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MRCUR
join:2007-03-09
Lancaster, PA

MRCUR

Member

Is anyone surprised?

I'm certainly not. Like I've said before, my issue with AT&T isn't their low 3G coverage - there's 3G where I need it. My issue is the 3G network is just crap. I just got a Bold 9700 (coming from a 3GS) and it jumps around like crazy. Five bars of 3G one second, five bars of EDGE the next. Top that off with calls ALWAYS dropping down to the slowest of slow: GPRS.

I continue to complain on AT&T and one of their reps always calls to discuss my concerns with the network. Every time I'm left with "well, the 3G coverage just isn't that strong in your area." What do I say to that? Gee, thanks. Maybe your coverage map should represent that???

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

I'm not surprised. Two friends of mine just switched from AT&T to Verizon in the last week, cutting a total of 5 family lines over to Verizon. And NONE of them were iPhone users. And they aren't even data users - just voice services. The reason - they kept dropping calls, especially while on the move in their cars.

And my brother & his wife want to switch too, but haven't yet because the sister-in-law is an iPhone fanatic. If the iPhone ever becomes available elsewhere, especially Verizon, then AT&T is history.

While these are just a couple of anecdotal stories that AT&T denigrates, I think it shows they have a very serious problem if they can't keep iPhone exclusivity and a somewhat serious problem even if they do.
itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Carlisle, PA

itguy05

Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

quote:
And my brother & his wife want to switch too, but haven't yet because the sister-in-law is an iPhone fanatic. If the iPhone ever becomes available elsewhere, especially Verizon, then AT&T is history
Highly doubful. AT&T was #1 for years before the iPhone. Churn was going down before the iPhone.

I have both and Verizon is overhyped. Good brainwashing, yes, cell service - average. And no I'm not a CR subscriber.

MrMaster
Rum Connoisseur
Premium Member
join:2000-12-16
St Thomas, VI

MrMaster

Premium Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

said by itguy05:

quote:
And my brother & his wife want to switch too, but haven't yet because the sister-in-law is an iPhone fanatic. If the iPhone ever becomes available elsewhere, especially Verizon, then AT&T is history
Highly doubful. AT&T was #1 for years before the iPhone. Churn was going down before the iPhone.

I have both and Verizon is overhyped. Good brainwashing, yes, cell service - average. And no I'm not a CR subscriber.
They were #1 in what? customers? That was for maybe 1 -2 yrs only. With the iphone exclusive hopefully going away the network should actually improve. Less stress on it because people are going to other networks for the iphone.

I'm with AT&T only because most people I know are with them and it saves me money. I'm glad to finally have 3G but as 1 poster already mentioned, it is very erratic.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

1 edit

en102 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Apple won't care for exclusivity... it just wants $$$
Whether $$$ comes from AT&T paying them off, or from another carrier.

I use AT&T here because it works (for me), and I don't have an iPhone. Work discounts don't hurt either. It would be either Sprint or AT&T (both give emp discounts to me). Sprint has fixed its network recently, but has only LG/Sanyo/Samsung devices, and no SIMs.
DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV

DarnellP

Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

said by en102:

Apple won't care for exclusivity... it just wants $$$
Whether $$$ comes from AT&T paying them off, or from another carrier.

I use AT&T here because it works (for me), and I don't have an iPhone. Work discounts don't hurt either. It would be either Sprint or AT&T (both give emp discounts to me). Sprint has fixed its network recently, but has only LG/Sanyo/Samsung devices, and no SIMs.
Not true. They have RIM Blackberry, HTC, Palm and Motorola devices also.

Spektor
@rcn.com

Spektor to en102

Anon

to en102
Um, no. Apple definitely should care that AT&T's poor service is hurting the reputation of the iPhone and Apple itself! A large number of people resent the fact Apple has kept this exclusivity deal going for so long with such a company. Bad, bad karma!
itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Carlisle, PA

itguy05 to MRCUR

Member

to MRCUR
You sure it's not your phone? I'm all over S. Central PA and have no issues with AT&T. It works fine, 3G and all. I've only seen GPRS a few times going out Rt. 78 and it was never for long.

And to the article's author - AT&T was reducing churn long before the iPhone came out.
MRCUR
join:2007-03-09
Lancaster, PA

MRCUR

Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

Definitely not the phone - my original Bold 9000 did the exact same thing, iPhone 3G and 3GS had issues too (mostly dropped calls with them).

I just spoke with an AT&T rep actually and she's having engineering look into it. It seems my house sits right on the line (literally) between the 3G and 2G coverage on my road.

BOGBS
Premium Member
join:2004-05-11

4 edits

BOGBS

Premium Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

said by MRCUR:

It seems my house sits right on the line (literally) between the 3G and 2G coverage on my road.
Have you considered forcing your 9700 into 2G only when you're in fringe 3G areas, such as your home? This is a crappy workaround, but might help if you use your phone a lot at home. I'm assuming that the 9700 has an option to do this, as the AT&T 9000 did, post AT&T 4.6.0.297 (or with other carrier OS's/tweak)
kirk1233
join:2003-08-15
Gibsonia, PA

kirk1233 to MRCUR

Member

to MRCUR
It could be blackberry software version. I had the same issue with my BB 9000 until I installed a non-sanctioned version of the BlackBerry software which ended up fixing this for the most part and providing better battery life...

Spektor
@rcn.com

Spektor to MRCUR

Anon

to MRCUR
Here's what you say -- "fine, please remove my bill."

At least AT&T has been helping me with that. They admit my area has "degraded towers" and that numerous people in my area have complained about bad connectivity (for me, it's regularly no access to even voice calls/texts -- and I live in the city yet). So for the past for or five months I have been calling in monthly, explaining the problems and getting the bill removed. It is like pulling teeth, talking to multiple operators, but it's the least they can do considering the fact the system, even for voice calls, has performed so poorly.

It has gotten to the point that I just signed up for US Cellular. They are giving me a TouchPro2 for free and the data plan is only 25 dollars extra + 40 for the plan. If I can make a phone call from here in Chicago without problems, it will be well worth it.

Believe me, I wanted to love AT&T and stay -- but I can no longer deal with this.

MrMaster
Rum Connoisseur
Premium Member
join:2000-12-16
St Thomas, VI

MrMaster

Premium Member

Re: Is anyone surprised?

said by Spektor :

Here's what you say -- "fine, please remove my bill."

At least AT&T has been helping me with that. They admit my area has "degraded towers" and that numerous people in my area have complained about bad connectivity (for me, it's regularly no access to even voice calls/texts -- and I live in the city yet). So for the past for or five months I have been calling in monthly, explaining the problems and getting the bill removed. It is like pulling teeth, talking to multiple operators, but it's the least they can do considering the fact the system, even for voice calls, has performed so poorly.

It has gotten to the point that I just signed up for US Cellular. They are giving me a TouchPro2 for free and the data plan is only 25 dollars extra + 40 for the plan. If I can make a phone call from here in Chicago without problems, it will be well worth it.

Believe me, I wanted to love AT&T and stay -- but I can no longer deal with this.
US Cellular is based in Chicago. They always have great reception there. Why would you waste your time calling every month about poor reception? Just switch.