Typically 0 bars, though I am sometimes able to make some calls with poor connections. Can get up to 3 bars, but is short-term and temporary. I am able to receive some calls, don't receive some, and some are dropped. Sometimes voice mail notices are not received timelly, then I receive several at once days later. Text messages typically come with little delay. To receive a decent (3 bar) connection, I have to drive into town about 1 / 2 mile or so. NOT recommended.

I left a comment about AT&T (dated Feb. 4, 2010) reception being very poor in my location--since that time AT&T has updated their "service coverage map" which now states "moderate" for my area and reading their explanation for moderate they say "to go out to the road" to get service---are you kidding me! Before their service coverage map said I had "good" reception--well, that was wrong if you consider 0 to 1 bar as being "good" and having to stand next to a window to even get that 1 bar! There is some good news---I've switched to Verizon and I now get 4 bars any where in my house or on my property and I'm loving it!---sure beats paying for over a year for a service I never really got. Oh, when I talked with AT&T rep. their solution to the problem was: first I had to agree to signing another 2 year contract and they would send me a new phone---I asked what if the new phone didn't work at my house then what---their answer "we're putting up new towers in your area but won't be done until 2012"---AT&T reps have been using that "ploy" on me since 2009---well, my patience has run out and I went with a cell phone carrier who can / does deliver--Verizon!

Extremely disappointed by AT&T! I've been a customer since 2000. Poor service everywhere I've lived. Especially in Phoenix, Arizona. We've lived just south of Sunriver, Oregon now for about a year now with poor coverage and just about a month ago my iPhone said 'Off Network' instead of 'AT&T.' When we first called AT&T they had no idea what the issue was and said they would put in a claim and look into it. I later received a text message from AT&T saying if I did not cut back on my data usage they would restrict me. The crazy thing is I work from home and use my own Wi-Fi 80% of the time. Also, when I checked my data usage for the previous 4 months, the latest month showed I used a third less than the previous 3 months. So... about a week later my iPhone (the original that ran on Edge) died and would not turn back on. I was so excited I could finally use my upgrade to get a new and improved 3G iPhone, only to find out that my upgrade discount had been revoked due to my off network usage. So I called AT&T again, this time raging. They told me I had no AT&T coverage where I lived, even though I had heard nothing of the sort in the last year I've lived here. No courtesy call or anything notifying me of any changes. They didn't even try and keep my husband and I as customers. They told me I could buy a new iPhone for $600 but that I would not be able to use any data. Yea... no thanks. They said that they would wave the service cancellation fee. So we had no other choice to switch to Verizon. My husband and I both got the HTC Droid Eris which has a lot of similarities to the iPhone. Our Verizon service has been great and we've had no dropped calls! AT&T has horrible customer service! Even after we disconnected our service they still billed us twice more! Stay away from AT&T!

I've been in Bend,OR for five years. I been with AT&T the whole time. And reception as been perfect. And I too have experienced a drop in bars back in Nov 2009. Called AT&T and they said they can do nothing but gave me hope about towers and network coverage coming soon. So I wait and slowly it did get better and now my phone switched to 3G... .Its still in and out,but full bars on Edge or 3G. I recommend to the guy on gift rd is try another high end smartphone that gets better reception. And I get full 3G in Redmond too. Hand in there... .it will get better!

