Cell Phone Towers In The Heights

[jamesw]

My phone (AT&T Blackberry) is constantly in "SOS" mode at my house (near 12th and Harvard) so I called AT&T to complain. Their story is that we have to "call the city" to complain (whatever that means) since they weren't allowed to build a tower to cover my area. Yes, I know about the fracas and that there is a suboptimal short tower inside the clock at 11th and Studewood.

Has anyone experienced the same problems and if so what is the solution?

If I switch carriers will that help, or do they all have to share that same short tower?

Cheers

James

[RedScare]

They are pretty much all the same in the Heights due to the foresight of our "enlightened" neighbors. I use Verizon and Clear, and it is not too bad, but I am only 4 blocks from the tower. Given the hue and cry over everything attempted in the Heights, my level of confidence that a standard tower could be built anywhere nearby is near zero. I am confident that those who complain about these things do not have to earn a living, as the impediments erected certainly make it harder to do so.

[samagon]

They are pretty much all the same in the Heights due to the foresight of our "enlightened" neighbors. I use Verizon and Clear, and it is not too bad, but I am only 4 blocks from the tower. Given the hue and cry over everything attempted in the Heights, my level of confidence that a standard tower could be built anywhere nearby is near zero. I am confident that those who complain about these things do not have to earn a living, as the impediments erected certainly make it harder to do so.

obviously you do not get it. I'll make a bullet list:

• cell phone towers create unhealthy traffic in the area
• cell phone towers will cause bridges to collapse
• cell phone towers are going to spoil people's gardens as a result of blocking the sun
• cell phone towers are going to ruin people's views of the night crowned heron's majestic flight paths
• cell phone towers are in no way historic, and as such are not contributing structures

in all seriousness,

my friend that lives up in Spring didn't get good coverage in his house, so he had to buy one of those cell phone repeaters, they work, at boosting the signal rather nicely.

the other option is to join the fracas, make yard signs that show no bars on a cell phone and mention that you want to be able to use the phone and service you paid for.

[Tiko]

Switching carriers might help - I had the same situation with Sprint a few years ago and they let me have free roaming. I live a few blocks north of you. Later I think they upgraded the antennas on the building at 20th and the boulevard and my signal was rock-steady. Lately I switched over to T-Mobile (work phone) and it's a lot shakier.

[Jesse]

I always wondered why my signal went to zilch while at Zelko's. Huh. Good to know.

Here's what you need:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/3gmicrocell.jsp

Call AT&T until they give it to you for free. You'll prob have to call back several times, and keep threatening to leave for another carrier. If you complain enough, they WILL give you one of these for free (assuming you have AT&T internet service, that is)

[samagon]

I always wondered why my signal went to zilch while at Zelko's. Huh. Good to know.

Here's what you need:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/3gmicrocell.jsp

Call AT&T until they give it to you for free. You'll prob have to call back several times, and keep threatening to leave for another carrier. If you complain enough, they WILL give you one of these for free (assuming you have AT&T internet service, that is)

your link didn't work for me, just in case it doesn't for others, this is the page I found:

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/3gmicrocell.jsp?fbid=IhhHh4GqsrK

[jamesw]

Thanks for the info. I'll start my calling "campaign" to AT&T now. I should have done it last week while I was home on leave...

Here's a thought - how about the carriers put some antennas up on that nice new mid-rise going up at 11th and Studewood? Nah, that would make too much sense.

Cheers

James

[ricco67]

Thanks for the info. I'll start my calling "campaign" to AT&T now. I should have done it last week while I was home on leave...

Here's a thought - how about the carriers put some antennas up on that nice new mid-rise going up at 11th and Studewood? Nah, that would make too much sense.

Cheers

James

don't laugh.

If the price is right, you can bet that there would be some towers on that thing within a few years.

[callisthenes]

Here's a thought - how about the carriers put some antennas up on that nice new mid-rise going up at 11th and Studewood? Nah, that would make too much sense.

The new building is next to the "original" Cell Tower, so maybe that block can be designated a Cell Tower Historical District. They can get street signs with a sillouette of an 80s cell phone, and Mayor P can check in via Verizon during the ribbon cutting ceremony ("Can you hear me now?")

[flatline]

The new building is next to the "original" Cell Tower, so maybe that block can be designated a Cell Tower Historical District. They can get street signs with a sillouette of an 80s cell phone, and Mayor P can check in via Verizon during the ribbon cutting ceremony ("Can you hear me now?")

Holy moly that is fantastic . . .

[RedScare]

The new building is next to the "original" Cell Tower, so maybe that block can be designated a Cell Tower Historical District. They can get street signs with a sillouette of an 80s cell phone, and Mayor P can check in via Verizon during the ribbon cutting ceremony ("Can you hear me now?")

Edited June 16, 2011 by RedScare

[MOpens]

Are you sure that is an original? I see a few things that make me think that is a faux phone.

[MOpens]

.

