OT...Local AT&T big time problem for cell users

[Ladipyg]

OK, I have AT&T as my cell phone carrier, we are on a family pack with shared minutes. Most of my friends use AT&T also we get free calls that way. For more than a month now it is taking 5, 6 sometimes 7 calls to get thru and talk to people, with most calls being dropped within 15 to 30 SECONDS!! My son and best bud live right across the alley and we just can't connect. It's ridiculous!! For the first couple of weeks AT&T treated me like a mushroom, kept me in the dark and fed me BS...but after hearing some of their excuses, I got just plain mad and did some research cause they won't volunteer to tell you anthing. My favorite excuse from a supervisor so far has been, you can't use cell phones indoors (MY HOUSE!!!) they are meant to be used outside.
Seems they have a service tower out for over a month now and although I'm told every day that it is on the schedule to be fixed my phone service is telling me otherwise. So far after much complaining the have credited me over $150 but I really don't care about that...I want phone service...that's our deal...they provide service and I pay the bill PERIOD! I had to call from my home phone cause any calls to reps were being dropped.
I caught one of my neighbors walking the street in the snow storm yesterday night trying to catch a signal to call his folks in Florida..he had no idea what was going on.
Monday I am going to start writing, phoning and e-mailing to complain about service. I'm thinking I want to cancel my contract. My buddy cancelled his without a fine. I'm worried about what carrier to use in its place...I've been with AT&T, Cingular and back to AT&T for more than 15 years. I need free roaming with coverage in my area of Lead Hill Arkansas so I can have phone service when I'm there.
What carriers are the most reliable...NOT AT&T for sure. Thanks

 

[Fish_wiz2]

For most reliable plus range Verizon or Sprint, trust me the commercials are correct. I use T-Mobile just fine but the range is kinda off (i was dead at the swap) good luck, Wiz

 

[bpkenn]

verizon & sprint have the best networks. ATT is horribad.

 

[ostrow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454432#post14454432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fish_wiz2
For most reliable plus range Verizon or Sprint, trust me the commercials are correct. I use T-Mobile just fine but the range is kinda off (i was dead at the swap) good luck, Wiz

HA! Verizon was terrible when we had it. I got no reception in Oak Park. No reception anywhere on the Eisenhower. And the last straw was zero bars outside of Wrigley Field.

I was able to cancel with no fee when, after several calls to customer service that were dropped, from various locations, they could not credibly claim that they offered service in the Chicago metro area.

Nina, you won't get a fine given the documentation. I highly recommend T-Mobile. Been using it for 2yrs now. I rarely have problems with coverage or drops.

 

[bpkenn]

all networks are different. all phones are different. don't sign a contract unless you get to try the phone in the places you are goign to use it, and there is a way out of the contract if service is sub-par.

 

[ostrow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454480#post14454480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bpkenn
all networks are different. all phones are different. don't sign a contract unless you get to try the phone in the places you are goign to use it, and there is a way out of the contract if service is sub-par.

Any time you can point to a provider willing to lend a phone and service for a few days prior to signing a contract, feel free to post the information!

 

[badazztealcobra]

I agree, everything is different. I had sprint/nextel for 2 years, and now have an iPhone with AT&T for the past month and I have dropped NO calls and my nextel was the WORST for that....

Ive been very happy with my AT&T service so far....

 

[bpkenn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454506#post14454506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
Any time you can point to a provider willing to lend a phone and service for a few days prior to signing a contract, feel free to post the information!

Thats not what I said

And FYI, ALL cell phone companies have a trial period. Read your contract.

 

[Fish_wiz2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454460#post14454460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
I highly recommend T-Mobile. Been using it for 2yrs now. I rarely have problems with coverage or drops.

I have to agree with you as i've been with t-mobile my life (Verizon and Sprint were used by my family members) and I never had a dropped call (maybe bogus callers) but i do have problems with coverage very often as i do lots of traveling around chicago, not around home though (knock on wood) but some of my family members complained that they have tons of dropped calls plus coverage problems with T-mobile. Interesting eh? So like mentioned it varies between person and location. Wiz

 

[dohc97]

verizon has been dead reliable for me for over 5 years now, i rarely drop calls and the coverage is excellent around the country. By the way Joel i live within walking distance to wrigley and i have excellent signal The only time i lose service is in some basements and out in the middle of the cornfields of indiana for about 5 minutes on 41(even this was improved as a few years ago on this same stretch i would have a blackout of about 15 minutes) I vote verizon but do a year contract, i hate having to pay full price for a phone when i want to upgrade 10 months into my contract.

