How CellMapper & DeadCellZones Improve City Coverage & Reduce Congestion

Reliable cell phone coverage is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for work, travel, and daily life. Yet, many cities still struggle with dropped calls, slow data, and congested networks. Two powerful online tools, CellMapper.net and DeadCellZones.com, give users the ability to identify weak coverage, track dead zones, and influence network improvements in specific neighborhoods.

The Promises of 6G: How Ubiquitous Cellular Connectivity Could Become Reality

As the world begins to settle into the era of 5G, researchers and telecom companies are already envisioning the next great leap—6G, the sixth generation of wireless technology. Scheduled to roll out commercially in the early 2030s, 6G promises to go far beyond faster speeds. Its bold vision centers on ubiquitous cellular connectivity, ensuring that every person, device, and environment is continuously and seamlessly connected.

While 5G has improved bandwidth, reliability, and latency, it still faces gaps—particularly in rural areas, at sea, or in disaster zones. 6G aims to close these gaps with a mix of advanced technologies, global coverage strategies, and intelligent network design.

What is the difference between 4g mobile towers and 5g cell?

The main difference between 4G mobile towers and 5G cells lies in their underlying technology and capabilities. Here are some key distinctions:

How to Get Cell Reception on Your Property

We get hundreds of emails from property and landowners who are interested in leasing their land for a cell tower. Here are some ways we have discovered that are effective at getting a new cell tower.   These factors will come into play when carriers are considering your property:  distance to adjacent towers, population density, broadband providers in the area, customer density, city zoning laws & public safety.

If you are experiencing poor or no cell reception on your property, there are several steps you can take to improve the situation:

How to Fix your Cell Phone Coverage

If you're experiencing poor cell phone coverage, there are several steps you can take to try and improve the situation. Here are some potential solutions:

Identifying Dropped Call Locations

Dropped calls are often more annoying than dead zones themselves. Identifying the exact locations where dropped calls occur can be a complex task, as it requires analyzing various factors and data sources. However, telecommunication companies and network operators have methods to identify and address such issues. Here are some common approaches used to identify dropped call locations:

Network Monitoring: Telecommunication companies continuously monitor their network infrastructure to identify issues that can cause dropped calls. They use network monitoring tools and systems to track call quality, signal strength, and network performance. These tools help them identify areas where call drops are more frequent.

Customer Complaints: Customers often report dropped call issues to their service providers. Telecommunication companies collect and analyze these complaints to identify patterns and common locations where dropped calls are reported. By aggregating customer feedback, they can pinpoint problem areas.

Drive Testing: Network operators conduct drive tests by equipping vehicles with specialized testing equipment that measures signal strength, call quality, and network performance while moving through different areas. These tests help identify specific locations where call drops occur and provide valuable data for network optimization.

Crowd-Sourced Data: Some telecommunication companies and mobile network operators collect data from mobile devices using dedicated apps or network diagnostic tools. This crowd-sourced data provides insights into call performance, signal strength, and dropped call occurrences at various locations.

Network Analysis Tools: Network operators utilize sophisticated analysis tools that collect data from network equipment, such as base stations and switches. These tools enable them to identify areas with high call drop rates and analyze network parameters that may be causing the issue.

Signal Propagation Analysis: By analyzing signal propagation characteristics, such as terrain, obstacles, and building structures, network operators can estimate the signal strength and coverage in different areas. Weak signal areas are often associated with higher call drop rates.

By combining the data from these various sources and conducting detailed analysis, telecommunication companies can identify locations where dropped calls are more prevalent. Once identified, they can take steps to optimize the network, improve coverage, or address any underlying issues causing the call drops.

Where is AT&T Fixing Outdoor Reception?

AT&T continuously works to improve outdoor reception and expand its network coverage in various locations. The specific areas where AT&T focuses on fixing outdoor reception can vary over time, depending on factors such as network infrastructure plans, customer demand, and areas with reported coverage issues.

