Arizona GSM Followup

I am glad you are happy with AT&T GSM. It is hard to believe that AT&T has a very good GSM network in AZ. But from my family's experiance and reading forums it's true.

BTW, For people in Mohave County, Cingular on a Nationwide plan is the way to go. AT&T has no native coverage here & T-Mobile uses Cingular's network (CA/NV sharing agreement), but has no local numbers yet in BHC, Kingman, LHC. Dobson/CellOne is good but their data & voice plans for the most part fall short of Cingular's

 

I can easily believe that AT&T's GSM network does well in AZ. While they don't cover as much ground as Alltel or Verizon, AZ is one of several markets where AT&T was already using the 1900 MHz band for TDMA operations and already had time to improve the network.

When they added GSM there, it was easily as good as the TDMA network, which is not the case in most other AT&T markets where the 1900 MHz GSM overlay was just added to their existing 800 MHz sites. Only now are they optimizing the GSM coverage in 800 MHz markets. Phoenix was way ahead of the schedule.

 

How is GSM on I-40 going through AZ from CA to NM? What carriers are available for GSM in this area such as Kingman, Flagstaff etc.???

 

What about Sedona and the Grand Canyon? GSM is more or less non existant in those places right?

 

Airb330,

I was just in Sedona last Saturday and ATT GSM worked really well full signal in town. However when I went to the Slide Rock area it died out but my Verizon phone did also started the searching for service routine.

RH

 

AFAIK, the GC is still a dead spot for GSM. Sedona has GSM from both T-Mobile and AT&T.

-SC

 

I drove from Flag to NM in March and my T-Mobile phone was on the AT&T network the entire time on the I-40. I had great service and was able to make and recieve calls with no problem. From Flag west though I have no experience...

 

Anyone use GSM in the West Valley? My best friend just changed from Alltel to AT&T and it's a very disturbing change. I am waiting to see what he settles with so I can enjoy free mobile to mobile. Each time he calls me, the call drops - when he's at home or driving on the 101. This can't be right? Or is this just something one must endure to have GSM service?

 

I have noticed that the handoff from one tower to another on T-Mobile is almost nonexistant. The call drops, then picks up the next tower. I don't know if this is what your friend is experiencing as well, but I agree that it gets annoying at times

 

Not really, I will be talking to him on land line and then the call starts to deteriorate until I loose him and have to call back to start the cycle over.

 

When you call back though, does he have good service (i.e. the next tower picks him up?) That's what happens to me. I will be literally within 1000 feet from a T-Mobile tower when the call will drop, then the closer tower will get picked up by my phone and I can make the call back no problem.

 

Nope, it just starts that cycle over. I have no idea what it could be. I too, thought that ATT had decent coverage in the west valley. But that myth is being revealed second hand.

 

Can it be the cellphone he's using in particular?

 

I have no idea about GSM, but I would like to welcome yet another AZ-ite to WA. Good to have you here...

 

I was in Sedona last October for a conference and I managed to get my T-Mobile to work. Got about 2-3 bars, so the quality wasn't great but I didn't drop any calls.

 

I hope so for AT&T's sake.

 

Cingular coverage should be as good in AZ. since AT&T is non-existent now that Cingular has taken over. Check this link outhttp://www.cellreception.com/

 

Wow this is an old thread.

I was curious...looking at the Cingular Arizona map it sure looks like once you get off an interstate or major highway you will get terrible coverage. Is this indeed the case?

 

It was for me when I did the thread last year here on WA!!!

 

Just my opinion form researching the West I think Verizon Wireless would still be the better choice in AZ.
http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi-bin/ni_map.pl?z=2&x=4&y=3&cc=us&net=at

 

Much concurred, IMO!!!:browani:

 

You live in Prescott, when in AZ, right???

 

So I take it Cingular should work just as well since AT&T is now non-existant?

 

I'll revisit this thread in about a year and post about T-Mobile's coverage in the Chandler/Mesa/Phoenix area. We'll just bring it up each year about this time.

 

I went on T-Mobiles website and was quite impressed with their presence in Arizona.

 

Same here. Pretty sad IMO.