AT&T in San Francisco

**silentjudge** · 06-15-2012, 12:32 AM

I just wanted to see how many Hofo members have AT&T and use it in San Francisco. For me, voice works well but data is a f****** joke. I was at the Caltrain station at 4th and Townsend and was not even able to hit over a few hundred kbps down on HSPA+ (HSPAP15). This is with full bars. Yes I understand theres a ton of smartphone users in the city but you'd think AT&T would want to upgrade their cell towers there and fix their image.

Whats your experience in SF?

**Kies** · 06-15-2012, 12:41 AM

I thought ur data speeds were pretty decent?

From my T-Mobile Galaxy S II

**silentjudge** · 06-15-2012, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Kies

I thought ur data speeds were pretty decent?

From my T-Mobile Galaxy S II

When I'm in the suburbs of the Peninsula, its usually fine. Like below:

That above wasn't even taken on HSPAP15, it was on HSPA11.
(Android HSPAP15 signifies HSPA+ and HSPA11 signifies regular HSPA)

But in SF, its pitiful. I'll take some screenshots tomorrow from SF.

**wlo8** · 06-15-2012, 01:08 AM

Was this based on one time experience? Or do you commute often through the Caltrain station?

**silentjudge** · 06-15-2012, 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by wlo8

Was this based on one time experience? Or do you commute often through the Caltrain station?

2 days worth; I ran several tests each time at least 10 minutes apart. I'll be back there today

Sent from my LG Nitro HD

**fraydog** · 06-15-2012, 02:46 AM

I've heard LTE is really good there, then again there aren't many people on AT&T's 4G LTE network there yet.

**Mr.Cell** · 06-15-2012, 03:15 AM

A friend got a Galaxy Note and i did a speedtest in Redwood City and the download was about 50 mbps, can't remember the upload.

**ilvla2** · 06-15-2012, 03:39 AM

My experience in the Bay Area is that Verizon has a better network, I haven't been down there since last summer so I can't comment on their LTE network but AT&T's 3G network last summer was S L O W. I live 120 miles northwest of SF in Redwood Valley (halfway between Ukiah and Willits in Mendocino County), I usually make it down there a few times a year, either to work, visit or on Amtrak California's Thurway busses from Ukiah to catch the San Joaquin trains in Martinez.

Edit-The Bay Area as you probably know has traditionally been one of AT&T's worst networks, and I think issues like you are having mean they still have a ways to go. They have made improvements for sure, they're just not up to Verizon's level there yet.

**GSMinCT** · 06-15-2012, 08:43 AM

A friend of mine from Michigan (hardcore AT&T territory) is working in the valley this summer, he said his iPhone 4S drops to EDGE all day and then goes back to 3G around 5pm. Sounds like some great service there.

I'm hoping to get out an visit him and see the city later in the summer. If I do, I'll run a few Speedtests to see if it beats Manhattan (a split of 150kbps and no data) for the worst AT&T area in the country.

**ilvla2** · 06-15-2012, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by GSMinCT

A friend of mine from Michigan (hardcore AT&T territory) is working in the valley this summer, he said his iPhone 4S drops to EDGE all day and then goes back to 3G around 5pm. Sounds like some great service there.

I'm hoping to get out an visit him and see the city later in the summer. If I do, I'll run a few Speedtests to see if it beats Manhattan (a split of 150kbps and no data) for the worst AT&T area in the country.

The San Joaquin Valley? Santa Clara Valley? No nefarious interests here, I'm just curious, there are a lot of valleys in the Bay Area and NorCal, like my cool little abode of Redwood Valley

**wesmaniam** · 06-15-2012, 03:47 PM

I live and work in SF and the coverage is pretty good these days. You wont find man locals including indoors that you can't get a fauxG signal. That said the data speeds are really bad. There is lots of latency and slow speeds. On sunny days you can't even use the data at all in places like Delores Park. You can't make calls either. I am used to the speeds at this point but I am always amazed at how fast the network is whenever I leave the city. In sacramento it is like I have a different phone.

Here is a speed test I just ran in potrero hill near 17th and rhode island.

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**ilvla2** · 06-15-2012, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by wesmaniam

I live and work in SF and the coverage is pretty good these days. You wont find man locals including indoors that you can't get a fauxG signal. That said the data speeds are really bad. There is lots of latency and slow speeds. On sunny days you can't even use the data at all in places like Delores Park. You can't make calls either. I am used to the speeds at this point but I am always amazed at how fast the network is whenever I leave the city. In sacramento it is like I have a different phone.

Here is a speed test I just ran in potrero hill near 17th and rhode island.

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WOW, it looks like it hasn't improved much since I was down there last summer! I'm up here in Redwood Valley by the way, it's halfway between Ukiah and Willits in Mendocino County, about 120 miles north of SF. I get good speeds up here, it's HSPA+ w/EB though, we don't have LTE yet, though AT&T, Verizon and U.S. Cellular all plan to roll it out in our area, anway here is an average test for me in Ukiah-

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**DWC1** · 06-15-2012, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by ilvla2

The Bay Area as you probably know has traditionally been one of AT&T's worst networks, and I think issues like you are having mean they still have a ways to go. They have made improvements for sure, they're just not up to Verizon's level there yet.

You mean like these reports from Verizon users? Data use is killing them them too:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...ically-useless

**ilvla2** · 06-15-2012, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by DWC1

You mean like these reports from Verizon users? Data use is killing them too.

I have a friend who lives in Oakland, and his speeds are great with Verizon, but I'm sure they have bad areas down there too. When I was down there last summer working (in the ENTIRE Bay Area and down to Fresno) Verizon had awesome LTE speeds, while AT&T was S L O W.

**kilovolt** · 06-15-2012, 04:28 PM

Hmm. My experience in SF has been pretty good in the past year. I agree, data speeds are not super fast on 3G, but on LTE they scream.

Dropped calls have dramatically dropped off from what they were a year ago. But there are still a couple lousy spots - Noe Valley being one of them.

They did fix the bad coverage issue on the lower part of Fell around Laguna recently, which was nice to see. And I am seeing a ton of those mini-towers on top of electric poles - which are helping with coverage holes over a couple of blocks.