AT&T typically invests in network upgrades, including the deployment of additional cell towers, installation of new equipment, and optimization of existing infrastructure to enhance outdoor reception. They prioritize areas with high population density, major transportation routes, and areas where customers may experience weak or unreliable signal strength.

To determine the specific locations where AT&T is working on fixing outdoor reception, you can check the following sources:

AT&T Coverage Map: AT&T provides an online coverage map on their official website, which allows you to check the estimated coverage and signal strength in specific areas. The map may indicate areas where AT&T has recently improved or plans to enhance outdoor reception.

AT&T Customer Support: Contacting AT&T's customer support directly can provide you with more detailed and up-to-date information on network upgrades and coverage improvements in your area. They can inform you about ongoing projects or any scheduled upgrades for an outdoor reception.

Local News and Announcements: Local news sources or community forums may provide information about AT&T network expansion or improvements in specific regions or cities. Monitoring local news or checking with local residents can give you insights into areas where AT&T is actively working on outdoor reception fixes.

Remember that network improvements are an ongoing process, and AT&T continues to invest in expanding coverage and addressing reception issues. It's advisable to keep checking for updates from AT&T or reach out to their customer support for the most accurate and specific information regarding outdoor reception fixes in your area.

Cell Coverage Hole Detection

Cell coverage hole detection refers to the process of identifying areas or locations with poor or no cellular network coverage. These coverage holes can result in dropped calls, slow data speeds, or complete loss of connectivity in certain areas.

Detecting cell coverage holes is essential for telecommunication companies and network operators as it helps them identify areas that need improvement in terms of network infrastructure and signal strength. By identifying these coverage gaps, network providers can take necessary actions to enhance coverage and improve the overall user experience.

Here are some common methods used for cell coverage hole detection:

Customer Feedback: Network operators often rely on customer complaints and feedback to identify areas with poor coverage. Customers may report dropped calls, weak signals, or data connectivity issues, which can help pinpoint potential coverage holes.

Drive Testing: Drive testing involves driving or traveling through various areas while monitoring signal strength, call quality, and data performance. Specialized equipment or mobile apps can be used to collect data on network performance, allowing operators to identify coverage gaps.

Signal Mapping: Signal mapping involves creating detailed coverage maps by measuring signal strength and quality at various locations. This can be done using specialized tools or crowdsourcing data from users through dedicated apps or services.

Network Performance Monitoring: Network operators continuously monitor network performance metrics, including signal strength, call drop rates, and data throughput. Anomalies or patterns indicating poor coverage can be detected through data analysis.

Site Surveys: Network operators may conduct physical site surveys in areas where coverage issues are reported or suspected. These surveys involve evaluating the signal strength and quality on-site, assessing the surrounding environment, and identifying potential obstacles or interference sources.

By utilizing these methods, network operators can gather valuable data and insights into areas of poor coverage, enabling them to plan and implement solutions such as adding new cell towers, adjusting antenna configurations, or deploying signal boosters to improve coverage in those areas.

Can You Drive Testing Indoor Coverage?

In our ever more transparent and tough economic environment don't you would think Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint should take a look at new innovative ways to better serve their customer's needs as more customers are using their mobile phones indoors. Our mashup DeadCellZones.com collects thousands of carrier indoor and outdoor cell coverage complaints from customers each month with zero advertising. If our website is collecting this data for free it appears the carriers are all overlooking a very simple way of listening to their customers. Ask!

Wireless service providers (especially in the U.S.) do drive testing to build theoretical coverage maps and test their networks for cell signal strength. Drive Testing or wireless data collection is used to provide coverage analysis, network weakness information and to aid in finding specific problem areas reported by consumers. Most drive testing companies are specifically tasked with simulating the actual call experience of customers during weekday periods to simulate capacity issues outdoors. Such companies include GWS, LCC, and WFI. Most carriers outsource this capability to third parties, unlike Verizon who has its own in-house drive testing team. Drive testing companies usually spend between $15-25 per mile in over 300+ U.S. markets benchmark testing signals. These companies provide a tremendous service to the carriers and deserve every penny for their efforts but how do they efficiently acquire in-building coverage data where customers use their phone the most?

