It's clear that this new age of the cell phone is a giant scam. I knew it when Cingular and before ATT wireless was so eager to push me into the "new" great thing called GSM. It's really simple, in order to create what they hope is a huge extra profit stream from mindless and unnecessary functions, beyond making voice calls and text messaging. I had a Motorola V60 for three years, it performed like a dream everywhere in Oregon. The phone took tons of abuse. I was was using of the "old" bad technology. I would rate the reliability at 99.5%. Of course, the phone eventually wore out. Then I get the flyer welcoming me to join the new phone elite, 6 billion dollars invested in the network, new way cool Razr phone, rollover, on the B.S. goes in the flyer. I think well maybe, just maybe, my theory is wrong, maybe this will be good, give it a shot. From day one the nightmare begins, from all points within a 3 mile radius of my home the phone cannot get and keep a signal strong enough for me to be able to hear. even with the volume maxed. Mind you, this is Lake Oswego, mind you my junk V60 with the "bum" old technology never had this problem, having been dropped at least 500 times and the antenna being superglued back to the unit. So, I call Cingular having just received the new GSM phone, tell them I have major problems, they say we'll send you another phone, another Nokia, same problem. Now I know it's the network. I don't like the massive radiation of the Nokia so I say swtich me to a Razr because even if you can get the network problem fixed I still don't want this Nokia, so they send me a Razr. Tech support then calls me and says the network problem should be fixed. Try your phone tomorrow it should work great. Guess what it's still sucks. So now I know to throw in the towel on them, it surely is the glorious GSM working it's magic. I can do everything except make a call with the phone. wonderful! I am renting a camera, glued to an ipod, stapled to a web browser but I can't call the pharmacy. If I were 14 years old I would be amused but I am not. The trick is that in order to allow for all the nonsense features of photos, web browsing, music downloads, and all the rest of it, ALL the companies had to degrade the quality of a key element, the basic phone call. Bandwidth is not infinite, so the more crap they pack into the signal the less there is available for making just a basic call. The junk features are taking up all the resources, so now there is no room for the actual phone call. Sounds crackpot huh? Well, how about if I told you I canned Cingular and just today switched to T-Mobile and I now have the same exact same problem. I am going to be going back a pager real soon. Signed, disgusted. If anybody knows of an old fashioned actual cell phone carrier that is interested in getting paid to simply facilitate phone calls please post it here.

In my apartment here, reception averages 2 bars. By going out into the parking lot, I might average 3 bars on a good day. If the phone conversation lasts for 10 minutes, chances are 1 in 3 that the call will drop. If the conversation goes for 20 minutes, chances increase to 1 in 2. If the conversation lasts longer, the call WILL drop. Multiple times. The cell tower database on this website indicates that the 2 closest poles in a downhill direction are owned by Cingular and AT&T. If it weren't for this little fact, then I would have cancelled my contract already. With the possible exception of T-Mobile, there doesn't seem to be good phone karma here. Guess I'll just have to deal with it for the rest of my time here in bug-infested Mountain Park.

I've always had pretty good luck with AT&T's TDMA service in the Portland area. There are a few dead spots in malls, low-lying areas, etc. but for the most part I have a good signal and I never drop calls. I think their TDMA coverage is just as good as any service here in town. GSM may be a different story.

No reception in Mountain Park, Lake Oswego... across from PCC Sylvania. AT&T sucks. Many days and nights of frustration. If I'm lucky I will get to speak to somebody for about 2 minutes without be disconnected (at thats on a GOOD day). People try to call me and my phone says "This Phone Number Is No Longer In Service" to them, when they were just talking to me! Phone cuts off every minute. I spend far more time trying to reconnect and call back than I do speaking to my friends. Even at work in Tualatin I barely manage to a get a bar or two.

As long as we stay put, our GSM signal and call quality are OK. If my wife wants to go out for a "walk and talk" using her phone in the Stephenson School neighborhood, the call quality suffers severely and the calls drop. My take on GSM is that if you get a good signal, don't move! That doesn't make it the best choice for folks on the go. I understand AT&T is attempting to beef up their network but for now, CDMA with analog (multimode phone) is the best choice. Looks like I may need to give Verizon a call.

I've had ATT TDMA for 9 years! It has worked well here in LO, on the mountain, in thne gorge, and at the coast. Last year, I tried their GSM plan and had NO reception at my home-that lasted one day and I returned all four phones. They refuse to upgrade me without a contract renewal even though I've been with them for almost 10 years. I'd really like free evenings and weekends (tho I effectively have free weekends with my weekend minutes). I am currently without contract so have a free move but have struggled with the alternatives. I get an 8% discount because of my employer. Verizon seems ok but charges $20 per extra line (and I have a total of 3 phones). All the other providers charge $10. Sprint is inexpensive but their native network is limited. T-Mobile has terrible coverage outside the Portland metro area.

Excellent reception. I've never had a dropped call in LO with Nextel. (Previously had Cingular and had many dropped calls.) On rare occasions I get a busy signal trying to call out.

My Nextel phone works measurably better than those of my wife and children who are on Cingular.

It seems that reception is fine around here until after 6 pm, when suddenly I am either roaming or have no reception at all. I have stopped trying to make phone calls on my cell after 6 if I want to talk for more than 2 minutes because I know they will be dropped.

A consistent dead Spot. Sprint has always had poor coverage. The phone itself seems to work fine, but the call quality of the Sprint network is scratchy, not to mention the sporadic dead spots.