So, I got my cell phone... questions about improving reception.

[Actaeon]

I really like my phone, and its reception is alright, sometimes its hard to hear people, but I am okay. I want to try to improve it if I can. I currently use a Motorola V400 on Cingular GSM Service...

Would an antenna like this help over the small stub I have now?

Would using a piece of aluminum foil mentioned here help as well? I've read tons of reports that the SEEN ON TV signal boosters don't work, but isn't this based on the same idea? There are just tons of people in that thread that say "yes", and others that say "BS".

 

[Lager]

Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: coldcut
Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

Stop posting.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Actaeon

Originally posted by: coldcut
Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

Stop posting.

In my experience its the same problem😉 but anyway, the answer is no. If you truly want to improve reception get an external antenna that plugs into the antenna jack on the phone (most phones have this). Obviously this is not a portable solution but it is one that will work.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Actaeon

Originally posted by: coldcut
Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

Stop posting.

I really don't want to agree with coldcut, but most likely it's the provider.
Have you thought about using a different carrier ? Did you see how the reception was on a different phone ?

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Actaeon

Originally posted by: coldcut
Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

Stop posting.

I really don't want to agree with coldcut, but most likely it's the provider.
Have you thought about using a different carrier ? Did you see how the reception was on a different phone ?

I agree here as well. Phones make a huge difference.

 

[FoBoT]

you can't do anything to your phone to get better reception, you need to move the phone to a different spot, like closer to a tower or at least a spot with better LOS to a tower

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Actaeon

Originally posted by: coldcut
Your problem is not the phone. It's Cingular.

Stop posting.

I really don't want to agree with coldcut, but most likely it's the provider.
Have you thought about using a different carrier ? Did you see how the reception was on a different phone ?

Funny thing is, in my area, Cingular probally has the best coverage. There map shows excellent coverage in my area. I know for a fact AT&T is garbage. My friend had Sprint PCS, and that NEVER worked properly. Not sure about Verzion and T-Mobile. My manager has Cingular, and he says its alot better than any other service he's had. He had to take the cancelation fee from AT&T, because his phone didn't work at the job site.

Hrm, this could be just a location problem. I work in a the middle of a mall, with lots of walls and such.

 

[Kadarin]

One thing I've noticed about GSM is that it has poor penetration into buildings. In transit, I could pretty much guarantee a halfway decent signal wherever I was. However, once I had arrived to wherever I was going, the signal would drop to where it was no longer usable. I need this phone for work, so I exchanged it for an oldskool TDMA Nokia, which has far fewer features but is infinitely more usable. My carrier is AT&T Wireless, but I suspect the GSM problem is universal due to the frequency band that it uses. However, I'll qualify that by stating that I'm by no means an expert on the technology, so I'd be interested in hearing others' opinions.

 

[isekii]

Cingular probably shares certain towers with T-mobile.
AFAME ( As far as my experience ) T-mobile ( Current subscriber has been good so far ). I also have a phone with verizon which I passed down to my brother, and reception is absolutely fantastic.

If you want trouble free service, verizon is the way to go. I think T-mobile is 2nd. ATT well.. run like the plague.

 

[gunblade]

I heard that Cingular don't have enough tower in NY area so they signed a deal with T-Mobile to share the tower in NY. In return, they share their Bay Area's coverage with T-mobile.

So, here in Bay Area the coverage of T-Mobile is exactly the same with Cingular.