DeadCellZones.com will be a the forefront of the carrier femtocell revolution and will start helping drive testing companies get better visibility of in-building coverage problem areas. U.S. carriers are starting to roll out femtocells and the number of worldwide subscribers is rising rapidly, jumping from 1.7 million in 2007 to 9.7 million in 2008. The number of femtocell phone units is expected to nearly quintuple in the 5 years from 2007 to 2011.

I think the current recession is going to demand cost-cutting measures that we have never seen from these companies since churn is more prevalent than customer growth. The carnage could be huge from suppliers and vendors beneath the umbrella of these giant companies of those who do not innovate. Its widely known throughout the industry that working with carriers is not much different than working with government bureaucrats because of their proprietary networks and huge customer bases. The lack of leadership of the wireless communication giants to is the primary reason why the U.S. is way behind Europe and Asia in wireless telecommunications.

Where Are Wireless Carriers Turning Off 2G & Why?

Why Are Carriers Are Turning Off 2G & 3G Reception?

AT&T & Verizon are slowly turning off 2G cell phone towers in many rural markets.  Why?  Because they need the capacity and or spectrum in that market for 4G and LTE.  3G and 4G provide faster data speeds but voice service can often be less reliable.  

If you have been a long time customer with an older phone and suddenly you don't have coverage any longer, you are probably one of those people who either have to upgrade their phone or find a new carrier.  Many carriers still service 2G customers so its best you do your homework in a particular market and find out who has 2G service.   

I think the FCC has done an incredible disservice to consumers not mandating that carriers provide transparency on where they are turning off 2G service.  Thus, our map database Deadcellzones.com has exploded with contributions of dead zone problems this year on our map.  Consumers are confused and don't know what to do.  These present an opportunity for an aggressive smaller carrier to capitalize on this incredibly horrible service and transparency the big carriers are providing.  Stay tuned because the fireworks are just beginning!  

Top 5 Major Troubleshooting Network Connectivity Issues

There can be many reasons behind network connectivity troubleshooting issues. It can be hardware failure, router failure, interruption because of other electronic devices and internet service provider’s planned outages.

Before starting the troubleshooting, we should scan our PC with anti-virus to check if it is free from malware and viruses. After running an antivirus scan, we should delete cookies and temporary files from our computer, as they may be the reason behind our computer’s slow performance. We should also call up our internet service provider and ask if there is any problem with their service or any kind of planned outage in our area.

Modem or wireless dongle issues

This is the simplest step that can solve the network connectivity problem without putting in much time and effort. All you have to do is shut down the modem from the main switch, and start it back after two minutes. In case of hardware or modem failure, we won’t be able to see any indicator on the modem.

Computer’s task manager issues

Network troubleshooting should always begin with opening the computer’s task manager. After opening the task manager, just select networking. The networking section will show if the internet connection is active or not. If the connection is not active, we should check the modem or wireless dongle indicator.

Check network settings & version of device driver

Network connectivity issues can also occur if network service settings are incorrect.  One should check service settings, login settings, and adopter settings if we are not able to get connected to the network even if the network signals are strong.

Network settings will automatically change whenever we reinstall our computer’s operating systems or device drivers. After reinstalling the operating system or device drivers, we should check if the version of our ISP’s device driver is compatible with our new operating system or not. We will have to download a compatible version in case if the old one is not compatible.

Check the network’s cell signal strength

The browser and other applications on your computer will not work if the ISP's signal strength is very low. Our computer’s task manager can show us our internet service provider’s signal strength. A number of factors around our computer can reduce the network’s signal strength. Devices like Microwave, radio, mobile phone and other electrical devices should be kept at least 1m away from our computer as they can interfere with internet service provider’s signals and reduce the signal strength.

