Kris, Verizon uses CDMA, a newer technology than at&t and cingular had (now developing a GSM system) it's a complicated story but here goes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_System..._CommunicationsChris, I was at Killington, Hogback, Haystack, then over to Wildcat and my old homestead in N.Conway a few years back and my T-Mobile worked find as long I wasn't in a deep ravine.... looky here
http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/ choose VT and see the coverage you can get. Of course if your house is pointed away from a satellite, behind a MT. you may have specific location problems, but by and large my phone had 3 Bars from Brat up through the Greens and over to the White Mt.
Canada is a Big GSM user so the closer you get to the border you may find a stronger signal.
It's a boring topic really, but if you need to have a reliable network one ought to know which one will serve them best. My cell phone use was job specific for the longest time, and the phones were supplied by the project or government and when the job was over I looked forward to giving them back. I couldn't stand being interrupted; it seemed such a waste of time.