I moved to DC from LA and need to find a new cellphone carrier (hence how I stumbled upon this forum). Within a month in the area, I had a problem with my phone, so I headed downtown to the Verizon store to have it examined. It is a three-year-old phone, after all, and the quality of electronics in the 21st century is such as it is. The staff there, aside from being completely ineffective to resolve my problem (after a half-hour, they determined the phone was beyond repair, then after another substantial wait, they informed me they had none of that model in stock at that location *nor at their warehouse*), proceeded to try to sell me a new phone and a two-year contract (I should note that sales staff outnumbered tech support 2:1, while tech-support issues outnumbered phone buyers 7:1) which I surely wasn't interested in, considering the fact that if anybody happens to get through to my cellphone while I'm at home, I have them immediately call my land line to assure that the call won't drop randomly. After shrugging off all types of sales pressure and what I consider resentment (who shows resentment to an overly polite reasonably well-dressed potential customer, seriously?) over the fact that I'm really *really* not interested in a camera, mp3 ringtones, or getting basketball games sent to me while I'm on the Metro. Aside from that, I'd have to pay an additional fee to sign a two-year contract, which is a concept that frankly boggles my mind, but I've stomached it in LA because the phone had decent, though never spectacular, reception literally everywhere I went. Even in an elevator in a lead-coated building. Seriously. Anyhow, this is DC, and the customer service is just as awful as ever and now it's peddling a product that's just as pathetic with components that surely aren't built to last. Clearly, I'm seeking an alternate provider. Nextel was my second choice for a while in LA, though I never pulled the trigger because consistently good cellphone reception is unfortunately considered a rarity, and I hear that in DC, it's pretty crappy as well. I moved to Verizon from Cingular in 2002, and while my customer service at Cingular was never as bad as at Verizon, the phone service was mediocre. I've heard that it's improved substantially recently, especially after the AT&T merger--can anybody vouch for its quality in DC? In the meantime, I can only say, in all capitals, PLEASE, IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING VERIZON MOBILE PHONE SERVICE, RETHINK YOUR DECISION. I hope that I might edit this with something constructive in the future. Presently, I will admit that the phone actually had excellent reception on the Metro (but how rude is it to conduct all my long-distance conversations in a subway car?), but other than that minor miracle, I have nothing but vitriol for Verizon Wireless.

I think that the Potomac Garden housing project blocks reception from many areas around it. Big brick buildings obstruct the signal. Yes, I found the dead zone for Verizon in DC. Other than this, Verizon is great.

I can keep a call up the front steps of the house, but service inside depends on the season (no leaves = better signal but not great). Their signal map is about accurate for the house. Coverage has improved over the last couple of years but there are still irritating drop points. Cingular appears to have better signal in the house, but I am not thrilled with their pricing and contract length.

I can get reception in my house if I'm pressed against the front windows. Can't keep a call if walking b / t home and Eastern Market Metro. There are towers on the building at 8th and Penn, SE, but I get 0-1 bar when standing across the street from them. I'd love to know what carriers work better in my neighborhood.

Verizon Wireless service is great throughout the entire city for the most part. Also very good for when I travel. I have service in the underground subway system in DC, New York and Boston. I haven't tried my cellphone underground in any other cities.

Verizon service in DC is excellent. I get wonderful service in the city and everywhere I travel. I even have a perfect signal underground in the DC METRO. There are a few dead spots in southeast DC but other than that, the city is covered very well.

There is a complete dead zone right in this spot for maybe two blocks. Almost every call attempt I make in this small radius drops. Other than that spot, service is great even underground in the DC METRO.

Trying to call anyone in this area is absolutley horrible. The most bars I ever saw on my phone was at least 2. But the weird thing is you can get full reception in the DC metro underground.

We started with Verizon Wireless while living in Rhode Island. Never had any problems with our wireless service there. (Verizon DSL is another matter. Totally hosed.) Anyway, we moved to NW DC in May and neither of our two cell phones work worth a darn in our house, even in the second floor by the windows. Almost 100% of the calls at home get dropped. My wifes phone has an adapter plug for an external antenna. I bought one and it helps a lot. Trouble is I'm SOL when she's not here. I wish Verizon Wireless would look at their coverage just east of Wilson High School becuase it stinks. CAN YA HEAR ME NOW?

BEWARE of DEAD ZONE NEAR EASTERN MARKET METRO With Verizon, poor or no reception on much of this block. No reception inside my small house either. Called Verizon, they say it's a dead zone and there's nothing they can do, nor can they let me out of my contract. Neighbors have had the same problem with Cingular.

Verizon wireless reception in my house on South Carolina Ave. near Eastern Market is terrible--one bar or nothing. It does not get much better on most of my block. It works wonderfully elsewhere--even in the Metro--but not where I need it most.

I go to American University, where T-Mobile is partnered with us. The cell reception is great. Works almost everywhere for me. Very happy with T-Mobile. Cingular and Verizon coverage is good too although my friends pay more with them and and have more problems with both of those carriers.

I get the worst reception with my Sprint phone in the DC area. I don't think I ever get more than 1 bar or if I'm lucky 2. Strange thing is, in certain parts of Maryland I can get 4 bars. I even carried my phone into sprint, got a replacement and had the same problem. I think it's Sprint's sucky network.

Still having problems. Cingular's customer service has been less than adequate. Two replacement models later and our phones still don't work at home. We're tired of buying calling cards to pay for the long distance we're supposedly already getting with our payment to Cingular. WE'RE SWITCHING! (see earlier posts)

Depending where I am at the Cathedral I have one bar to no reception at all.

We're going on a month of no service at home. Cingular has sent 2 replacement phones (the Samsung was way inferior) and neither of the phones worked. We're tired of not being able to get cell service! Funny, my phone works just about every other place I've tried it, including both coasts, Canada, and various places in between, JUST NOT AT HOME. What gives??

My Verizon phone gets good coverage in the DC area. It's especially useful on the Metro. I am on the 3rd floor of a 12 story building and have 5 bars of reception.

Only place I don't get reception is on the Metro. Everywhere else is PERFECT.

Southwest DC in L'Enfant Plaza area reception is great, indoors and outdoors.

Verizon service is by far the best I've had in my 10 year plus relationship with cell phone company's. I had Sprint, Cingular, AT&T, Nextel, T-mobile, and none of them work as well as Verizon. I even have full service underground in the DC METRO when the other carriers dont. My phone still has analog ability so it is great for traveling, although I haven't used it in analog yet. I have been with Verizon for a year, and I don't remember the last time I had a dropped call. My phone isn't the most advanced piece of technology on the street, but it does what it's supposed to do, make and recieve calls. I do remember T-Mobile having decent service in DC, but beware, as soon as you leave the Metropolitan area, you are looking for trouble.