Live in Barracks West, just past Georgetown off Barracks Rd and getting a usable signal in my apartment is virtually impossible--I can't get reception downstairs at all and am typically on one bar (or less) upstairs. In general, I've found Cingular's coverage in Charlottesville to be spotty at best. Reception on major thoroughfares is decent for the most part, but once you leave them cross your fingers and hope for the best.

I didn't really have too much trouble with my cell phone service when I lived in town (near UVA, along Jefferson Park Avenue). Calls rarely if ever got dropped, and there were only occasional times when my calls would be spotty. I usually had five signal bars. Now over hear in my new neighborhood and apt, my calls routinely get dropped. If I'm lucky I have one or two reception bars and my phone often starts roaming. I can't carry on a normal cell conversation in my apt with o it either getting dropped or fading in and out very badly. Sprint needs to put up more towers in the South Side (Southwest) side of Charlottesville! Sometimes, it is also annoying that, (often) I can hear the other person clear as a bell, but they can't hear me at all. Very frustrating.

I traded in my Alltel Motorola phone for US Cellular and found greatly improved reception in the Red Hills / Rt 29 South area. The Fontaine Ext / Reservoir Rd.area is pretty bad but at least now I have one bar and have found one spot on the porch I can use to make and receive calls.

Call reception quality generally poor so that person on other end has difficulties understanding. Calls rarely dropped however.

I lose Alltel service, for all intents and purposes, just south of I-66 on Rte 29 South even before Red Hill. Ditto just west of Rte 29 on Fontaine Extended and North of Ruckersville almost to Gainesville toward DC. I understand the Nokia receives better service from Alltel but I'm not willing to buy a phone just to test that theory. Looks like I might try US Cellular, judging from the comments here.

Frequent dropped calls indoors, especially when located away from windows. On central grounds outdoors, 4-5 bars and good reception is common. Lower floors in most academic buildings gives 0-1 bars (phone is basically unusable).

I live in Four Seasons off of Hydraulic Rd. and I can't even drive to my house from any directions without dropping a call. I only have one to two bars at my house and then only when I'm upstairs. I drop calls ALL THE TIME! I live in town so there should be good service but T-Mobile has failed me in all respects. The only place my phone works is right on 29 in town, at the mall, and downtown. But let me tell you it's not the phone you'd want to have if you suddenly got stuck on the side of the road because chances are you'd never be able to get it to work when you needed it...

u.s. cellular has great reception in the town of Charlottesville. U. S. Cellular is the best.

I work for OneStop Cellular in Fashion Square Mall. I sell 4 carriers, Alltel, Cingular, Nextel, NTelos (and until recently T-Mobile). Out of all my carriers Alltel has by far the best signal. I have a digital only phone, meaning it won't pick up on old analog signals in rural areas, and I have only lost my signal once, not only traveling through out the entire state of VA but the entire east coast (and I travel every week). I only lost signal for 3 minutes in Gordonsville, due to no towers in that area due to restrictions on building cell towers. My phone even gets a digital signal in Nelson County, way, way off the road at my mother's cabin. The Alltel network INCLUDES the Verizon and Sprint networks, meaning you can use any of thoe towers for FREE. Plus, there's no roaming on your home sate's towers, no matter the carrier! All my Alltel customers come back happy and out of all carriers I love this one the most. If you ever are interested in any service, come to a store like ours and let us show you the coverage maps side by side!

Everywhere in and around Charlottesville, I have perfect service on the extended network. I was told that Verizon uses Alltel towers in the area, so the service with them should be great as well.

I had US Cellular and a usable, if weak signal. I changed to Sprint and had no signal. Even 400 yards off I-64 on Dick Woods Rd heading towards Ivy I get no Sprint signal.

My phone is useless exept for SMS or as a pager! Can't even talk to people with 5 bar reception in areas such as Richmond.

Coverage with Verizon's extended network is good in Charlottesville but spotty in the surrounding county. Coverage is still far better than with Sprint which I used to have and discontinued because its poor national and local coverage (e.g. no receptions in many large airports). Although Veriszon doesn't sell phones in Charlottesville and I had to get the phone near DC and have a 703 area code, I am much more satisfied iwth Verizon than with Sprint. Verizon has great national coverage too.

Not very good reception in the souhtern area of Albemarle county. OK around town, but south if red hill rd spotty at best.

Over two years with Alltel (CDMA) I am extremely happy with the coverage. I stay on Digital only mode for extended battery life and get good reception every where intown, north, east and west. There are a few spotty areas south of I64, but it is acceptable. Alltel's customer service - both local and their 800 number has been good. I would like to go to GSM, so I am waiting for Verizon to build out their service area.

With all the negative reviews here, and glowing Alltel, I think I needed to add a non-shill opinion. When I canceled my 2-year contract with Alltel after over 2 years, they tried to bill me over $200 of invented termination charges. Wireless coverage was good, true, but many calls dropped, clicky sounds and difficult connections were the norm. And mostly, Alltel customer service was abysmal. T-mobile in Charlottesville has *very slightly* less coverage, but connections are quicker and especially, customer service has been very good. All in all, T-Mobile is much better.

No reception indoors in JPA. one to two bars in Hereford College as long as you keep window open. Don't get this carrier! Good reception outdoors on campus though.

T-mobile does not work there either. Our daughter was at a friends house and we were unable to get a hold of her. She told us the phone had no bars. Not too good. T-Mobile better get their act together! I will be changing soon!

Spotty coverage at best. Do not get T-moblie no matter what the Sam's Club Rep says. The service is horrible and the customer service is lacking!

This is the worst coverage I have ever had. We were sold a bill of goods. I will cancel my contract as soon as I can. What ever you do, do not get T-moblie. They should rename it T-not very mobile!