I will explain below why this is a post some cavers will find of interest. This is only for people planning to buy a new phone this year,
On my recent trips to Kiwi Sink, my fancy smartphone from Cricket Wireless could not even send a text message once I left the town of Kyle. The diggers who had an AT&T phone could place calls at the bottom of the entrance drop, 28 feet below the surface. Obviously, there are safety advantages to having cell service, especially in a mining operation, but I also needed to stay in contact with my business and my family. So I went to AT&T and purchased an inexpensive but powerful phone. I left the store only paying $ 108. There is a lot of hoopla and hype about smartphones. I encourage you to try the newest LG Optimus Pro G. The huge 5 inch screen allows you to see cave maps in detail. Dale's map of Kiwi looks fantastic on this phone. The NSS Google+ Page and Community Page look awesome. The calendar, and caving videos work excellent, as does Google Maps. The new version of operating system is the best I have ever seen. There are 2 drawbacks. 1. The choice for a protective case is lame. 2. Data plan is expensive. So I am keeping my Cricket phone and tethering the AT&T to use Cricket's cheaper data charges ( obviously not while at Kiwi Sink). Other advantages to a 5 inch screen are playing games like: FreeCell, Solitaire, Angry Birds, Pinball, etc., but also videos, and showing off your photos, larger app icons, and text. I have only owned the phone 24 hours, so I can not comment on the durability or reliability of the brand, LG. For more details, about this specific phone, email me privately in about a week. David Locklear
