Cell phone reception

[Iron Brew]

OK. It's that time. Starting the research. Presently running an iPhone 5, and I need to update. I'm NOT stuck on another iPhone.

I've been very disappointed with the iPhone reception. I use my phone as a phone first, and as a browser second. I don't have that many apps (white noise generator for work etc.) and, of course, camera and photo album.

Does anybody know of a site that rates phone reception? Experiences? The "this is good" and "stay away" both...

And yes, I realize there are other threads on this, but since they aren't necessarily new, and tech changes so fast...

Thanks all

[Newview01]

Go BlackBerry. Quality of the phone is amazing, reception is great. I'm not talking about the outdated BlackBerrys, but a new Priv or Passport.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Iron Brew

OK. It's that time. Starting the research. Presently running an iPhone 5, and I need to update. I'm NOT stuck on another iPhone.

I've been very disappointed with the iPhone reception. I use my phone as a phone first, and as a browser second. I don't have that many apps (white noise generator for work etc.) and, of course, camera and photo album.

Does anybody know of a site that rates phone reception? Experiences? The "this is good" and "stay away" both...

And yes, I realize there are other threads on this, but since they aren't necessarily new, and tech changes so fast...

Thanks all

"Reception" is subjective, as it pertains to who your carrier is, and what network is being used, not so much the hardware of the phone.

Comparative coverage maps: http://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carrier...ido-vs-rogers/

http://www.reviewgist.com/best-reception-cell-phone

http://www.phonerated.com/menu-best_...es_by_category

[Jeron Kahyar]

There is no regulations regarding how good the radio reception is in phones. Best way to tell if it will work for you and where you are is to just run a field test with various phones in the places you will use it.

Dial *3001#12345#* from your iPhone to enter feild test mode and you can get your dbm signal strength from there.
Then get your buddies phone and see what type of reception he is getting. Try it with a few phones see wich is best.

On a Samsung to get the dbm reading go to Settings>About Device>SIM card Status

[avb3]

I have a Nexus 5, and find it as good or better than most of my acquaintances when in iffy areas for reception. My sons Samsung does well also.

Your carrier is as or more important often. Telus/Koodo probably have the best coverage, followed by Bell, Rogers and Virgin way at the bottom.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by avb3

I have a Nexus 5, and find it as good or better than most of my acquaintances when in iffy areas for reception. My sons Samsung does well also.

Your carrier is as or more important often. Telus/Koodo probably have the best coverage, followed by Bell, Rogers and Virgin way at the bottom.

Telus and Bell use the same towers. Virgin is the same company as Bell. And Koodo is Telus.

[schmedlap]

or the "type", makes little difference. If you are going to be using it primarily in Alberta, and you "go to the boonies" at all, then in the experience of myself, family, and friends, Telus beats the hell out of Rogers. The people with Rogers have seldom been able to get any reception any distance from major centres, while the Telus customers were almost never unable to connect. I don't know much about it other than reception experience, as recent as last summer. If you don't ever want to use the phone in "the boonies", then just look for the best deal that fits your use. If you do, then currently at least, you are far better off with Telus.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

Telus and Bell use the same towers. Virgin is the same company as Bell. And Koodo is Telus.

Koodo/Telus do use the same repeaters, Bell does not, and I'm not sure about Virgin... it's coverage was much worse when I was on them.

Regardless, best coverage is Telus/Koodoo in Alberta.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by avb3

Koodo/Telus do use the same repeaters, Bell does not,

Telus Mobility:

Networks

Telus Mobility partners with Bell Mobility to operate three different kinds of nationwide networks in Canada. These networks include a legacy CDMA network, an HSPA+ network with newer technology, and an LTE network which has limited coverage in rural areas.

[ETOWNCANUCK]

I definitely think carrier says a lot, both a work colleague and I have iPhone 5s.
I'm on Bell, him Telus,
He gets better reception than I do

[tbiddy]

What I was told about 10 years ago from a Bell rep, and I don't know if it's true or not; he told me that Bell uses Telus towers less 10%. Essentially, if a Telus and Bell customer make a call at the same time the Telus customer would get through. Like I said, don't know if it's true or not. I've tried all kinds of different phone carriers and finally just stuck with Telus. Seems to have the best coverage. 90% of my cell phone use is outside of major centres.

[Bassett]

My samsung S6 is pretty darn good. Picture quality is phenomenal and I have no issues with reception. 100x tougher than my iphones as well. No case and ive yet to break the samsung. (knock on wood.)

[waiting41]

Samsung on telus.....has been good for me

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by Bassett

My samsung S6 is pretty darn good. Picture quality is phenomenal and I have no issues with reception. 100x tougher than my iphones as well. No case and ive yet to break the samsung. (knock on wood.)

Got a 3 year old Samsung rugby with telus, hate some things about it, but the best reception of any cell I ever have had before by a wide margin.

