iPhone
AT&T given ‘Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World’ award
By Jim DalrympleDecember 11, 2009, 7:52 am PT
Despite being berated by its users for poor network coverage, AT&T on Friday was named “Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World” by Business Traveler Magazine.
This is the third consecutive year that AT&T won the award, which is voted on by the readers of the magazine. AT&T said its customers can make and receive calls in over 215 countries, email in 185 countries and is available on 130 cruise ships.
AT&T drew the ire of customers earlier this week when CEO Ralph de la Vega said the company is looking at ways to help users cutback on data usage. The company contends that having its users watch their usage would help alleviate stress on AT&T’s network.
AT&T’s plans will not be public until sometime in 2010.
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16 Responses to “AT&T given ‘Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World’ award”
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AT&T given ‘Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World’ award
By Jim DalrympleDecember 11, 2009, 7:52 am PT
Despite being berated by its users for poor network coverage, AT&T on Friday was named “Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World” by Business Traveler Magazine.
This is the third consecutive year that AT&T won the award, which is voted on by the readers of the magazine. AT&T said its customers can make and receive calls in over 215 countries, email in 185 countries and is available on 130 cruise ships.
AT&T drew the ire of customers earlier this week when CEO Ralph de la Vega said the company is looking at ways to help users cutback on data usage. The company contends that having its users watch their usage would help alleviate stress on AT&T’s network.
AT&T’s plans will not be public until sometime in 2010.
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Discussion 16 comments so far
16 Responses to “AT&T given ‘Best Mobile Phone Coverage in the World’ award”
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That’s probably because coverage as measured by phone companies (and business magazines) does not equal *usable* coverage as experienced by users. According to AT&T’s map I’m in the ‘Best’ voice coverage and solid 3G coverage and yet at my desk, not 10ft from a window, my iPhone will vary between 5 bars and ‘Searching’ without me even moving it.
That’s what users complain about, not ‘coverage’ in the ad man’s sense of the word.
Good point. It always amazes me how the bars go up and down so much without moving the phone.
It’s also worth noting that this is “in the world,” not “in the United States.” AT&T’s support of GSM technology enables its phones to work in many other countries, and its international roaming and rate plans aren’t particularly dreadful, at least if you take precautions, ostensibly like any business traveler should.
So much depends on local interference that the cell carrier has no control over. Within the building that I work in, there are dead zones which affect all cell services. It’s building materials, wired computer networks, electrical routing that can cause coverage issues. Simply moving a few feet one way or the other corrects the problem.
Obviously, you don’t have AT&T or an iPhone. IF you did, you’d know that there aren’t occasional “dead zones” but RARE “live zones”!
I recently heard some stats about text messages outnumber actual calls 3 to 1–which, I’m betting is because there are SO many iPhone users TRYING to use their phones to communicate! Heaven forbid my goddamn phone should work LIKE A PHONE, but I usually get through a minute of a call before it gets dropped–WITH FULL BARS!
I live in a GREAT coverage area, but the PROBLEM is that AT&T’s 3G Network doesn’t do SHIT for my phone operating like a phone! Their shitty EDGE network and the weakness of the band they operate in means, my iPhone is an iText(or nobody can reach me).
I think it’s ridiculous that AT&T owns a stronger band than Verizon, YET they use it for data ONLY–if they want to operate dual-bands, they SHOULD do the opposite of what they’re doing! Call me CRAZY, but the fact that my phone is capable of managing data flow like a computer, means that it is capable of operating with spottier coverage and can resume transfers MUCH easier than I can resume my calls!
I’ve had AT&T for over 5 years and never had a problem. Text messaging is not limited to the iPhone. People text more in general, especially while at work when a phone call would be more disruptive (or not allowed).
Best in the World? Their world must not be where I live. Every time I drop a call, and travel to an area where there is no coverage, I want to huck my iPhone out the window.
My family’s Verizon phones just keep on working.
1.5 more years when my contract is up- bye-bye…
P.S.I live in a huge city on the Va. East Coast. They should have enough towers there.
I wonder do whiners really use ATT service?
AT&T service in California SUCKS. I repeat this. IT SUCKS!!!! I was a Verizon user for many years and switched to get the iphone. If and when Verizon get the iphone, I’ll immediately pay the termination fee and by another iphone to be on the Verizon networked. If I wasn’t clear the AT&T network in California SUCKSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
I too have not had any problems with ATT. I’m in SoCal and coverage is great. I think the problem isn’t so much that it’s New York and San Fran that’s not covered properly by ATT, it’s the fact that all the tech and media companies are covered so closely by bloggers in those areas.
My iPhone in California works great most of the time, and in most places. About as well as any Verizon phone and Sprint phone and T-Mobile phone I’ve used or observed. That’s not always the case everywhere of course. But to claim that it’s all California is just ludicrous.
In the US, ALL services suck when you compare them to the rest of the world. The only place I’ve seen worse coverage than in the US was the island of Zanzibar – off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. Even the jungles and mountain passes of Colombia are better.
At&T best in the world??? AHAHAHAHAHAH. I cancelled my At&T service and just use my Iphone as an upgraded I pod touch. Thats how bad their overpriced service is.
I don’t doubt that AT&T has problems, I think they’re a bit expensive, etc. However, I don’t have an issue with their service. I suppose I must be lucky based on all of the nasty messages out there. However, even when I travel I don’t have an issue. I don’t get dropped calls, etc. and I do get 3G in populated areas where I’d expect 3G service.
Yeah, its really weird, where I live, ATT is the best coverage, but so many people complain about AT&T that there must be some bad coverage in large urban areas. Out in the styx of california, AT&T is the only thing that seems to work well.
AT&T is a good mobile network with cheap prices and good features. The data speed provided by AT&T is also very good. But the bad thing about this network is that it don't have the presense in Asian countries.
There are many different ways to measure and enumerate anything. Depending on the metrics they are using this may have some credence. However, where I live there is no 3G in site, but if you want to have a smart phone, you sure have to pay the 3G price tag. I think AT&T has lost there focus, moving there main goal to sales not service may not have proved to be a wise decision.
Thanks for the interesting read!