[Hidden-tech] Verizon vs. AT&T coverage

[Annamarie Pluhar]

This is interesting to me as I am currently trying to figure out what to do about internet service on the Outer Cape for a family house that we rent most of the summer. 

We have Verizon coming in through wireless with a booster to pull the signal. It's slow. Last year I was able to use Skype, plan to test today, not sure it'll work. (My sister is in the house, I'm in Vermont.) My iphone got really good AT&T 3G service when I was there Memorial Day weekend. 

Is is possible that we could upgrade the USB modem we have (at least two years old now) and get better speed through Verizon? 

Our other choice is satellite. It's what the kid who helped us set it up suggested.  The house is in a valley and it may be that a hill is blocking our reception. 

 Thoughts? 


Annamarie Pluhar

Pluhar Consulting
Results through effective group process
http://www.pluharconsulting.com
802.451.1941
802.579.5975 (cell)







On Jun 19, 2010, at 5:22 PM, ussailis at shaysnet.com wrote:

>   ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>   ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> Much of the difference between cell providers is in the 'Sim' chip in your
> phone. There the cell towers that can be accessed are registered. 
> 
> The problem is many cell towers / cell sites are privately owned, that is
> not owned by the 'big boys' in the cell service business. So the card (and
> I suppose your plan) tells the phone where to connect.
> 
> Another issue is there are two frequency bands, around 830 to 860 MHz and
> around 1850 MHz. These bands have somewhat different propagation
> characteristics which can reduce signal effectiveness. I suspect, but could
> be wrong, that Verizon uses the lower frequency band.
> 
> There are also differences in the quality / effectiveness of the various
> phones. Some are not as well engineered as others. 
> 
> The short of it is your coverage might be different than someone else using
> the same service.
> ---
> 
> If you are concerned about radiation from a cell tower, you should consider
> your microwave oven a worse offender. It operates at 2450 MHz +/- 50 MHz
> and is allowed to leak a tiny amount of power which is more power than you
> will receiver from the cell tower. The reason for this is simply you are
> much closer to the microwave than you will ever get to the cell tower
> antenna.
> 
> Although it radiates only a watt or two, you receive far more radiation
> from a cell phone handset than anything else, because you are so close to
> it.
> 
> Late model cell phone handsets should radiate less toward your body than
> older phones because standards have been set and manufactures have designed
> the phones to radiate less toward the user.
> 
> 
> Jim Ussailis
> jim at nationalwireless.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Original Message:
> -----------------
> From: Deborah Chandler debchandler411 at gmail.com
> Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:28:41 -0400
> To: roger at qux.com, Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
> Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Verizon vs. AT&T coverage
> 
> 
>   ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>   ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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