WW&F Railway Museum Discussion > Museum Discussion

Cell coverage on the WW&F

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Graham Buxton:

I noted in a different thread references to testing cell coverage at Trout Brook Station:


--- Quote from: Bill Reidy on May 14, 2023, 08:51:55 AM ---John McNamara experimented with equipment to enhance the cell signal at Trout Book station.  James Patten (left) and Jason Lamontagne (center) testing the signal, as John (right) looks on.




--- End quote ---


I recently switched my cell phone service to Tello.com, which is an VMNO which uses the T-Mobile network. I did so because the Tello (T-Mobile) coverage showed that I could get [low band] 5G coverage at my house, whereas ATT and Verizon do not have 5G at my location.

After I got set up, I found the Tello coverage map was reasonably correct -- at least where I have checked. 

I note with interest that the Tello (T-Mobile)  map shows that the WW&F is covered well by Tello (T-Mobile) [low band] 5G, as well as 4G:


(click image to enlarge)
Map link: https://tello.com/coverage


So I am curious whether anyone with with T-Mobile service has recently checked to see what their service is like along the tracks and at TBS?

James Patten:
I use Trakfone, which as I understand, uses the US Cellular network.  I think I had 2 bars of service while John had the booster going.  I will usually get 0 to 1.

Except for Sheepscot (and the Mountain), I have gotten pretty good cell service in the past.  ToM was best of all.  I think since they turned off 3G my service level has dropped.  Now Sheepscot, which used to get 1 to 2 bars, I now get no service to 1 bar (no service especially if the phone is in my pants pocket).

Graham Buxton:
It appears that Verizon acquired TracFone in 2021:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless
.. so I expect that James' phone is using the Verizon network.


Verizon claims to have 4G coverage everywhere around Alna:


(click image to larger)
Verizon coverage map link: https://www.verizon.com/coverage-map/


The US Cellular coverage map shows mostly 4G coverage in the Alna area with some no/weak coverage spots:


(click image to larger)
US Cellular coverage map link: https://www.uscellular.com/coverage-map?gclid=CjwKCAjwjYKjBhB5EiwAiFdSfsUQKIANyfze-DFZh0kIuZUXslZKD8VXu3Z4eif3CzsQoQ-OqgLYsBoCQaIQAvD_BwE






Andrew Toppan:
I wouldn't trust any of these coverage maps too much -- AT&T's shows 4G LTE coverage throughout the area, but I'm surely not the only one who finds his AT&T phone to be a useless brick anywhere near the railroad.

Mike Fox:
I have to agree with James. When they turned off 3G, my verizon service went to nothing. I get this annoying message "you are roaming" when I try to call. And can no longer send and receive texts like I used to.

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