Have been an AT&T customer on my son and daughter-in law's family plan for over 6 years--(they live in Seattle, WA and I live in Bend) up UNTIL Nov 2009 I had excellent coverage (4 to 5 bars at my home) but now I have mostly NO coverage, some times I am "lucky" to get 1 bar. In the 6 yrs of excellent coverage AT&T was in "partnership" with other cell phone companies and was paying to use their towers--but now AT&T is erecting their own towers here in the Central Oregon area and stopped paying for the use of the other towers---did I receive notification from AT&T of this change--NO----so as of Nov. 2009 my cell phone coverage went to 0! AT&T has erected several towers within the Bend city limits which gives excellent coverage (4 to 5 bars) to those people living within the city limits---but I live 8 miles north of Bend. I was told by AT&T "tech person" that a tower had been built near Hwy. 97 (half way between Bend and Redmond) which is only 1 / 2 mile from me but that tower is "giving off an extremely weak signal" but other towers are "planned in the near future--some time in 2010" and I could wait to see if when the other towers are built my reception improves OR I could look into purchasing a "cell phone repeater or amplifier"--I checked out the prices for these items and the price ranges from $300 to $900! Right now I'm not happy with either situation but will wait and hope my reception will improve when the other towers are built-----a person would think service would "get better" after 6 excellent years instead of going in the reverse to NO service and the tech people at AT&T are of NO help at all because the only thing they seem to say is "sorry"---if things don't improve by June I will be becoming a Verizon customer. FYI--if you are thinking of becoming a AT&T customer and you check their website to see if you will get cell phone coverage at your home don't believe their graphic because when I put in my address it shows "good" and surrounding area "best" when in reality there is little to NO coverage--so before you sign a contract ask questions!

AT&T has 0 native service here. It all roaming off Verizons GSM network (old Unicel). I got a letter form AT&T saying my service is going to be ended due to excessive Roaming usage. O well. I guess I'm off to Verizon.

Even though AT&T claims roaming in Bend Oregon, NOPE, ZIP, NOTHING!

I have to sign up with A T and T wireless phone service in order to use the 50% family plan her business offers she and her family. She works in S. F., I obviously live in Bend and I teach online and would use the email functionality to communicate with my students while awar from home. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions about A T and T in Bend? I have to decide in 2-3 days. Thank you so much, Susan

Cingular does not cover here, but UNICEL (RCC Corporation) provides coverage to Cingular users, as well as their own service. I have UNICEL and I'm overall very happy. The coverage here is awesome with no dead spots or dropped calls. If you switch over from another carrier to UNICEL, do not port your number if you text a lot! They have very horrible texting problems with ported numbers. If you get a number from UNICEL, you'll be just fine with everything.

Altough Cingular does not provide "in-network" coverage, I am able to get very good reception on their "out of network" coverage. Santa, please bring Cingular in-network and a Cingular store to Bend, Oregon. pleeeeeeze.

Unicel has horrible coverage here, and customer serrvice is aweful.

Unicel (aka CellularOne) is the only provider in the area that seems to work reliably in Awbrey Glen. They also have the best signal coverage if you're mountain biking or camping up off of Century (aka Mt. Bachelor). Last time I was at Elk Lake, I had 2-3 bars. Hopefully that doesn't change as they convert to GSM.

What has happened to Nextel? My service is so poor these days? I heard the Walkie talkie portion on Sprint / Nextel is going away. Is there any validity to this?

Inside the house, reception is very rarely adequate or useable. Stand outside in the cold and one may receive a couple of bars and able to make or receive a call; however, even that frequently does not work well nor is it dependable. No carrier seems to work well on the west side of Awbrey Butte. Therefore, switching carriers is of no or little help. To work in this area of Bend, a carrier needs a tower west of Awbrey Butte. Other locations in town and the Sprint reception seems to work fine.

Perfect coverage have driven to Summer Lake, and Newport with minimal drops in service. If Sprint Towers are not available I get to use Verizon towers. Best Deal in bend for reception "SPRINT"

ok service with my HTC evo really only have seen 3 bars max in central oregon but the data is always super fast. I dont get good service inside my house which is strange for living near downtown bend.

Sprint has been promising for 5 years now that a tower is coming to SE Bend. Liars. Looking for another service. Looks like US cellular or unicel.

My dream is to complete one call while I have sprint. It has never happened. You have 1 or two bars, enough to make the phone ring, but as soon as you answer, it drops the call. I use my phome as a work phone and get a lot of my calls at home. Lets just say I spend alot of time in the cold outside trying to find reception!

I received the call yet when I move my head the call is dropped. this should not be happening considering how close we are to the towers.

Every time I drive through this area the call drops - but I have full service.