How far on to the lake will I get 4G coverage?

[DaveBr]

How far offshore, on a boat in Lake Michigan, will I get 4G coverage?  I certainly expect it will depend on antenna height and signal strength, but I'd like to have some guidelines for planning a 333 mile trip  from one end of the Lake to the other. I also don't know how directional cell towers are.

[vzw_customer_support · Accepted solution]

That's a very interesting question, DaveBr! I haven't had the opportunity to sail Lake Michigan (or any of the other Great Lakes, for that matter). I certainly hope you enjoy your trip!

As a rule, we typically don't apply great network strength towards bodies of water. What wireless network engineers have found is cellular signal tends to be reflected by large lakes and seas. We've round the satellite services work much more efficiently. So I would say that your service may not be very reliable very far offshore. I honestly couldn't provide an exact point of signal failure, but I would not advise using cellular services for a trip any greater than a few hundred feet from land.

Good journey to you!

DionM_VZW
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[Green6]

Hello,

I am about to cross Lake Michigan on a kayak.  I was too wondering how far reception will travel for both general phone and 4G as an emergency possibility.  (I of course want to have a couple lined up)

I saw this post from 6.25 years ago and wondered if it is still valid?

Thank you much!

[vzw_customer_support]

We definitely understand the importance of having reliable services at all times, and we are here to help. Please tell us, are you experiencing any issues with your service? If the answer is yes, is this impacting multiple devices? When did this start?
GeovannJ_VZW