AT&T's 3G Coverage Maps

[Tom J]

A question about AT&T's coverage area of voice versus 3G. AT&T's coverage viewer show voice as traditional cell-type pockets of strong and weak signals. The 3G coverage however, is displayed as a blanket covering a much larger area.

For those familiar with AT&T's coverage, is 3G coverage more consistently uniform as the maps would have you believe?


USA AT&T maps derived from AT&T coverage viewer

 

[avaloncourt]

I'd take that map with a huge grain of salt. The last time I looked at their 3G a few weeks ago it was extremely sparse. Have you actually looked at AT&T's own coverage maps? You're looking at someone's depiction.

Someone in that thread commented about Fresno having great coverage but if you look at the actual AT&T coverage map there's 3G Fresno coverage and then absolutely nothing beyond it.

Your profile says the midwest. I don't know where you actually are but if you look at the real AT&T coverage map that will tell you. I just looked up the Chicago area and it had huge holes peppering it. The map you pointed to was far too kind.

 

[eye.surgeon]

That was me that commented on Fresno's (excellent) 3G coverage. Presumably the reason there is no coverage around Fresno itself is there is nothing around Fresno itself .

Seriously though, my experience has been that AT&T 3G is good where most people live. If you are live in a small town, better get used to EDGE. If you live in one of the 30 or so biggest cities in the country like the majority of the population, you've got AT&T 3G already.

 

[DaffyDuck]

If you live in one of the 30 or so biggest cities in the country like the majority of the population, you've got AT&T 3G already.

With all due respect, only about 13 percent of the US population lives in the largest 30 cities. That's a minority. The majority of the US population lives outside of large cities.

 

[nickspohn]

I must say Chicago has one of the best ATT networks. I live in a suburb about 45 minutes from downtown, and my city has been 1 of 5 in the state to start out with 3G. My EDGE service has always been amazing too. Thanks ATT <3

 

[avaloncourt]

With all due respect, only about 13 percent of the US population lives in the largest 30 cities. That's a minority. The majority of the US population lives outside of large cities.

My thoughts exactly and what happens when you decide to leave the house and travel somewhere else? You fall into a 3G black hole. There isn't even any attempt at lining the interstates with 3G on the maps. It's the metro areas and nothing else. Apparently most people never leave home or work.

 

[horation]

I'd take that map with a huge grain of salt. The last time I looked at their 3G a few weeks ago it was extremely sparse. Have you actually looked at AT&T's own coverage maps? You're looking at someone's depiction.

Someone in that thread commented about Fresno having great coverage but if you look at the actual AT&T coverage map there's 3G Fresno coverage and then absolutely nothing beyond it.

Take ALL at&t maps with a grain of salt! They are notorious for showing blanket coverage, then when you zoom in, you begin to see that the map is full of holes. Plus, they have an annoying tendency to display coverage over non-accessible geographic areas (such as over lakes and airports where there is actually no coverage). This may be why they make their coverage viewer so pathetic (small view area, slow load because they are .png files, etc.).

 

[avaloncourt]

Take ALL at&t maps with a grain of salt! They are notorious for showing blanket coverage, then when you zoom in, you begin to see that the map is full of holes.

Well, the map referenced in the original post isn't even an AT&T map. It's someone's collage I'm guessing. As a result, all of the small open areas are being lost in the large format. It's not an overly useful map and just an indication where 3G service exists. Any carrier's coverage map gets pretty ugly when checking against real world coverage. It's not limited to AT&T.

 

[cashsimpson]

fresno woot! lol...seriously...theres nothing really even IN fresno let alone around it.