XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.mobile.android, comp.sys.mac.system   
   XPost: alt.internet.wireless   
   From: arlenholder@nospam.net   
      
   On 1 Sep 2018 07:19:17 GMT, sms wrote:   
      
   > Not sure where you are, but in Northern California I've found the   
   > Verizon maps to be very conservative. I've had coverage in areas where   
   > the map shows no coverage, and never lacked coverage where the map shows   
   > coverage. There's one particularly bad area along I-280 where Verizon is   
   > the only carrier without a dead zone, even though no carrier shows a   
   > dead zone there. The T-Mobile map shows the level falling from excellent   
   > to good, but in reality there is no coverage. The AT&T map shows   
   > coverage even though there is no coverage. Sprint shows native 4G LTE   
   > and I can't comment on whether or not it is correct because I have no   
   > Sprint phones.   
      
   I'm in the same general areas as is sms, where I drive I280 to go to San   
   Francisco or more often to the airport below San Francsicso, where I use   
   T-Mobile and I haven't "noticed" coverage drops - but - I'm sure they're   
   there as I have not run any tests whatsoever.   
      
   The good news is that a reasonably accurate single-blind test *can* be   
   made, since freeware apps abound (for Android only, I believe) which will   
   *log* the unique cell ID, signal strength, and even the specific antenna in   
   an array on the actual cellular tower you're connected to into a text file.   
      
   While I drive all over Silicon Valley and don't feel the need to change   
   carriers, I've had all three major carriers over the years in this area and   
   have found them to be "about the same" for where I drive and hike.   
      
   Nonetheless, I'll run that cellular wardriving test for sms on T-Mobile the   
   next time I make a run to the airport, which "should" show any dropouts   
   since I prefer I280 (when almost everyone else prefers "the" 101.   
      
   Note: Californians tend to use the word "the" in front of "101" but I hate   
   that highway (they use the word "freeway") so I'll go a few miles out of my   
   way to take I280 to I380 to "the" 101 for about 1/2 mile to get to the SFO   
   airport to run my cellular wardriving test using Android freeware.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)