Were people able to get internet with ATT / Verizon today?

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 6:59 pm

Did the ATT and Verizon cellphone internet keep working during today's 12-hour DSL outage?

Myles & Sally · Post by **Myles & Sally** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 7:48 pm

Never works on Lake G. What's the issue?

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 7:58 pm

Not sure what the exact issue was - I didn't want to bother Rick while he was working to fix things so I only called the 888-837-3050 tech support number a few times and all they knew was that a "circuit was down". The DSL modems themselves were connected today but no data would move beyond Beaver Island from 6:30 am to 6:49 pm.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 8:02 pm

P.S. how recently have you checked?

AT&T has updated their coverage map on their website as of this spring/summer (http://www.att.com/maps/wireless-covera ... zc6xFRHU14) I'm not sure where or how they get the data for their coverage map or why they updated it, but it now shows much more coverage than it did last year at this time.

2014 AT&T Data Coverage Map (accuracy unknown, screenshot from the ATT website)

2014 AT&T Voice Coverage Map (accuracy unknown, screenshot from the ATT website)

medic5740 · Post by **medic5740** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:56 pm

Jeff-

Cellphones with data plans worked just fine during the outage by TDS. I was able to check email, etc. using the cellphone. I am glad we are back up and operating though. No video uploads or large photo albums through the cellphone though.

Joe

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 3:45 am

Thanks very much. I couldn't get detailed information on how the AT&T coverage map is generated/tested, but they offered a 14-day trial so I thought I'd give it a try on the 3rd to see what might have changed. I finally got the AT&T SIM card this week, and the signal isn't very strong, but I do seem to be able to get a 4G signal! (unfortunately, I thought I'd try with an apple-certified pre-owned iphone5 to not break the bank to test with, and I got one that powers off every 3 minutes... so that wasn't a great decision.)

From Cable's Bay
field test mode (*3001#12345#*) signal strength -92 about 12' above the lake outside pointing to the mainland.
-99 (works) inside to -108 (intermittent connection/doesn't work)
Tested with signal strength -99 (which means putting the phone in my highest window)

198.228.228.153 | 6.38 Mb/s Download | 1.23 Mb/s Upload | 80 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi
198.228.228.153 | 7.10 Mb/s Download | 1.31 Mb/s Upload | 80 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi
198.228.228.153 | 6.76 Mb/s Download | 1.26 Mb/s Upload | 79 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi
198.228.228.153 | 6.94 Mb/s Download | 1.22 Mb/s Upload | 80 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi
198.228.228.153 | 6.50 Mb/s Download | 1.28 Mb/s Upload | 80 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi

Seems to work better with some elevation and doesn't work far from the beach. Voice doesn't seem to be very strong (voice calls fail about 1/2 of the time). I had tested with a tracphone before that I thought would go on the AT&T network but it didn't even register a voice connection - showed emergency calls only and wouldn't dial 611 for phone info - on the south end so the iphone seems to pick up the signal much better.)

From Barney's Lake Road
signal strength is a little better and easier to acquire by far and works anywhere in and around the house but data speeds are slower
166.137.101.159 | 1.82 Mb/s Download | 0.49 Mb/s Upload | 100 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi
166.137.101.175 | 2.54 Mb/s Download | 0.29 Mb/s Upload | 100 ms | Chicago, IL ~ 550 mi

Of course, TDS has been rock solid and hasn't been down for me since the 3rd when I decided to pursue this for a backup... but I thought it would be good to test this for emergencies.

There are a few apps such as http://opensignal.com/ that would be interesting if they had more data points here too.

dtritsch · Post by **dtritsch** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:45 am

Despite the new ATT map, I still have no service at the northern end of Donegal Bay.

Matthew Hill · Post by **Matthew Hill** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:38 pm

Can a map which shows a Beaver-High Island ferry be trusted?
Matthew Hill

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:50 pm

Sure -- for arrival and departure times, walk the beach and look for someone standing on the roof waving a cellphone looking for a signal

( http://www.rootmetrics.com and http://www.sensorly.com might also be interesting but no data points here yet)

BI Pirate · Post by **BI Pirate** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:06 pm

Matt, You can trust the map. The High Island Ferry is for real, just ask my mate, Capt. R. Burris, the skipper in charge who has made several hundred trips. In fact, MDOT told me if they build a bridge from Whiskey Island to Squaw Island they will erect cell towers on it that should cover from BI to the UP.

Beaver Island Jewelry · Tue Jul 29, 2014 2:27 pm

So how do we get better internet and cell coverage on this island? I am getting sick of slow internet (seems like Baroque, 4th of July, etc) too little bandwidth when lots of people are here.

Just what do we do to get better service here???

And I have no cell coverage at my house E. Side Drive, Sand Bay area. That AT&T map isn't correct - I have AT&T coverage. Why can't they put a repeater on our E. Side Drive cell tower that is presently empty??

Any ideas? Do we need to all write emails (slow emails....), call? Arrrrghh!

Nancy

Beaver Island Michigan