear to be partnered with Cingular..... I mean, AT&T now (again). (Did they go from AT&T to Cingular and now back to AT&T? When will the madness end)...

-JH