Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
Maela
Newbie

Can you hear me now?

I chose Verizon as my wireless service provider more than ten years ago based on their wide range of coverage throughout the U.S. I remember standing in the store looking at all the service providers' maps of coverage and Verizon was hands down the most comprehensive, so I went with them way back then and have stuck with them all these years, even through a couple of troublesome times in terms of service and billing.

In the past couple of years I've noticed more and more lapses in coverage. When I bought my house six years ago here in a central (not rural) area of Colorado, I had decent Verizon service in my home (usually three bars), but it's gotten worse and worse this past year -- one or two bars, if I'm lucky. And now barely one. Today it's been none at all. I missed a super important work call tonight as a result. Should I change providers???

I heard from a friend that there is a way to dial in and get your phone aligned with the closest cell tower, but I've been searching this site for the past hour and cannot find instructions on how to do that. Verizon chat service is apparently not currently available.

Glad I still have my Comcast land line connected...

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Re: Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
budone
Legend

If it is a 4G device, the info updates on it's own. If a 3G device, dial *228 and choose option 1. Many say choose option 2, which you can, but I always felt 1 was a better option.

If you do have a 3G device, what you may be seeing is the tower being updated partially to 4G. To do so a 3G antenna in most cases needs to be removed. And if that antenna happened to be pointing your direction, then yes service would deteriorate.

If you have a 4G device, I would call tech support from your landline and have them file a ticket to check the tower.

800-922-0204, option 3.

Re: Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
jshull0
Enthusiast - Level 3

I think most of it has to do with the fact that certain antennas get removed form towers to make room for those 4g lte antennas.  Add realigning of antennas and added capacity due to antennas that were removed and it can cause these undesirable situations.  I noticed this when LTE was being installed a few years back in Colorado Springs, and I feel your pain.  I hope when all gets said and done with LTE things will get better, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.  If it wasn't for my grandfathered unlimited data I would be over at AT&T in a heartbeat, their network has been kicking butt and taking names recently.

Re: Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
AFCapp
Enthusiast - Level 1

I used to have decent coverage....until a few months ago....then all of a sudden my area (house) went from good coverage to almost none at all.....all of a sudden we became a "marginal" coverage area....but for $250.00 we can buy a network extender to maybe get back the coverage in and around the home that we used to have.....R U KIDDING ME?????......Thats what a tech guy told me.....im starting to get really agitated with them.....you cant have something screw up for whatever reason and then expect your customers to have to buy something so they can have the service they used to have.....what really gets me is my niece came over with her AT&T phone and she has 3G throughout the house.....explain the Verizon!!!

Re: Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
budone
Legend
What device do you use?  If a 3G device, it could very well be a 3G antenna pointing your direction was removed to add a 4G antenna.  Or it can simply be with spring and summer. The trees have filled out and has lowered the strength of the signal reaching you
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Re: Verizon coverage ... has it deteriorated over time?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hey there AFCapp,

I am sorry for the decreased signal that you have experienced within your area. We want to exhaust all of our resources to get you back up and running like you were used to.

A network extender is a great device to improve service indoors, but before we offer you one let's actually confirm that you need it.

Did we already file a ticket with out network repair team? What zip code is this occuring in? Does the signal issue primarily occur indoors?

Budone does bring up some valid points as to why the signal has decreased, but let's take a closer look to confirm what is causing these issues and determine the best course of action to resolve your concerns.

NicholasB_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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