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sillybilly · 12-20-2002, 10:12 AM

In the past two weeks, my friends and I have noticed that a lot more of our calls on US Cellular have been ending for no reason! We live in the Madison, Wi area and all of my dropped calls have been when I'm sitting at home, not traveling. I have lived in my place for 7 months and have not had a dropped call until 2 weeks ago! Any you else notice this problem or have some reason why this might be happening?

med1 · 12-20-2002, 10:35 AM

Thats what happens when your service provider starts to sell 900 minutes for 20.00 a month.

spanky · 12-20-2002, 11:00 AM

Are the droppped calls occuring on a CDMA or TDMA handset? I've noticed since USCC switched to CDMA in my area, that my old TDMA handset has been acting a bit differently: poorer reception, dropped calles, etc. I just attributed it to USCC now providing more of its assigned bandwidth to the CDMA side of things and shunning the TDMA side of things.

I would have to assume USCC has to play some sort of balancing act with their assigned frequency range to fit both TDMA and CDMA calls in, thus the increace in dropped calls: split bandwidth to accomidate both CDMA & TDMA calls?

Of course I'm not an RF engineer by any means - just pure speculation on my part!

s.

sillybilly · 12-20-2002, 11:05 AM

My friends all have TDMA phones but I have the nokia 3585 CDMA phone. I never had a dropped call with my old(6360) phone! I wish USCC would get the v60ci in their stores, I'm not sure about the 3585!!

cghovie · 12-20-2002, 11:21 AM

I live in Madison and have not had any dropped calls with my V60ci. My wife has the 6385 and also has had no trouble. The only odd thing I've noticed that that downtown there seems to be some dead spots that were not there before. I would always drop calls with I had the V60t even on the interstate. I would suggest making sure you have the correct PRL.

spanky · 12-20-2002, 11:25 AM

sillybilly,

I don't think its a phone issue (unless its a signal strength issue - but if you are standing still and a call drops.....) - more of a capacity issue on the cells you are hitting.

I posted a thread in the Wireless Network Tech. section to get some claraification because now my curiosity is peaked, plus I wouldn't mind knowing the answer myself!

s

sillybilly · 12-20-2002, 11:27 AM

I have talked to a few other USCC customers today and they also have had a increase in dropped calls in the "Mad City" area within the last few weeks. Most of them have the "old" TDMA phones. Any US Cellular reps. out there have any answers to why calls are being dropped? Is Spanky's bandwidth theory correct?

sillybilly · 12-20-2002, 10:49 PM

I hate to keep b$tching about this, but today I started to get a lot of high pitched static during a few of my phone calls! It was only on my end of the phone! Some of my friends have had the same thing happen to them lately. I know it is not my phone because I just picked up the v60i from my USCC store today. The same "noise" happened with my nokia 3585 before I traded it in!!!

sillybilly · 12-22-2002, 6:37 PM

Anyone out there find any answers to this problem yet?

Suliman · 12-22-2002, 9:39 PM

FWIW, I am in the Northeast and noticed the same thing. It got so bad I decided to give Verizon Wireless a try and the difference as been great. I was told taht as US Cellular converts from TDMA to CDMA (mid-2003 here) that they will reduce their 800 AMPS channels on towers to make room for CDMA. I don't know if that's true but like you, I did notice an increase in dropped calls witihn the past two months here.

Suliman

PeterG · 12-24-2002, 11:27 AM

About a week ago, my wife purchased a Nokia 3585 with service from US Cellular in Milwaukee. Right from the beginning we had problems with dropped calls. We couldn't be on a call for more than 3-4 minutes before it was dropped with no warning. We called customer support and logged a trouble ticket and just last night (12/23) received a call back saying that all Nokia 3585 and 6385 phones have been recalled! We were told that there is a programming error in the phones that causes the dropped calls. I confirmed this by going back to US Cellular's web site and noticed that these phones are no longer for sale. So, if you have one of these phones and have been having problems take it back to where you purchased it for an exchange.

sillybilly · 12-27-2002, 9:09 AM

I haven't had a dropped call in a week now! Maybe USCC had a tower or 2 go down in my area and now they are back on line again!!

