Am I going to be stuck with this problem until they upgrade the towers around here?
LTE signal is different than 1x or 3G signal. 1 or 2 bars on LTE is perfectly usable and different than 1 or 2 bars on 3G.
Also, calls and texts still use the CDMA network, not LTE. Make a call and you'll see it switch over.
You may not have had a problem with "signal" in your home before, but with the iPhone 4S you did not have LTE and therefore did not know the signal strength of LTE in your home before.