At&t 4g wireless/data plans and iPhones (they are all 3g)/confirmed network problems

10,512 Views | 163 Replies | Last: 11 yr ago by DevilAg03
pacecar02
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I have noticed that since the end of December data coverage around town has been severely lacking
-anywhere within a block of campus
-the Tejas center
-near university and hwy 6

These are the areas I frequent, I’m sure there are more

In January I called 611 and was told that they had a down tower and that perhaps that was to blame for the slow connection. In February I called back and was told that the down tower had been fixed. I had been reporting problems with the “mark the spot” app since December. I explained to the tech support person on the phone that I was still having the same issues and it was not getting better. I could reboot the phone and it would be okay for about an hour or reset the network connection and it would be okay for an hour or so, but the problem always returns. Full signal strength and cannot access the data network or it is extremely slow, over 5 min to load a webpage. I happen to have a spectrum analyzer at my disposal (tool for looking at rf signals, mine goes all the way to 7ghz or so). I verified good signal and now signs of interference with tech support and the suggested that perhaps it was EMI. I was getting pretty ticked off seeing how I do this kinda thing for a living and I was getting a line of bullsh!# from tech support. All the while they still deny there is any problem.

Fast forward to last Friday. For a while now I have been reporting problems using the “mark the spot” app (I really think it’s more of a placebo then att actually using the data to fix anything) and received zero feedback regarding my issues. At lunch I stopped by the att store near east 29th and Villia Maria. Went straight to the counter and starting trying to explain the issues I’d been having with my dataplan. He pulled his non-iphone 4g smart phone out for a comparison. I tried pulling up a webpage and streaming music from Pandora, he was playing videos from ESPN before I could load google’s webpage. Pandora never worked while I was there. I explained that I could leave the phone off for a couple min or reset the network connections and get the phone to work for an hour or so. The tech explained that my phone was out of warranty and perhaps I needed a new phone. I said that was a very silly summarization. My phone worked fine last semester, it works at times, it hasn’t been damaged, the only change has been the changes to the 3g/4g network. Att doesn’t offer any droid phones im interested in, the newest iphone is still a 3g phone and my friends are having problems on them as well. So what phone exactly are you suggesting I upgrade too? This was about 30 min into the conversation, at this point he finally admitted that iphones had been having a problem since December when the 4g deployment started.

Suffice to say it’s not my phone and I’m not crazy.

The problem was again confirmed by another friend after an hour and a half conversation with 611 tech support yesterday.

I don’t know how att’s system works exactly but I suspect a couple things could be occurring

Perhaps the new 4g cell protocol is putting 3g users into a different role or assigning 3g users a lower priority on the towers.
It could really be any number of things but I know nothing nor would ATT&T say anything

Things that still have me upset

-no timeline on when it will be fixed
-no public acknowledgement of the issue
-one of the tech guys in February suggested I switch carriers
-switching to another iphone won’t help
-paying for services I cant use



[This message has been edited by pacecar02 (edited 5/9/2012 10:37a).]

[This message has been edited by pacecar02 (edited 5/9/2012 11:14a).]
sangria
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AG
Switch to Verizon. Seriously.

I had ATT for 10 years. Never had a problem until I moved to College Station (lived in Georgia and Florida, traveled all over the south east) - constantly had network problems when I moved here.

I finally got fed up and switched to Verizon this past October and have never been happier. The only time I've lost internet connection was the other day when I was in the parking garage near the student rec center (I was streaming music through Pandora).
Unreasonable
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The LTE network in Houston is baller.
pacecar02
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i'd rather help them identify and fix the problem

My mother works for ATT so I would like to remain loyal if possible
csagyo
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VWL
Stucco
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Sounds like they need some public pressure. You could do some more research on the reasons that the 4G deployment is affecting 3G customers and then send it all to The Consumerist.

[This message has been edited by Stucco (edited 5/9/2012 11:30a).]
pacecar02
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thats what im trying

next thing would be to picket outside the att store
Aggie71013
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AG
I've had the same exact issues as Pacecar. I'll have 4 or 5 bars in different places in College Station, yet I can not load webpages. It's incredibly annoying because it's been going on for months. AT&T really needs to get there act together. I would switch, but I'm still in college and am on my parents plan so I don't really have much say in which carrier I have.

I'm hoping once I upgrade to a LTE phone that my issues will be fixed, because AT&T's 3g/ "4g" HPSA+ in College Station is awful.
AggieMom92
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I've had the exact same problems... and was told by AT&T that it was my phone.

{gig 'em}
aggiegrad00
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I was told by AT&T it was my phone as well. I have 4g HTC Inspire and its been awful with speed, connection,etc.
AggieAces06
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AG
My husband and I had similar issues, so he went to the AT&T store and they' were able to fix some of the settings. They told him that when the 4G LTE came out most phones did not automatically switch over to the new network. Our phones have been great since they changed or settings.

