10/31 Is there a web site somewhere that reports the current cell phone
tower sites, their frequencies, strengths, etc? I have Verizon
and it works everywhere EXCEPT where I live and I'm very upset.
I want to know what signal my phone uses (tdma? cdma? gsm?) and
what kind of carriers use what signals, and what kind of towers
are around the places I go to frequently. This way I'll be
able to make better purchasing decisions next time.
\_ If you have any Verizon phone from the last ~8 years, it uses CDMA
and is also capable of roaming onto Sprint's 'PCS' network, which is
also CDMA. Some Verizon phones (sold as 'tri-band') can also
recieve the old analog 'AMPS' signals, and so work better in areas
with poor signal. These phones are getting harder and harder to
find as the carriers move to 'all-digital' phones, which sounds like
a selling point but means less versatility, though lower cost of
manufacturing.
Actual tower locations are a closely guarded secret for reasons of
competition (though the excuse du-jour is 'anti-terrorism'). The
tower locations should all be on file with the FCC, but good luck
getting a look at them.
If you got your contract/phone less that 15 days ago, you can return
it and get out of your contract with no penalty. If not, see if
your phone is 'all-digital', and if it is, get a friend with a
tri-band Verizon phone to visit your house and see his signal.
On top of that, some phones just get better reception than others.
Tri-mode LGs are pretty good, as is the Nokia 6015i from what I've
heard. Good luck. - dgies |
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