Excellent Coverage?

[astroprojector]

Hello,

Several month ago I switched couple of my lines from Verizon to T-mobile. According to the map coverage on T-mobile website the coverage in my area should be excellent. However at best I get one bar on Edge. I have been in contacts with support several times, but the issue cannot be resolved. According to support I live less then a mile from the tower, which correct because I walk by that tower everyday when walking my dog.

Attached are the image from T-mobile map coverage and the reading taken with the new FCC Speed Test app.





Is there a way to contact someone at high level so I can show these images to them and ask for explanation?

 

[UJ95x]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Hello,

Several month ago I switched couple of my lines from Verizon to T-mobile. According to the map coverage on T-mobile website the coverage in my area should be excellent. However at best I get one bar on Edge. I have been in contacts with support several times, but the issue cannot be resolved. According to support I live less then a mile from the tower, which correct because I walk by that tower everyday when walking my dog.

Attached are the image from T-mobile map coverage and the reading taken with the new FCC Speed Test app.

Is there a way to contact someone at high level so I can show these images to them and ask for explanation?

Have you always had this kind of coverage? Or was it just an issue recently?
You might have changed the networks by accident. Go to settings > connections > more networks > mobile networks and make sure it is set to LTE/GSM/WCDMA. If you are on GSM only you will have edge regardless of coverage

 

[clevin]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

indeed, you have two towers nearby, quite bizarre.

If above mentioned phone settings are okay, call T-Mo tech support and ask them to escalate your issue to their engineer.

 

[astroprojector]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

I have this coverage since day one. I have been on the phone with level 2 support and requests for engineer to come out was made several time. The mobile network on the phone is set to LTE/GSM/WCDMA.

 

[jscholz22]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Do you know anyone else with T-mobile? If so, i would suggest looking to see what their signal strength is. It may be your phone (bad antenna).

 

[dpham00]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Which phone are you using? Is it a Verizon phone? Or tmobile?

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[Almeuit]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Which phone are you using? Is it a Verizon phone? Or tmobile?

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

This is a great question. OP if you're using your Verizon one with just a T-Mobile SIM that could be your problem.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[cgardnervt]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

This is a great question. OP if you're using your Verizon one with just a T-Mobile SIM that could be your problem.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

Or even an att phone with Tmo.

 

[MalachyNG]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

This is a great question. OP if you're using your Verizon one with just a T-Mobile SIM that could be your problem.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

Verizon phones use totally different radios and would not work. Even if there is a gsm radio in there it's likely gimped to only work internationally by Verizon.

If it is an att phone it should work but check your APN settings.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Almeuit]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Verizon phones use totally different radios and would not work. Even if there is a gsm radio in there it's likely gimped to only work internationally by Verizon.

If it is an att phone it should work but check your APN settings.

Posted via Android Central App

This is incorrect. Verizon phones with the radios can use T-Mobile but only the "reframed" HSPA (4g) data speeds. Not the un-reframed markets... Which would put you on edge for T-Mobile.

It's also incorrect because Verizon phones are unlocked so... The GSM radios work on whatever.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[tippmann15]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Assuming you're using T-Mobile phones-

Are you on a post paid or prepaid, I believe I read that older prepaid plans only used T-Mobiles home network, not who they share with. It's possible that the coverage check is showing the combined shared network with whomever T-Mobile shares with. If you're not picking up that tower, this could be why.

As much as it sucks, I'd try a FDR.

Have a T-Mobile store replace your Sim card.

Find a friend who has a postpaid T-Mobile account and compare.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[dpham00]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

This is incorrect. Verizon phones with the radios can use T-Mobile but only the "reframed" HSPA (4g) data speeds. Not the un-reframed markets... Which would put you on edge for T-Mobile.

It's also incorrect because Verizon phones are unlocked so... The GSM radios work on whatever.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

This is correct for current 4GLTE smartphones. Some older ones did not have gsm radios like the Thunderbolt, gnex. Not all phones can get 4g on tmobile, I believe that the Verizon s3 won't even in refarmed areas.

