vB Easy Archive - How is iPhone service where coverage is marginal?

Pages: 1

How is iPhone service where coverage is marginal?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: msa6

We've been with Sprint for years, but service really has gotten poor and with my wife's birthday coming up, I'm thinking it might be time to spring for an iPhone for her (her Treo has about had it).

We live in a market formerly owned by Suncom (Charlottesville, VA). Needless to say, this essentially bankrupt company didn't put huge $ in the ground, and coverage was never great. I think ATT has put more money in the ground, but this isn't NYC. Friends with iPhones are happy with them, but they live in different parts of town, and getting service at the house is pretty important...lots of people call her exclusively on the cell phone.

So I got some freebie LG phone from ATT (just arrived today) as a way to test coverage around the house. It's sometimes two bars, but mostly I'm getting one bar or no bars. I'd test an iPhone, but there's the restocking fee, etc.

So, any thoughts on what to expect from iPhone coverage at the house given the 0-2 bar experience with the LG? Even with no bars I seem okay making calls (not getting "no service"). I guess the other question is whether I should believe what the guy in the local ATT store told me six months ago: that they're putting more cell sites up in my area soon. He's just a salesman, of course.

Guess I have one more: if I get an iPhone to test out, and decide to keep it, will I have any problem changing the number over to her Sprint number if I start service out with a new ATT number? Don't want to port the Sprint number unless we're sure we'll keep the phone with ATT...that number is important (to us!).

Thanks

Posted by: XanderMac

Avoid my house and you'll be ok.

Posted by: NeoMayhem

I get better reception with my iPhone then I did with a Samsung I tested out first. If I have 1 bar, I can make a call fine, but it usually drops if I move around to much.

Posted by: StopTheBus

The iPhone is one of the worst if not the worst at picking up signal.
One other thing about the iPhone is that it will show some bars, but it can't hold on to the signal when you make a call.
I am 99% sure you can port the number anytime, that last 1% depend on the rep's mood when you call.

Posted by: neZZr

My iPhone gets about the same signal as my Razr did... and I don't have any problems with calls or texting when I have one bar (looks like zero bars on the display). I get very poor reception sitting at my desk at work, but voice/text always works fine.

That said, data service seems to be terrible in low signal areas. I ran a speed test from my desk at work where I almost always have only 1 bar, and measured 13kbps. That's barely enough to handle email... in fact often times I have trouble sending email, and it will sit in the outbox until I move to a place with better signal. In areas with good signal, I get 130-200kbps consistently and everything works well.

It could just be my area, but that's my experience.

Posted by: Big C Style

I usually get 1-2 bars in my house and calls sometimes drop/don't go through. SMS always works. Data is painfully slow in low signal areas and a lot of times won't connect at all. I was a series 60 guy for a while and I would have to say that signal was better on the Nokias.

Posted by: Davehead

I have the same issue at my house. Well, downstairs anyway. I can usually make and keep a call just fine but I occasionally don't get calls from people calling me. Texts also take a while to go through as well.

Posted by: Derek Zoolander

I don't think the iphone is especially good at holding signal. Not bad, just average.

If signal is your #1 priority, I'm sure you can find better phones out there.

Posted by: halfsjj

My Motorola's definitely pull more signal. I have done a side by side comparision in a low signal zone and that iphone had nothing and the Motorola (KRZR at the time) had two bars.

Posted by: neZZr

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfsjj

My Motorola's definitely pull more signal. I have done a side by side comparision in a low signal zone and that iphone had nothing and the Motorola (KRZR at the time) had two bars.

Comparing "bars" from phone to phone means nothing if it isn't the same phone. One phone might show more bars just because the signal is stronger, but if the signal quality isn't there, you may still get poor call quality, or be unable to make a call.

On the other hand, a very weak signal can still be useable if the quality is good. Different phones will give different representations as far as the "bars" go.

If you want to simply compare signal strength, find the field test menu in the phone, and compare the dB numbers. I get -108 to -104 at my desk at work. At home it's around -85. The less negative the number, the better the signal.

Posted by: Ace88

iPhone is BY FAR the worst RF cell phone manufactured today. My RF averages -255.

Posted by: RCtennis3811

The iPhone is not terrible at picking up a signal, but it is definitely not at the top. My RAZR V3 had a constant 5/5 bars at my house in Texas, while my iPhone is usually at 4/5 bars downstairs.

Posted by: Wide_opeN

I experience good data throughput in low areas, as the iPhone seemingly is able to deliver a continous flow.

Also, signal has been good on my iPhone and I've had zero issues with RF.