Cellular service in San Marino,CA

[Sidcup]

San Marino is the worst city, I think for cellular phone users!! I was with Verizon for many years but my cell would not work at home. I tried all other service providers and I found that Cingular did have some reception in my home, not the best, but at least I could use it inside some parts of the house. So I switched to Cingular 2 years ago. Lo and behold, soon ATT bought Cingular and I lost cellular reception once again at home. ATT advertises more bars in more places than any other provider, but it is certainly not true here in San Marino, in CA., USA!!! How can I be sure that they work anywhere else?!
Please help me choose a cell phone provider that will have reception in my home in San Marino, CA?

[jimwayda]

Did you try Sprint?

Originally Posted by Sidcup

San Marino is the worst city, I think for cellular phone users!! I was with Verizon for many years but my cell would not work at home. I tried all other service providers and I found that Cingular did have some reception in my home, not the best, but at least I could use it inside some parts of the house. So I switched to Cingular 2 years ago. Lo and behold, soon ATT bought Cingular and I lost cellular reception once again at home. ATT advertises more bars in more places than any other provider, but it is certainly not true here in San Marino, in CA., USA!!! How can I be sure that they work anywhere else?!
Please help me choose a cell phone provider that will have reception in my home in San Marino, CA?

[Sidcup]

Originally Posted by jimwayda

Did you try Sprint?

I did try Sprint a couple of years ago. No good. Have they put in any more towers in San Marino recently. there must be someone in San Marino who is happy with his/her cellular provider?!

[Bill Clinton]

Is the service any better outside your home? Some building materials can reduce cell phone signals dramatically so that might be part of your problem.

If you do have usable signal outside your house there are antennas, amplifiers, and repeaters that can be used to provide better coverage in the home itself, but even these options can get costly and of course it would be nice to just have a carrier that works for you. If that isn't going to happen, there are solutions that will set you back $30 to $400 depending on what you get.

[Sidcup]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Is the service any better outside your home? Some building materials can reduce cell phone signals dramatically so that might be part of your problem.

If you do have usable signal outside your house there are antennas, amplifiers, and repeaters that can be used to provide better coverage in the home itself, but even these options can get costly and of course it would be nice to just have a carrier that works for you. If that isn't going to happen, there are solutions that will set you back $30 to $400 depending on what you get.

The service is better if I go way out to the street but not in my front or back yard. I guess u r right that part of the problem may be the building, but when I had Cingular, the service was much better. I believe Verizon has put in some new towers in this area and I may just try them out
Thanks for your response

[Bill Clinton]

Well take advantage of the trial period when you sign up for a new contract. Usually you have 15 or 30 days so if you aren't happy with the coverage you aren't stuck with it for 2 years if you can get back to the store in time. I would suggest you try as many carriers as you can and just keep the best one.

[larry]

Originally Posted by Sidcup

I did try Sprint a couple of years ago. No good. Have they put in any more towers in San Marino recently. there must be someone in San Marino who is happy with his/her cellular provider?!

No I don't think Sprint has put up anything else in San Marino. They do have equipment on a new tower at the Huntington Library but I think only the IDEN panels have been installed so far. The CDMA is coming later. Another future site will be coming at Mission & Los Robles (Nextel is there now) but I'm not sure when the CDMA portion will happen.

Have you considered giving Nextel a shot? They look to have decent service in San Marion (on paper at least).

[mframe]

Well, if you had some reception with Cingular, but lost it after the AT&T purchase, that most likely indicates that the tower you were using now belongs to T-Mobile. See if you can get a friend with T-Mobile to check reception at your house, or perhaps buy a cheap T-Mobile ToGo prepaid phone, to test with.

P.S. If your Cingular / AT&T phone is unlocked, you can just get a T-Mobile prepaid SIM with 10 minutes on it, from their website, for $7.

[Sidcup]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Well take advantage of the trial period when you sign up for a new contract. Usually you have 15 or 30 days so if you aren't happy with the coverage you aren't stuck with it for 2 years if you can get back to the store in time. I would suggest you try as many carriers as you can and just keep the best one.

Thanks. I am going to try out T mobile and perhaps Verizon again

[Sidcup]

Originally Posted by mframe

Well, if you had some reception with Cingular, but lost it after the AT&T purchase, that most likely indicates that the tower you were using now belongs to T-Mobile. See if you can get a friend with T-Mobile to check reception at your house, or perhaps buy a cheap T-Mobile ToGo prepaid phone, to test with.

P.S. If your Cingular / AT&T phone is unlocked, you can just get a T-Mobile prepaid SIM with 10 minutes on it, from their website, for $7.

Thanks. You may be right. Will try T mobile

[tmobileman]

Originally Posted by Sidcup

Thanks. You may be right. Will try T mobile

if you have broadband internet at home get a tmobile hot spot phone, pulls signal while in home from your internet off of a wireless router, and for 9.99 you get unlimited calling from your home while on your cell, then outside of home it will pick up a tower and you're mobile. FYI in CA T-Mobile gives you a 30 day buyer's remorse period for the new service. Good Luck.