NOVA/DC Area - iPhone Users Signal strength

[CTK2651]

Did you ask her about reception in shopping centers, grocery stores, underground parking garages, the metro, etc?

I've met people that for some reason or another, seem to believe that reception should be limited or non-existent when in the subway, in Costco, or in some underground parking lot. They don't realize that the lack of reception in these areas is often the fault of their carrier, or in some cases, even their phone.

How 'bout it ATT folks ...reception in shopping centers, grocery stores, office building, etc.

I'll tell you that my Verizon RAZR loses reception in the back of some stores, like grocery stores - but in others like COSTCO works fine. Have no service inside the Worldgate shopping center in Herndon (complete dead zone).

 

[ErnestS]

I've had great reception at Costco (Sterling), Harris Teeter (Reston) and at Tyson's Corner mall. However, I was just in the Reston Target and noticed that I had 1-2 bars, and the phone call that I received ended up dropping.

 

[Diode]

Did you ask her about reception in shopping centers, grocery stores, underground parking garages, the metro, etc?

Well with me the only area I reguarlly visit and drop calls from is in the basement of our parking garage. Since I have roughly 4 floors of solid concrete above me and I don't get a radio signal down there for my car I brush it off as expected for cell phones

If you do want to be more critical ... I do get the ocasional drop call and out of service but its so few and far between I hardly notice. Besides I have yet to meet someone with a cell phone that has never experienced those issues. That is if their telling the truth ;-)

If your really worried about coverage I would suggest switching and getting a free phone that comes with the regular plans for new customers. Try it out and if you like AT&T, upgrade your phone to a iphone. For existing customers it's "free" as in you don't pay a activation fee for iphone upgrades. That way if you decide coverage sucks you won't be stuck with a restocking fee at apple and if you do like it you have a free backup in case you need to send your iphone in for repairs.

 

[StealthRider]

Thanks for that.

I work right across Spa Creek from the academy...

Not a problem. I was on Two Deck of Bancroft Hall, so not overly elevated, and plenty of buildings around. You should be fine with an iPhone if you're that close. AT&T also professes to have the whole area covered by a 3G system at this point too.

(Had to check all of this in the event I got accepted to USNA...I didn't. Next year hopefully )

 

[CTK2651]

If your really worried about coverage I would suggest switching and getting a free phone that comes with the regular plans for new customers. Try it out and if you like AT&T, upgrade your phone to a iphone. For existing customers it's "free" as in you don't pay a activation fee for iphone upgrades. That way if you decide coverage sucks you won't be stuck with a restocking fee at apple and if you do like it you have a free backup in case you need to send your iphone in for repairs.

Exactly what I plan on doing very soon!

 

[PennState4Ever]

How 'bout it ATT folks ...reception in shopping centers, grocery stores, office building, etc.

I'll tell you that my Verizon RAZR loses reception in the back of some stores, like grocery stores - but in others like COSTCO works fine. Have no service inside the Worldgate shopping center in Herndon (complete dead zone).

Great reception today in Giant, in all levels (even food court) of the Pentagon City mall (was even posting on a message board from the dressing room of Forever 21), 4 bars in Tysons Corner and Arlington all day.

Hope this helps.

 

[CTK2651]

Great reception today in Giant, in all levels (even food court) of the Pentagon City mall (was even posting on a message board from the dressing room of Forever 21), 4 bars in Tysons Corner and Arlington all day.

Hope this helps.

Sure does! Appreciate everyone comments, keep them coming!

Although Penn State please...



(Pitt/WVU)

 

[Turkish]

Not a problem. I was on Two Deck of Bancroft Hall, so not overly elevated, and plenty of buildings around. You should be fine with an iPhone if you're that close. AT&T also professes to have the whole area covered by a 3G system at this point too.

(Had to check all of this in the event I got accepted to USNA...I didn't. Next year hopefully )

I have a buddy that just graduated. Good luck. Thanks for the info.

 

[Clix Pix]

No problems here.... I live in Falls Church just inside the Beltway and so far everywhere I've gone I've gotten very good reception, no dropped calls.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

As has been posted by others in other threads I have had times of no signal... but that was with my moving the iPhone.... as long as keep in a few spots I am OK in my apartment. Not sure if it has to do with the construction of the place or all the computers and wi-fi going one. A little worse than Sprint, but the iPhone with the Jawbone makes it very a very workable solution...

 

[CTK2651]

No problems here.... I live in Falls Church just inside the Beltway and so far everywhere I've gone I've gotten very good reception, no dropped calls.

Good to hear many people having no problems. I think when I get back from the beach a trip to the Tyson's Apple store is in order!

 

[AirmanPika]

Word of advice if you ride the metro. Obviously you won't get squat in the underground stations but above ground you may have very slow EDGE speeds due to the speed of the train. I guess the phone has to continually switch from tower to tower so it cuts the speed. I generally ride the Yellow line between Huntington and Pentagon so I dunno if the same issues affect some of the other lines. A page usually won't load for me when the train is at full speed.