RyanM · 12-30-2002, 8:55 PM

Its part of the promo. USC is great here, if not the best.

RyanM · 12-30-2002, 8:56 PM

It may be your phone, or something bad happened to a tower. Do you have tdma or cdma?

sillybilly · 01-04-2003, 9:45 AM

RyanM, if you would have read all the posts in this thread, you would have seen that I had the problem with the nokia 3585! As soon as I traded it in for the v60i, no more dropped calls! I think there was a tower "down" in my area because none of my friends have had a problem since the week of Christmas; and they still have TDMA phones. And yes I know that the 3585 was recalled!!

spanky · 01-06-2003, 8:42 AM

Sillybilly -

I know its moot at this point but....

I got a response on the split bandwidth question from the other forum.

It does look like USCC has to split their licensed bandwidth to share between TDMA & CDMA......

I guess its possible they could have had the allocation messed up and not enough bandwidth to go aroud for both, and that they finally figured it out and corrected it.

or it could have been a downed cell-

whatever, right! As long as it works now![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

BTW - I'm sad to hear your bad experience with the 3585 - I was all jones-ed up to get one - then the recalled it - and now I'm having second thoughts based on some of the stuff I read here! Guess the v60i is still an option....

s.

12-20-2002, 10:12 AM	#1
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? In the past two weeks, my friends and I have noticed that a lot more of our calls on US Cellular have been ending for no reason! We live in the Madison, Wi area and all of my dropped calls have been when I'm sitting at home, not traveling. I have lived in my place for 7 months and have not had a dropped call until 2 weeks ago! Any you else notice this problem or have some reason why this might be happening? __________________ ****Be sure to check out my eBay auctions*****

12-20-2002, 10:35 AM	#2
med1 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? Thats what happens when your service provider starts to sell 900 minutes for 20.00 a month.

12-20-2002, 11:00 AM	#3
spanky Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 150 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? Are the droppped calls occuring on a CDMA or TDMA handset? I've noticed since USCC switched to CDMA in my area, that my old TDMA handset has been acting a bit differently: poorer reception, dropped calles, etc. I just attributed it to USCC now providing more of its assigned bandwidth to the CDMA side of things and shunning the TDMA side of things. I would have to assume USCC has to play some sort of balancing act with their assigned frequency range to fit both TDMA and CDMA calls in, thus the increace in dropped calls: split bandwidth to accomidate both CDMA & TDMA calls? Of course I'm not an RF engineer by any means - just pure speculation on my part! s.

12-20-2002, 11:05 AM	Original Poster #4
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? My friends all have TDMA phones but I have the nokia 3585 CDMA phone. I never had a dropped call with my old(6360) phone! I wish USCC would get the v60ci in their stores, I'm not sure about the 3585!! __________________ ****Be sure to check out my eBay auctions*****

12-20-2002, 11:21 AM	#5
cghovie I have arrived! Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? I live in Madison and have not had any dropped calls with my V60ci. My wife has the 6385 and also has had no trouble. The only odd thing I've noticed that that downtown there seems to be some dead spots that were not there before. I would always drop calls with I had the V60t even on the interstate. I would suggest making sure you have the correct PRL.

