Best overall Central PA and Central CT coverage?

[djdk]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to be taking a trip up to central Connecticut (specifically Wethersfield), and am curious as to what carrier has good coverage. I'm currently on AT&T TDMA and have been thinking about going GSM with them, or possibly switching to Verizon. I know Cingular tends to have pretty good coverage in CT, but around central PA, it seems to be a bit too spotty. Other suggestions are welcome, but remember, I need good coverage in central PA and central CT, but central PA is most important since I live there!

Thank you.

[NYCDru]

1.) In CT, GSM is not an option period.

2.) Cingular is making it easy for me to persuade alot of my friends in CT to switch to Verizon.

3.) If ATT TDMA works, stick with it.

4.) Someone else will have to tell you about Verizon's PA coverage, I don't travel there much anyway.

[bfbchief]

I have Verizon, TM and SPCS and they are all good in the area of Central CT that you are talking about. I used to have Cingular and they were fine in that area too.

I would assume any carrier is good in that area as it is close to highways and not far from Hartford.

[bfbchief]

Also to let you know GSM IS in CT. All three GSM providers have it here. TM, Cingular and ATT (Cingular and ATT) are somewhat new to GSM in CT. TM is good in CT as long as you are in bigger cities (which you will be close to) and highways

[djdk]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Is AT&T (TDMA and/or GSM) alright up in CT? I've been happy with them for 4.5 years, and have been thinking about switching for something different, but hey, if it'll work well, then I might just keep it.

Thanks!

[HelloMotoV70]

bfbchief is correct in all aspects...i travel through wethersfield EVERYDAY to go to classes from Glastonbury to New Britain, i have cingular and Nextel and i believe both are excellent, Nextel has a few dead zones where cingular doesn't, but for a company that didn't start in CT as Cingular did, they are right up there with them, only problem is, by looking at the coverage map, unless you live east of Harrisburg, Nextel would not be the best choice for you, only State College has adequate coverage in the Central part of PA. hope this helps

P.S.-Verizon is just as good as Cingular if not better, but ATT may be your best shot since they are great in PA from everyone that i know who has it there.

[NYCDru]

My apologies. My experience with CT coverage is on the way to Hartford, in Hartford, and in and around the area of Storrs. From experience I can tell you that Verizon rocks and ATT Roams pretty well on Cingulars system.

[kloda]

With regard to Verizon and AT&T in the State College PA area, both are usually good. There are some black spots (WalMart for some reason is one of them) and the outskirts of town is iffy. Pennsylvania Furnace and Warrior's Mark are not reliable. Inside Beaver Stadium on the Penn State University Park campus is surprisingly good. I purchased an ATTWS GSM phone in November. Anywhere outside my basement office on the Penn State campus is pretty good.

Roger

[RichXKU]

Verizon should no longer be a problem in wal mart since they upgraded the site on the realator bldg on Atherton last month.
Beaver stadium reception is good because they have a site right there (42) with the panels mounted on the stadium light poles, with another tower (43) less than 1/2 mile away, with one of its sectors aimed in the general direction of the Stadium / BJ Center.


As far as central PA your only options for full coverage are AT&T TDMA or Verizon. No ifs ands or buts...

[matt8205]

Originally posted by: djdk Hi everyone, I'm going to be taking a trip up to central Connecticut (specifically Wethersfield), and am curious as to what carrier has good coverage. I'm currently on AT&T TDMA and have been thinking about going GSM with them, or possibly switching to Verizon. I know Cingular tends to have pretty good coverage in CT, but around central PA, it seems to be a bit too spotty. Other suggestions are welcome, but remember, I need good coverage in central PA and central CT, but central PA is most important since I live there! Thank you.

AT&T/Cingular probably have the best coverage in Central PA (they use each other's towers). However, nobody's going to be free of dead spots -- after all, you're in the mountains!

Last time I failed to get a Verizon signal out here I switched to my own AT&T phone and failed again. Sometimes dead spot is just a dead spot.

As for Beaver Stadium, they probably have a cell tower built into it -- there are lots of wealthy alumni at those games.

[Codepyro]

AT&T tdma is good in pa but there has been a decreasing quality because they are converting there tdma towers to gsm....i personally have verizon its a bit more expensive but the coverage is really good...but i think at&t offers better plans...i would defintely stay away from at&t's below par(cnet review) gsm network if anything get t-mobile if you want gsm...

[RichXKU]

Originally posted by: djdk As for Beaver Stadium, they probably have a cell tower built into it -- there are lots of wealthy alumni at those games.

Previously posted by me:

Beaver stadium reception is good because they have a site right there (42) with the panels mounted on the stadium light poles, with another tower (43) less than 1/2 mile away, with one of its sectors aimed in the general direction of the Stadium / BJ Center.

[MooYork]

FYI I use T-Mobile (using an 8390) in NYC and when in Hartford/Wethersfield/Manchester (heh Buckland ughh)/suburbs I have had pretty good service....and my buddy who picked up his ATT 8390 in Boston had coverage in the same towns too...so in other words don't listen to anybody that says GSM is crap there

I will admit it can be a little spotty now and then, but remember these suburbanites argue about such inane things like making sure that the shrubs around McDonalds are pruned properly that it is impossible to get towers built in remote back woods apple orchards without death threats from village cryers, let alone towers for police relays, hah

...also I have found (call me crazy, maybe it's psychological) that my GPRS connection is faster when in Hartford...I'm guessing that nobody there knows it exists yet

I can't answer for PA but I think you'll be fine with whatever you pick...believe me, this is my only phone (besides work), and I would be the first one hemming and hawing if it didn't work and I was missing calls when in Hartford

Originally posted by: djdk Hi everyone, I'm going to be taking a trip up to central Connecticut (specifically Wethersfield), and am curious as to what carrier has good coverage. I'm currently on AT&T TDMA and have been thinking about going GSM with them, or possibly switching to Verizon. I know Cingular tends to have pretty good coverage in CT, but around central PA, it seems to be a bit too spotty. Other suggestions are welcome, but remember, I need good coverage in central PA and central CT, but central PA is most important since I live there! Thank you.