Author Topic: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]  (Read 5956 times)

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Offline LtCommanderRichie

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Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« on: August 24, 2010, 07:54:48 pm »
I didn't.

I could be in the lobby and get no bars, then step outside to the sidewalk and have five and a 3G connection.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2010, 07:18:40 pm by JeffT »

Offline reppy

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2010, 08:01:32 pm »
Yeah, I got signal too.  I think it depends on your provider.  I use Verizon now and get great service in areas I no got almost no service in while using T-Mobile.

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Offline kylite

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2010, 08:08:20 pm »
Verizon = yes, nextel = yes, all others = no

what to expect: insanity in large doses
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Offline thesirensings

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2010, 08:23:25 pm »
Verizon = yes, nextel = yes, all others = no

what to expect: insanity in large doses
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Offline ishpumalibu

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2010, 09:13:09 pm »
Verizon = yes, nextel = yes, all others = no

what to expect: insanity in large doses


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Offline JeffT

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2010, 10:13:49 pm »
Verizon = yes, nextel = yes, all others = no

what to expect: insanity in large doses

There are either repeaters or a cell site underground for a CDMA carrier--perhaps Sprint, due to them owning Nextel, which the hotel uses (and definitely has repeaters for Nextel's iDEN network)--and those of you on CDMA carriers with roaming agreements with the provider that natively has coverage, also benefit from this. This includes Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular, and perhaps others. It does not include AT&T or T-Mobile, as those providers use GSM, not CDMA.

This also is why if the convention can get Nextel rentals squared away for staff, it will be very awesome--much better than using radios. Sakura-Con has had this for years and it's great. It's incredibly cool that you can be on the "radio" when you're 6 levels underground in a parking garage in a hotel several blocks away. Or driving across town.
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Offline Cyprus

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2010, 08:57:57 am »
I had no issues with my T-Mobile phone last years con...

Offline Wafflez

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2010, 09:06:10 am »
So a person who has sprint should expect to not have service?

Offline taz77

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2010, 09:32:47 am »
Sprint/Nextel will work fine. 

Offline JeffT

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2010, 02:47:45 pm »
So a person who has sprint should expect to not have service?

See my above post, already answered.

Sprint/Nextel will work fine. 

These are on different networks, one working does not imply the other working, but they do both happen to work, most likely due to repeaters for both networks.
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Offline Washougal_Otaku

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Re: What should I expect?
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2010, 07:15:52 pm »
Verizon = yes, nextel = yes, all others = no

what to expect: insanity in large doses

I've got AT&T, and it worked just fine except in the dealer's hall and the elevators.
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Offline superjaz

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2010, 07:36:33 pm »
I have t mobile it sucked
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Offline pyronine

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2010, 08:26:15 pm »
It's funny last year i had reception everywhere including the sub basement, i had a dealer have to use my phone to do a transaction cause he didnt have service.

I love Verizon
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2010, 08:36:51 pm »
So my Cricket would basically be worthless?

That is so not okay with me.

WTH?

Why on G-d's green earth would a hotel screw its patrons like that?

(Jeff, I love ya but lack the tech savvy to understand your post, above.)
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Offline JeffT

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2010, 11:06:13 pm »
So my Cricket would basically be worthless?

That is so not okay with me.

WTH?

Why on G-d's green earth would a hotel screw its patrons like that?

(Jeff, I love ya but lack the tech savvy to understand your post, above.)

How is that the hotel's fault? If the signal doesn't reach underground, then it doesn't reach underground. To repeat the signal, the hotel would have to pay for separate equipment for each provider, which very few businesses do for the sake of customer use. They probably do it for Nextel and Sprint's CDMA network because their employees use them.
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Offline @random

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2010, 04:06:05 am »
I have t mobile it sucked

Ditto, though that could be because I have an old decrepit dinosaur of a phone.  ;)
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Offline superjaz

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2010, 01:07:33 pm »
Last year my phone was shiny new didn't seem to matter
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Offline Shadow

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2010, 01:18:16 pm »
I had no trouble what-so-ever with reception at the hotel as well as in the parking garage. Then again I have Verizon. :B

For those of you with less than stellar reception, just make sure at least one of your friends you'll be with all day has reliable service. It'll cut down on paranoia as well as help your other friends/family be able to get a hold of you.

And don't forget those phone chargers!


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Offline Washougal_Otaku

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2010, 02:28:09 pm »
And don't forget those phone chargers!

And don't LOSE them, either!  Keep them in your hotel room, if you can!
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Offline superjaz

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #19 on: August 27, 2010, 09:06:28 pm »
and if you need to send a message to some one try a text as it might eventualy make its way to you and enought reception to send it, where calls can be lost
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Offline Sui Fong

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #20 on: August 27, 2010, 10:31:11 pm »
i have att and had no reception problems last year. it sux to get separated from friends, when i did i used messages, cause like everyone keeps saying, it's WAYYY too loud to be calling anyone. even had a few bars in the parking garage.
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #21 on: August 29, 2010, 11:37:49 am »
Jeff, I did state that I don't have the tech savvy to understand the process. If there were anything a hotel did do to minimize reception, or did not do that they affordably could do to maximize reception, that was the thought that would elicit that response. Hotels do make such decisions as whether or not to allow programming areas to be a wi-fi hot spot or to make people pay through the teeth to access wi-fi, as well as whether the computers they provide for patrons are free in a business office (such as at Doubletree) or charge through the teeth with a minimum $20 deposit (such as at Hilton). As far as I knew, they could have made a similar decision to not have the most universal access for some other reason that would make them money.

