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Poor LTE Chicago loop

Anyone else experiencing very poor LTE speeds in the loop? Speeds are consistently less than 1mb and anything data related is useless while in multiple outdoor locations. Switching off 4G provides more reliable data service. Voice service is fine. I filed a trouble ticket but no response yet.

Comments

vzw_customer_support

Hi VzwChi,

I don't want any of our customers to have issues and I am here to help! Do you experience the issue in or outdoors? Current zip code? When did the problem begin? I can happily review your account in an effort to identify if a resolution has been provided. Please DM me your name and wireless number. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks for your contribution to our community forums,

AyaniB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter

VzwChi

I can't seem to send you a DM since we are not connected. Here is all the relevant data (minus my name and phone number).

Zip code is 60606. Slow speeds are outside, tested at multiple locations throughout downtown chicago. Using Speedtest.net, the Ping times remain good (less than 75 ms), bars of signal fine (3 or more bars) but the LTE download speeds are less than 1.0Mbps with webpages, email, etc difficult to load. Problems started about a month ago. I am using an Iphone 5 with the latest software. I have taken the sim card out and reset networking settings on the phone. Neither has made a difference. Speeds are better in areas outside the loop (downtown area).

Ann154

VzwChi

AyaniB_VZW- I figured out how to connect via DM (message just sent). I hope you can find out what is going on with the network in the loop area of downtown Chicago. Thanks

ltechicago

Same problem here. 3+ months ago speeds were consistently in the 10mbps range at my desk at work. Now i get 0.20mbps. At home I get 15 mbps. I have filed 2 trouble tickets with Verizon and they just close them every time saying they are "fixed". They are not fixed, my data service does not work reliable enough to even do a speed test half of the time. My coworkers see the same thing, one has abandoned verizon for a competitor due to this issue.

Tickets:

>>ticket numbers removed<<

Area code 60604.

Interestingly, after I put in these tickets someone from Verizon called me about upgrading one of my lines where the contract is up. I told them not a chance unless they can fix my data. The person from Verizon said "you're the second person I've talked to today that has a problem with data service in Chicago."

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

ltechicago

It is worth mentioning that if i arrive in the area early enough (6:30am) speeds are great 15mpbs down. However, as soon as we hit normal working day hours, the speeds go back to useless.

ltechicago

6:30am - 15mbps

7:15am - 2mbps

8:45am - 0.20mbps initially, then upload test failed, timeout.

I have not moved in my seat at my desk. Verizon's recent ad campaign is especially funny to me since it is the opposite of my experience. It reminds me of ATT when they first had the iphone.

ltechicago

Finally got a call back from technical support after 2-3 months of trying to get an answer. Posting here so others can hopefully find this since Verizon was such a pain to get an actual answer. When I finally did talk to someone they were very helpful.

Paraphrasing Verizon's response here:

There are many people upgrading to 4g LTE phones so they are over capacity in the area. They are aware of the problem. They have planned all the projects for the year and dont have anything on any roadmap to address this that they can commit to. Suggestion was to download a 3g/4g toggle app and use 3g data instead. There will be no compensation or billing adjustments for lack of 4g data.

Summing it up: Network is over capacity, they know about it, workaround is to use 3g instead.

:smileysad:

unknown

Deja Vu!
See https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/981079#981079 in NYC.
Seems all "big market" areas are suffering right now...Verizon claims to be aware...make no visible improvements...offer no roadmaps. Awesome, big win for the customers! (Extreme sarcasm)

ltechicago

Yep. Switching one line soon (off contract) and the other as soon as my contract is up. I get this is a complicated problem to solve, but that's the good thing about us having a choice of providers. Verizon used to have the best network (at least in Chicago), but that is definitely not the case anymore.

mcweerd

OH DOH!! I set my wife up with VZN yesterday at the store in the loop. I sure as krell didn't want her on my Sprint account after her Tmobile expired. With Sprint I am getting no data whatsoever in the loop, I mean none. They actually have the sand to tell me to turn off my LTE network mode for improved performance downtown.

So I told my wife to go the VZN route and now I'm reading this... ugh. It's funny the guy in the store assured me there was great speeds in the loop. Then he said, "Except right outside our store... for some reason you can't get anything in that area." He was nice enough...

Is ATT an option? Or is it that everyone is just jumping on the LTE towers for every provider? I'm considering jumping ship. I had my wife test her speed at work downtown and she said she got a -1 for ping and 0 for download... sigh.

VzwChi

I ran more speed tests outside today (on north Wacker). 12:55pm. Ping of 235. Download speed of .33 Mbps and upload of .001mbps. The network is very overloaded downtown yet verizon continues to say everything is fine.

VzwChi

LTE speeds in the loop and on the brown line continue to be very slow. Verizon's CFO admitted today there are issues in big cities including Chicago. The network will reportedly be fixed by year end.

simon_allaway

Well, they haven't been fixed.

Verizon LTE speeds are still terrible within 60606. I am regularly outside on Wacker and Madison and can only ever get a connection (for a few seconds) if I toggle Airplane mode. When I head to the train at Randolph and Michigan Ave, the speeds are absolutely incredible, especially in the actual station underground.

jsp2689

I am glad I finally get to validate my issues by seeing all of you have the same problem - I noticed my service at my desk, in the office, down on street level, and all over the 60606 zip code went way downhill in early August. Like another poster said, 7AM-7PM forget about using any data. I can't even send simple iMessages or email. I'm on an iPhone 5 with iOS8 and have reported 2 trouble tickets over the last month with "no problems found." I used to be an employee of an indirect agent and am disappointed with the fact that Verizon isn't doing more to fix this problem. I am very loyal to this company but it honestly could bring me to jump ship.

vzw_customer_support

jsp2689,

We don't want you to jump from any ship! Let's keep sailing forward! I'm shocked to hear that you are having issues in this area. What kind iPhone do you have? Are you able make and receive phone calls in this area? Have you been able to complete a reset of the network settings in the phone? You can do that by going into Settings, Genera, Reset, Reset Network Settings. Once that has been completed then please try the data services again. Please keep us posted.

KevinR_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

jsp2689

I have an iPhone 5 on iOS 8.0 (12A365) but the problem has been occurring prior to the latest update. I have reset all network settings and done extensive handset troubleshooting. Phone calls work fine, data is the issue. There have been (2) network-based trouble tickets opened by tier 2 tech support and they have noted it is due to the area. They continue to tell me engineers are looking into it but they never come to resolution or follow up with me. I guarantee it's due to the network capacity as when I am not in the loop (downtown) and I leave that area, my service improves dramatically. I use my device for work during the day, and I think it is ridiculous that CS expects me to circumvent the issue by using SMS instead of iMessage and trying to find a wifi hotspot to use email, web browsing, streaming services, et cetera. I don't spend the money on Verizon to hunt for wifi and use basic text messaging.

vzw_customer_support

jsp2689,

Thank for these details. I want to make sure that we take a close look into this. I don't want you to hunt for wi-fi service. I want to get more details from you. I did send you a Direct Message. Can you please respond back to that message. I am looking forward to working with you.

KevinR_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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