I haven't had any problems with service since switching to ATT, and I really like the iPhone! Verizon has had superior customer service and a superior network for a long time, which helped to justify their higher plan prices. I think the tide has turned.
Unfortunately, I think you're right. It's incomprehensible how VZW, which has been in the lead for so long, can have such a poor LTE network in Boston/NYC, while AT&T is flying. It's even more incomprehensible how nobody at VZW seems to take this problem seriously. I know people with AT&T iPhone 5s and none of them are unhappy, my Galaxy S III on AT&T works fine, yet my VZW iPhone 5 (2 that I own, plus one replacement) have all performed poorly on VZW's network in MA/NYC, low speeds, 3G all the time, low LTE signal strength, etc. I can also report that a Galaxy S III and Galaxy Nexus on VZW have also had spotty LTE service in Metro Boston in these same locations. While the GS III appears to hold a low-strength LTE signal better than the iPhone 5 and have better upload performance in 1-2 bar LTE areas, it seems there are more 1-2 bar LTE areas than 4-5 LTE areas out here, all of this while AT&T Galaxy S III is flying 20-40Mb/s+.
I have been an apostle for VZW since the Bell Atlantic Mobile days, referring hundreds of people to their network and now I must report that I am disgusted with VZW and this poor LTE experience.
VZW - Please show us that someone there actually cares. I have spoken with ^NN on the phone from Twitter, I have called Customer Service over a dozen times, I have been to my local stores, and in the end, I have swapped iPhone 5s and nano SIMs and yet the VZW LTE network here in Massachusetts is still a failure and is not meeting your advertisements and certainly not competing with AT&T.
I also think that VZW has reached the point where they believe good customer service is answering the phone in a timely manner and being polite while I would much rather wait on hold 15m if it means that after I sit on hold, I actually reach someone who is motivated and capable of actually solving a problem.
I agree. I feel like I am spoken to like a child, not someone who has paid thousands and thousands of dollars over the years for their services including phone, tv and internet. I'm also suspicious of their feigned enthusiasm for the iphone (noted above), because when I was at the Verizon store getting my iphones I overheard a salesperson try to talk someone out of buying the iphone to get a Samsung. Interesting. By the way Pete I tried that field test you mentioned in the apple forum, I got -114 on LTE and -93 on 3G at my office. Will try again at home since that's where I have the biggest problems. Glad to hear that at least I'll be able to use my phone in NYC--at best it's an ipod in my house.
The field test in my house was -114 on LTE and -102 on 3G. Also, I found that without the wifi enabled I was unable to connect to the internet. Eventually it picked up a signal and sluggishly connected.
Unfortunately you appear to have really crummy coverage at your house. What has VZW said about your ticket?
Yes, coverage in my home is poor, but never to this extent. Verizon's ticket response was that the signal is fine in my area, although I only ever get two to three bars in my neighborhood and calls break up/drop when they never have before. That part leads me to believe it may be the phone, as I had an iphone 4 previously and even though the signal isn't great it managed to hold on to it. Your post on the Apple forum was interesting about the number of towers Verizon has but that they are not all fully functioning-on the coverage map my whole town is solidly in red (including LTE), but there is a significant drop in signal strength around my neighborhood. I've been checking with my neighbors to see if anyone has AT&T and if their signal is any better, but so far everyone has Verizon because apparently in the past AT&T was atrocious in my area. It's very frustrating, I don't live in the boonies (I'm in the Sarasota/Bradenton area in Florida). I get a far better signal in Wyoming! And this whole LTE thing is disappointing, from what I'm seeing the variability between phones and location in speeds is way too significant. Verizon's claiming to have something they clearly do not.
I have had Iphone5 for 2 months, still under warranty. Was working flawlessly no drops, good fidelity, no problems texting or anything. I was using os ver.6.0.1. Perfect in every way.
I do live in a hill area with marginally good Verizon reception, but this phone was the best.
Then on Dec 28 I got a notice that the phone should be upgraded to 6.0.2. Which I allowed. The next day every call I made dropped after 2 or 3 seconds of connection. I heard 3 beep tones then saw Call Failed on the screen.
I called Verizon, they sent a 3rd level ticket out and check my area said marginal reception (but everythings was ok before, right?) and others who have I phone 5 seem to get good reception. I called the Genius bar, the tec offered to give me a rebuilt phone. I took it. He said dont "restore from your backup" instead bring files and things back in from icloud. Restoring could bring the glitch back.
This new unit had the old ver. 6.0.1, I was happy. But when I got home the phone dropped the first 5 calls just like the last one.
I got a notice that the new phone should be updated to ver. 6.0.2, and under the circumstances, I plugged the phone into my Mac Pro and went to itunes, and allowed the update using a hard wire connection to the mac. It also showed a firmware update happening. After that the phone would make calls, not show Call Lost, but people I talked to said I was dropping out. So I am going back to apple today. I wouldn't fuss if I had not had a really good reception to begin with but I cannot abide by this poor call quality after never having it before with any Verizon phone, in my residence. I think it is an Apple problem, not Verizon, but working together each may affect the other!
Ok...this might be a reach but I think it is right. I just got a iphone 5 and my family still has 3 iphone 4's. Since I bought it, my house reception has been poor. The iphone 4 get 3 bars when I get one or no service.
I did all the troubleshooting with support and finally went to the store today to exchange, since it is new. A smart sales guy told me that bars refer to the signal of the data connection vs. the voice. Not sure if correct but my testing does seem to indicate that it is. Also he said that one tower might support voice and 3g and another maybe voice and 4 but...the phone will connect to the tower based on it being 3g vs. LTE. So I did a test. Turned off LTE on my iphone 5 and nothing changed. But then I switched to airplane mode then back and guess what..I am getting three bars!!! Now turning on and off lte (general settings) might be a pain but usually most people connect via wifi at home. So I am going to leave my phone set to LTE disabled except when I need high speed. Let's be honest, most people use 3g speeds for email and other small bandwidth communications so...
I hope this helps and I really want to hear if my theory is correct about the towers. It makes sense since the 3g network is older and more established with more towers so there is a better chance that your phone will connect to a closer tower if set for 3g.
I would be curious if anyone tests this and find the same result.
I didn't see this in the thread - did you reset the network settings at the location from where you are having trouble?
Go to: Settings>>General>>Reset>>"Reset Network Settings" (3rd choice from top).
I would also restart my phone if you reset your Network Settings.
*228 is not for the iPhone 5 - that is for CDMA updates only (and not phones that use LTE).
The equivalent to the former *288 update, is to simply turn the phone off periodically (I recommend once a week, on a Monday or Tuesday, if possible, since they often do updates over a weekend or holiday).
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
