Question:
The Cingular and T-Mobile coverage in my area is very spotty. I'm ready to order TML but I'm worried that some of my shows may be in an area where the modem does not connect. |
 |
Answer:
First, there is one thing to keep in mind, and this goes for ANY venue,
anywhere. If IMU can't receive SMS text messages because the particular
venue has bad cell coverage or whatever, then chances are the people with
mobile phones can't send an SMS either. This is a fundamental thing to keep
in mind... the system "requires" at least some minimal amount of cellular
signal to operate. AND people will mobile phones also require some minimal
amount of cellular signal to send and receive messages as well. HOWEVER,
another thing to keep in mind is that for SMS, you can really get away with
"barely any signal". You can send and receive SMS with a signal level far
below that which would be required for a voice conversation. In fact, people
have told us anecdotes of not being able to communicate by voice, but
sending an SMS message would get through. For example, one guy was stuck in
an elevator -- classic place for not being able to talk on a cell phone. He
tried to call his secretary and the fire department but could not get
through by voice. He sent an SMS to his secretary who then called the fire
department to help get him out of the stuck elevator.
So, some "at least minimal" level of signal is required. That's one constant
to keep in mind.
The next thing to keep in mind is that there are places where there is bad
coverage for only one operator. We have found that T-Mobile has the best
overall GSM coverage. T-Mobile SIMs will work in places where AT&T SIMs
will not. Same phone, same everything. Just a different carrier... So some
carriers have good coverage in areas where other people have bad coverage.
As a person is figuring out whether to go with T-Mobile or AT&T/Cingular (or
Verizon, discussed later), they will hopefully have some idea of the
coverage in their venue, for the particular carriers. As a rule, we would
recommend T-Mobile, as long as there is some "at least minimal" level of
coverage. If T-Mobile is really bad, but AT&T/Cingular is pretty good, then
we would recommend they use AT&T/Cingular. If neither T-Mobile nor
AT&T/Cingular have good coverage, but Verizon has good coverage, then we
MIGHT recommend they go with Verizon.
reason.
|
|
