Google Play Nexus 4 in Iowa

[mike.mercer]

i have been considering getting a Nexus 4 from the play store and iwas wondering if there is anybody from here in iowa that has one and how it is working out for them as in reception and who they use for service on it and what not. thanks!!

 

[anon(847090)]

i have been considering getting a Nexus 4 from the play store and iwas wondering if there is anybody from here in iowa that has one and how it is working out for them as in reception and who they use for service on it and what not. thanks!!

I have a nexus 4 and i live in Iowa. it works very well. I am with ATT and have good coverage (with HSPA+).
T-Mobile has good coverage in Iowa. tbh, I love my nexus 4.

 

[mike.mercer]

if you dont mind me asking do you live around larger towns or out in the country?? cause that is my only scare is i dont live around the larger towns and what not that would be covered normally. i find myself working out in the middle of nowhere where verizon and us cell usually work very well. just been awhile since i revisited the possibility of going to another carrier

 

[anon(847090)]

I live in around large town. what carrier are you using? T-Mobile,ATT and US cellular have a good coverage in Iowa in genaral.

you might want to look at the coverage map of individual carriers. you might get an idea.

ATT AT&T Coverage Viewer

T-Mobile Unsupported Browser

US cellular U.S. Cellular Coverage Map | Cell Phone Coverage | U.S. Cellular

 

[TheLibertarian]

I'm out here in Iowa City, reception and coverage are good and reliable. I'm coming from Verizon, though, so there is a drop off in service (no LTE, weaker signal).

I've yet to really go anywhere farther than the Iowa City / Coralville area, however, my roommate works in North Liberty (iPhone 4S, AT&T) and gets next to zero reception on many parts (Verizon always had me covered, everywhere); I've not been out that way yet, though I imagine both devices will grab a similar signal.

My problem with AT&T was, and likely still is, that once you really wander outside a bigger city finding a useable cell signal is hit or miss. We vacation up north (Wisconsin) where, yet again, AT&T really drops the ball but Verizon always had me covered.

There's simply no matching Verizon's network, however, 90% of the time I'm in Chicago & Iowa City, so really I only miss Verizon 10% of the time when I'm off camping, hiking, etc.

Where are you both at in IA?

 

[mike.mercer]

i am more central iowa. I work full time for the National guard and am mostly running along 30 between and Ames and Marshalltown and des moines. but i do sometimes find my self going southern iowa to audubon whick i know is weak signal even for verizon. but i have lots of friends that live out in the country and i frequent going out their places. i dont really mind low signal cause most places i am at will have wifi to connect to. is is just the dropping off of signal and not being able to get or make phone calls or text that bothers me the most.

 

[mmtowns]

i have been considering getting a Nexus 4 from the play store and iwas wondering if there is anybody from here in iowa that has one and how it is working out for them as in reception and who they use for service on it and what not. thanks!!

I live in Iowa and am using iWireless (T-Mobile affiliate) for the first month. I live in a smaller town in eastern Iowa which is dark green on their coverage map, so I only get 2G/Edge. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are pink on the coverage map and I've had over 5mbps on SpeedTest while in their 3g/4g area.

I am thinking of switching to ST AT&T, because there's 3G in my place of residence (my wife currently uses ST AT&T with her iPhone) as well as where I work.

 

[TheLibertarian]

I live in Iowa and am using iWireless (T-Mobile affiliate) for the first month. I live in a smaller town in eastern Iowa which is dark green on their coverage map, so I only get 2G/Edge. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are pink on the coverage map and I've had over 5mbps on SpeedTest while in their 3g/4g area.

I am thinking of switching to ST AT&T, because there's 3G in my place of residence (my wife currently uses ST AT&T with her iPhone) as well as where I work.

I didn't think T-Mobile had any 4G (DC-HPSA+) here in Iowa? When I last looked at their coverage map said something like "service provider" or something.

 

[mmtowns]

I didn't think T-Mobile had any 4G (DC-HPSA+) here in Iowa? When I last looked at their coverage map said something like "service provider" or something.

Here's a list of the cities covered by iWireless 4G HSPA+. I haven't really been able to figure it out, but I'm wondering if iWireless has some of their own towers (separate from their agreement with T-Mobile?

$45 for unlimited talk/text and 3GB of 4G is the plan I am currently using. 2G/Edge at home & work is not ideal for me personally, but if they end up expanding as I'm told by customer service, it could become more attractive.

 

[TheLibertarian]

Here's a list of the cities covered by iWireless 4G HSPA+. I haven't really been able to figure it out, but I'm wondering if iWireless has some of their own towers (separate from their agreement with T-Mobile?

