# What determines the best reception?



## Lucyann (Jan 26, 2010)

I need the phone in order to use a square card and am in the process of searching for a cell phone, provider and network and am very ignorant in all of this. At this point I think I will be going with Straight Talk, using their ATT network...but I need help in picking out a phone. What features in a cell phone determine getting the best reception possible? I live in a rural area where reception is spotty. Some with Verizon get some service and some with ATT get service but not all and I am thinking that the phone they have must make a difference. So in shopping for a phone what features should I be looking for?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> I live in a rural area where reception is spotty.


That, I think, is typically chiefly a function of the location of cell towers. I'd advise you to first find out whether Verizon or AT&T service seems to be better *where you will be using the phone*.


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## Lucyann (Jan 26, 2010)

TerryNet said:


> That, I think, is typically chiefly a function of the location of cell towers. I'd advise you to first find out whether Verizon or AT&T service seems to be better *where you will be using the phone*.


This has been driving me crazy, everything that I read on line and when I talk to the "Straight Talk" people (who utilize and offer both Verizon and ATT so Im assuming there is no predjudice on their part) say Verizon is the way to go, but I have had people with both networks try reception and it appears that ATT gets the better reception here. It just seems to me (which is not saying much) what ever it is in the phone that picks up the signal (an antenna maybe) must be of varying types or strengths or makes and some better than others???? So if that is the case, what is it??? (antenna or what) and which is the best, or what should I be looking for?????????


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

There can be a difference in antenna. Remember the uproar a year or two ago with a new iPhone and on some units the users lost reception when they held it a certain way (that blocked reception)?

However, as somebody who has sometimes tried to use my nondescript Tracfone in the rural area around where I grew up and my mother and two sisters still live believe me that the cell tower locations and coverage is far more important than any slight deviation in the phone's antenna. Do you have a friend with Verizon or AT&T service? Or, better, friends with each service? If so, have somebody check their reception at the places where you will want to use the phone. After you determine that one or both services will be satisfactory you can go back to comparing phones.


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## Lucyann (Jan 26, 2010)

TerryNet said:


> There can be a difference in antenna. Remember the uproar a year or two ago with a new iPhone and on some units the users lost reception when they held it a certain way (that blocked reception)?
> 
> However, as somebody who has sometimes tried to use my nondescript Tracfone in the rural area around where I grew up and my mother and two sisters still live believe me that the cell tower locations and coverage is far more important than any slight deviation in the phone's antenna. Do you have a friend with Verizon or AT&T service? Or, better, friends with each service? If so, have somebody check their reception at the places where you will want to use the phone. After you determine that one or both services will be satisfactory you can go back to comparing phones.


That's what I have done...and some with Verizon come in but most don't and some with ATT do, some don't so it seems that the ATT is better for my area even though that is not what is being recommended by the plan so I am at the stage where I want to compare phones or at least know what I should be comparing within the phones, so if it is the antenna, what should/could I be compering??? (types, strengths, sizes...??? what??)


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