Is AT&T reception outside of metro areas always poor?

In your market-area, many people have made the same observations. Recently ATT indicated they have improved coverage in NY. Apparently it still needs to stretch out a little more.

On the west coast, their service stretches well into rural areas.

 

In my experience in CT, AT&T's coverage is only good close to Hartford or one of their other towers. In Storrs, I couldn't hit an AT&T tower ever. Same situation in Simsbury. With Verizon, I could full signal strength in both locations. I think AT&Ts coverage in the Northeast leaves something to be desired.

 

Should have gotten Sprint pcs..

 

I would also try a different phone. Depending on when you got your 8260 I know some have problems becasue of the internal antenna etc.

Jack

 

No problem let us know what you do

Jack

 

AT&T Wireless SUCKS in between Trenton and Penn Station.

 

I was refering to service while traveling within Amtrak/New Jersey Transit, have never experienced problems driving between Philly/New York City. The signal in the train is usually absent between Princeton and Newark.

 

From DC to NJ to PA, we have to blame Cingular for poor coverage as AT&T uses Cingular towers in that region. When traveling from Baltimore to NJ I've experienced weak signals along the way. However, inside DC and Arlington, VA the coverage is excellent though. In NYC, they have only improved coverage in Manhanttan. In north Jersey its good but not excellent, but in south Jersey is good near highways and Cingular is working on it. Currently, the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike get good signal all the way to Cape May. Some people reported that while traveling at fast speeds (such as in a train) the phone may get disconnected because the phone gets confused trying to keep up with the tower change so quick. In my experience, the 8260 is one of the best Nokia phones as far as reception and dealing with weak signals. However, we cannot discard the possibility that if a Nokia phone is dropped on the floor, its ability to keep calls connected can become mediocre.

We cannot forget that Verizon has better if not the best coverage in the Northeast US and then Sprint gets all the credit from its happy customers because Sprint phones can use Verizon towers.

 

I would suggest Barbara have her phone and its programming checked. It doesn't seem to be roaming properly onto Cingular. I know I get a good Cingular signal in Easthampton, MA. AT&T does not have their own coverage in Western MA. From the description of her travels, it seems as if she is only connecting with native AT&T towers.

 

We cannot forget that Verizon has better if not the best coverage in the Northeast US and then Sprint gets all the credit from its happy customers because Sprint phones can use Verizon towers.[/i] >>




sprint phones can analog roam on verizon towers if that is what u mean......its more like verizon gets all the credit cause its customers use sprint digital tower service all over the place.

 

What do you think of the service

Did you first get your 8260 checked out and if so what did they say

Jack

 

It depends on where you are, or more specifically, who AT&T bought out when consolidating. In much of the northeast (with the exception of NYC) AT&T built their network from the ground up and hasn't yet gotten around to building towers in rural areas. In places where AT&T bought 15-year-old cellular carriers (NYC for example) their rural network is far superior.

Also, don't expect great reception in general on Amtrak. Amtrak goes through mountain ravines, forests, and farms where many people simply don't live. And it's not cost effective to build a tower to serve the few minutes a day when a train is passing through an area.

-MVL

 

It would probably be more cost effective to have coverage built-in the train.