[NSDucknut]

I've had 2 different droid phones on telus, different makes. Exact same reception everywhere I go.

My brother in law has had 2 different droid phones on Rogers network. We go in the woods, gets reception long after mine has gone out. Many different areas on the map too.

[Popcan]

Originally Posted by ETOWNCANUCK

I definitely think carrier says a lot, both a work colleague and I have iPhone 5s.
I'm on Bell, him Telus,
He gets better reception than I do

Was told that Telus & Bell use the same towers but the antennas are different. I accepted that answer. It made sense.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Serious question...these "reception problems" people speak of, is it just in smaller towns or remote areas? I've had both iphone and Android phones with Bell and my wife has had smart phones on Telus for the past 6 years and neither of us have had reception problems whatsoever.

Except for when we camp in Kananaskis at a little place called Eau Claire. That spot seems to be the outer limit of reception. And it seems at different times one gets reception, the other not...but then it will switch and vice versa.

But other than that it is never even an issue. Good reception no matter where we are as long as we're within cell coverage. Travelling through the Rockies, in BC, in the US, anywhere in Alberta..always good and equal reception by both of us.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

Serious question...these "reception problems" people speak of, is it just in smaller towns or remote areas? I've had both iphone and Android phones with Bell and my wife has had smart phones on Telus for the past 6 years and neither of us have had reception problems whatsoever.

With my Galaxy S6 it has been pretty much anything outside LTE areas. I could be sitting in my living room with great service and then it drops just like that......absolutely no service for 5 or 10 minutes some times. But that phone has known issues and presently no known fix. The antenna they used just does not cooperate with the older technology towers from what I understand. I know SaskTel isn't the only carrier that is experiencing issues with it. The S6 currently resides inside the original box sitting on the shelf after 2 months of use, luckily my S4 is still going strong.

[waterninja]

Don't think reception problems are due to the phone. My brother and I both have Iphones and when I have no reception on mine while hunting in the sticks (Rogers), his is still connected well (Telus).

[ETOWNCANUCK]

Originally Posted by Popcan

Was told that Telus & Bell use the same towers but the antennas are different. I accepted that answer. It made sense.

Well I did a side by side comparison.
His on Telus got 3 bars to my two.
Also better in elevators and connecting to Wifi .

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by ETOWNCANUCK

Well I did a side by side comparison.
His on Telus got 3 bars to my two.
Also better in elevators and connecting to Wifi .

Which proves absolutely nothing. There are so many factors that affect reception, that just having two phones side by side with different reception could be due to about a thousand different things. Battery strength, physical position, the human body, phone hardware, physical surroundings (one's 5 feet from a concrete wall, another is 3 feet) etc etc etc.

It's like having two computers and comparing how fast their internet connection is...so many factors involved that are constantly changing.

I can sit still in one spot and my reception will jump from 1 bar up to 5 bars and everything in-between, without anything changing.

[waterninja]

Seems the time of day makes a difference also. I can get great reception in the daytime at one of my hunting blinds, and in the evening or at night at the same location reception is poor or nil.

[Opa]

I have had both Roger's & Telus. May as well have bellered into a can nailed to a tree when we were in the bush and needed communication. I no longer have a cellphone. If someone needs to get hold of me, phone me on my land line. Nothing in the conversation is lost to the "airwaves".

[Iron Brew]

Well familiar with the different providers issue. I'll be sticking with telus/bell towers, as they are generally far more coverage area than Rogers. I have an issue at a spot we vacation at though. If I go up the hill a little bit, I get signal. Sometimes even signal down at the low ground. This iPhone though has far poorer signal than my old one. I'm just trying to be informed before I upgrade.

[TROLLER]

I know pretty well most the guys working in the patch use telus. Especially if you are in the north country.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

What I was told about 10 years ago from a Bell rep, and I don't know if it's true or not; he told me that Bell uses Telus towers less 10%. Essentially, if a Telus and Bell customer make a call at the same time the Telus customer would get through. Like I said, don't know if it's true or not. I've tried all kinds of different phone carriers and finally just stuck with Telus. Seems to have the best coverage. 90% of my cell phone use is outside of major centres.

You are correct, but Telus also piggybacks off some Bell towers, meaning Bell customers have first priority with that tower

[amosfella]

My nexus 6 has treated me very well... It will send and receive calls and data in places most other phones won't with people I'm with...

[MugEye]

My wife's Samsung s5 is crap for service compared to my IPhone 4 . Both on telus

[Brian Adams]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

Serious question...these "reception problems" people speak of, is it just in smaller towns or remote areas?

kinda both

[Brian Adams]

Originally Posted by Clgy_Dave2.0

But other than that it is never even an issue. Good reception no matter where we are as long as we're within cell coverage. Travelling through the Rockies, in BC, in the US, anywhere in Alberta..always good and equal reception by both of us.

Nice.