Poor cell service with Note 3

[pbradle9]

I just got an AT&T BlackBerry Z10 for work. Snooze, I know. But I ran its lame version of Speed Test today and got 8/5 mbps down/up in my central PHX house. I'm just so annoyed by what I got in California. If i drive outside of Phoenix -- say, to Chandler. I get full 4G bars. Then I get 8/5.

In San Dimas -- a random suburb like 40 moles from LA, I was getting 45/25 on the same number of bars.

I fully understand why Verizon cares more about that area, but Phoenix isn't exactly Anchorage.

We have five million people.

[ajnevares1]

haha, agreed! I spent some time in Southern Cali as well (Ventura, Santa Barbara) and was getting very good speeds too, much higher than I ever gotten here. Even Vegas was better in several areas. The weird thing is there is actually one spot here that I get super high speeds, but only a few feet away, it drops dramatically...and it has been like this since my first LTE device some time ago. My 2nd job is right next to Sky Harbor, I once ran the speed test in this little smoking area which is less than 100 yards away from the entrance of the building and have consistently gotten 40-50/25-35 any time I ran the speed test. I go a few feet away to my car, or back inside, back down to 8/5. Weird.

[pbradle9]

But it seems to me like it's a Note 3 thing. Our towers in PHX must be lame. You're probably briefly catching a good tower from the airport. They say the 3 has an enhanced antenna, but it's clear that it is only enhanced with enhanced towers. The tower by me is on top of a church, so I'm guessing it's not quite kick-ass.

[ajnevares1]

You're right. I have always experienced spotty coverage with all the LTE devices I had, but this one is the worst (with the exception of my S3 after Verizon bombed on that OTA update that killed my connection) Thinking of getting a new device this weekend.

[pbradle9]

I've already made them send me a new one for this very reason. Thinking about doing that again and hoping for some kind of hardware miracle.

[ajnevares1]

I tried to have them send me another one but was unable to do so. Called Tech support and the rep accessed my phone (without asking) and was reviewing my signal strength and which apps I had installed. After his lecture on why iPhones are better, he mentioned Samsung have the worst antennas and better off going with a Motorola device (since I refused to settle for an iPhone). He went on to say as long as I have a signal strength that does not exceed -120, then there is no issue which I disagree with. He gave me the impression that as long as I have a signal, whether it be 3G or 4G and regardless of how slow it is, then there is no issue since there are so many potential hazards interfering with the signal beyond their control. I think I have come to only one conclusion...Verizon's network is just not that great here unless you're out in the open with no walls, trees or buildings in site. It's reliable I suppose, but far from great. 

[pbradle9]

I agree. But it's infuriating how good it is everywhere BUT Phoenix.

My parents live in Parks, AZ -- 15 miles west of Flagstaff and in the absolute middle of nowhere. Literally 200 people live there and it isn't even technically a town.

I'm on 4G all day there. Usually two bars, but still impressive and I'll get double digit download speeds habitually.

Yet I can't crack 5 mbps at my place, smack in the middle of Phoenix.

I think part of it is the sheer number of users in PHX. Everybody here has this idea that Verizon is the best, so everyone has Verizon.

The second I leave central PHX for a suburb, my signal explodes.

[pbradle9]

Just got 19 down/8 up waiting for a shuttle at Sky Harbor.

[MyNote3Problems]

It's not verizon's signal it's the Note 3's antenna

[pbradle9]

I'm in West Orange, New Jersey this week getting strong speeds. That's five cities in the last two weeks where it works fine, but sucks in the 4-5 million person city where I live. As i stated before, I think it's a matter Verizon not updating the tech in all of its towers to live up to the Note 3 antenna. There's no other explanation for the diversity of speeds I get.