Disappointed

[640k]

there must be some special combination of cement and metal that make certain buildings worse than others. i know my building is terrible for service. they even had to put in repeaters for their BB services.

Is your building newer or older?

older, newly remodeled (top to bottom).

 

[cereal killer]

You can also try reactivating your device on the network. That should work.

*228 option 1

If reactivating the device on the network for some reason does not work go into a corporate store and have them manually update your PRL (which they would do anyway when you brought it to them for your issue)

 

[RaiN1620]

I was in West Palm over christmas break and went down to Boca a few times, excellent service everywhere in Florida, even on the desolate stretches of the turnpike...but for some reason I was going from full service to no service sporadically while in Boca. I have a Droid, so I dont think its your phone, that town is just weird =/.
(Sitting in class in the basement of a building in downtown Atlanta, full service)

 

[bossrogue]

It could be your device. I had the same issue happen to me when I had the BlackBerry Storm 2, VZW just swapped the device, and the problem was gone.

 

[justbob]

If your coroprate IT policy allows it, get a femtocell.

Enter your location

 

[voodoodaddy]

welcome to high frequency radio communication. vzw's network just doesn't have the strength of the older, lower frequency bands to penetrate cement and steel like AT&T does.

Dont you have it backwards? I thought part of the reason VZW was generally accepted to have a better network is because CDMA reaches further and penetrates better than GSM.

When I transferred to my new job about a year and a half ago I had ATT/iPhone. I work in the Dallas metroplex and at work I could not make calls/use data on the iPhone unless I were close to the outer walls of the building. With VZW I get signal everywhere. And with ATT headquartered in Dallas this area should have as good of coverage as anywhere.

 

[Phoxus]

Sorry to hear this man.

 

[jsh1120]

Every year I go to a conference in Milwaukee. Always have signal in the huge (concrete, steel, glass) convention center and everywhere else---except in the elevators in the Hilton Hotel. Last year my two friends kept remarking that their iphones still had signal in the elevator. Arrgggh! Hope my beautiful Droid doesn't let me down this year.

Perhaps you should try getting a room at the hotel. That way you could make calls from somewhere other than the elevator and you could sleep undisturbed.

 

[Cryostatic]

You can also try reactivating your device on the network. That should work.

*228 option 1

If reactivating the device on the network for some reason does not work go into a corporate store and have them manually update your PRL (which they would do anyway when you brought it to them for your issue)

I tried *228, twice actually, to no effect.

I was in West Palm over christmas break and went down to Boca a few times, excellent service everywhere in Florida, even on the desolate stretches of the turnpike...but for some reason I was going from full service to no service sporadically while in Boca. I have a Droid, so I dont think its your phone, that town is just weird =/.
(Sitting in class in the basement of a building in downtown Atlanta, full service)

I just went out to get lunch, and as soon as I left the building, I got signal. I did, however, notice that the bars kept bouncing up and down, from 1-4. I think the tower coverage here may be just good enough that they can fill the area in on their map, but the distance between towers is probably less than optimal, just a guess.

It could be your device. I had the same issue happen to me when I had the BlackBerry Storm 2, VZW just swapped the device, and the problem was gone.

It could be the device, that's true. Whether it's defective, needs to be reprogrammed (manually?) or it's working fine and VZW is just crappy in my area, it's only day 2. I'll take it back this afternoon and see if they can do anything with it.

 

[aaf709]

Ever since I when from flip phones to "chocolate bar" phones, I haven't had as good a signal. I ended up getting a Network Extender for home.

 

[640k]

welcome to high frequency radio communication. vzw's network just doesn't have the strength of the older, lower frequency bands to penetrate cement and steel like AT&T does.

Dont you have it backwards? I thought part of the reason VZW was generally accepted to have a better network is because CDMA reaches further and penetrates better than GSM.

When I transferred to my new job about a year and a half ago I had ATT/iPhone. I work in the Dallas metroplex and at work I could not make calls/use data on the iPhone unless I were close to the outer walls of the building. With VZW I get signal everywhere. And with ATT headquartered in Dallas this area should have as good of coverage as anywhere.

has more to do with the frequency range vs. the technology involved. those lower bands, below that magical 2.4Ghz mark typically do a better job of reaching further.

 

[sTiNkFiZzLe]

AT&T is so bad in Atlanta area. SO much better service all around GA w/ Verizon.

 

[Kdubbjr]

3 years of Verizon I can honestly say I don't think I've ever lost service..I'm not even sure what that would like. Does it just have no bars? Or does it look like airplane mode? But it seems like your building is the problem

 

[wil318466]

I'm new here on this forum, but I've been reading up quite a bit on the Droid and found a lot of useful information here before I made my purchase. I'm a longtime AT&T wireless customer, starting about ten years ago back when they were Cingular. Contrary to what I read all over the internet, I've had absolutely zero problems with AT&T's service in my area. Doesn't matter where I go (locally), 3G service is there with full bars. I've been wanting a smartphone, something iPhone like, but not an iPhone, as I refuse to support Apple's closed-format business model.

So, yesterday, I switched to VZW and nabbed a Droid. Sweet, sweet phone. Took it home, sync'd it to my email, facebook, ect. Was amazed at how fluidly everything worked together. Ordered something online, downloaded a few free apps (WeatherBug is nice) dropped a couple of albums and videos on it. I love the Droid.

Then I got to work this morning. After running around putting out the morning's tech fires, I got back to my office, and pulled it out of my pocket.

Zero signal. Eyebrow raised. Searching for service? On my 3-year old Razr, I had 3G, full bars in my office. I got up, and started roaming. Zero signal anywhere. Walked outside to the courtyard. 3G, 3 bars. I consider that a good signal, but what good does it do me outside? Took the advice I found here, and dialed *228, went through the process of reconfiguring the phone, didn't help.

If I can't make or receive calls from inside the building, then it's useless. I need to be able to take service calls while I'm out and about. At work, the thing's a glorified PMP/paperweight.

Very disappointed in Verizon. If AT&T, of all companies, can manage to get a signal into my building, there's no excuse for Verizon's inability to give me even the weakest of signals. I love my little Droid, but it's going back to the store today. I'm now torn between waiting to see if AT&T brings it to their network (which means waiting another 3-6 months, if they even get it), or buying an unlocked Milestone.

Is there any way to get insurance on an unlocked phone?

Sorry to hear that. Sometimes its just luck, and you came down on the bad end of it. Trust me, I know. I live in Philly, and the coverage is downright amazing every single place I've ever been in the city except for my girlfriends house. My phone is half crippled there.

I SWEAR it has to do with plaster walls. Every other building I'm in, no problem. Only places I have issues is underground sometimes (subway, basement of huge buildings)) and in elevators, but everyone has that problem.

Sad when the phone is great, the coverage is great, except in ONE spot.. and work IS an important spot. I wouldn't blame you if you had to switch back. If I didn't get cell service at work I'd be mighty upset.

-Wil

 

[bossrogue]

3 years of Verizon I can honestly say I don't think I've ever lost service..I'm not even sure what that would like. Does it just have no bars? Or does it look like airplane mode? But it seems like your building is the problem

I'm gonna have to agree. If you walk outside and you immediately get a signal, be it faint or not, you do have a signal. I used to have the same problem when I was on AT&T. It happened every time I went into a Walmart. I'd lose signal as soon as I walked in the door, and it would stay gone until I left. I called about it, and they said some buildings do that. The signal can't penetrate through certain types of buildings