Rebecca over at Apartment Therapy Los Angeles offers a few tips for those of us who find themselves moving to a new home and discovering their new abode is a telecommunications "dead zone". Wait, isn't that all of AT&T iPhone users these days? Tips below.
Dealing With Dead Zones in the Home
Here's the scenario - you rent a new place, you move your things in, set up a floor plan, enjoy a glass of wine while you welcome yourself into your home but no one is calling. Or at least your cell phone is not working in your new home.
We have a few friends dealing with this situation right now and, although frustrating, they are doing their best to work around the cell phone dead zone in their homes. Here are a few ways to tackle this problem, or at least find some type of relief.
1) Call your service provider and see if they can install a small tower near your home. There's a chance this may cost some money, about $200, but it may be worth it to you.
2) Consider setting up a land line and forwarding your cell phone calls to this number. While it will cost money, it may be worth it. Plus there are tons of bundled packages available to wrap in your tv, wi-fi and land line services.
3) Spend time finding a place where you can talk. Sure it may be 20 feet outside the front door or in one small corner of your kitchen - just give it a shot and learn to deal with it until you are ready to change service providers.
How about you? Have you dealt with this super frustrating cell phone dead zone situation? How did you handle it?
Originally posted at Unplggd/Rebecca Orlov.
(Image: Flickr member D3 San Francisco licensed for use under Creative Commons)
Comments (6)
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In this situation there can be only one option.
Change provider.
Sure there are termination fees but these are a lot less than some of the other options. Hey they may even be cheaper than installing a femtocell.
Just because one provider does not think your home is important enough to warrant coverage, does not mean all of them do. They produce those maps for a reason
view Mark Roddis's profile
Never had the problem w/ Verizon, but if I did, 3 words - Wireless. Network. Extender. They're cheap and I've used them in friends places - work great and would be worth the little extra cost per minute if it wasn't provided by Verizon and I had something important to handle.
view dietz1130's profile
Sometimes the best service spot is very inconvenient for talking, like on a nightstand or bookshelf. In the past I have used a car adapter while sitting on a bed with the phone laying on the nightstand, and that worked very well. Now that bluetooth headsets are reasonably priced, it may be a good idea to keep one handy to use while leaving your phone in a spot with good service.
view flataffect's profile
In the tour I credit used a car adapter age sitting on a footing with the phone laying on the nightstand, besides that worked overly well. Now that bluetooth headsets are somewhat priced, material may emblematize a applicable idea to keep one handy to use while leaving your phone in a spot with good service.
mcdba certification.
view David12's profile
In the tour I credit used a car adapter age sitting on a footing with the phone laying on the nightstand, besides that worked overly well. Now that bluetooth headsets are somewhat priced, material may emblematize a applicable idea to keep one handy to use while leaving your phone in a spot with good service.
mcdba.
view David12's profile
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned UMA. It's basically cell service via WiFi. I think the only provider to offer it in the US is T-Mobile and the phone has to support it, but it's been great for me and my wife.
view NicknBecka's profile