 

[CTK2651]

Word of advice if you ride the metro. Obviously you won't get squat in the underground stations but above ground you may have very slow EDGE speeds due to the speed of the train. I guess the phone has to continually switch from tower to tower so it cuts the speed. I generally ride the Yellow line between Huntington and Pentagon so I dunno if the same issues affect some of the other lines. A page usually won't load for me when the train is at full speed.

Interesting? Never would have thought of that! Anyone else notice slower Edge speeds or poor page loading experience when zooming along on the metro above ground?

 

[diamond.g]

Interesting? Never would have thought of that! Anyone else notice slower Edge speeds or poor page loading experience when zooming along on the metro above ground?

I will post about it tommorrow, I have to go to DC for the day.

 

[CTK2651]

Diamondg

I will post about it tommorrow, I have to go to DC for the day.

Where are you???? Looking for that update.

 

[diamond.g]

Where are you???? Looking for that update.

Hehe, I tried posting an update from my iPhone, but that was a no go. I think we were hopping cell towers too quickly. I had superb signal in the ride up though, which made it kinda odd. Of course once we got to Rosslyn (underground stops) I had no signal, but that was to be expected. Once above ground everything was great.

 

[AirmanPika]

Hehe, I tried posting an update from my iPhone, but that was a no go. I think we were hopping cell towers too quickly. I had superb signal in the ride up though, which made it kinda odd. Of course once we got to Rosslyn (underground stops) I had no signal, but that was to be expected. Once above ground everything was great.

So same issue on the orange line eh (I'm guessing thats what you rode from your description). I've learned to time my page accesses to when the train slows down or stops. It helps. Some pages load on occasion at full speed still (macrumors oddly being one of em) but its usually just pointless to try. I was gonna try the service menu on the phone to see how it was switching from tower to tower but I forgot the key sequence.

 

[diamond.g]

So same issue on the orange line eh (I'm guessing thats what you rode from your description). I've learned to time my page accesses to when the train slows down or stops. It helps. Some pages load on occasion at full speed still (macrumors oddly being one of em) but its usually just pointless to try. I was gonna try the service menu on the phone to see how it was switching from tower to tower but I forgot the key sequence.

Blue line actually. Yeah macrumors loaded the fastest of all the pages I tried.

 

[CTK2651]

Can anyone tell me if the same thing happens when riding in a car (Edge / page loading)?

 

[diamond.g]

Can anyone tell me if the same thing happens when riding in a car (Edge / page loading)?

Not that I could tell (post above yours was done while in a car). We were even on the back roads as well. So that should give you idea of speed I guess.

 

[somberlaine]

Alexandria Here

I have had ATT for the past 5 years. It was not that great pre GSM but since I got a razor over two years ago and now an Iphone, I have always had at least 4 bars here in my Alexandria Home. However, around the Pentagon coverage is really bad but my guess is that there is some interference coming from the petagon. Overall, I have been very satisfied.

 

[Lopes]

I switched to at&t for the iPhone, and was a verizon customer for about 5 years, and a sprint customer for about 3 years before that. At that time sprint was terrible, and verizon worked EVERYWHERE. I had noticed that verizon has slightly downgraded, probably due to so many people on the towers.

With the iPhone I have noticed NO problems whatsoever. It really rivals verizons coverage, minus the metro (they can't control that though). I live in Alexandria and work in Tyson's, and haven't had any problems with at&t whatsoever. I've extremely happy with their service here.

Now this weekend I'll be heading into the sticks, so we'll see what happens there, but in my experience even the new digital only verizon phones wouldn't work so hot there either.

 

[CTK2651]

Lopes ...

Now this weekend I'll be heading into the sticks, so we'll see what happens there, but in my experience even the new digital only verizon phones wouldn't work so hot there either.

Let us know where you're going and how it works. I'm heading up to Morgantown, WV in a month and that area is murder on most providers. So I'm hoping to have a ATT phone by then and test it.

 

[MBHockey]

I have had ATT for the past 5 years. It was not that great pre GSM but since I got a razor over two years ago and now an Iphone, I have always had at least 4 bars here in my Alexandria Home. However, around the Pentagon coverage is really bad but my guess is that there is some interference coming from the petagon. Overall, I have been very satisfied.

I too am in Alexandria (Just moved here!) and notice that i get pretty bad reception inside my apartment.

Other places are mostly fine, Malls, work, other buildings. It seems my apartment has some thick walls or something.

 

[Xtgirl]

I don't know what I think of the reception yet...it isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be...I lose reception in my house a bit and unfortunately at Bolling AFB where I work(indoors) mostly. But, I have been able to make calls in a Target in Burke where I couldn't with VZW....overall it has been much better than I expected, but I have noticed that even with 3 or 4 bars showing it can take a while to decide to put through a call. It is definitely not as good as VZW in my situation, but I think it is good enough for me, cause I love web browsing, the sms interface, visual voicemail so much that I am willing to give up some reception.....it has been pretty good outdoors in Springfield, Burke, Arlington and better than expected in some buildings.