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12-20-2002, 11:25 AM	#6
spanky Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 150 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? sillybilly, I don't think its a phone issue (unless its a signal strength issue - but if you are standing still and a call drops.....) - more of a capacity issue on the cells you are hitting. I posted a thread in the Wireless Network Tech. section to get some claraification because now my curiosity is peaked, plus I wouldn't mind knowing the answer myself! s

12-20-2002, 11:27 AM	Original Poster #7
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? I have talked to a few other USCC customers today and they also have had a increase in dropped calls in the "Mad City" area within the last few weeks. Most of them have the "old" TDMA phones. Any US Cellular reps. out there have any answers to why calls are being dropped? Is Spanky's bandwidth theory correct? __________________ ****Be sure to check out my eBay auctions*****

12-20-2002, 10:49 PM	Original Poster #8
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? I hate to keep b$tching about this, but today I started to get a lot of high pitched static during a few of my phone calls! It was only on my end of the phone! Some of my friends have had the same thing happen to them lately. I know it is not my phone because I just picked up the v60i from my USCC store today. The same "noise" happened with my nokia 3585 before I traded it in!!! __________________ ****Be sure to check out my eBay auctions*****

12-22-2002, 6:37 PM	Original Poster #9
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? Anyone out there find any answers to this problem yet?

12-22-2002, 9:39 PM	#10
Suliman Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NH Posts: 274 Phone(s): Katana (2), Franklin 680 USB card Provider(s): Sprint, Millenicom Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? FWIW, I am in the Northeast and noticed the same thing. It got so bad I decided to give Verizon Wireless a try and the difference as been great. I was told taht as US Cellular converts from TDMA to CDMA (mid-2003 here) that they will reduce their 800 AMPS channels on towers to make room for CDMA. I don't know if that's true but like you, I did notice an increase in dropped calls witihn the past two months here. Suliman

12-24-2002, 11:27 AM	#11
PeterG I made my first post! Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? About a week ago, my wife purchased a Nokia 3585 with service from US Cellular in Milwaukee. Right from the beginning we had problems with dropped calls. We couldn't be on a call for more than 3-4 minutes before it was dropped with no warning. We called customer support and logged a trouble ticket and just last night (12/23) received a call back saying that all Nokia 3585 and 6385 phones have been recalled! We were told that there is a programming error in the phones that causes the dropped calls. I confirmed this by going back to US Cellular's web site and noticed that these phones are no longer for sale. So, if you have one of these phones and have been having problems take it back to where you purchased it for an exchange.

12-27-2002, 9:09 AM	Original Poster #12
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? I haven't had a dropped call in a week now! Maybe USCC had a tower or 2 go down in my area and now they are back on line again!!

12-30-2002, 8:55 PM	#13
RyanM Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 166 Phone(s): Motorola V3xx, Sony Ericsson W810i, LG CU500v, Samsung D807 Provider(s): AT&T / Cingular Wireless [GSM] Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? Its part of the promo. USC is great here, if not the best.

12-30-2002, 8:56 PM	#14
RyanM Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 166 Phone(s): Motorola V3xx, Sony Ericsson W810i, LG CU500v, Samsung D807 Provider(s): AT&T / Cingular Wireless [GSM] Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? It may be your phone, or something bad happened to a tower. Do you have tdma or cdma?

01-04-2003, 9:45 AM	Original Poster #15
sillybilly Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Windsor, WI Posts: 652 Phone(s): BlackBerry 8330 Curve Provider(s): USCC Devices: 40 GB PS3, Acer laptop Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Auctions	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? RyanM, if you would have read all the posts in this thread, you would have seen that I had the problem with the nokia 3585! As soon as I traded it in for the v60i, no more dropped calls! I think there was a tower "down" in my area because none of my friends have had a problem since the week of Christmas; and they still have TDMA phones. And yes I know that the 3585 was recalled!!

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01-06-2003, 8:42 AM	#16
spanky Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 150 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dropped calls on US Cellular in wisconsin? Sillybilly - I know its moot at this point but.... I got a response on the split bandwidth question from the other forum. It does look like USCC has to split their licensed bandwidth to share between TDMA & CDMA...... I guess its possible they could have had the allocation messed up and not enough bandwidth to go aroud for both, and that they finally figured it out and corrected it. or it could have been a downed cell- whatever, right! As long as it works now![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] BTW - I'm sad to hear your bad experience with the 3585 - I was all jones-ed up to get one - then the recalled it - and now I'm having second thoughts based on some of the stuff I read here! Guess the v60i is still an option.... s.