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Anyone on 3G in Houston?

R

rayward

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 13, 2007
1,697
89
Houston, TX
The demo phones in the Apple Store in the Galleria showed an EDGE connection only. I tried turning 3G off and on again to see if they'd pick up the 3G signal, but nothing.

If anyone is around the Galleria/West U area, I'd appreciate some idea of where and when you get a 3G signal.

TIA
 
The coverage is real bad in Houston. Some people say its the phone, others say its the network. I don't know who's fault it is but I had to turn the 3G off on my phone.
 
I work dowtown and travel NE when it's time to go home. I get 3G from 1 to full bars pretty much everywhere. The speeds are saturated right now though as my 3G speeds even at full bars is about 400Kbps on average.
 
TXCraig said:
The coverage is real bad in Houston. Some people say its the phone, others say its the network. I don't know who's fault it is but I had to turn the 3G off on my phone.
Click to expand...

What happens if you leave it on? Does it kill the battery faster trying to hang on to a crappy signal, or do you get bad performance for voice and data? Or both (ugh)?
 
rayward said:
What happens if you leave it on? Does it kill the battery faster trying to hang on to a crappy signal, or do you get bad performance for voice and data? Or both (ugh)?
Click to expand...

My wife went to Baytown where there is no 3G and hardly any EDGE coverage last weekend. Her phone died after 5 hours off the power jack. I think it burns the maximum amount of power to boost signal while looking for connection as opposed to finding even a weak signal.

Just a guess but that seems the likely culprit.
 
3G signal strength varies from the parts I travel to around Houston. 3G signal at my work (Eldridge & Briar Forest) varies from 2-3 bars outdoors to non-existent when inside the building. I do get full bars closer into town (Westheimer & Chimney Rock).
 
rayward said:
What happens if you leave it on? Does it kill the battery faster trying to hang on to a crappy signal, or do you get bad performance for voice and data? Or both (ugh)?
Click to expand...

It kills the battery.... some of the time the phone says "No Service" so you misss calls. Its not worth it to me.... I would say its my phone but I have 3 co workers with the phone and they have exactly the same problems.
 
I get great 3G coverage out in Fort Bend. I was over in 3rd Ward, near Hobby and it was edge only over there. I get 3G out in Clear Lake as well. The only other place in Houston that I have seen my phone swtich to Edge was in Wal-Mart. "Why does Wal-Mart hate 3g"? :D

BTW, I went to the Apple store in the Galleria and my phone stayed on 3G all over the mall.
 
TXCraig said:
It kills the battery.... some of the time the phone says "No Service" so you misss calls. Its not worth it to me.... I would say its my phone but I have 3 co workers with the phone and they have exactly the same problems.
Click to expand...

I would guess that it's more to do with AT&T's crappy network, but you never know. FTR, I'm not thinking of upgrading to get 3G - I may have to upgrade due to me having broken the volume control my current phone - but I was curious as to the local 3G service.

I guess if I have to get a new phone, if I turn off 3G I won't be worse off now than before, except I'm out the extra tenner a month for the (supposedly) better data service.
 
I typically get 3-4 bars 3G in downtown Houston while at work and 3-4 bars 3G as well on the Galleria side of town. In the Heights I usually get 2-4 bars, but walk 5 blocks and get dumped onto Edge. For the first week I had the iPhone I was getting anywhere from 100 Kbp/s - 400 Kbp/s, but starting this week I've seen upwards of 1+ Mbp/s, but am averaging around 600 Kbp/s. I think the 3G speed is getting better here in Houston.
 
I used to have no end of problems with 3G on my Treo 750 in my apartment in the Museum District so I had to keep 3G off while at home otherwise it would really drain the battery and make me miss/drop calls as it searched for 3 towers to connect to, however my iPhone 3G doesn't have such issues so I assume AT&T have since improved coverage in my area.

I find in most areas in Houston I get good 3G reception except when deep within a building like office restrooms (ahem...) or my GF's apartment where I only get EDGE.
 
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