Some older phones like my s3 was sim locked from the factory but unlocked later by update. The Verizon Note II was factory sim unlocked, but the apn was locked from the factory, and later unlocked by update. My Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is factory sim unlocked and apn editing was allowed from the factory as well.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[MalachyNG]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

This is correct for current 4GLTE smartphones. Some older ones did not have gsm radios like the Thunderbolt, gnex. Not all phones can get 4g on tmobile, I believe that the Verizon s3 won't even in refarmed areas.

Some older phones like my s3 was sim locked from the factory but unlocked later by update. The Verizon Note II was factory sim unlocked, but the apn was locked from the factory, and later unlocked by update. My Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is factory sim unlocked and apn editing was allowed from the factory as well.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

My experience was with the Droid 3 which technically had a GSM radio in it but was region locked so you could not use it on any US carrier. I believe the Droid 2 Global was also similar. The Galaxy Nexus had no GSM radio to speak of and neither did the original Droid 2. The Droid Bionic I believe did have some unlock system if you went international but otherwise was locked out of domestic GSM carriers. Verizon also was very stingy about unlock codes if you did happen to travel internationally. My Droid 3 came with a vodafone SIM already stuck in it.

My comment was more based on the idea that Verizon's lagacy tech is CDMA which is not compatible with GSM. To me it seemed people had been assuming that any verizon phone would work on AT&T/T-Mobile. To be honest I haven't even realized that the newer flagship phones were even arriving on VZW with GSM radios still included let alone activated.

 

[dpham00]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

My experience was with the Droid 3 which technically had a GSM radio in it but was region locked so you could not use it on any US carrier. I believe the Droid 2 Global was also similar. The Galaxy Nexus had no GSM radio to speak of and neither did the original Droid 2. The Droid Bionic I believe did have some unlock system if you went international but otherwise was locked out of domestic GSM carriers. Verizon also was very stingy about unlock codes if you did happen to travel internationally. My Droid 3 came with a vodafone SIM already stuck in it.

My comment was more based on the idea that Verizon's lagacy tech is CDMA which is not compatible with GSM. To me it seemed people had been assuming that any verizon phone would work on AT&T/T-Mobile. To be honest I haven't even realized that the newer flagship phones were even arriving on VZW with GSM radios still included let alone activated.

Non Verizon 4GLTE smartphones are sim locked, if they have gsm radios though you can call Verizon to unlock. Some older 4GLTE smartphones were sim locked. When I mean current, I mean 4GLTE smartphones released within the past year like the gs4,note 2/3, droid maxx, htc one, g2,iPhone 5 /5s/5c, Moto X, etc.

Of note, my old rezound which came out in 2011 is factory sim unlocked. Some other devices were factory sim locked but unlocked later by update.

With regards to your Bionic, my understanding is that it is factory sim unlocked, but that you need to do a mod(no root required) to get the sim slot working with a non Verizon sim.

http://androidforums.com/motorola-d...an-do-cmda-4lte-gsm-hspa-image-intensive.html


With regards to unlock codes on Older devices, I was able to get several 3g devices unlocked for when I was traveling abroad. The key is going to the right department in Verizon, and they won't transfer you or transfer to the wrong department, just call back.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[IAmSixNine]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Id also suggest using Sensory, OpenSignals, apps like that to check what other people around you have been able to verify.
As the other users have asked, what phone are you using?
Are you able to get another TMO user to test with you in the same spots?

 

[astroprojector]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

The test was done on T-Mobile Galaxy S4. I also have Galaxy Nexus GSM with T-Mobile Sim and get the same results. I am not using any pre or post paid. This is regular T-Mobile Unlimited Everything account.

 

[clevin]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

The test was done on T-Mobile Galaxy S4. I also have Galaxy Nexus GSM with T-Mobile Sim and get the same results. I am not using any pre or post paid. This is regular T-Mobile Unlimited Everything account.

maybe T-Mobile can send you an signal booster or something like that....?

 

[astroprojector]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

maybe T-Mobile can send you an signal booster or something like that....?

Boosters no longer available from T-Mobile.

 

[Old Stoneface]

Re: Excelent Coverage?

Yeah, mine is supposed to be "Very Strong" to "Excellent," at home, too. It's not. Funny thing is: The Network Signal Info app shows that one tower is only about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away, and another about a mile in the other direction.