Signal strength can also reduce in case of too much load on the internet service provider’s network. There is nothing much that we can do in this situation, except for calling our ISP to log a complaint.

Problems while authentication

If we are putting an incorrect user name or password in the network settings, we will get an error that says “authentication failure”. In this case, we should try to reset our password or just call the internet service provider’s customer service number.

A proper, consistent and logical approach is necessary for troubleshooting network connectivity issues. Hitting your PC will not help. There is no need to be tech-savvy to understand some basic connectivity issues. The above tips can help you to solve basic issues all by yourself.

About the author: Kelly Marsh is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology, health and parenting. Besides this, she is fond of computer technology. She also likes reading various articles on DIY health & gizmo watch.

Throttling vs Network Optimization of Traffic

Data Throttling vs Network Optimization of Traffic

The widespread use of smartphones, tablets and other sophisticated mobile devices – coupled with accelerating consumption of rich multimedia applications such as streaming video, live TV, social media, and instant video chat – is driving operators' evolution to LTE and other 4G network architectures for delivering mobile data services. Bytemobile's latest Mobile Analytics Report indicates that a tablet already generates three times the data volume generated by a comparable smartphone. With next-generation technology, including faster networks and larger devices supporting higher-resolution videos, the data generated from a single YouTube clip could increase by five times. Managing network capacity has become not only the single most important business challenge for operators and many are using different techniques.

Throttling mobile data is a method by reducing the speed of packets delivered to the user on the network.  Throttling is typically done when a user has exceeded the amount of data in a plan or is congesting the network by downloading too much video or content in an area.

Network optimization is a different technique used by the carriers.  It involves caching and compression to reduce the strain on the network.  The goal is to not reduced the user experience while preserving bandwidth on the network.

Bytemobile® Smart Capacity™ platforms enable mobile operators to deliver the best possible experience to their subscribers under all network conditions and to differentiate their services based on subscriber usage. The company's solutions have been deployed in the mobile networks of more than 130 operators worldwide to manage escalating demand for capacity due to video and other rich multimedia content and applications. With Smart Capacity, mobile operators can improve utilization of existing capacity and control operating expenses, while increasing revenue growth and profitability. Bytemobile is the industry leader in video optimization with 50 operators under contract.

Byte Mobile's US customers include: AT&T laptop division, Metro PCS, Alltel, Cricket and Sprint.  Verizon & T-Mobile are not currently customers and may be using a different method of detecting high data volume users and throttling them instead.  MetroPCS is the most widely deployed customer in the US to date.

ByteMobile competitors in include Flash Networks, Open Wave, Cisco, Ericsson, Allot, Sandvine.

To learn more, visit Bytemobile.com.

Can Cellular Networks Handle Madonna's Super Bowl Half Time Show?

Madonna Super Bowl Half Time Show

As more than 150,000 people converge on Indianapolis for football’s biggest game of the year, AT&T has made a significant investment in permanent and temporary wireless network enhancements to support increased network traffic. However, will any carriers be able to handle 65,000 fans uploading photos of Madonna during the halftime show?  My bet is no and I will certainly be testing it during the halftime show.  

This is the classic case of everyone making a cell phone call during an emergency and no one can get through due to the congestion.  The has happened numerous times during Earthquakes and natural disasters and is a huge safety hazard.  But this time the congestion will be highly predictable and it remains to be seen if all of the networks still will crash during the mass upload, picture taking, phone call and text messaging half time show.  Here are some things that AT&T has specifically done in the Indianapolis to prepare for the massive Blackberry, Android, iPad and iPhone traffic: 

AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Zone, the company’s seventh major-market hotzone, serving parts of downtown Indianapolis. The new hotzone will provide fast and Wi-Fi near many popular locations along Capitol Avenue, Meridian and Pennsylvania Streets as well as East and West Georgia streets near the center of town, which consistently see high customer traffic and mobile data use. AT&T customers with high speed Internet, smartphone or LaptopConnect plans get unlimited access to AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Zones at no additional cost. From most AT&T smartphones and devices, customers will be able to automatically connect and switch seamlessly between AT&T’s Wi-Fi and wireless networks. Wi-Fi use doesn’t count toward customers’ smartphone data plans.

