Is AT&T reception this unreliable and erratic everywhere?

So I just started my AT&T wireless phone service today, and I just can't get stable reception. Supposedly, my city is supposed to have excellent AT&T wireless coverage (whatever the highest rating) is, yet in my apartment I have zero or one bar most of the time. Occasionally, it'll jump up to do, and I've even seen three bars one. It's just all over the place. How could that be? The phone is basically useless inside my apartment. If I got outside, walk across the parking lot, and stand in the street, I can get okay reception. The sound quality is so-so, but the bars are still jumping all over the place.

Is it the phone or what? I'm trying to consider whether or not I should try a different phone or if I should just drop AT&T in the next three days, so I can still get my $36 activation fee back.

The phone is an LG CU500. I also tried an older Motorola V551 which has been getting about the same bars, but I haven't tried using that one for calls yet.

And before anyone asks, this is on Edge only. Apparently there isn't 3G in my area, even though that as not indicated anywhere. The city is Whitewater, WI (53190).

I'm starting to get really glad that I didn't sign a contract, as I may need to back out of this and go back US Cellular with whom I've always had a consistent 3-4 bars with no problems ever.

---

› See More: Is AT&T reception this unreliable and erratic everywhere?

A simple answer to your question is no, AT&T's reception isn't unreliable and erratic everywhere. Moreover, every network has its strong and weak spots. You just happen to live in an area that's AT&T's weak spot.

Actually, GSM technology is known and will always be known to have inaccurate signal bars.

This doesn't mean the service itself is bad...it just means what is telling you the service is bad is not always as accurate.

i live in northern mn. Service is pretty good. Still waiting for 3g up here.
NokiaE71x/ATT.03.27 Mozilla/5.0 SymbianOS/9.3; U; [en]; Series60/3.2; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413

to the op. i also have att in an edge only area. i also have the lg cu515. 1 thing that will help you is from your phones main menu dial 277634#*# then click on modem setting then click network mode then network mode again and select 2G only. this should help your phone get a better signal. but if you want 3G if you ever get it in your area
you will need to switch it to dual mode.This will help you.

For what it is worth I found two areas that my at&t service dropped my calls around Rosedale, WI and Lake Lucern, WI. I reported this to customer service and the tech checked the tower strength and said it was low. He said he would report this to maintaince. I just thought this was a way to get me off the phone BUT the next time in the area my signal was stronger and my calls were not dropped.

I told the tech that my friends had Alltel and Verizon and they could get out and I was embarrased to tell them I couldn't. He said "If they can get out you should be able to also"

I may stay with AT&T now.

His statement couldn't be farther from the truth!

I know many people (truck drivers in particular) that have both Verizon and AT&T for a specific reason. They DO NOT cover the same areas at the same times, necessarily. If you have every carrier on the market, odds are you will have reception almost everywhere you travel...with some exceptions. For example, a county in the state of California prohibits cell phone towers within the county which means no coverage for anyone.

Coverage is NOT the same with any two carriers and AT&T does NOT have the largest coverage area. They cover 85% of the country with on and off network coverage combined.

Originally Posted by fshrman

I told the tech that my friends had Alltel and Verizon and they could get out and I was embarrased to tell them I couldn't. He said "If they can get out you should be able to also"

I live in northern mn and I get decent coverage. AT&T and verzion are the only cellphone providers that have coverage in my area. I would have to say it's a 50/50 split.
Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7A400 Safari/528.16

Hi,I do agree with nicknrm on his statement.It purely depends upon the technology .....Thanks.....

Originally Posted by Aurakles

A simple answer to your question is no, AT&T's reception isn't unreliable and erratic everywhere. Moreover, every network has its strong and weak spots. You just happen to live in an area that's AT&T's weak spot.

Well, guess what. In New York City, it's gotten spotty and unreliable all summer.

Unfortunately, all wireless carriers go through periods of quality change.

Generally, ON NETWORK coverage can only get better, but roaming/off network coverage can increase or decrease without notice.

Sometimes, carriers will trade coverage which may result in the loss of coverage you're experiencing.

Originally Posted by Nebuchadnezzar

Well, guess what. In New York City, it's gotten spotty and unreliable all summer.

I've had problems with at&t, tmobile, and verison... It seems it's that way for everyone at least some place.

Originally Posted by Meepers

I've had problems with at&t, tmobile, and verison... It seems it's that way for everyone at least some place.

I carry Verizon for work and AT&T for personal. I'm noticing the Verizon issues diminishing and the AT&T issues increasing. I don't know, but the problems I've had seem to have started after the debut of the iPhone.

Originally Posted by Nebuchadnezzar

I carry Verizon for work and AT&T for personal. I'm noticing the Verizon issues diminishing and the AT&T issues increasing. I don't know, but the problems I've had seem to have started after the debut of the iPhone.

I think that's where everyones issues started.