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Almost unusable phone at work

SO I recently purchased a Galaxy Note 3 with new service. It works fine almost everywhere I go, including the middle of West Virginia and indoors at Home Depot. However, inside my own work, I get either no data service or 1x and 1 bar of voice. All of my co-workers have the same issue with Verizon service. I just switched from At&T where I had 4g LTE and full bars indoors.

I called the customer service number and switched the phone out for a newer build within the warranty period. No change.

I called customer service again and asked to have a ticket opened to check the area. They tell me there is nothing wrong with the area, that it might just be a dead area. To fix this, they offer me $75 off of a $250 signal booster. Two problems with this: 1-I don't have a hardline to hook it to and 2 - I'm not paying $250 to fix a problem that is clearly an issue with your service.

So which is it? Is it the phone that just flat out sucks? Or is it your service? Maybe I should just go back to At&T and get the service I am paying for.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Comments

rcschnoor

So to recap, you switched from a provider with great service in an area which is important to you to a provider which has unsatisfactory service. I can only assume your co-workers DID NOT switch at the same time with you. Did you not ask any of these co-workers about their Verizon service before the switch?

Not all providers have the same level of service in all areas. While one provider may provide better overall service, that does not mean they have the best service in ALL areas. Different providers may have towers differing distances from your location. Your employer may even have an agreement with a provider for repeaters within your building, giving that provider the best service within your building.

I guess it becomes more a question of why you made the switch in the first place from a provider which gave you great reception to a provider which it appears you did not check for reception in an important area for you.

If you are within your 14 day return period, cancel the service, pay the restocking fee and go with the provider which will give you the service you require. If it is after your 14 day return period, if the service in your place of employment is important, you may be better off paying the ETF and going with the provider which will give you the service you require. If you go with a provider other than AT&T, which you say has full service in your area, make sure you check for coverage in areas where you require service. It is unlikely that any provider will have the best service in all areas, and you will have to go with the provider which has acceptable service in the most areas.:smileyhappy:

chriscrum

First of all, it's really none of your business why I switched. So your response about what I should do is pointless as you have basically repeated my original post. Second, I asked if anyone knew anything else to, meaning any phone settings I can try changing(apparently I wasn't clear on that). Third, you know what say when you assume something. I did ask my coworkers how their phones were and found out they were spotty, and both are older(s3 and iphone 4s). I would expect a phone that is as new as the note 3 to have a better antenna than either of those and it doesn't. When they get lte indoors, i get 1x. When they have 3g, I have nothing. So, I stand by my original statement that this phone sucks. Fourth, I did check the service in my area, as did VW and both say I should be getting lte.

rcschnoor

chriscrum wrote:
First of all, it's really none of your business why I switched. So your response about what I should do is pointless as you have basically repeated my original post. I don't really care why you switched, that was a question for you to ask yourself which appears you have as you have stated you should possibly switch back to AT&T. As to you statement that I have basically repeated your original post, that is normally what a "recap" is.
Second, I asked if anyone knew anything else to, meaning any phone settings I can try changing(apparently I wasn't clear on that). Third, you know what say when you assume something. I did ask my coworkers how their phones were and found out they were spotty, and both are older(s3 and iphone 4s). I would expect a phone that is as new as the note 3 to have a better antenna than either of those and it doesn't. So you ASSUMED the antenna would be better?
When they get lte indoors, i get 1x. When they have 3g, I have nothing. So, I stand by my original statement that this phone sucks. Fourth, I did check the service in my area, as did VW and both say I should be getting lte.

You asked for suggestions, I suggested you return the phone if it is within your 14 day return window. Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear, I guess that is not the type of suggestion you were looking for. Good luck.:smileyhappy:

Verizon_Support

chriscrum,

I definitely don't want to lose you! Per the details you provided thus far this doesn not seem to be a device issue. If this is the only place you are having issues and this is happening to other Verizon Wireless users as well this may be an indoor issue only or network issue. Indoor coverage can be challenging due to structure and terrain. Our network extender is the best options to resolve indoor concerns. Are you experiencing the same issues outdoors in your work area? Does powering off your phone and removing/inserting the sim help? Please share.

TominqueBo_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

chriscrum

Powering off and removing the SIM does absolutely nothing. I understand that it is an indoor issue. My complaint is that it isn't an issue with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. I thought Verizon's network was better than all of these vendors, but I seem to be proven wrong. I am not going to spend $200 or more on a network extender. What I am asking is that you guys take a look at your network in my area, or better yet, send a tech to my work to find out how to improve the signal in the area. For the amount of money that we pay, and the quantity of ads that Verizon runs stating that you have "

the nation's largest and most reliable 4G LTE network", I would expect to receive service indoors and outdoors.

Verizon_Support

chriscrum,

Thanks for the update. Based on the previous comments, it appears that a resolution ticket has already been submitted for your work location. If no trouble was found within the area and it was found that the issue is indoors only, the network extender is the best option available.

Although we can not guarantee service indoors, the network extender helps boost the signal indoors in this location.

EfrainM_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

chriscrum

A network extender is not a solution at all as I don't have a wired

connection to plug it into. The trouble that was found, at least

according to a Verizon tech, was that my location is a "deadzone". What

I find interesting about this is that the "deadzone" is only the

building where I work, and not the parking lot surrounding the

building. As soon as I walk outside, LTE service. Walk inside, 1x.

dsleggett

I too have recently experienced the "unusable phone at work" syndrome. About half of our office has AT&T iPhones and they have always had lousy service (large concrete condo building with first floor office space) so they installed a repeater a couple years ago and all is well. We Verizon iPhone users have always great indoor service until about 2 months ago. Now we Verizon users show about one bar and if we don't race out the front door while phone is ringing it will drop as soon as we answer. I am having trouble sometimes even outside. This is A NEW PHENOMENON. I figured it was a function of my 4S phone so bought a new 5S. Same deal. EXTREMELY frustrating. We are a real estate brokerage and live by our cell phones. Kathleen what can we do?

rcschnoor

Network extender. They installed one for the AT&T phones. Have them install one for Verizon phones.:smileyhappy:

dsleggett

WHAT EXTENDER DO I GET?

rcschnoor

http://www.verizonwireless.com/accessories/samsung-network-extender-scs-2u01/

Jimim

I really dont think its that. I have recently had the same issue but I have had my phone for a while so i did some googling. Looks like its a known problem with the note 3 antenna. That coupled with something in the 4.4 update has caused this for almost all of us note 3 owners.

Verizon_Support

dsleggett,

We would love to investigate the issues with your service at you job. Have you ever had a ticket opened in regards to the service issues at your job? What other type of devices are having issues at your job location? If a ticket has not been filed please private message me so we can get a ticket filed for you.

LindseyT_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

tfroede

I have the Note 3 and it works great in the 77414 area. Love the phone! Just switched from Sprint because they are still 3G out here on the island, but so far, Verizon has worked well for us. AT&T our here is 4G, but dropping calls.

tfroede

"out here"

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