AT&T has also launched an expanded Distributed Antenna System (DAS) at Lucas Oil Stadium, which is among the largest of its kind in the U.S., enabling 4G LTE coverage within the stadium and carrying more traffic than 10 cell sites. In addition, AT&T has expanded its 4G LTE network to its DAS for media accommodations and has plans to enhance or install DAS systems in a number of other venues before the big game. 

“Events like the big game generate memorable experiences that our customers will want to share with friends and family through text messages, photos, status updates on social networks and calls from their mobile devices,” said Brian Ducharme, Vice President and General Manager, AT&T Indiana and Michigan. “We’re excited to provide significant network improvements – like our AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Zone and expanded or new DAS throughout the city – that will enhance the network experience for our customers in Indianapolis before, during and after the game.”

Further preparations for the big game include deploying nine Cells on Wheels (COWs) to support Lucas Oil Stadium, the downtown area, practice facilities and other places where large crowds are expected to accommodate increased wireless network demands from high concentrations of smartphone users. The company has also added capacity to nearly 200 cell sites throughout the Indianapolis market. The augmentations will help improve reliability and offer faster data speeds.

Cell Phone Reception for Indy Super Bowl

Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint are getting ready for the huge influx of Patriots and Giants fans for Super Bowl weekend in Indianapolis.  The whole area will experience and huge increase in extra cell phone traffic.  Lucas Oil Stadium holds 63,000 people and it is highly likely there could be 25,000+ iPhones simultaneously trying to share pictures all at once.  The big question is can the carriers 3G and 4G LTE networks handle the capacity?  We will be at the Super Bowl in person to find out and share with you our experiences.

Last years Super Bowl in Dallas it was reported that numerous fans complained about the cell coverage inside Cowboy Stadium for the Super Bowl.  Most networks just don't have the capacity to handle the traffic all at once.  It still surprises me that stadiums have not installed their own Free WiFi networks inside the stadium for fans.  Carriers often partner with the stadium to install WiFi / DAS networks in venues like this in order to enhance wireless connectivity.  We would love to see more PR on this issue from all the sports leagues including the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.

AT&T has made concerted efforts to enhance the network in Indianapolis.  Not only are they upgrading the network but they are actually showing customers on a pretty map they call AT&T MicroSites.

One of the other things Patriots and Giants fans will see are these "cells on wheels," which are also called COWS.  They are trucks with portable cell towers on top of them. You'll may also see devices hidden in parking garages and other places that will also boost cell power.

Months of planning have gone into the upgrades. "Over the last year, we've made more than 500 improvements in our wireless network alone here in the Indianapolis-metropolitan area," said George Fleetwood.

AT&T isn't the only wireless provider upgrading its network ahead of the big game. Verizon has spent $159 million on upgrades in 30 locations around Indy. Sprint has also beefed up its coverage with several cells on wheels along with major added capacity inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

Cell Phone Tips to Prepare for Hurricane Irene

How to prepare for the next hurricane disaster?  Does your family have an emergency communications plan for when you cannot reach your friends and family with cell phones because the network is jammed?  Cell phone operators cannot prevent the worst from happening and consumers and small business owners should be prepared before and after the storm hits. Here are 10 tips that should help you be prepared for the worst during a disaster.

