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iPhone/AT&T Signal Strength in Boston?

D

Drlieber

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 1, 2008
5
0
Hi Everyone,

I'm a current VZW user (through my company), but I will be moving to Boston from NY and starting a new job at the end of the month. I'm leaning very heavily towards dropping my VZW service at that time and grabbing the iPhone instead of waiting till god knows when for the BBerry Bold to show up.

My only hesitation is that I've seen a good number of people in Boston complaining about AT&T service. Because I use my cell phone to make all of my personal and business related calls (like many business people these days I assume), it is imperative that I am able to get service in and around the city. With the new 3G I was curious if anyone here could comment on how service in Boston has been for you? I realize that this is a biased forum ;) but I'd appreciate any honest insight you can give me.

Thanks in advance!
 
Around the esplande/north station/cambridgeside galleria area I get full bars 3G. In Malden, I get 3-4 bars.
 
First off, welcome (soon) to Boston. I

My experience with both Verizon and AT&T, is that Verizon is generally stronger and has better coverage in general, but AT&T is improving. 3G Coverage in Boston proper is strong, but spotty in the surrounding suburbs. If service is at the utmost importance for you, I would recommend waiting until you move here and checking out someone else's AT&T phone in what will be your most heavily trafficked areas. As far as I'm concerned, it's still Verizon country out here.
 
Macrimonious said:
First off, welcome (soon) to Boston. I

My experience with both Verizon and AT&T, is that Verizon is generally stronger and has better coverage in general, but AT&T is improving. 3G Coverage in Boston proper is strong, but spotty in the surrounding suburbs. If service is at the utmost importance for you, I would recommend waiting until you move here and checking out someone else's AT&T phone in what will be your most heavily trafficked areas. As far as I'm concerned, it's still Verizon country out here.
Click to expand...

Isn't everywhere VZW country?
 
I've been in Boston for school for two years+ now (Northeastern - Go Huskies!), and I have AT&T. The only place I have any trouble at all for service is on the T, and even then some of the T stations get service. You should be fine. I get 3G pretty much everywhere I've needed to go.
 
I get five bars in the city and near western suburbs, and 2-4 in the northern suburbs. I'd say AT&T is nearly as good as verizon in Boston (having had vzn for several years up here)
 
No problems for me either. I work in downtown Boston and consistently get strong signals. I live in Waltham to the northwest of Boston and have no problems there either. Odds are you'll be fine when you get here, and welcome to Boston!
 
munson said:
I've been in Boston for school for two years+ now (Northeastern - Go Huskies!), and I have AT&T. The only place I have any trouble at all for service is on the T, and even then some of the T stations get service. You should be fine. I get 3G pretty much everywhere I've needed to go.
Click to expand...

class of 2012 :cool:
 
I started school in Medford, MA last year and AT&T has been working great for me. It's almost a constant 5 bars when I'm in the city itself and when I'm on campus in Medford, I average around 3-4 bars. I'm sure Verizon has good service here too, but AT&T is definitely adequate as far as I'm concerned.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies and warm welcome!

It looks like I'll give AT&T a try, now of course the fun part is having to wait and order the iPhone :p. Stores have been telling me 10-21 business days, but I'm thinking about the 16gb white instead of the black which might help...maybe.

Hope you are all managing to stay cool this weekend!
 
Drlieber said:
Thanks everyone for your replies and warm welcome!

It looks like I'll give AT&T a try, now of course the fun part is having to wait and order the iPhone :p. Stores have been telling me 10-21 business days, but I'm thinking about the 16gb white instead of the black which might help...maybe.

Hope you are all managing to stay cool this weekend!
Click to expand...

I have not left my wonderful AC'd room unless I absolutely HAD to.
 
munson said:
2011 here. :D Small world, eh? Off-topic, but what major are you?
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graphic design, but i might start double-majoring in business (or something) as well. i'll be in 780 columbus next year... you?

as far as reception in boston, i can say that with both a samsung a707 and an iphone 2g, reception is almost always available and usually around 4-5 bars.

excellent service on the e line (above ground and from about park to cambridge). not much service in the underground from kemore to arlington.

no service on the red/blue/orange lines except for above ground.

the only place i've found myself without service was in alewife, but i was in the middle of nowhere.... yeah... don't ask ;)

oh, and there's 3g almost everywhere.
 
sr5878 said:
graphic design, but i might start double-majoring in business (or something) as well. i'll be in 780 columbus next year... you?

as far as reception in boston, i can say that with both a samsung a707 and an iphone 2g, reception is almost always available and usually around 4-5 bars.

excellent service on the e line (above ground and from about park to cambridge). not much service in the underground from kemore to arlington.

no service on the red/blue/orange lines except for above ground.

the only place i've found myself without service was in alewife, but i was in the middle of nowhere.... yeah... don't ask ;)

oh, and there's 3g almost everywhere.
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I was assuming you were GD, what, with your website and all. I'm a music industry kid, living in West A in the fall, Wet C for now.

But, enough off-topic. As I stated before, there really is 3g pretty much everywhere except underground.
 
Drlieber said:
Thanks everyone for your replies and warm welcome!

It looks like I'll give AT&T a try, now of course the fun part is having to wait and order the iPhone :p. Stores have been telling me 10-21 business days, but I'm thinking about the 16gb white instead of the black which might help...maybe.

Hope you are all managing to stay cool this weekend!
Click to expand...

I'd suggest you'd have a better and smoother transition going to an Apple Store to buy the iPhone. AT&T are all in DF. Apple store is the better way to go. Though if you have questions about AT&T (which you certainly do) go to the AT&T store itself. But when it comes to buying the iPhone go to the Apple Store, and Boston has 2. Good luck and welcome to Boston!
 
NiroshanMan said:
I'd suggest you'd have a better and smoother transition going to an Apple Store to buy the iPhone. AT&T are all in DF. Apple store is the better way to go. Though if you have questions about AT&T (which you certainly do) go to the AT&T store itself. But when it comes to buying the iPhone go to the Apple Store, and Boston has 2. Good luck and welcome to Boston!
Click to expand...

One Apple store on Boylston, next to the Prudential center, one at the Cambridgeside Galleria.
 
Sorry to bring up a dead thread but I was googling and this thread came up. I'll be attending MCPHS in the fall (about a few blocks away from northeastern and WIT).

How is AT&T 3G coverage now? I have a 3GS
 
SFStateStudent said:
Logan Airport was full bars and 3G was consistent throughout our 3 hour layover....:cool::cool::cool:
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Wow, that's great to hear! I'm moving to Boston in about a month as well and I'd heard that Logan was particularly bad.

I second the request for additional feedback from Bostonians on how the coverage has improved, or not.

Thanks!
 
I work in Boston and I've found the signal strengths for both vzw and att to be near identical. I've had both carriers over the years and the signal strength for both of them have been the same.
 
I find coverage even better than when I posted in this thread a year ago. Fully bars almost everywhere; no complaints at all.
 
wonderbread57 said:
Hijack - How is reception in WOOOSTAH (aka worcester)?
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Full 3G pretty much everywhere in Worcester and surrounding areas (save for certain spots of Grafton and Millbury, but full Edge coverage in those areas). Average 3G speed is about 1.5Mbs (spikes to 2.2 at times).

To be honest I get better reception at home with AT&T than I did with verizon which surprised me and allowed me to ditch the landline I kept while on VZW, I ditched it when I got AT&T due to this.

EDIT: wow should have checked the date first LOL
 
Yeah sorry for bringing it back from the grave! But, I just wanted to know how coverage was since I start school there soon.

Better to search than make a new thread.
 
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