Am I to understand that it is only on the levels that are below ground that there will be problems using cell phones, then?

There were definitely situations in the CS last year that were successfully managed because of the ability to quickly text/call staff. This is one reason for the concern (& yes I've changed phones & carriers since then for $ reasons). The other thing is that if it is the lower-level floors in both buildings that lack cell access for many, if not most, patrons, then perhaps we could have some signage that alerts people to this possibility, and perhaps when people check in with kids they could also be alerted to this. I could easily imagine parents worrying unnecessarily that their kids have left the hotel, because they can't reach them by phone/text, when they've simply wandered into a cell-phone-dead-zone.
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Offline vampirek_yaoi

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #22 on: August 29, 2010, 11:41:01 am »
i hack into the hotel WiFi and my internet and phone worked fine. I have tmoble

Offline LexManos

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #23 on: August 29, 2010, 12:05:51 pm »
If there were anything a hotel did do to minimize reception,
Just to make it clear it it highly unlikely that they sat down and said 'Ok now, how can we messup phone reception today!' Its just the nature of how wireless communications work, they don't like going through solid objects.

or did not do that they affordably could do to maximize reception, that was the thought that would elicit that response. Hotels do make such decisions as whether or not to allow programming areas to be a wi-fi hot spot or to make people pay through the teeth to access wi-fi, as well as whether the computers they provide for patrons are free in a business office (such as at Doubletree) or charge through the teeth with a minimum $20 deposit (such as at Hilton). As far as I knew, they could have made a similar decision to not have the most universal access for some other reason that would make them money.
There is a difference however, for Wi-Fi they can sell the network key, or time on there computers, they can not sell time for there cell phone repeaters. Repeaters range form $250-$5,000+ depending on how good of a one you want to get.
Then you have to multiply that by how many will be needed to cover the entire hotel. That comes out to a large chunk of change for something that they get no additional direct revenue from. (The word-of-mouth praise might result in a few more bookings, but they are the hilton they are big enough to not need that as desperately as other hotels)

They could actually setup there own Cell Phone tower, and let patrons use that. And if you have that level of control over the tower you can filter who you want to give access to who you want and deny who you don't. So they could make money off of that, but they would have to pay thousands for the hardware itself, and probably thousands more to the cell phone companies to make the contracts and its all a big headache and a risk that nobody cares enough to pay MORE to use there phone.

It sucks for businesses to have to go the legal route, because I for one know how to setup that system for under $1500 in parts. Completely illegal but I know how to do it.

Am I to understand that it is only on the levels that are below ground that there will be problems using cell phones, then?
We can not garentee that, personally my phone works for calls for all but the parking area/exec tower. Texts work all over the place. But thats the point of this thread, different carrier/phone combinations produce different signal strengths.

There were definitely situations in the CS last year that were successfully managed because of the ability to quickly text/call staff. This is one reason for the concern (& yes I've changed phones & carriers since then for $ reasons).
This year staff will most likely be having nextel, I am not sure how they will be distributed, but its the same system the hotel staff uses and they have repeaters in for them specifically so they should work all over the place for staff-staff communication if needed. I'm not sure who is exactly in charge of them to ask how they are being distributed.

The other thing is that if it is the lower-level floors in both buildings that lack cell access for many, if not most, patrons, then perhaps we could have some signage that alerts people to this possibility, and perhaps when people check in with kids they could also be alerted to this. I could easily imagine parents worrying unnecessarily that their kids have left the hotel, because they can't reach them by phone/text, when they've simply wandered into a cell-phone-dead-zone.
This might be a good idea, but a lot of the time, people with cell phones know that going underground will hurt there reception. And with all the different combinations of phones/services, we cant say exactly how strong the signals will be.
« Last Edit: August 29, 2010, 12:22:32 pm by LexManos »

Offline RemSaverem

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2010, 10:20:51 pm »
Thanks, that was a fabulous answer that I could understand, & also since you mentioned it,  I'm very impressed that you would know how to set something like that up.
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Offline Washougal_Otaku

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #25 on: August 29, 2010, 10:39:45 pm »
If there were anything a hotel did do to minimize reception,
Just to make it clear it it highly unlikely that they sat down and said 'Ok now, how can we messup phone reception today!' Its just the nature of how wireless communications work, they don't like going through solid objects.

