Perplexed: troubleshooting dropped calls at home

k8e · #1 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 05:02 AM

Frequent dropped calls at home on Sprint and forced roaming following electrical work nearby - only a coincidence?

My BF and I always had perfectly good cell reception at his apartment until 3 days ago, when suddenly, the cell service became almost unusable (dropped calls). It occurs both on Sprint and on forced roaming only. Our phones both work fine away from the apartment, although I haven't tested yet to see how far is required. We both have HTC TP2s running WM 6.1.

Maybe simply coincidence, the problem began within the same hour I saw a utility worker outside doing something at the electrical cabinet for the apartment complex, about 25ft/10m from our apartment. Also maybe just coincidence, the apartment manager complaining later about her phone "acting weird" all day. (I don't know if she meant her cell phone or landline.) I asked a neighbor in the next building over if he was having any signal issues and he said he wasn't (AT&T).

PG&E (the gas and electric company) says their equipment is functioning correctly. At first, Sprint said theirs was too; 2 days later they said it was due to tower upgrades that would be going on until September 7. Then I realized the rep was talking about system-wide project dates and she could provide no useful information about whether work on towers in my area had actually begun or when it would start or end.

A few times since then my call dropped immediately when I walked by the electrical cabinet downstairs but I can't think of a good reason for this. There is also a bank of about 3 dozen "smart meters" immediately below our apartment, which I think operate on cell phone frequencies, but if they're working right, shouldn't interfere.

If it's the Sprint network upgrade work causing the call drops, then shouldn't the service most likely be better, or at least different, when I switch to Roaming?

I wanted to see if I could get more information about what was happening by using Cellmapper on my HTC TP2 WM6.1 but it wants a newer .Net framework. I'm hesitant to upgrade .Net because I don't know how it will affect my current applications.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to troubleshoot the suddenly horrible reception since Sprint and PG&E are uninterested in figuring it out.

Thanks, ppc geeks

eric12341 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 07:54 AM

Yea I wouldn't believe the September date they told you. This is due to the slow speed issues I was having last year, they told me several resolution dates and didn't deliver on any of them and the towers are still messed up despite what the network.sprint.com site says. I would wait it out first but after that then begin to shop around for another carrier.

**gTen** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 10:07 AM

Try the maintenance map here:

https://network.sprint.com/

If the problem is only at your house, make them give you a free airave.

eric12341 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gTen

Try the maintenance map here:

https://network.sprint.com/

If the problem is only at your house, make them give you a free airave.

@gTen that's what I just said in my last post
it simply isn't right.

**gTen** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric12341

that's what I just said in my last post
it simply isn't right.

sorry I missed what you said, I was kind of busy while doing it and didn't see it :/

k8e · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 06:12 PM

Hi, thanks for responding to my question.

I'm not satisfied with Sprint's explanation either, since they can't provide any information that correlates with the start of my problems, and it doesn't explain why I get the same bad reception when Roaming Only. I'm in a well populated area with excellent Verizon and AT&T coverage, so I expected to get good reception on Roaming.

Anyone have any ideas to figure out where the problem is actually originating?

Any ideas how to tell which network I'm connecting to on Roaming Only?

.

**gTen** · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k8e

Hi, thanks for responding to my question.

I'm not satisfied with Sprint's explanation either, since they can't provide any information that correlates with the start of my problems, and it doesn't explain why I get the same bad reception when Roaming Only. I'm in a well populated area with excellent Verizon and AT&T coverage, so I expected to get good reception on Roaming.

Anyone have any ideas to figure out where the problem is actually originating?

Any ideas how to tell which network I'm connecting to on Roaming Only?

.

Your definitely not roaming AT&T, different technology completely. You might be roaming verizon, but no guarantee as it depends on who sprint has a roaming contract in your area with.

You might have better luck with roaming reception if you try a different radio.

eric12341 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k8e

Hi, thanks for responding to my question.

I'm not satisfied with Sprint's explanation either, since they can't provide any information that correlates with the start of my problems, and it doesn't explain why I get the same bad reception when Roaming Only. I'm in a well populated area with excellent Verizon and AT&T coverage, so I expected to get good reception on Roaming.

Anyone have any ideas to figure out where the problem is actually originating?

Any ideas how to tell which network I'm connecting to on Roaming Only?

.

Just because coverage shows up on the map doesn't mean it's going to be good in your home as well. For example at my house Verizon ,Sprint and T-mobile phones all struggle to maintain a 3G/4G signal and supposedly my house is in a 4G good coverage area (in the case of sprint no 4G at all).

k8e · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 07:53 PM

I could call and ask Sprint what partner network they think I should be connecting to, but I guess I wanted to be able to see it for myself. (The completely different tech you're talking about is Sprint and Verizon being CDMA and AT&T being GSM, right? I had forgotten about that.)

Thanks for the suggestion about changing the radio. I'm curious about all things about modifying my TP2s, but I've been having a hard time finding a starting place. I use PHM Regedit for some enabling some hidden settings, but that's it so far. Is changing the radio an advanced task and is it easily reversible? My knowledge level right now is I don't understand unlocking or know how to flash a ROM. I've tried looking for tutorials from time to time but keep getting overwhelmed by unfamiliar terminology. That's probably a question for the WM Legacy Devices area, though.

I feel like Sprint should theoretically be able to come out here with some kind of high-tech dowsing rod and walk around following the beeps until they yell, "there's yer problem!"

.

k8e · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric12341

Just because coverage shows up on the map doesn't mean it's going to be good in your home as well. For example at my house Verizon ,Sprint and T-mobile phones all struggle to maintain a 3G/4G signal and supposedly my house is in a 4G good coverage area (in the case of sprint no 4G at all).

Good point. I never had to use Roaming in this location in the past, so I have no prior example of what the actual Roaming reception normally is here.