[SlingShot]

I am starting the PCT on April 1st. My current phone has been provided by my employer for the last 13 years, iPhone 4 on AT&T. This deal ends on March 27th, my last day with this employer. I will be needing my own phone and service soon. I would prefer not to have a 2 year contract. I may only need 6-9 months of service. But I also would like good service. I know not to expect full service while on trail. I have pretty much decided on a Galaxy s5, $500 and I own the phone. I plan on adding a 128g card and using this as the only piece of electronics on the trail. Ok, I'll also have a small Anker battery able to recharge the phone 2+ times. I liked my iPhone but I am a PC guy and have a tower and a android tablet, I like both of these better. Now that I have a phone somewhat picked out, what service plan or provider would you go with? 2nd question. What camera would you bring? I am still on the fence about this, The S5 has a very good camera (for a phone). I have a Lumix FZ200 currently. I will not be taking this, 2.5 lbs total for camera spare batteries and charger is to much to carry 2650+ miles. Maybe at 1lb or less I'd consider packing an actual camera.

[Opus]

I can't speak to the phone service aside from not recommending Sprint, which I had, during my hike. Almost no useful service. You could also look into a plan that uses mostly wifi calling. In 2012 I was out of cell service range quite often and in almost every town it was easy to find wifi. Definitely take a real camera. Even if it is just a lightweight point-and-shoot it's absolutely worth it and you will have photos vastly better than a phone. I carried a Canon s95. The newer versions are quite nice. Doing it again I'd probably bring a Sony RX100. Also a camera with wifi makes it easy to upload photos through your phone and a wifi connection.

[Randito]

Paying for a cell / data plan while on the PCT seems expensive. If you are buying an unlocked phone, seems like buying a pre-paid sim with basic amount of minutes instead of a plan would be more economical -- at least if you are willing to put off facebook updates until you are at a re-supply / wifi hotspot. Also FWIW, I use an "EasyAcc 10000mAh Brilliant Ultra Slim Dual USB" external battery -- it is about the same size as my Nokia 928 and it recharges it 4+ times. $25 on Amazon.

[Windstorm]

I don't have a lot of electronics experience, and none at all with prepaid plans, but my phone service is Verizon and I usually seem to have reception a little further out than a lot of other providers.

[RichardJ]

Tmobile coverage may be the worst. You would rarely get any coverage unless you are in a town.

[Brenan]

I agree with some of the others cell may not be worth it. What If you spend the money and get a delorme Inreach instead? Way cheaper and better plans IMO

[Brucester]

What's wrong with hotel phones? These kids are killing me.

[Daryl]

While i hate verizon and hate suggesting them, they have far and away the best coverage and i very often have a good signal when everyone else with other plans don't have any signal. Also, be sure to compare the numbers, contract vs no contract. And do not go to verizon. You'll get a much better deal from the booth in costco than you will a verizon store. Also, maybe consider the goal zero solar panel over a battery? probably weighs a little more, but you'll get a lot more charges out of it.

[mike]

A phone is a tool. A tool is designed for a specific purpose. I suggest that you consider if a phone is the right tool for the job you are going to be doing...

[Token Civilian]

Look into the various MVNO providers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators You should be able to find a pay as you go / month to month with a bring your own device. From previous discussions on the PCT-L, it seems like it's Verizon, then AT&T for coverage on the PCT. Look for a MVNO on one of their networks. I used phone cards on the thru back in 2006 - bought them from the Post Office or various grocery stores. Pay phones were still plentiful then - I suppose not so any more. They were adequate for communicating with home back then. I'd bring my cell phone today, but it would be turned off from when I leave town until getting to the next one. This eliminates the need for an external battery pack / solar charger. "There is no signal in the Wilderness, but the connection is great". If you have to have music, use a stand alone MP3 player that takes AAA batteries. Again, eliminates the need for solar charger / external battery. Use up your partially used headlight batteries (AAA) in your MP3 player. As far as the camera: Yes. And make sure you have one where you can use a polarizing filter (and learn how to use it). Your scenery shots will be SO much better. Also make sure it uses AA or AAA batteries, which you can find in the smallest quickie mart along the trail. Get a chest pack or shoulder strap or hip belt holster for it. If you have to take your pack off to get your camera, you won't take a lot of pictures. Bring extra memory cards. Memory is cheap today. In re Spot / Inreach or similar: IMO, don't bother. If you're hurt and going to survive, someone will be along in a few hours anyways. If you're going to die anyways, then it won't matter since you'll be dead before help arrives. There's no need for communication between town stops. Tell your home person you expect to get to next town stop in XX days and that if they haven't heard from you or seen a FB post from that town stop a day or two after that, THEN to call for help.

[Navy salad]

[SlingShot]

It sucks that's its 2015 and we are still attached to the word "phone". Does the term "smartphone" really apply? NO. A smart phone would not need me to tell it what to do. I'm going to use the term UMPC (ultra mobile personal computer). Ok, its not a new term. I just looked it up, Sony tried this term about 10 years ago. So it died. Not a Sony fan but I like acronym. The UMPC that I'll be carrying will be used for GPS, video log (journal), Books & encyclopedia. As well as some PCT apps (halfmile, PCTHYOH & FB). I will have my UMPC off most of the time. Its a tool that will only be used when needed. I want to keep a journal but I suck at this writing and typing stuff. So a video journal works better for me. I'll have most of my info for the trip already stored on the UMPC. I also like having a plant and animal book handy, again I'll have all this info already stored. My parents and sisters only use FB, so reluctantly I became a member. I'll make them a special weekly video update so they can stay informed. Having a UMPC on this trip make sense for me. The fact that I could use it to talk to someone isn't the selling point. I would rarely use phone minutes and use less than a gig a month in data. I have been looking at Tracfone service. If I get a galaxy s5 active unlocked (only works on GSM) I can then use tracfone service as needed? I sold cell phones at Sears in the 80's & early 90's. Headache after headache. I take it DIY is the standard nowadays? Install the simm card and it works? Right? As far a camera - The Sony RX100 is nice, I had already looked at the RX100III. It has it all, plus a full flip up screen for "selfie" mode. Charges within the camera via USB and has wifi. Spendy thou. Anyone interested in a lightly used FZ200, 4 batteries & remote kit.

[Randito]

You could get something very cheap like a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (Wifi only < $150) and then use Goggle Voice/Hangouts to talk with folks when you are in a hot spot. There are also quite usable GPS and topo map apps available from Google Play that can download the topo maps while you are in a hotspot . GPS functions still work when away from WiFi. Camera function would be pretty lousy -- but I agree with others that bringing a "real" camera will have significant benefits.

[Mtn Dog]

I recommend Verizon or a third party that carries their signal. I had full bars on top of Sparkplug Mtn, just west of the PCT. I've had good reception throughout Snoqualmie and even down through Chinook Pass. It's also done OK in northern Oregon near the PCT. Good luck and have fun (and be sure to see Wild before you go, LOL).

[NacMacFeegle]

I'd definitely recommend bringing a real camera, and for a phone you could probably just get an old flip phone off of ebay. I've found that they often have better sound quality and reception than smart phones, and are a lot more durable since when they fold up it protects the screen and keypad. If you want something smaller and lighter than the Lumix you might look into getting a high end compact such as the Sony Cybershot RX100. It's really pricey for a point and shoot, but it has a large sensor and Manuel controls, and it only weighs 7.5 oz. (without batteries).