or did not do that they affordably could do to maximize reception, that was the thought that would elicit that response. Hotels do make such decisions as whether or not to allow programming areas to be a wi-fi hot spot or to make people pay through the teeth to access wi-fi, as well as whether the computers they provide for patrons are free in a business office (such as at Doubletree) or charge through the teeth with a minimum $20 deposit (such as at Hilton). As far as I knew, they could have made a similar decision to not have the most universal access for some other reason that would make them money.
There is a difference however, for Wi-Fi they can sell the network key, or time on there computers, they can not sell time for there cell phone repeaters. Repeaters range form $250-$5,000+ depending on how good of a one you want to get.
Then you have to multiply that by how many will be needed to cover the entire hotel. That comes out to a large chunk of change for something that they get no additional direct revenue from. (The word-of-mouth praise might result in a few more bookings, but they are the hilton they are big enough to not need that as desperately as other hotels)

They could actually setup there own Cell Phone tower, and let patrons use that. And if you have that level of control over the tower you can filter who you want to give access to who you want and deny who you don't. So they could make money off of that, but they would have to pay thousands for the hardware itself, and probably thousands more to the cell phone companies to make the contracts and its all a big headache and a risk that nobody cares enough to pay MORE to use there phone.

It sucks for businesses to have to go the legal route, because I for one know how to setup that system for under $1500 in parts. Completely illegal but I know how to do it.

Am I to understand that it is only on the levels that are below ground that there will be problems using cell phones, then?
We can not garentee that, personally my phone works for calls for all but the parking area/exec tower. Texts work all over the place. But thats the point of this thread, different carrier/phone combinations produce different signal strengths.

There were definitely situations in the CS last year that were successfully managed because of the ability to quickly text/call staff. This is one reason for the concern (& yes I've changed phones & carriers since then for $ reasons).
This year staff will most likely be having nextel, I am not sure how they will be distributed, but its the same system the hotel staff uses and they have repeaters in for them specifically so they should work all over the place for staff-staff communication if needed. I'm not sure who is exactly in charge of them to ask how they are being distributed.

The other thing is that if it is the lower-level floors in both buildings that lack cell access for many, if not most, patrons, then perhaps we could have some signage that alerts people to this possibility, and perhaps when people check in with kids they could also be alerted to this. I could easily imagine parents worrying unnecessarily that their kids have left the hotel, because they can't reach them by phone/text, when they've simply wandered into a cell-phone-dead-zone.
This might be a good idea, but a lot of the time, people with cell phones know that going underground will hurt there reception. And with all the different combinations of phones/services, we cant say exactly how strong the signals will be.

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Offline ocb777

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #26 on: August 31, 2010, 08:11:17 am »
To directly answer someones question about cricket, I had it last year. I had a Kyocera lingo with a broken battery so I had 2 hours per charge.

It was notoriously bad about ringing or delivering messages in gerenal, but I did have enough service to make a call from the executive tower basement and was txting semi efficiently from the game room (like 30th floor or something.) otherwise I was basically buggered for service. but considering I only got 1 bar in my home, I was used to it.

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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #27 on: August 31, 2010, 11:25:50 am »
Thanks. I might borrow my Dad's Verizon. It might work (though it won't have texts).
« Last Edit: September 07, 2010, 03:19:09 pm by RemSaverem »
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Offline Agent47

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #28 on: September 06, 2010, 08:01:52 pm »
I got signal quite well, with my Droid X with Verizon. Actually, pretty any everywhere above ground level, I had 3-4 bars, and when in the garage entrance, I basically had 2-4 bars if I could see out of the garage. Once I got within about 20 feet of the merchant hall entrance, I lost signal.
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #29 on: September 07, 2010, 03:20:35 pm »
I could hear my (Cricket) phone ring, but words exchanged were not comprehensible. Texts worked on the 3rd floor relatively reliably, sometimes with delay. So-so on Ballroom floor.
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Offline DemonSpawn

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #30 on: September 07, 2010, 09:09:30 pm »
Ballroom: Only had service next to the escalators.
Gaming: None. Period.
Dealer's Hall: ^
Everywhere else: Seemed fine.
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Offline Akemi_Idane

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #31 on: September 07, 2010, 10:49:27 pm »
I had service basically everywhere and I'm on verizion, Droid Eris.
It was spotty in the game room, but that was all.

Offline nikkiolie

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #32 on: September 07, 2010, 10:52:21 pm »
I totally got a phone call in the dealers room :3

Offline superjaz

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #33 on: September 08, 2010, 09:30:50 am »
I found one spot in the ballroom that I had a bar of signal!
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Offline Hanamaru

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #34 on: September 13, 2010, 01:34:02 pm »
Ugh, this is one thing about the con that bothered me a lot last year DX

Thanks to the game room being in the basement parking this time, I didn't have to suffer not reaching my group xD

Offline Pots

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #35 on: September 28, 2010, 03:54:06 pm »
i got signal not in the gaming room though. I have at&t

Offline MichaelEvans

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Re: Cell phone reception at con [split topic]
« Reply #36 on: October 01, 2010, 08:30:07 pm »
Gaming was, as I called it the entire convention, moved down in to the deepest depths of the pit (I usually shortened this slightly).  The Valet parking garage is even beneath that hotel's machine floor (probably ramp/support issues), and all the concrete, rebar, machinery and etc probably quite effectively isolated any normal power device and drained many a battery ;p.  I think only the things actually using the hotel's repeaters would even work at all.
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