Cell phone reliability in the alps

I called my wife while skiing on top of the Fellhorn near Oberstdorf. No problems at all.

Carl, The "short answer" is that you'll definitely have problems if you use your Verizon phone! If it's a CDMA model, it won't work at all in Europe. A bit of further information would be helpful. Which part of "the Alps" will you be visiting? Are you using a standard Verizon phone or one of the dual-technology "loaner" models? In my experience using a GSM phone, I've had no problems whatsoever with coverage in the Alps (or anywhere else in Europe). Happy travels!

Thanks a bunch for your imput ! We will get it done, with or without phones and reservations, just part of the fun and adventure of travel. Some of us still don't have to have an itenerary ! Carl

I was skiing in Nendaz near Verbier in Switzerland last month. I used a Eurobuzz phone there and it worked everywhere that I went - even high up the mountain. Sometimes it would connect to the Swisscom network and sometimes it would connect to Sunrise. The web address is http://www.eurobuzz.com if you're interested. Al

Service is widely available in Europe. I'd be surprised if you had reception problems anywhere big enough to find lodging. Yes, you will need to have the right kind of phone or pick one up there. They use a different signal band.

Agreed, coverage is much better in Europe. I don't have problems in the Alps or even in more remote mountainous areas--I was high in the Sierra Nevada of Andalucia this fall (which is really kind of a backwater) and I had no problems.