We moved into our office 4 years ago and my phone worked fine (currently Samsung Note3). Recently a new neighbor moved in and installed a network extender. Recently I have been dropping at least 50% of my calls. I noticed that I am connecting to a network extender (I am 80 feet from their device). Customer Support says they cannot contact the neighbor or access their account directly and that I have to go to them with hat in hand and ask them to have Verizon turn it down. How do I prevent my phone from connecting to them (or any other network extender for that matter)?
I cannot believe that they designed the technology so that I connect to other peoples hardware and go out over their broadband network without my permission. And without the option of opting out. I have been happy with Verizon over the years, save the cost, however I need to start researching other networks.
Most people won't want to be sharing their Network Extender. It might help if you go over with instructions on how they can make it private:
Can I manage access to my Network Extender?
Yes. The Account Owner can sign in to My Verizon to manage Network Extender access settings in My Verizon. You can leave your Network Extender on Open Access or switch to Managed Access.
Note: Your mobile device must be within 15 feet* of the Network Extender to connect to it. Once connected, the mobile device can move up to 40 feet* away from the Network Extender and still be able to make a call or use data.
My office is 80 feet from the neighbors door that contains the network extender. So the 15 feet stated here is not true. My phone always connects to the network extender. Prior to them moving in (for 4 years) I always connected to the external network and never knew what a dropped call was.
In one part of my office the external signal is very weak and if I were on a call the voices would start breaking up when I walked into this area. Usually I would realize and walk out of that area and my call would continue. Now on more than 50% of my calls I hear a beep and my phone says call lost. It appears that for some reason the network extender is kicking me off. Totally different losing a call due to low signal.
I have contacted Verizon and first they said I was in a marginal service area. But I was in a marginal service area for 4 years with no problem.
Verizon's next solution (similar to yours) was for me to go beg my neighbor to change the settings on his device. I do not know why I have to beg my neighbor (who is only in his office at random times) to fix a Verizon created problem. I have knocked on their door to beg numerous times but the office is empty.
I use Verizon because of their extensive network (as advertised). They are preventing me from using their network.
Is anyone else on Verizon connecting to the extender as well? I'm wondering if it just is a coincidence that the extender is now there and perhaps your SIM card is faulty, which is how you connect to Verizon services. You can get a replacement for free at Verizon Corporate stores.
Truthfully, I think the FCC has rules about interference, IDK to what extent those rules go to though...IE, emergency transmissions vs just regular interference. Depending on the area size this person uses and your proximity, the power being turned down may help some, but I doubt it will keep you from being connected. I had an extender and no one else connected to it out of some 400+ units around me. I thought you had to have connected to it before to connect again, and that #48 had to be used and that Advanced Calling, if enabled, prevented connection to the extender. At least this was the case with me.
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