PNW T-Mobile Coverage in 2024 - San Juans, Gulf Islands

[Da Nag]

I've picked up an iPad that will be part of my updated navigation package. Many of you are aware you need cellular iPads if you want an embedded GPS chip, so that's what I fetched.

I was planning on leaving the cellular off as I can tether off the phone when internet is needed, but T-Mobile has cheap tablet plans that might provide a bit of redundancy for me.

I've had nothing but Verizon over here on the Olympic Peninsula, as that's the only reliable carrier once you head west on land. And, it works reasonably well in the cruising grounds from here, to the San Juans and as far north as cell service is available.

Looking at T-Mobile's coverage map though, it looks like they have excellent coverage on the water in Puget Sound, the San Juans and Gulf Islands. Reliability of T-Mobile coverage outside these areas is unimportant to me.

For those of you who have their service - truth or fiction? Bonus points if you've personally compared them to Verizon in these cruising areas. Screen shot of their claimed coverage in these areas attached.

 

[robhwa]

I've had T-mobile for quite some time. Changed from Verizon after they charged me $600 for a few hundred megabytes in Brazil. T-mobile has/had a better plan when you travelled. At first I found that T-mobile didn't work as well on the Peninsula and in the Straits, but seems better now. I seem to get pretty good coverage in remote northern Alberta if I climb to the top of a mountain, something that I could never do years ago. I was even well off the coast from Westport for Halibut two weeks ago and had coverage the whole trip. I also had good coverage in March and April hiking in Portugal and Spain. I think their coverage maps seem pretty accurate. I'm in Brazil right now and writing this with their free coverage, which is why I changed to T-Mobile in the first place. Things can be spotty...for instance, I live on Anderson Island and don't get good service in my house. Eventually we got Starlink there, which is excellent anywhere we take it.

 

[Hunkydory]

We use Union Wireless, a local company here in Wyoming, which beat out all the competition for us in cost & coverage. Unlimited phone & data use for both our phones & as a hot spot to the IPad’s. It uses AT&T for roaming or at least it use to. When in the San Juan Island area for the Friday Harbor Gathering, I noticed our phones were using T- Mobile to roam & getting excellent coverage. I was concerned charges were being occurred for the T-Mobile roaming, so contacted my provider & was informed they were using both AT&T & T-Mobile for no cost roaming now. This was great news for us as AT&T already worked better in the more remote SE Alaska areas & Canada, than when we had Verizon. By looking at T-Mobile map coverage it’s going to be even better now.

So yes in my limited experience using T-Mobile in the San Juan Islands & Port Townsend area it had excellent coverage. I realize you aren’t interested in it’s coverage beyond, but figured others headed much further north might be.

I think you will be very pleased with the iPad for back up navigation, especially if using the Navionics app. I fairly recently updated my electronic chart & auto pilot ect & other than really liking the NMEA 2000 networking, Raymarine Axiom chart plotter & Auto pilot combination, I prefer to use the IPad for auto routing, manual routes, planning & general navigation.

Jay

 

[Da Nag]

I think you will be very pleased with the iPad for back up navigation, especially if using the Navionics app.

The ol' 25 has relatively ancient Garmin equipment, functional but lacking in modern features. I've a major project planned over next winter to update that, but yeah - I see the iPad continuing to play a central role.

Speaking of which, there are an absolute gazillion mounts out there. Even if I limit myself to RAM mounts, which I've had good luck with in the past - there are tons of choices. You've clearly seen rough water, Jay. Are you using one that holds up - and holds on - in nastier conditions? I'm assuming that keeping the arm length short as possible will make it the most stable.

 

[Hunkydory]

There may be better mounts then the Ram, but I’ve not had a reason to try them, as the Ram mounts have kept my IPad stable in all conditions since 2010 & the different radar domes since 2003. Also, I’m not aware of competitors who give a larger variety of components to give a desired set up then the Ram. I did have to replace the Ram mounts for the radar dome one time. Of course various places to mount require different choices in what components to use. I’ve found both the suction & hard mounts both work well with the suction easier to adjust for best placement. You are right about the shortest set up, that puts the view where you want is best.

First photo is ram mounts used for auto pilot control, iPhone & ipad



Ram mount suction with 6 inch connector to ipad holder