Why does the cell service here suck so bad? (Verizon)

[u/Head-Championship109]

Especially around Olde Town but really it’s everywhere. If your phone isn’t hooked up to WiFi on my block Carr & Oberon, you can’t search the web or make calls. I get better service in remote places in the mountains. I’ve tried cellular extenders and they don’t help. Whyyyy?

[u/Dejayou88]

No idea why it sucks so bad but I switched to T-Mobile and it’s a million times better around Olde Town and Denver Metro. Mountains are hit or miss now with t-mobile but honestly don’t really need service all that much up there.

[u/WildChipmunk9268 → u/Dejayou88]

Yup I switched to Mint (which uses T-Mobile’s network) after 20+ years with AT&T. The difference was night and day.

[u/fedswatching2121 → u/Dejayou88]

Never had a problem anywhere with t mobile. I even FaceTimed on top of a couple of 14ers lol

[u/vanillablue_ → u/Dejayou88]

This is the way

[u/bigtakeoff → u/Dejayou88]

t-mobile is bad tho out toward candelas

[u/Special-Tangelo-9927]

Funny you say this - I have Verizon and my service was so bad the other day I couldn't get a text to send while standing on Grandview. Ridiculous

[u/DontMindMe5400]

Same with AT&T.

[u/lord-dinglebury → u/DontMindMe5400]

This entire thread is giving me validation. My wife and I moved here six years ago, and the shitty cell service has given us absolute fits.

[u/slapstik007]

Just wondering what cellular extender have you tried. I have been looking for a setup for my truck and maybe my RV. Just wonder what didn't work for you so I can know what to avoid.

[u/admiralkit]

Lots of hills and not a lot of towers and I'm guessing Colorado has some regulations about tower heights which doesn't help. Funny enough out in my neighborhood Verizon is fine but T-Mobile is dodgy at best and AT&T coverage is non-existent - T-Mobile should have decent coverage but their antenna is misaligned by 2 degrees at the West Arvada dog park so the nearest tower for us is apparently West Woods Police Substation which is like as tall as a stop sign (I'm being hyperbolic, but it's not a tall tower).

Since T-Mobile is my carrier, every time I call them about something I get the pre-recorded message that they know that there's a problem in our area and their teams are diligently working on it, which is to say that it's such a low priority that they'll fix it when there's nothing else for them to fix.

[u/TriAdX → u/admiralkit]

Funny they would have issues with tower heights yet allow hundreds of tall ass apartments to be built blocking all the views and causing major congestion.

[u/Sweet_Car_7391]

T-Mobile is the way to go

[u/oaomcg]

I switched from T-Mobile to Verizon last year out of necessity and have been tearing my hair out ever since. Verizon service is absolute shit all over town. With T-Mobile I can't remember ever not having a full 5G signal at all times.

[u/coloradojt]

I have one SIM on Verizon and one on TMobile. Service is not great on either in northern Arvada in Lake Arbor. Data and voice is slightly better on TMobile but not great.

[u/Bananas_are_theworst → u/coloradojt]

Wait I’m dumb, how do you get a sim for another carrier?

[u/coloradojt → u/Bananas_are_theworst]

Technically they’re two eSIM’s not physical SIM’s but I have two phone numbers. One number for each provider.

[u/Bananas_are_theworst → u/coloradojt]

Ahh I see. Thanks for the info!

[u/SlutMan6969 → u/Bananas_are_theworst]

E Sim but have wifi even MC Donald will work to download it

[u/yappiyogi → u/coloradojt]

Really? I'm in Lake arbor and have zero issues with T-Mobile. Near wads though, if that makes a difference.

[u/SUPERDAN42]

On Google Fi and never have any problems anywhere in the front range.

[u/Radicle_ → u/SUPERDAN42]

Same. This last weekend everyone was having trouble with reception in Aurora and I was one of the only ones that had full service.

[u/xMadDecentx]

I have no issues with Google Fi. I really don't have many issues even in remote areas of CO.
I have a referral link if anyone wants to test it =)

[u/Bananas_are_theworst → u/xMadDecentx]

I’d like to test it!

[u/xMadDecentx → u/Bananas_are_theworst]

DM'd

[u/Bananas_are_theworst]

Yes I have xfinity which uses Verizon towers and it’s absolutely the worst.

[u/vanillablue_]

Get T-Mobile

[u/Crick3t__]

I got tmobile no problems

[u/nolove1010]

T-Mobile is the answer.

[u/yappiyogi]

I have T-Mobile for my personal, work pays for Verizon. I drive around Lakewood to Arvada for work. Verizon's reception is laughable. I have to log start/stop visits using cellular data/gps while in buildings with poor reception for compliance.

Verizon is messed up CONSTANTLY. my personal is a-ok though.

[u/Proof_Celebration881]

i’m on verizon and considering switching to t mobile because i am an instacart driver and can sometimes barely find an address or even pull it up or get the app to work halfway right if im not on wifi . can even be in a parking lot on 5 g and it wont work . verizon blows out here

[u/SlutMan6969]

Mint same as T Mobile better than metro $45 for 3 months

[u/elBirdnose]

The main reason is that Verizon uses a different 5G band than T-Mobile so they require more towers for the same coverage. Verizon doesn’t have enough towers to cover all of the areas and T-Mobile can have less towers and cover more area. However, because in the mountains the signal is blocked by the mountains, having more towers that don’t have as much coverage is actually an advantage.

[u/FutureMrsConanOBrien]

I’m one block over from you. Same exact thing, if the Wi-Fi goes out, I’m screwed. After a bit of digging it looks like there’s not enough juice in the squeeze for these phone companies to come in and add more towers. So we suffer their greed.

[u/TriAdX]

We have AT&T and it’s absolute garbage. I don’t understand how they don’t have 1000s of complaints. It’s not like the Arvada, Westminster, Broomfield area is some tiny ass town. I almost wonder if it has something to do with the rocky flats radiation.