I'm amazed how bad AT&T sucks in downtown Chicago. I have a signal, data just won't connect. It times out and I get absolutely no data. I've had to resort to using my Verizon 4G MiFi just to get data on my AT&T iPhone. When AT&T can't provide data, Verizon has full 4G speeds at over 10m+! AT&T, you suck! Avoid AT&T if you live and work in downtown Chicago. It's useless for business.

It was really difficult to make a decision on reception rating. My Iphone original's reception is really good (upto 4~5 bar) as long as I leave my balcony door open, either little bit or wide. However, the reception drops to 1 bar or No Service at all if I close the balcony door. BTW, I live on 49th floor.

Same story as the rest.. In the past few weeks the signal is either non existent or very poor and many dropped calls and EMERGENCY ONLY service etc. even around the city many dropped calls and FAILED CALLS.. I am going begin a class action lawsuit.. AT&T won't let you off the contract and think they have no obligation to provide basic service WE NEED TO STAT TAKING A STAND and do something.. (and they want to merge with TMOBILE? OMG!

Reception went from poor to horrible about six weeks ago. I cannot make calls (call fails), and if I receive one, I can't hear and the call quickly drops. Something happened recently. My wife has the same phone and is experiencing the same issues.

For years we had no problem; 5 bars on both iPhones for years. But since about May, 2011 we barely get one bar and often get "no signal" on our phones. Same apartment, same phones, no new buildings between us and the cell tower just two blocks away that weren't there before, but suddenly what was totally reliable service became next to nothing service.

My reception fluctuates between no bars (with an "SOS" indication) and one bar on a good day. Calls, texts, e-mails rarely come through until I leave the building.

Terrible. Constantly at one or no bars, no network messages, dropped calls. I love my phone but I hate AT&T.

I don't know if it's the building or what. It's all glass so you'd think you'd get better reception. I can make and receives calls, but the reception is very choppy and in-and-out. my data connection on the iPhone 3GS is either Edge or the small circle, whatever that means; never 3G. And the fastest that my AT&T laptop connect device can achieve is 3.6 Mbps, and that's only occasionally. it's usually 237 kbps! useless really. I can only hope that buying up T-Mobile helps with service

AT&T is the worst mobile service in Chicago. The quality of service has degraded over the past few months. I can't make a call in The Loop without the call dropping. Data often stalls out and never connects. A rep claims AT&T upgrading their towers from 2G to 3G. Really? Verizon and Sprint are already 4G in the market!

Good reception in my condo and around the loop.

Travel anywhere throughout Chicago, from the Loop to Wrigley Field to the West. AT&T coverage is HORRIBLE. Dropped calls all the time, signal never above 3 - generally at 1. I rarely come close to my minute plan because making calls is just plain useless! I know some complain and say it's the iPhone; however, when I travel to other cities I get 5 bars consistent on the phone and NO calls. Chicago, like NYC and San Fran, is a trouble market for AT&T. I don't understand why AT&T can't get it right. I know the city must be tough, but it CAN be done. My friends have Verizon and Sprint with no trouble. I hear Sprint is awesome. T-Mobile seems to cover the city well. Look at it's ratings in this forum!

My AT&T service is spotty at best. My iPhone 3G is primarily on EDGE and I'm in the business district of Chicago. The service is unuseable during busy hours like early rush, NOON and pm rush. AT&T is useless in Chicago. I'd highly recommend Sprint or TMobile in the Windy City.

It's amazing as Sprint launches 4G in Chicago... AT&T continues to struggle with 3G in the city. I guess what they say... don't trust a wireless provider with Telegraph still in their name. ;-)

You can do it AT&T! I had to work today, Labor Day, and because of the holiday there were fewer people on Chicago's Loop (business district). Oddly I had 5 bars and a 3G signal throughout my work building (high rise). Generally I get 1-3 bars which fluctuates with an Edge signal. So I know my iPhone and building can get a full 3G signal. AT&T has oversold their network. There are too many people on the network. The FCC should stop AT&T from selling iPhones or any smartphone for that matter until AT&T can get more bandwidth in Chicago (NYC, San Fran, etc.) This is an embarrassment for AT&T and tarnishes Apple's reputation.

I'm in the business loop of Chicago at Michigan Ave. and Wacker... crossing the Chicago River bring. The Wrigley Building, the Tribune Tower and the new Trump Tower and I have EDGE with 3 bars! Where's the 3G in Chicago! This is a major area of the city and AT&T can't provide 3G service. :- /

Sprint's service just keeps improving! I laugh at all the poor folks stuck with iPhones on AT&T. I'm sure people can't wait until the iPhone comes to Verizon. Sprint service in Chicago is probably the best of any carrier. All my friends on AT&T complain constantly.

Signal seems to fade in and out. Voice breaks and I have to constantly ask people to repeat themselves. Phone generally shows max bars until I try to place a call, then the bars dramatically drop off and I get a 'call failed' message. About 30% - 40% of initial calling attempts result in a 'call failed' message.

My office is located at Michigan and Randolph... one of my responsibilities is the managing our corporate AT&T account... there are only 2 towers in this area and our coverage is horrible. We rarely have 3G and are usually on Edge with one or two bars. Things have gotten much worse overall in this area and my home area (Streeterville). AT&T won't fess up but there has been a very noticeable degradation in coverage / connection and its worse for data than voice. The staff who use Verizon never have these issues. I've been told that the iPhone and it's stellar sales is being blamed for oversubcription and coverage problems. Apparently each Tower only has 4 T1 lines, which is pathetic. I'm tired of AT&T making excuses and blaming the iPhone instead of solving the problem with their network. It's inferior and they have to know this.

My office is on east side of LaSalle, on the corner of Wacker. Reception is usually zero bars / No Service; if I get reception, calls are frequently dropped.

TERRIBLE to no reception. I live in a high rise apartment and might as well throw my cell phone away. I cannot place calls or receive them. If the call does go through, it is almost guaranteed to drop within 50 seconds. I have been to Verizon and they have nothing to say about it. Verizon updated the software on my phone claiming it would solve all my problems... ... ... .it definitely did NOT. I would stay away from Verizon at all costs. Plus their customer service is sub par