1. Have a two phones ready possibly from two different carriers. One corded or landline phone and one mobile phone. The landline phone is critical because it is not dependent on electricity in the case of a long power outage.
2. Make sure all of your local emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses are in your mobile phone. Police department, coast guard, fire station and hospital, as well as your family members.
3. Keep your cell phone batteries charged at all times and keep an extra on hand. Have a plan to charge your battery in case of a long power outage using your car charger or generator.
4. Keep your wireless phone dry in a dry pack or waterproof housing. If you phone gets wet or is exposed to excessive humidity you might not be able to use it.
5. You can track the storm and access weather information on your wireless device but don't use too much phone battery power or data on the phone to jam the network. Try not to upload or download a lot of video during the storm.   Thousands of homes will lose power during the storm and if you have a wireless device that provides access to the Internet, you can watch weather reports through mobile TV.  
6. Download one of the many weather apps if you have smartphone to track your local weather Accuweather, Weather Undergound and Weather.com are some of the best apps to see the radar.
7. Have a camera and video phone on hand to take and send photos and video clips of damaged property or people in need of emergency help. It is also helpful to document the damage for your your insurance company.
8. Use location-based mapping technology from Google and other services to help with evacuation routes or avoid traffic congestion from downed trees or power lines. Download and use location based friend applications to track a family members and friends on wireless device in case you get separated.
9. During an emergency cell phone networks are typically jammed by multiple people trying to use their phones at the same time. The increased calling volume or data traffic on the network can create network congestion, leading to a "fast busy" signal on your mobile phone or a slow dial tone on your landline phone. If this happens, hang up, be patient and wait several seconds and then try the call again. This allows your original call data to clear the network before you try again. Keep non-emergency calls and usage of video uploading and downloading to a minimum. If there is severe weather, chances are many people will be attempting to place calls to loved ones, friends and business associates.
10. Use text messaging as much as you can during an emergency as messages may go through more quickly than voice calls. Text messages require fewer network resources and will get priority before voice calls.

Cell phone carriers do recognized the risk of their cell phone towers going down during an emergency and typically send out emergency teams and boost capacity in the area with additional towers.  This usually includes the installation of back-up generators at cell sites and switching facilities. They also try and locate critical communication equipment in less vulnerable areas and try to upgrade copper wiring with fiber optic cable. Also, elevation of switches on the network above expected flood levels and extra protection of physical facilities against flooding is also important.

Are Verizon Customers Dropping More Calls?

Here is a letter from a 10 year Verizon customer in Virginia, who wrote to customer care.  This issue has been escalated to the President level in the organization to resolve the problem.  This an example of what is happening for millions of Verizon customers who previously had good coverage and are now suffering from more dropped calls.  It just so happens that this customer is very persistent about getting the problem resolved but not everyone has the time or the skills to do this.  Nor does Verizon have the resources to pursue every customer service problem in this manner.  It is worth reading and just another reason that the current theoretical wireless coverage maps should be outlawed?  Its false marketing and degradation once good coverage areas is becoming a big problem now that Verizon is moving to 4G / LTE.  Wireless networks are breathing more than ever to optimize network capacity and thus why you might see 5 bars and then none standing in the same location.  Read the full letter below about a Verizon trouble ticket resolution and please share any other examples in the comments or send us an email. 

1st Customer Letter to Verizon

Dear Verizon,

Is it possible to request a physical visit to the area in question (below), with measurements taken and reports made?  My family and I drive this area a total of 12 times or more per day.  We have been doing that for over ten years.  WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE DROPPED CALL IN THIS AREA FOR ALL THOSE YEARS.  Why did we begin to drop most calls, suddenly, two months ago?  I am specifically speaking of my driveway, 123 XYX Drive.  Could an area suddenly, as if by magic, become "marginal", after working well for all those years?

My suspicion is that Verizon, by upgrading to the higher "G" coverages and has made equipment changes in this area.  This new equipment places voice communication second to all the other services which the new smartphones sold.  I believe that is what has caused my problem with 123 XYX Drive, etc.

I'd like to have a definitive answer, from Verizon, not some nonsense about secondary coverage areas, explaining why I still get a five-bar signal AND drop calls all the time?  That doesn't sound like a coverage problem.  It sounds like a Verizon equipment problem to me.

