When looking at a home, there are certain criteria many consider: home layout, location, school district, price, neighborhood etc.
Having moved into our new place, I was reminded of another criteria that is growing in importance.......cell phone reception. Our home in the D.C. area, as well as our rental in Serrano both had terrible cell phone and radio reception.
It's something you kinda learn to live with....but it can be a big inconvenience, especially for friends or family that are visiting (you have to go outside to make or receive calls). For example, it caused my cousin serious anxiety as he waited for a callback on a job offer. He just graduated UCD and was staying with us for several days.
We probably wouldn't even have a home line if it weren't for my work needs. In fact, quite a few of my friends and family members have gone cell only. It's a great way to save $$, but is only viable if you get good reception at your home.
Our new place is up on a small ridge, so we now get much better cell and radio reception. Just one more thing to love about our new place =)
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4 comments:
Funny, we have that on our criteria too. We use AT&T and my wife checks the EDGE Network and I check the 3G one.
We have gone cell only since 2005 and have had no issues so far.
We have a back-up Go-Phone from AT&T for guests and if something happens to our phones we can switch the SIM card.
You can always get a booster antenna and stick in on your roof.
Jacob - How does the booster antenna work? How much are they?
There are some antennas for under $100 or you can get a full antenna / repeater system and stick the antenna on your roof.
http://www.alternativewireless.com/cellular-antennas/wilson-antennas/wilson_cellular_amplifiers/wilson-smart-tech-building-cellular-amplifier.html
Those start at around $400 it seems.
If you get no signal at all it may not help, but if you get a weak signal it looks like it can boost it 1-2 bars.
I am not sure how they actually work, but I would think that the antenna is better at getting a signal and then amplifies and repeats the signal and you cell is able to pick that up much better.
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