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Cell Phones and Cell Phone service are meant to be used outdoors.

After reading the Verizon Wireless web pages, Verizon message forums, and FAQ's pertaining to poor signal, it has become clear that Verizon wants you to go outside of your home or business to use your wireless devise.

This has come as quite a shock to me. After having a mobile phone for over 18 years I never did know this. I wish the TV advertisements would stop showing wireless devises being used indoors. All the maps you see showing excellent coverage areas are if you are outdoors only... Somewhat of a shock to me. They make it sound as if you can literally use your devise anywhere in the world... Just not in your house.

This will be very bad for the people in Seattle where it is raining more often than not. Also I will have to find my parka and mittens to make calls here in the Midwest during winter.

Strangely, Verizon has now began selling units for only $250.00 each... "The Network Extender enables you to make calls from indoor locations where outdoor cellular coverage does not reach."

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessory?action=gotoFemtocell

After 18 years I'm losing faith in what was supposed to be the largest network. But largest never meant best.

Comments

nmchileman

No cell phone company can guarantee cell reception inside a home or other building. It's not just VZW. Obviously VZW isn't saying you should only use your phone outdoors, that's ridiculous and you know it and you're just being facetious. The Femtocell they provide is a means of supplementing in-building coverage where it isn't so great for whatever reason. There are dozens of things that can affect in-building coverage; the material's used to build the structure, the physical geometrical configuration of the building, other wireless interference (wifi, mircowaves, short wave radio..etc etc) and even some outside variables such as mountains, other buildings in relation to the cell site, trees, power lines...etc etc. These variables apply to all cell companies.

So don't go making an absurd comment that VZW "wants you to go outside to use your phone". You're not going to be taken seriously.

Now, on to some true statements. CDMA technology does have the disadvantage when it comes to penetrability into buildings, this applies to VZW, Sprint, Alltel, Cricket, Metro PCS and any other CDMA provider. GSM on the other hand does have a greater ability to penetrate these types of areas.

With the build out and launch of LTE (4G network) this should no longer be a problem as it will run off the 700MHz spectrum. If you don't recall the 700MHz spectrum is what analog TV used to run off of (think rabbit ears). Analog TV you could get practically anywhere, in any building, with little susceptibility to interference in general. So when the LTE network starts to roll out in the coming years you'll see in building coverage vastly improve.

Until then, a Femtocell may be your best option for supplmenting in building coverage. All major providers currently provide this solution, not just VZW. So with your logic ALL cell phone companies must want you to use your cell phone outdoors only.

StreetDocRN

Hi,

Kudos to the Chileman. I have been pondering over this thread's original post on how best to answer, but you covered it well. Good job and I agree 100% with what you wrote.

Doc

LCromwell

Yes thanks for clearing that up. With the 4G Network will we have to get a different phone or will the current BB models work with it? I ran into this problem when Verizon switchedsomething back in July, (Alltell) and my old digital or analog Nokia 6236i phone wouldn't receive or be able to send calls in or out of the building or even outside and I was 1 mile from tower ( I had Texas only network). I had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 3G Nationwide network even though I have only leftTexas 1 time since 2004.

woyala

And the thing will still be a problem because when LTE rolls out it will only be data and not having VoIP. So if you are having problems receiving with 1X, you will only have reception for data and no voice. It might be or might not be years before they have data + VoIP together over LTE.

@LCromwell

you will have to get the new phones that are LTE/CDMA.

BrackBelly

nmchileman, I truly appreciate your reply. Plus you understood my post in the spirit of which it was intended.

I got an A in Sarcasm 101.

I wanted to shake the tree(so to speak) and see what fell. Your response was clear and correct. Your posts(as I've read a few of them) are on target.

Many years ago I worked with Nextel engineers with signal issues plaguing Hi-Rise building in downtown Chicago. I'm an Elevator Service Tech with 30+ years in the Chicago market. I know only a little bit about the old systems and nothing about the new ones.

Having a wireless devise since the advent of the wheel, I just recently decided to go SMART and get a BB Tour. It is a fantastic piece of technology. I'm glad I waited this long. I visited my one of my adult sons yesterday and I couldn't get my Tour out of his hands. He and his girlfriend have BB Storm's. He said my Tour runs circles around his and is going to try to upgrade at whatever cost... Quite an endorsement.

Back to SIGNAL ISSUES... Yes I was being facetious! But my BB has no more signal on my sidewalk as it does in my home office or bedroom. My home is frame in construction with vinyl siding, we do have a wireless PC broadband network in our home.

I have initiated a Service Ticket with a request for a tech to come out and find out why we are so signal deficient. This is step one to a resolution, so I am told. I really love all the possibilities that my BB holds within. And I remain confident that Verizon will do what they can to make my user experience as positive as expected.

I may end up with a Network Extender and will report on that if and when this occurs.

Thank you all for your intelligent responses, -tom2-

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