As far as being in a marginal coverage area, I've seen Verizon make those claims before.  Any problems Verizon doesn't want to address are suddenly in a marginal coverage area.

Please see below, coverage maps copied from the Verizon published coverage map,
The map below is location 123 XYX Drive.  As stated above, coverage just perfect for ten years.  Suddenly, two months ago, the signal stays the same, calls are dropped constantly.  Is it magic?

Below is another paste from the same Verizon coverage map showing the four-mile area east of my driveway on Rt. 221 where past wonderful coverage has degraded to many dropped calls with no loss in signal.  

The last pasted map below is an area that Verizon knows is bad and has elected not to fix it.  We get dropped calls in that area on a daily basis. The specific area is on 221 between Mays Farm Road and the upside-down question mark looking little road, just east of the 221 shields.  To quote Verizon's answer on past complaints about the area, "This is an area of known problems."  That's it, no fixed date, no nothing.

Please re-submit my complaint to the proper parties and include these Verizon coverage maps.  I really would appreciate some sort of meaningful answer regarding the sudden degradation in service.

1st Verizon Response Letter

Mr. Customer,

Your trouble ticket for service problems in your home area is now resolved. The ticket states: “located in a marginal coverage area due to distance from cell sites; there are plans for a new site in your area but not estimated time of when that will be up and running. There were currently no issues found w/ the surrounding cell sites.”

Feel free to email me back with any other questions or concerns and we can move forward or see what the next step may be.

Thanks,
Nate – Verizon Wireless Tech Support
woodana@NE.VerizonWireless.com

2nd Verizon Response Letter

Mr. Customer,

From previously speaking to members of our Network Repair Bureau, I have been told that coverage can change. The majority of the time the coverage is increasing but I’ve been told that may not always be the case. I’m going to forward your email over to one of our NRB representatives and try to re-escalate this issue. I’ll email you back once I receive additional info about this problem. I also wanted to make sure that you were still marking the affected calls by dialing ### - SEND.

Thanks,
Nate – Verizon Wireless Tech Support

Customer Response to Verizon Wireless 

Nate – Verizon Wireless Tech Support,

Unfortunately, I've been doing ***** Send, or something close to that. Does it matter as long as I do something strange after a dropped call or do you want exactly ###SEND? Sorry for the error.

The coverage matter is a convenient out for Verizon. Their disclaimer really removes any value from the coverage maps they issue. (These Coverage Locator maps depict predicted and approximate wireless coverage. The coverage areas shown do not guarantee service availability and may include locations with limited or no coverage. Even within a coverage area, there are many factors, including customer’s equipment, terrain, proximity to buildings, foliage, and weather that may impact service. Some of the Coverage Areas include networks run by other carriers, the coverage depicted is based on their information and public sources, and we cannot ensure its accuracy.) This really makes any coverage argument totally invalid and a waste of time; except, of course, for Verizon to put forth as an unreal sales tool.

However, I might think that the cessation of service is a valid argument, and, as "supplier", Verizon would be held liable to continue the past level of service, unless they announce a change. In this instance, no change was announced to me.

I guess, unless they do something for me, my only recourse is to leave Verizon and go over to US Cellular who, according to "hearsay" has this area buttoned down tight. As you see from my record, I don't often change carriers, so I'm loath to do that.

Do let me know about the ##### or the *****.

Thanks, Nate,
Customer

Commentary & End Result

Lots of developments. After calling both Wireless and Landline executive offices at Verizon, a work order for both of my problems was issued and has gone away. A Verizon engineer surveyed my area of dropped calls and found that the PN on a tower about 18 miles away, was taking my calls and disconnecting them. They finally agreed on a new PN and the dropped calls problem is solved!

The more annoying problem is still in the works. That's the one where all calls, originated from a Verizon cell phone, within my area, showed "out of area" on my landline caller ID. If I called my Verizon landline from the same room, as my local Verizon cell phone, the landline caller ID showed "Out of area". This is annoying because "Out of area" calls are usually from salespeople and we never answered them. Now, seeing it might be one of us calling, we get to speak to an inordinate amount of salespeople!

