I have been curious
As far as your son, I have known lots of people using cell phone for areas they do not live in. They don't care what there area code is. But that is neither he nor there, and probably more to it.
The cost will probably keep me away. Don't you have to go up once in awhile for stuff anyways? Is this just so you can watch pics live? Are you driving up there just to get the pics and turning around? Which I find hard to believe.