 

[Ladipyg]

Yeah, I was originally with AT&T for their Nationwide coverage as I travel alot and find the roaming charges unbelievably high and Hey, I gotta keep in touch to make sure the tank is OK right. I travel a lot between Chicago, Arkansas and Florida and all the states inbetween. Pretty soon Louisana and Texas will be added to the list.
Also, from what I've read the JAVA platform used by AT&T is very outdated, I know it's slow as heck. I know Verison is using something else that is suppose to be cutting edge but I can't remember the name of it right now...anyone??

 

[Oblivionis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454480#post14454480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bpkenn
all networks are different. all phones are different. don't sign a contract unless you get to try the phone in the places you are goign to use it, and there is a way out of the contract if service is sub-par.

This is true.... in different areas different providers have different levels of service.
I have AT&T and I have no problems whatsoever.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454506#post14454506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
Any time you can point to a provider willing to lend a phone and service for a few days prior to signing a contract, feel free to post the information!

AT&T has a 30 day trial period.

 

[Freed]

You can call Verizon and ask if they have cell coverage in your area and how strong it is before you buy.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14454432#post14454432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fish_wiz2
I use T-Mobile just fine but the range is kinda off (i was dead at the swap) good luck, Wiz

srsly? check your fone bro, pull out your battery leave it off for 30sec then replace, (called hard reset)

it will drop all the tower info out of your fone so it can roam better. I do this everytime I visit a new city

I was perfect at the swap and even made a 3g paypal payment thru my Tmo Fone.

I have had Every carrier for the past few years, always two at a time (the only way to really have side by side comparison) and I would always fall back to TMO, for the pricing and coverage I was extremely pleased.

http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/pcc.aspx

Check Tmo coverage there so you can see whats going on before even considering them in depth. Check them everywhere you go!

 

[ostrow]

I thought once you opened and used the phone it was yours. That wasn't covered by the trial period.

Yeah, it was crazy. Maybe the Wrigley thing was a bad day for Verizon, but it was the last straw for me! 290 was always dead at Damen, at 1st Ave, at the 294/88 split, and at 53.

The only place I lose T-Mobile is on Warrenville Rd at the corner of Yackley. Otherwise, it's been real reliable for me all over.

 

[FiReBReTHa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14455146#post14455146 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow

The only place I lose T-Mobile is on Warrenville Rd at the corner of Yackley. Otherwise, it's been real reliable for me all over.

side note, call tmo and lt them know about troublesome areas, they are the only carrier that actually responds to these issues on customer issue, not just their own agenda like other carriers.


preceding my current employment I was in the wireless industry for 6 yrs.

 

[DodgeDude99]

i have had CIngular/ATT for about 3.5 yrs.

a good portion of the bread & butter jobs at my work are doing the survey's for cellular locations, ATT/Cingular has the most coverage hands down.

we will be seeing a new carrier coming to the market sometime soon named Cricket, we have been doing survey's for them for about a year, so they are still building their network.

sprint and nextel (had them as work phones)are horrible, never had T-Mobile, Verizon i wasnt too impressed buy when i had it.

 

[Ladipyg]

Most phone can be returned within 30 days, I know you can at ATT, but my phone is great. It's ATT's inability to keep their cell towers in working order that's the problem. The platform I was thinking of is Android and it's being used by T-mobile. My friend got a phone, charger, case and all kinds of goodies for switching. I am amazed at how quickly his apps load and the clarity of sound.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14455146#post14455146 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow


The only place I lose T-Mobile is on Warrenville Rd at the corner of Yackley. Otherwise, it's been real reliable for me all over.

I have noticed that too, and it is a very short stretch, will get my signal back before I am halfway b/t Yackley and the 88 bridge. Though I have stopped going that way until they are finished with the construction.

 

[madadi]

i been with spring for 8 years. yes its a bit more expensive then most but its the best signal and clarity. i never feel like im talking trough a walky talky.

let them know you will report them to the BBB