Switched to TMobile... lousy coverage

[oboeguy]

My better half and I were getting fed-up with dropped calls from Sprint, and our phones were falling apart, so it was time to switch. I chose T-Mobile because my co-workers use it for their BlackBerries and are generally pleased with the service. Also, GSM is good for travelers like us. Finally, they offer the BBerry Pearl -- awesome phone, BTW. Seemed like a no-brainer.

Problem: coverage in our apartment is TERRIBLE. We're in a very good coverage area (Manhattan, duh) but beyond the street-facing room of our apartment, it's virtually impossible to get a signal. Are we SOL? It's been less than a week so the "14 day no question asked" period is far from expiring.

A TMobile rep already said "it looks like you don't get coverage in your apt (duh) and you won't any time soon." Any suggestions for how to proceed would be appreciated. I really don't want to have to switch... again, and make compromises on the phone, tech, etc.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

suck it up and live with it or change carriers. Those are your 2 options. If the phones don't work in part of your apt, then I would suggest changing carriers.

 

[imported_Dunnomuch]

Originally posted by: oboeguy
My better half and I were getting fed-up with dropped calls from Sprint, and our phones were falling apart, so it was time to switch. I chose T-Mobile because my co-workers use it for their BlackBerries and are generally pleased with the service. Also, GSM is good for travelers like us. Finally, they offer the BBerry Pearl -- awesome phone, BTW. Seemed like a no-brainer.

Problem: coverage in our apartment is TERRIBLE. We're in a very good coverage area (Manhattan, duh) but beyond the street-facing room of our apartment, it's virtually impossible to get a signal. Are we SOL? It's been less than a week so the "14 day no question asked" period is far from expiring.

How many models of dual-mode GSM/WiFi phones are available now? I don't think there are many but that sounds like your only option with T-Mobile.

 

[oboeguy]

Originally posted by: Dunnomuch

Originally posted by: oboeguy
My better half and I were getting fed-up with dropped calls from Sprint, and our phones were falling apart, so it was time to switch. I chose T-Mobile because my co-workers use it for their BlackBerries and are generally pleased with the service. Also, GSM is good for travelers like us. Finally, they offer the BBerry Pearl -- awesome phone, BTW. Seemed like a no-brainer.

Problem: coverage in our apartment is TERRIBLE. We're in a very good coverage area (Manhattan, duh) but beyond the street-facing room of our apartment, it's virtually impossible to get a signal. Are we SOL? It's been less than a week so the "14 day no question asked" period is far from expiring.

How many models of dual-mode GSM/WiFi phones are available now? I don't think there are many but that sounds like your only option with T-Mobile.

That's an interesting idea! I had forgotten that was an option. I wonder why the Tmobile rep didn't suggest it? Does the Pearl support this feature?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

Yeah look into the Hotspot at home if you are concerned about home coverage, although don't know if your Pearl's will be compatible with it, but it's worth a shot if you don't want to go through the hassle of changing services again.

 

[imported_Dunnomuch]

Originally posted by: oboeguy

That's an interesting idea! I had forgotten that was an option. I wonder why the Tmobile rep didn't suggest it? Does the Pearl support this feature?

New BlackBerry goes Wi-Fi
July 18, 2007 8:46 AM PDT

http://www.news.com/2300-1039_3-6197329-1.html


T-Mobile snags Wi-Fi-lovin BlackBerry Curve

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9782989-7.html


At Last, BlackBerry Goes Wi-Fi

http://www.businessweek.com/te.../tc20070925_132861.htm

 

[oboeguy]

Yep, I looked it up and it looks like the Curve is the only BB option. Boo!

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

The t-mobile Shadow does WiFi and is hotspot at home compatible. I have a Shadow and it is a good phone. The only draw back is the lack of a qwerty keyboard, but I'm gettign the hang of the xt9 layout.

 

[oboeguy]

Having sampled the Pearl, I'm not sure I could go w/ a non-BB phone anymore. The trackball is perfect for me!

 

[imported_Dunnomuch]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
suck it up and live with it or change carriers. Those are your 2 options. If the phones don't work in part of your apt, then I would suggest changing carriers.

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
The t-mobile Shadow does WiFi and is hotspot at home compatible. I have a Shadow and it is a good phone. The only draw back is the lack of a qwerty keyboard, but I'm gettign the hang of the xt9 layout.

Were you asleep at the keyboard earlier? lol!!

 

[aceO07]

Get a bluetooth headset and just place phone at location where you get the best reception. That's what I'd do if I didn't want to switch to a better service/phone.

 

[zig3695]

definitely get the hotspot at home from tmobile. thats exactly why they have that plan, and it isnt overpriced either.

 

[pm]

T-Mobile generally has pretty poor reception in buildings. I've heard this is due to the fact that they entered the US market by acquiring Voicestream - which, as one of the poorer carriers, got the worst section of spectrum and are frequently relegated to 1.8GHz in many markets - which doesn't penetrate walls very well. Whether there is truth to this or not, I hear a lot of people say that they get poor T-Mobile reception in buildings.

As OnlyCO and Zig and others say, you can get Hotspot at Home from T-Mobile - which essentially uses VOIP over cellphone for calls when you are at home.

Beyond that, poor coverage is poor coverage. I can't think of any other recomendations except to make calls near windows.

AT&T and Verizon usually have better coverage than Sprint and T-Mobile...

(I'm on T-Mobile by the way).

 

[nsafreak]

If you don't mind spending a good bit of cash you can actually get a cell phone signal repeater . This will only work if you can stick the antenna that the repeater receives the signal off of in a location where the signal is at. Again, this solution is not cheap as the devices I have seen typically run around $200-$300.

 

[Civic2oo1x]

I went T-Mobile because of the Blackberry Pearl when it was released and moved 3 of my families phones from Sprint (good service, but a little expensive) to T-Mobile, getting 1 BB Pearl and 2 standard phones. Quality was terrible at my house, even after talking to the rep and sitting through a 45 minute buying and activation call. Turns out when he said 'No problem you'll have great coverage' he was looking up by zip code and not by the street. Half mile from my house it jumped up to 2 bars (up from no to 1), 1 mile out it would go up to 3 bars, and farther out it would jump up and down. It was to the point where I could only make/receive calls in my upstairs bathroom and my hallroom closet. It was within the 2 weeks so I went over to Cingular (now AT&T). Coverage is good, don't get dropped calls, and bill dropped from around $115-120 to around $90-95.