Usually I get full bars of UMTS / HSDPA 3G in my area. Otherwise, when I am at home, my connection drops in half to 2 bars out of four (windows mobile phones show four bars instead of the 5-7 bars other phones show). Inside my home, I get EDGE, never any 3G. T-Mobile is pretty good in my area, I can't complain. I just wished it worked inside the 12th st and 19st BART stations.

I have used Verizon for about 10 years and have been very happy with the reception and their customer service. I always get a signal inside my house, and usually a pretty good signal at work in downtown Oakland (far from a window). This past summer we drove to Wyoming through Oregon and Idaho, taking back roads most of the way, and were very surprised at how often we had a signal. I was even able to get on the web waaay out in the boonies of eastern Oregon. Amazing!

Although I hate the higher pricing of Verizon, I have to admit the reception for me has been pretty close to perfect at our home about midway in on Benevides. Still, I pay way too much. My neighbor has T-Mobile and told me she gets no reception in her house--has to go outside or find a sweet spot upstairs. I borrowed her phone to test T-Mobile in our home next door and I got service all throughout our main floor. None downstairs where my desk is though. Thinking about moving to T-Mobile for the much cheaper rates including texting... as long as I can get calls somewhere in the house!

I used to live two blocks away and had very spotty reception. In my apartment now I have excellent reception and no dropped calls.

Verizon is the best in coverage. I do not need to carry 2 phones.

Verizon has good signal and coverage throughout the East Bay and SF. I've never really had problems with dropped calls or no signal.

I just switched to ATT / Cingular. The reception is 5 bars most of the time. Drops to 3 indoors far from windows or in the elevator. My phone has 2 bars in my basememt garage where I used to not get a signal with Verizon.

I've had few problems with reception here.

I am on the old AT&T TDMA network. Years ago I had Cingular and could not get any reception inside the house. I switched to AT&T and their TDMA network and it has worked perfectly everywhere for years, until recently, when calls are now starting to drop -- primarily on the west end of the bay bridge. Cingular is now phasing out the TDMA network, and after reading all of these comments, I'm sorry they are doing so, since from the sounds of it, this TDMA service is the best thing going in terms of reliability. What use is a cell phone if one can't get coverage in the house / office?

Until last week, was using older Ericsson phone on Cingular Service (maybe older version of Cingular) with NO reception on Thornhill above the 7-11. Now upgraded to new 2-yr contract with Cingular (probably newer version) with new Nokia 6102i phone with excellent reception all the way up Thornhill and in all rooms of house. Perhaps the newer phone is more sensitive. Conclusion... . dont blame the carrier without checking out their newest version and getting a more modern phone with better technology. Last week I was in a dark closet,,, now I can see the world!