$45 for unlimited talk/text and 3GB of 4G is the plan I am currently using. 2G/Edge at home & work is not ideal for me personally, but if they end up expanding as I'm told by customer service, it could become more attractive.

I had spoken with iWireless and I believe the rep said they had "4G" but not DC-HSPA+ (42mbps); but my more pressing question: you're using a Nexus 4 with iWireless? And question 2: If I bought a T-Mobile SIM, would I technically be using iWireless towers out in Iowa?

 

[mmtowns]

I had spoken with iWireless and I believe the rep said they had "4G" but not DC-HSPA+ (42mbps); but my more pressing question: you're using a Nexus 4 with iWireless? And question 2: If I bought a T-Mobile SIM, would I technically be using iWireless towers out in Iowa?

Oh, I am not sure about 42mbps capability.

1) yes, I am using I wireless with N4. Contacted customer service and they sent a microsim (had to also purchase first month service plan). I think it was around $10 or $15 to activate/pay for the sim plus first month.

2) I'm not sure about that as I have not personally experienced it. May be worth a call to tmo?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[mattatwar1]

Iwireless 4g/3g coverage
http://www.iwireless.com/4g-coverage.asp

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[mattatwar1]

Re

.......

 

[TheLibertarian]

Oh, I am not sure about 42mbps capability.

1) yes, I am using I wireless with N4. Contacted customer service and they sent a microsim (had to also purchase first month service plan). I think it was around $10 or $15 to activate/pay for the sim plus first month.

2) I'm not sure about that as I have not personally experienced it. May be worth a call to tmo?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Ahh, thanks. How's your experience been with iWireless thus far? How about data speeds, if you don't mind my asking?

Iwireless 4g/3g coverage
http://www.iwireless.com/4g-coverage.asp

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

I see that, though it does not answer my question regarding T-Mobile's coverage. T-Mobile lists a "service partner" for Iowa coverage, so I'm unsure if that means they utilize iWireless towers.

 

[ragnarokx]

Ahh, thanks. How's your experience been with iWireless thus far? How about data speeds, if you don't mind my asking?



I see that, though it does not answer my question regarding T-Mobile's coverage. T-Mobile lists a "service partner" for Iowa coverage, so I'm unsure if that means they utilize iWireless towers.

I traveled to Iowa a few months back. I had fine reception with T-Mobile in Des Moines, however around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City I had zero reception - I was roaming on IWIRELESS the entire time. So I suppose T-Mobile does use their towers in those parts.

 

[mmtowns]

Re: I wireless speeds

Between 3 and 8 Mbps download in cedar rapids. As high as 3mbps upload. Much slower out in edge coverage where I live and work.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[mmtowns]

Re: I wireless speeds

Between 3 and 8 Mbps download in cedar rapids. As high as 3mbps upload. Much slower out in edge coverage where I live and work.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

Good customer service so far, too. If i had 3g/4g coverage more often, I would consider keeping it for the long haul.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[dunni88]

Hey everyone. I want to let everyone know that Net10 AT&T (pretty much the same as Straight talk) has been pretty good in Cedar falls. HSPA+ speeds are 2-4mbps most of the places I try it. Not flying by any means, but good for what I do.

I've been having trouble with data cutting out sometimes even when I have good data reception. Not sure if that is the service, the phone, or the SIM (I bought a cheap one on ebay). I'm thinking its possible that there is a problem with the SIM I bought. Either the way it was cut to MicroSIM or possibly the account was cut off or whatever. I'm working with customer service (30 minutes to talk to anyone FYI) to see if they can fix it.

Anyway I just wanted to keep the discussion going as I have a Nexus 10 and really like it. I went with an unlocked phone just so I could shop around between networks easily.

I was thinking of going with iWireless until I found out that dark green sections were 2G not 3G. I still considered it, because I think the pink parts are extremely fast HSPA+ 42. What kept me from going with them is the lack of 4G outside of big cites and the lack of 3G in many places outside the city as well. They do seem to have the best Voice/Text coverage of the GSMs in IA though.

What are your thoughts?

 

[electrochoc]

iWireless owns and operates their own towers.
iWireless isn't T-Mobile, it is partially owned by them though because it is a partnership between Iowa Network Services Inc. and T-Mobile.
They are improving their network rapidly in 2013 and I can almost guarantee that by the end of the year most of their network will be 4G even in smaller areas. They are testing 4G in various places at the moment.

They own ALL their towers.
They took over T-Mobile's Des Moines market though.

 

[PlusJack]

I have a Nexus 4 in Iowa. I use Net10's AT&T SIM card. I'm not sure if they even sell those still, though. If they do you have to live with a 1.5GB data limit like me.