Not saying you will have the same luck, but it's worth a try to go into the store and talk with someone.
pacecar02
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I would agree with you if I hadn't already been to the store to talk them, alas my woes continue
Boro Ag 2000
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AG
I have the same problems. Very frustrating.
pacecar02
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my email to at&t

to whom it may concern,

I was writing you guys to inform you of a thread I created on our local forum

http://mybcs.com/Content/Forums/Replies.aspx?topic_id=2082797&forum_id=35%2c+35

The lack of visibility/admission/identification/solutions to the problems mentioned are very troublesome

It is my sincere desire to continue with att, but the money spent for unusable service seems like fraud and the denial of any problems by tech support after hours on the phone and in person is exhausting. I'm not sure what else to do at this point as nothing to date seems to trigger any response or communication. My next step is to actively organize my local community in such a way as to provoke some sort of response or public solution from you guys. I hope that you consider this communication as invitation to open a dialog and inform the public.

regards,

pacecar

[This message has been edited by pacecar02 (edited 5/9/2012 1:55p).]
AggiePhil
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AG
I have been having similar problems on my iPhone 4S. I know it isn't the phone because I'm on my 3rd one and it's brand new (had several problems with defective phones--all warranty replaced). Very frustrating. Makes me miss Sprint.
armymom
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I am having the same problems too. I'm a stay at home wife and when I do go out for errands around town I can hardly ever download anything...so frustrating! I also noticed it with the 3G/4G change. I have AT&T Iphone 4GS. I would turn off the wifi locater and all my locations settings but still have to turn off and restart. Usually back home by then! Wonder what can be done about this?
pacecar02
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If you haven't yet and you have time, either call in or go to the ATT store in person to complain
malibu9in1
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Been with att since houston celluar. I have complained 5 times. They gave me a new iphone. Still no worky. Had a dropped call and lost on a car deal. I was done. Switched to verizon, newest iphone for 50 bucks and bill went down $50 a month. NEVER a dropped call...unless im talking to a att person. I live 2 blocks from the tejas center. Service was top shelf, and has worked all the time for the last 3 weeks. All calls from north bryan to hearne always work too. I make my living with my phone. Enough was enough.
Agism95
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Same problem here. I have a 3GS. Went to the AT&T Bryan store and was told to reset my settings. Still didn't work.
I have dropped calls on University by Northgate and at the new Health Science Center on 47. Pitiful!
AgProgrammer
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AG
I'm not an expert on this stuff, but I do run alot of networking stuff with servers/bandwidth, etc.

My guess, since the problems coincide with the 4G rollout and deployment here in B/CS, is that AT&T has dedicated more of the fiber backhaul for each tower to the 4G network and decreased the backhaul bandwidth to the 3G network. Instead of increasing the overhaul backhaul to each tower (which would cost $$$ since Verizon/Suddenlink own all the fiber around town), they have just dedicated most of it to the 4G side so that they can show off and claim the crazy fast speeds of 4G.

I have an iPhone 4 on AT&T and I couldn't access data a single time today...nothing. We also have a 4G Verizon iPad and a 3G Verizon iPad. Both work very well...the Verizon 4G gets about 20-30Mbit around town and the Verizon 3G still gets the same speeds as before of about 2Mbit.
FundAg10
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AG
Gah I thought I was taking crazy pills before I read this thread! Glad I'm not the only one having these exact same issues.
Burger
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AG
Add me to the list! Is texting (especially while using iMessage) extremely spotty for everyone else too?
txgardengirl
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Same here - terrible data and awful texting issues!

Perhaps we should be complaining to Apple since AT&T seems to be trying to push the LTE phones at a cost to those of us that have been paying to have iPhones for an extended time?
aggiewrench
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Same issues 3G sucks around here (friends Verizon phone works better than mine)

Not sure if the rumor is true, but if it is would definitely cement the reason for leaving (considering it as my 3g has been spotty at best)
555-PINF
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Same promlems here. Was near campus and was telling my wife about this thread. Tried to pull it up but couldn't. Got a mile from campus and I'm back to normal. School is out, so it's not like there are 20k people on the network in a square mile or whatever right now.
samanthaiam
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me too!! me too!! I thought it was, bc I live in South College Station - Wm D. Fitch. 3 different types of cell phones but all through AT&T, and same issues on all 3 phones!

ksevern
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AG
Got an iPhone 4s about three months ago and it only works on wifi.... thought it was just me! I will be contacting ATT shortly.. cannot change for several months due to new contract and other family members on the plan.
Jim03
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pacecar02, shoot me an email if you can... I am an Engineer for AT&T, would love to help you.
lockett93
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AG
Add another peroson to the list. iPhone 4.
I go to Houston 2 or 3 times per week and my phone always works there. In bcs lately it's been horrible. 4-5 bars of 3G and NO data loads. Happened today at DQ
dubi
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AG
X 2

We both have iPhone 4 and no data near campus.
rc_cat
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Wow - so I'm not crazy either. I thought I just ended up with a defective phone.

Same problems; same frustrations.

I love my iphone but anywhere near campus and it's just a clunky timepiece.
akaggie
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AG
iPhone 4s w/ATT...same issue
Unreasonable
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Wow this is starting to look like an iPhone issue. I've got a Galaxy SII and I don't have these problems.
blondlogic
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iPhone 4Gs for Christmas (upgrade from the 3G hubby and I both had to switch from Verizon to AT&T to get back in the day when they were the sole carrier). Service on campus (especially Univ Dr all the way to 2818 exit) has always sucked, but this week, no text has successfully left the building (I work on campus), not even in basic mode. WTH?!?!
RustyShackelford
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3GS here. I thought it was just me as well. Failed texts even with full bars...hmm.
 
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