Edited June 17, 2011 by MOpens

[s3mh]

Oh please. Like the cell phone companies are so impoverish that they cannot afford to put up another tower somewhere around the Heights, or bear the crushing expense of spending a few thousand to make the tower inconspicuous. Frankly, the tower was a great idea. Do you think people would be willing to pay $400k for a condo that looked out on a cell tower?

[samagon]

Oh please. Like the cell phone companies are so impoverish that they cannot afford to put up another tower somewhere around the Heights, or bear the crushing expense of spending a few thousand to make the tower inconspicuous.

You're absolutely right, and we the cell phone users are not so impoverished that we cannot afford to foot the additional cost of putting a Victorian age cell phone tower replica in The Heights.

I mean, don't be so daft as to assume that the cost of those pretty cell phone towers wouldn't be passed directly to the consumer.

If you think someone in Charlotte NC is going to approve of paying more for his cell phone coverage to make a number of Heights residents happy, well, that's just silly talk.

Users would end up switching their service due to the increased costs, shareholders would dislike the people who made the decision to make the pretty cell towers, share prices would drop and the company would go out of business, leaving the cell phone towers abandoned and they would eventually topple over on someones residence, probably destroying their garden and taking some of the local herons in the process.

[RedScare]

You're absolutely right, and we the cell phone users are not so impoverished that we cannot afford to foot the additional cost of putting a Victorian age cell phone tower replica in The Heights.

I mean, don't be so daft as to assume that the cost of those pretty cell phone towers wouldn't be passed directly to the consumer.

If you think someone in Charlotte NC is going to approve of paying more for his cell phone coverage to make a number of Heights residents happy, well, that's just silly talk.

Users would end up switching their service due to the increased costs, shareholders would dislike the people who made the decision to make the pretty cell towers, share prices would drop and the company would go out of business, leaving the cell phone towers abandoned and they would eventually topple over on someones residence, probably destroying their garden and taking some of the local herons in the process.

Well, at least once the abandoned and derelict tower toppled over, it would no longer block the sunlight over Proctor Plaza.

[20thStDad]

My calls drop all the time in my house on AT&T and my wife's T-mobile. I thought it was just our extra sturdy construction. It does get better outside, but I've never seen a full set of bars. I am ok if they put one on my damn roof, if they pay me rent for it.

[gratefulrambler]

I live near Zelko's and have had similar issues with AT&T's reception in the area. After about two weeks of calling every other day I finally got AT&T to give me a 3G MicroCell (http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/3gmicrocell.jsp?fbid=NlF9IMxDwrx). My workaround was I paid for the MicroCell in the store ($150ish) but I had them credit my cell phone account including taxes. It took awhile to get them to comply and I even had to threaten to get lawyers involved since they were not honoring their part of the contract, i.e., I pay in good faith to receive services and they, in equally good faith, provide said services. While the MicroCell comes with its own bag 'o issues, it has been a nice solution and I am not cursing under my breath at AT&T every day... now it's only about once a week!

[Stephen]

My phone (AT&T Blackberry) is constantly in "SOS" mode at my house (near 12th and Harvard) so I called AT&T to complain. Their story is that we have to "call the city" to complain (whatever that means) since they weren't allowed to build a tower to cover my area. Yes, I know about the fracas and that there is a suboptimal short tower inside the clock at 11th and Studewood.

Has anyone experienced the same problems and if so what is the solution?

If I switch carriers will that help, or do they all have to share that same short tower?

Cheers

James

If you're so inclined, you could set up a repeater at your pad for a few hundred bucks. not sure on the exact prices but someplace like cellantenna.com could give you more info. you're allowed to set up your own external antenna up to 12 foot above the roofline per FCC rules. more info on that stuff here: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule

[RedScare]

If you're so inclined, you could set up a repeater at your pad for a few hundred bucks. not sure on the exact prices but someplace like cellantenna.com could give you more info. you're allowed to set up your own external antenna up to 12 foot above the roofline per FCC rules. more info on that stuff here: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule

What if it blocks your neighbor's garden?

[jamesw]

After over one hour on the phone with AT&T working my way up the line I finally got them to promise to credit my account once I buy a Microcell. I even got the guy to email me so I have SOMETHING in writing to that effect.

In any case, I bought the Microcell today so I'll let y'all know how it works.

Cheers

James

[Jesse]

Awesome!

Noticed the lack of ATT signal extends all the way to 11th and Yale, too. Weird. Something about 11th. Good luck with the Microcell... I heard it works great.

[SilverJK]

signal is fine on Pecore though... weird

[Heights CPA]

Awesome!

Noticed the lack of ATT signal extends all the way to 11th and Yale, too. Weird. Something about 11th. Good luck with the Microcell... I heard it works great.

After six calls to ATT, I finally got a Microcell. 5 bars baby! BTW, they would not GIVE me one because I was on their map in a strong signal area.

[jamesw]

Yeah - they tried that one with me. I told them I had loaded the "coverage" app on my wife's iPhone and I'd be happy to send them a screenshot showing their sucky coverage. That seemed to work...

Cheers

James