Emily's note from Sprint is very pleasing. Not only does she seem to really care, but she is also reaching out across the Country. Not too many people around like that anymore. Sprint has always had minimal coverage in our area. I do not know what she's referring to when she says "granular detail", I've not heard that term used before. I'll give her a call, but, don't hold out much hope - unless they've increased their coverage.

Customer

How to Boost a WiFi Signal Using an Electrical Powerline Extender

If your home or office Wi-Fi isn't performing well you might consider improving the signal using an electrical powerline extender.  

Wireless Network Armageddon in 2012

The analysis compiled three notable studies on mobile data traffic growth from Cisco Systems, Coda Research, and the Yankee Group. The average of these three studies estimates mobile data traffic to grow 5x between 2009-2011, 20x between 2009-2013, and 35x between 2009-2014. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski indicated that these studies were done before the iPad/tablet boom and therefore the growth may actually be understated. Our study shows that cell site growth is 7% while decelerating and Wi-Fi growth is accelerating to around 40%. in the U.S.

There is obviously going to be a spectrum deficit and the pain that consumers are feeling is going to get even worse. Some solutions trying to tackle the problem include hardware at each cell site to optimize the radio networks, offloading data to Wi-Fi and femtocells. Media optimization and compression will likely be used as well and might be more cost-effective.  However, ultimately there will be 10-20 times more Wi-Fi networks and soon there will be more organic Wi-Fi management companies like Boingo, Fon & Google Wifi (TBD) to help users access the almost free networks.

Free WiFi Hotspots Growing 5X Faster than Cell Towers

There are 72,000+ US hotspots growing at an average rate of 40% per year.  Theses hotspots are located at restaurants, train stations, airports, military bases, libraries, hotels, hospitals, coffee shops, bookstores, fuel stations, department stores, supermarkets, RV parks and campgrounds, public pay phones, and other public places. Many universities and schools have wireless networks in their campus.  Below is a list of 80,859 US cell phone towers growing at around 8% per year and the 14 companies that manage them.  One major US carrier Verizon is not included on the list because they are not actively pursuing co-location opportunities.

Rank - Towers - Company - Stock Symbol / Owner
1 - 22,321 - CrownCastle.com - $CCI
2 - 20,594 - Americantower.com - $AMT
3 - 10,792 - Att.com/towers - $T
4 - 8,588 - Sbasite.com - $SBAC
5 - 7,000 - T-mobiletowers.com -
6 - 3,700 - Gtpsites.com - Macquire Group
7 - 3,058 - Mobilitie.com
8 - 3,000 - Towerco.com
9 - 489 - Pegasustower.com
10 - 350 - Insitewireless.com
11 - 310 - Diamondcomm.com
12 - 305 - Subcarrier.com
13 - 250 - Horvathcommunications.com
14 - 102 - Tarpontowers.com

Why 5 Bars on a Cell Phone is Bad

I am frequently asked by cell phone users who are experiencing cell phone reception & data connection problems.  Why if I have 5 full bars of coverage do my calls go to voicemail?  Why can't I access data on my phone or receive text messages?  It's not because you are standing very close to a cell phone tower or antenna and getting a strong signal as most would think.  It's because the cell phone network you are trying to use is congested.  Smartphones use ten times more data than cell phones that simply are used for making phone calls.  Yet, a typical cell phone tower can handle up to 500 simultaneous phone calls it can only handle 1/10 of the users for data traffic.  So if there are a lot of iPhone users around you signaling to the tower it is likely that AT&T cannot handle the traffic.  I am sad to say it is only going to get worse as more and more people start using smartphones that suck down the data.

My suggestion is pretty simple.  Use WiFi whenever possible because 3G and 4G is not going to live up to the marketing hype.