Technical Question on Cell Coverage

General Discussions
#1

I have asked some questions on coverages in other threads, but I am curious about something and I know MANY of you are way more knowledgeable than I am in regards to this so I figured I would ask. I have had some concerns with regards to the CDMA vs GSM coverage, but the more I look at it my concerns may not be legitimate. Here are the maps of my general area. As you can see the GSM map shows some “white space” and in those white spaces the CDMA map shows that there is at least talk/text coverage. Is this valid? The GSM map shows some real spotty coverage where there is LTE coverage…but otherwise white space, where the CDMA map shows talk/text coverage. Can I get some thoughts on this?

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Thanks all!

Frank

#2

in general the talk and text sections are roaming

Republic GSM partner is T-Mobile (with Roaming to AT&T and other local carriers and tower owners)

Republic CDMA partner is Sprint (with Roaming to Verizon and other local carriers and tower owners)

the GSM network may not have roaming partners in your area T-mobile has less overlap with roaming partners (it they think there a t-mobile tower they don’t have agreements with roaming partners at all, it’s also possible that AT&T (their main Roaming partner just does not have good coverage there either) where Sprint partners (like Verizon) may

#3

Check the GSM coverage with this map. The RW map is a work in progress. Select the Samsung S7 as your phone if the one you are interested in is not listed. Then drop pins in areas you frequent:

4G LTE Coverage Map | Check Your 4G LTE Cell Phone Coverage | T-Mobile

#4

Both AT&T and T-Mobile show solid coverage:

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#5

To be honest…I wasn’t sure of I was supposed to be using that map at all, because it seems like it doesn’t jive at all with the RW coverage map. This is why I was so hesitant about switching to 3.0.

#6

My 3.0 coverage very closely matches the T-Mobile map and I know T-Mobile is the provider because I’m almost always connected to T-Mobile towers. Dropping a pin is valuable for specific locations. Where they say the coverage is “fair” it would have been more honest to say “marginal.”

This is what “fair” coverage looks like at my home at this time:

Notice I have 0 bars. If I turn off WiFi I get LTE data. Occasionally throughout the day this signal will drop and my S7 will connect to a nearby AT&T tower (full bars) but for emergency calls only. T-Mobile explained to me that they don’t roam on AT&T towers in areas where they deem their own coverage to be adequate. Sigh. I don’t consider their coverage to be adequate anywhere within a 2-mile radius of my home.

#7

Bummer…I also have “fair” coverage at my home…but the WiFi covers me. I am not too concerned about my home, more about when I am on the road.

#8

I have adequate WiFi at home too. One big plus I’ve noticed is that call quality is better with a 1-bar T-Mobile Band 12 signal than it was with a 2-bar Sprint signal. This might have something to do with VoLTE, I can’t say.

#9

@frankr.pii5yb Dec 5, 2016 4:41 PM

Bummer…I also have “fair” coverage at my home…but more about when I am on the road.

My experience has shown me their “fair” can range from actually quite good as at my home to being awful at a friends house 5 miles distant where it occasionally fades in but often is zero reception. One of their phones is on TMo with the same results.

You can also use the “Check route” option in “MY PLACES” which should be helpful in deciding.

@billg Dec 5, 2016 3:26 PM

The RW map is a work in progress.

Believe that’s only a politically correct description.

.

#10
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