Accurate cell coverage maps
- Thread starter stockrex
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Open signal is interesting. https://www.opensignal.com/apps
The online coverage maps for AT&T are accurate, as is Verizon. I cannot vouch for any other carrier as I have not worked with them. The problem is how the maps are generated- they are not based only from on-the-spot observation from special equipment- rather it is from data derived from cell phone usage, mathematical models, and a lot of well-intended hocus pocus. Sometimes manufacturing tolerances on various cell phones can be a major factor- some models are known to be a bit better than others, and you can get a lemon on a cell phone as well. Also the vehicle you are riding in can have some effect on signal strength.
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
D/l rootmetrics from Google playstore.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
The online coverage maps for AT&T are accurate, as is Verizon.
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
Agreed. As in many areas, this is especially true with wireless providers and service.
The online coverage maps for AT&T are accurate, as is Verizon.
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
Agreed. As in many areas, this is especially true with wireless providers and service.
Originally Posted by Variant_S
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
I have a verizon hotspot but my cellphone is with sprint. I've noticed while taking the Rock Island metra, the coverage for both companies drop at the same place but it's much more severe with Sprint. I have no idea why either. All of chinatown has almost no cell signal with anybody but tmobile and almost no signal with either carriers near Cingular field.
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
I have a verizon hotspot but my cellphone is with sprint. I've noticed while taking the Rock Island metra, the coverage for both companies drop at the same place but it's much more severe with Sprint. I have no idea why either. All of chinatown has almost no cell signal with anybody but tmobile and almost no signal with either carriers near Cingular field.
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Maps are just the potential of LTE vs 3G service in a given area given geographic location.
However the demand on their network also causes degradation and turns into no service eventually or really poor connectivity. I live near a large park that holds events with likely cell phone users and my in home cell service pretty much dies out during large events. Similar thing during storm events where power/internet is out people tend to use cellular network and it degrades.
However the demand on their network also causes degradation and turns into no service eventually or really poor connectivity. I live near a large park that holds events with likely cell phone users and my in home cell service pretty much dies out during large events. Similar thing during storm events where power/internet is out people tend to use cellular network and it degrades.
Originally Posted by madRiver
Maps are just the potential of LTE vs 3G service in a given area given geographic location.
However the demand on their network also causes degradation and turns into no service eventually or really poor connectivity. I live near a large park that holds events with likely cell phone users and my in home cell service pretty much dies out during large events. Similar thing during storm events where power/internet is out people tend to use cellular network and it degrades.
I do not see how this can degrade your signal strength , but certainly it can affect available bandwidth and usability.
Maps are just the potential of LTE vs 3G service in a given area given geographic location.
However the demand on their network also causes degradation and turns into no service eventually or really poor connectivity. I live near a large park that holds events with likely cell phone users and my in home cell service pretty much dies out during large events. Similar thing during storm events where power/internet is out people tend to use cellular network and it degrades.
I do not see how this can degrade your signal strength , but certainly it can affect available bandwidth and usability.
Originally Posted by Variant_S
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
The online coverage maps for AT&T are accurate, as is Verizon.
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
Agreed. As in many areas, this is especially true with wireless providers and service.
Verizon used to be willing to put money into marginal areas so they could claim more coverage. In the long term they found that they lost a lot of money in those sparsely populated and traveled areas, so they cut back a bit.
Go back and compare Verizon coverage maps with AT&T and the other carriers and see how they match up. You might need to rely on roaming a bit more if another carrier does a better job.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
The online coverage maps for AT&T are accurate, as is Verizon.
I beg to differ. I've been with Verizon for 15 years and have watched service at my home and employer deteriorate. Multiple trouble tickets are closed with the disposition that these are known marginal service areas. Often I can only get 3G service or no service at all, yet the maps show solid LTE coverage for my entire county.
Originally Posted by rubberchicken
" Your mileage may vary " also applies to cell networks and phones.
Agreed. As in many areas, this is especially true with wireless providers and service.
Verizon used to be willing to put money into marginal areas so they could claim more coverage. In the long term they found that they lost a lot of money in those sparsely populated and traveled areas, so they cut back a bit.
Go back and compare Verizon coverage maps with AT&T and the other carriers and see how they match up. You might need to rely on roaming a bit more if another carrier does a better job.
The maps provided by the network should be accurate... it's based on information from connected devices. Like if a Sprint device on tower X switches from LTE to 4g or 3g, they know that's the limit (reach) of that towers LTE and so on with 4g and 3g.
Interestingly enough both Google and Apple collect that data also, signal strength and geo location.
And remember, just because it says you have LTE that doesn't always mean you will get it indoors. Once you move indoors it might drop to plain 4g or lower. Some carriers LTE is on higher spectrum like 2600mhz which is great for throughput but horrible for penetrating walls...Going into airplane mode and turning it off and back on also forces your phone to re choose towers. You can also do this by force updating your PRL in settings.
You could invest in a mobile signal booster. You can boost every network's signal except for Sprint. You're technically required to register the amplifier with the network. There's some oddball reason why you can't do Sprint (I forget) but TMobile, Verizon and att can all be boosted.
Interestingly enough both Google and Apple collect that data also, signal strength and geo location.
And remember, just because it says you have LTE that doesn't always mean you will get it indoors. Once you move indoors it might drop to plain 4g or lower. Some carriers LTE is on higher spectrum like 2600mhz which is great for throughput but horrible for penetrating walls...Going into airplane mode and turning it off and back on also forces your phone to re choose towers. You can also do this by force updating your PRL in settings.
You could invest in a mobile signal booster. You can boost every network's signal except for Sprint. You're technically required to register the amplifier with the network. There's some oddball reason why you can't do Sprint (I forget) but TMobile, Verizon and att can all be boosted.
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Originally Posted by stockrex
I used to have sprint and now I have tmobile
I was up north MI and last year out west.
In short, the online coverage maps are not accurate,
What online resource is out there that show actual customer provided feedback on coverage?
Not to sound like a wise a**.
But with ATT or Verizon you don't really need a coverage map, more or less, half your problems, which I assume that you have are your choice of Tmobile and Sprint.
Coverage is and can be subjective, your stuck relying on the maps provided by the cell company. Someone who gives you feedback for any given area can be wrong, the place where they are at can simply be a low spot in an area where signals quite literally pass over them and not down to them and another can be in the same area at a high spot and have no problem.
I used to have sprint and now I have tmobile
I was up north MI and last year out west.
In short, the online coverage maps are not accurate,
What online resource is out there that show actual customer provided feedback on coverage?
Not to sound like a wise a**.
But with ATT or Verizon you don't really need a coverage map, more or less, half your problems, which I assume that you have are your choice of Tmobile and Sprint.
Coverage is and can be subjective, your stuck relying on the maps provided by the cell company. Someone who gives you feedback for any given area can be wrong, the place where they are at can simply be a low spot in an area where signals quite literally pass over them and not down to them and another can be in the same area at a high spot and have no problem.
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Agree, coverage maps don't mean jack or jill, tmobile and sprint both lack roaming agreements so one is caught with no signal.
unfortunately I have stick with tmobile for a bit, but I am getting a 2nd line on att or verizon to fill the gaps.
I will use the LTE data on the att/verizon to keep my tmobile connected,
I was out fishing and I had zero signal on tmobile while the dude next to me on att was facetiming his wife interactive video.
unfortunately I have stick with tmobile for a bit, but I am getting a 2nd line on att or verizon to fill the gaps.
I will use the LTE data on the att/verizon to keep my tmobile connected,
I was out fishing and I had zero signal on tmobile while the dude next to me on att was facetiming his wife interactive video.
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