I have a GoPhone and I brought it to work with me for the first time yesterday. Reception in my office (ground floor, near a window) fluctuates between 0-1 bars to no service. Sprint is perfect in my office (second image). Now compare their coverage maps: My office is blanketed in the "best coverage" AT&T has to offer (first image). Yet my phone (thankfully prepaid) is practically unusable. At least at home (the second green image), where Sprint is bad and AT&T is good, Sprint's coverage map has me indicated as being in a marginal coverage area. And no, that pushpin isn't exactly my home...I am semi-concealing the location. But it is in the light green area.
Hasn't AT&T/Cingular's network in the Phoenix area always been a little spotty? Also, aren't they PCS (1900mhz) only in the PHX area? If they are only PCS, then that might explain the poor coverage you get at work. Just a guess, though.
You are correct that they are1900MHz only here. I have no real problem with the coverage, but rather the depiction of it. In an area labeled as "best" I think you should get usable indoor coverage. Sprint is 1900 only (of course) and their maps just seem much more truthful. My house is in a Sprint area that says outdoor coverage is "good" (not best) and I have spotty indoor coverage. This seems like a fair and reasonable depiction. IMO the ATT map should depict an area with unusable (2 for 2 in calls attempted and calls dropped) indoor coverage as "good" not "best" I don't work in conrete bunker or anything.
AT&T coverage maps have always been horrible. My previous job has been at the location that is in the "good" area right at the border with "best" area, and we do have 850MHz signal. The moment T-Mobile roaming became history, so did the ability of AT&T subscribers to use their phones. It's almost anecdotal AT&T has a billboard nearby (had for a number of years) with their ad. My success rate at driving past the billboard without dropping a conversation has been around 50%. It was especially funny while billboard was saying "the least dropped calls", but even now it's not much better do I really care that AT&T has service in "CHILONDOSCOW" if I can't get a signal right here in Milpitas?
Fortunately, in the L.A. area, they're pretty strong. When I've checked the coverage maps for my area, they've been pretty accurate. I have to admit, their coverage map does leave something to be desired.
yeppers... sounds like nothings changed w/ CingulATT since we did our own quasi-scientific Field testing!!!
Apparently so, though I haven't really visited PHX since 2005, so maybe there's been some improvement? Been through Sky Harbor several times, but that's not enough for me to give an accurate detail of my experience with AT&T's coverage in the PHX area.
i havent had problems with it. but its likely all coverage viewers are junk. Alltels you cant select locations and verizons just shows if theres coverage or not. so they all suck LoL
Yeah, the ATT was is really giving towards ATT service. It was a lot worse a couple of months ago, but they made it a bit more accurate. It is still way off though.
Another thing is its prepaid. Sadly, at&t and Verizon do not give their full network coverage to their prepaid customers, same applies to MVNO's (take a peek and Sprints MVNO Virgin Mobile)
The image I posted is the coverage map for postpaid accounts. And prepaid ATT phones can use all of ATT's network, but just none of their roaming partners. My phone won't work when I am up in Page, AZ for work next week, but a regular postpaid ATT user would get service from their roaming partner there.
When I was in Page last year, my phone showed 310-410, so your prepaid should work. I think Page, Moab & Kayenata (maybe) were the only 3 places where I had 410 west of Lincoln, NE. PS: Yes, at&'s online coverage map is trerrible.
Interesting. I was going to leave it at home, because the map showed it as partner coverage, but maybe I will take it along just in case. It will be an experiment!
Yeah. Sprint will roam on Alltel, so obviously Alltel will work. Alas, my Alltel phone is still being shipped to me, so I won't get it until I come back though.
yea that should be fine, the only problem i could see is if its suppose to be a 3G area also and maybe they are having an EDGE problem on that tower. If the coverage map says its suppose to be full signal and you cant call that is a clear "somethings wrong here". if i was you i would call customer service and let them know, it may be that they need to file a trouble ticket to go check the near by tower.
Could of been a tower outage as well when you were at work. Should try it again just for grins. Nokia 6085 is a good phone.
yea, thats what i was thinking. also even though it is a good phone, it still could be possible that it was a problem or needs to be turned off for a few minutes. you never know, phones are finicky. lately im getting 1 bar in a place i usually have 3, but then again they are working on 3G here so i figure thats the reason since im randomly roaming sometimes too.