Dear Verizon Wireless Executives,
I am writing to let you know that I (and many of my neighbors) are on the verge of switching to ATT, due to terrible reception in my home neighborhood.
I moved to Dominican neighborhood in San Rafael in March 2014, where I bought a house. I discovered that Verizon cell service varies from non-existent to terrible, both for data and cell service. At best I might get 1x data, and 0 or 1 bar for cell. All calls are dropped within 15 seconds. Data typically does not work.
My response was to first purchase and install a network extender. However, due to the size and configuration of my home, I discovered that I needed a second extender to cover the whole house. This has led to new problems—the two extenders “compete” and if I start a call in one part of the house and move 1 or 2 feet too far in the other direction, I lose the call.
ATT has a powerful cell tower on the ridge above my neighborhood, which consistently produces 5 bars. It sits on a ridge in the Marin Open Space, likely on an old Nike base radio tower. (there are numerous towers on this ridge as a result of the abandoned Nike missle site).
I have begun to organize in my neighborhood—Dominican/Black Canyon Home Owners Asssociation, with about 1200 homes. When I posted a message asking about other people’s experience with Verizon Wireless, I was inundated with at least 30 or 40 angry and frustrated messages from Verizon customers, on NextDoor, a neighborhood listserve.
Today I completed a long Verizon Wireless “trouble ticket”, number NRB000007366782. I was told that there have been many, many complaints from this neighborhood for both data and cell coverage, or more to the point, lack of coverage. Your records indicate that this neighborhood is considered within Verizon as a “1X marginalization area”. And yet , currently there is no plan at Verizon to remedy this situation.
I strongly encourage you to begin an immediate search for access to one of the many existing towers on the ridge above my house to place a Verizon cell station.
In the event that you choose to continue to ignore this neighborhood and it’s abysmal coverage, I will organize a mass defection of Verizon Wireless residents to switch to ATT. I encourage you to begin this process now, let me and the neighborhood know of your plans, and have it completed in six months. If we have not heard from you within 1 month (November 21, 2014), we will switch to ATT en masse beginning in December.
