Apple Stores to have additional antennas to improve reception for Verizon iPhone launch
Following the Verizon iPhone announcement in January it looks like Apple and Verizon surveyed Apple Retail Store to determine which ones needed additional antennas installed to improve Verizon reception.
Not huge news considering big buildings like malls can play havoc with reception and extra antennas are typically used to provide better reception in many of them. It is nice to know Apple and Verizon are doing everything possible to make the launch go as smoothly as possible.
Just remember, it isn't the signal strength at a store you should be paying attention to, but the signal strength at home, at work, at school, and at any other location you frequent. If in doubt ask colleagues, friends, and anyone else using Verizon (or AT&T) in those areas what their reception is like.
Full letter after the break. Pre-orders start tomorrow!
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There are 21 comments. Add yours.
Nice! I can't wait to see if verizon can handle the iPhone. If they can, I'm going to switch when the iPhone 5 comes out.
Additional antennas? I thought their (big red) network was awesome, reliable, stupendous. Wait I see what's going on here. Uh huh
And this is part of the reason why they're as good as they are, not leaving performance to chance.
Exactly, VZW is known for doing this, as well as deploying portable towers at high attendance events.
I need one of these for my crappy AT&T service.
LOL...but I thought the Verizon network worked well everywhere? If that's not true, then...gasp...they might be just another run of the mill cell phone provider!
The funny thing here is that I have amazing AT&T service at Fashion Valley Mall (here in San Diego) where the nearest Apple Store is.
As soon as I leave the mall - it's a "deaaaaaad zoooooone" like the Verizon commercial says.
Exactly... Of course AT&T already has additional antennas/towers setup at many Apple stores. Verizon is simply doing the same.
What about AT&T's customers?
AT&T sucks in NYC... there's no other way around it. Too Many people in new York city as it is for such a small dense area..and nearly everyone has an iPhone. AT&T has failed miserably here in the city.
My gf said we need one of these on our house for her crappy verizon service. Where can I get one? So she has some service and not drop every other call. And people think verizon is so great.
You can get a network extendor for $249.99
And yes we live in new York
Hope it works better than ATT micro cell I paid $150 for at my house, it's all but worthless.
it's a repeater. it costs 5 figures
If your home situation is such that you get good signal outside of the home, but terrible or no signal in the home, you can buy a signal booster rather than a microcell.
The AT&T microcells only support 3G calls. A signal booster supports 2G/3G. That reason alone is enough for one to get the signal booster. The signal booster is no better and slightly worse than the signal you get outside of the house/office/whatever. One probably needs 3 or better bars of signal level outside for it to be effective, but it has the benefit of support all of your phones without registering, GPS-locking of 3G only microcells.
Some people's home or location may be hopeless though. Just too much shielding or interference from various materials in the home.
wow apple is deffinately playing favorites with verizon. anyone agree?
They have similar store based systems for supplementing weaker AT&T signals as well.
No not really. Apple is trying to maximize Verizon iPhone sales. So, the sales campaign needs to be ramped up.
For AT&T, they are going to start drawing down the channel and inventory soon to prepare for iPhone 5.
Not an uncommon idea for some cell stores to have signal boosters. Make it look good in store plus great help with activation. When the BB Storm was activated the Verizon network took a big dump but finally rallied
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