solution to bad cell reception inside condo?
 

got bad cell reception inside my new condo, basically cant take any calls or send texts without standing next to the window.

any solutions you guys have? i have AT&T with iphone 3gs if it makes any difference

Problem #1 - AT&T.

I have AT&T too and I swear I want to start a movement calling them out on their "98% coverage" because that's straight up bullshit.

But lemme tell you how I REALLY feel....

In your own condo? The solution is simple, it's called a land line. We used to use them way way way back in the day...

AT&T sucks donkey balls in LA. I suffered with it for a year before moving to Verizon. Verizon is one of the best, if not "the" best carrier in LA. Do yourself a favor and go ahead and walk into a Verizon store, pick up an iPhone 4, port your current number over and tell AT&T to kiss your ass. If you're under contract, you'll have to pay $135 for breaking the contract early but it'll save you lots and lots of headaches :thumbsup

Get a new carrier.

Barring that, get a picocell. They might even give you one for free.

You can move out of the condo.

Somehow, I knew you would say you have AT&T.

You know what you have to do.

Sorry that nobody here could give you a realistic, intelligent answer.

What you need, is this:
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/3gmicrocell/

The ONLY intelligent choice is to dump AT&T and go with a better carrier. I tried that microcell for a few days before sending it back. Like AT&T, it sucked.

. . . or get a better carrier or move.

how does the carrier make a difference in having a signal inside the condo? there is strong signal outside the condo, like on my balcony or near a window.
so the signal just isn't making it in probably due to the walls or windows

I posted that 3 posts ahead of you.

If you already think you know the answer and dont want to listen to anyone why do you bother asking in the first place?

how do different carriers have different signal strength? are you serious?

it is 100% due to the carrier. in my basement my phone works while other peoples phones do not. what on earth else can it be? magic?

yes must be the walls or windows. all carriers are the exact same.

i had to get a blackberry that connected to cellular over my wifi network, worked great

some touch screen models have that as well

different carriers use different frequencies. Different frequencies have different abilities to penetrate walls. Therefore, different carriers can make a difference.

It seems that a signal cannot travel through very thick concrete walls. You say going next to a thin window helps. That's good. Think about what objects are between you and the other person.

I have AT&T and I got the MicroCell for like $115 and it works great.

It's not flawless, but it works 95% of the time. I had 1 bar at my house and it was a nightmare. Now I don't complain at all.

The AT&T stores all sell the MicroCell, and if you have other people that are on AT&T, that come over often, you can easily ad their numbers so they can use it to.

Good luck.

at&t will give you a free microcell if you complain
but i dont get why people have so many issues with at&t
i never have a service problem

That's bullshit they are going to charge you to get better reception THEY should be supplying and still take away your minutes even though you are offloading calls off their network and using YOUR own broadband connection. At&t hopes million of idiots buy into this shit so they don't have to spend any money actually improving their network.

either a cell repeater or switch carriers.... repeater will be well over a grand for a good one. have you tried other providers in the condo? have some friemds ddrop by and find out who is getting service... that will point you in right direction.

ATT has a Femtocell base station that you can get that will extend/amplify your conntection.

Try turning off the 3g support on your phone. I had to do that at my house

AT&T gave me a free MicroCell last year after I bitched that I had no cell reception in the middle of our house. I told them that I was going to switch to Verizon (I wasn't as I love my iPhone) and they gave to me one so that I wouldn't switch.

MicroCell works great and now we have 5 bars with perfect reception all through our house.

enlarge you ears