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Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks

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Purple Dave
04/03/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
"This is why you can't forge a phone completely out of aluminum."

Well, if you could set it up so the case was the antenna, you'd be set, right?
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strider_mt2k
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
Boil that down to ONE reason: Internal antennas.
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mrxcel
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
Why do you guys use a Blackberry as the picture? i bet if the article would have been AMERICAS HAS THE BEST RECEPTION IN THE WORLD you would have seen an IPHONE....
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Kyonko
04/02/09

@mrxcel: Cut your fanboyism. It has more to do with the carrier and service provider than the phone.
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@Kyonko: Agreed. They did show a T-Mobile BB up there, so I think it's apt.
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Corwin Loreman
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
CNF ftw!
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bosskev
04/02/09

@Corwin Loreman: "CNF ftw!"

Uh...

Cameroons National Federation?

Caribbean National Forest?

Cold Nuclear Fusion?

Common Navigator Framework?

Canadian Neutron Facility?

Chuck Norris Facts?
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Kyonko
04/02/09

@bosskev:
Uh...

[A] Certain Noob Facebooker?

Can't think of anything good for N... >_<
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@Kyonko:

Cellular Novice Facts

is best I can think of assuming he was taking this seriously, which of course is a poor assumption.

Commenting Noob Fuckup

is probably more like it.
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bosskev
04/02/09

@Kyonko, @ScottRose: We were all wrong, but I think I've got it now:

Corwin Needs Facebook

Which answers the question, "To get commenting approval when you have little to say, what do you need?"
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zerofourtwo
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
Dropped calls are the only way i can get off the phone with the inlaws...
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vanango
04/02/09

@zerofourtwo: I'm luckily always driving towards a tunnel whenever I happen to be on the phone with people I'd rather not be on the phone with.
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ScottRose
04/02/09

Mrs. Skinner: "I don't want you driving through tunnels, you know what that symbolizes."
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rospaya
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
It should be noted that this is a problem mostly in the US. I had almost zero dropped calls on tens of phones in most of Europe.
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@rospaya:

Europe and Japan are well renowned for the best cell reception, but I tend to give us a pass for 2 reasons:

1) We have a hell of a lot of more km^2 per capita to cover with cell towers than any country in the EU or in JP.

2) We have way more competition in the space, and more diluted resources to cover our larger area.
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Kyonko
04/02/09

@ScottRose: Still, that does not counter how pathetic the North American mobile network is. East Asia (Japan, Korea, China) has some of the best mobile network infrastructure in the world, and the services provided are much more diverse. In NA, we get SMS, email, maybe internet, and that's about it.

Seriously, if we want to use the iPhone (or any smart phone) to its full potential, the network has to step it up.
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@Kyonko:

Well, again I have to defer to the relatively low cost-per-user-area they have compared to ours (China's land mass is huge, but no one expects to get cell reception in bumblefrak areas -- here we do expect it), so it's easier and less costly to roll out new technologies.

They also have more standardization than we do (what's CDMA?). We have to do everything at least twice (CDMA & GSM). In less populated areas, carriers share towers if they're on the same technology (Sprint&Verizon or ATT&EveryoneElse), but in major metros each carrier may own its own towers, meaning we have to do everything 3 or 5 times over.

I don't disagree with you, I just don't think we're pathetic holistically. We don't have as robust a set of services, but we've got way more coverage per user, and we also have more technology/carrier choices.
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Gregg Symington
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
TLDR...
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TheSonOfKrypton
04/02/09

@Gregg Symington: Missin out on alotta good knowledge bro. And you know what they say about knowledge...
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bosskev
04/02/09

@TheSonOfKrypton: "Missin out on alotta good knowledge bro. And you know what they say about knowledge..."

* whispering *

Hey! TheSonOfKrypton, over here...shhh! Don't be telling him that! If he were to get the notion that actually reading something could educate him, give him power, then where would we be? All I can say is I like my ignoramuses to stay ignoramuses--makes Darwinism SO much more effective in the long run.

* loudly *

Facebooker Gregg Symington, right on, man! You tell 'em!
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klaybc
04/02/09

@Gregg Symington: Let me break it down for you:

"... shifting a lot ... for better penetration after everyone ... cried..."

"The fatter the hard pipe, the ... best..."
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bosskev
04/02/09

@klaybc: Wow! I like the article you read a lot better than the article I read! I mean, uh...excuse me...um...

* goes to take cold shower *
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Gann
04/02/09

@bosskev: Ah, but educating people usually leads to them having fewer children.
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bosskev
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
I have switched phones and carriers more times than I care to mention, just to try to get reliable cell reception. Each and every time I've met with the different tech support teams, the techies have said to me, "Dude! Take off the tin foil hat! It's blocking reception." And I say you can't be too careful.
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Software_Goddess
04/02/09

@bosskev: You could try to attach an antenna to the foil hat. Better yet, add two. You know, so it's all symmetrical. If that doesn't work… try Venison.
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bosskev
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: Tried that. Even went with a dual antenna arrangement. Not only did none of that work but only I ended up looking like this:

* prays that image shows *

* begs the Giz Gods for the return of Preview *
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NFLBLitze1
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
i love how jackasses use a blackberry in your main picture almost as the epitome of shitty reception in america. The phone that should be up there is the iphone!
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TheSonOfKrypton
04/02/09

@NFLBLitze1: Based on what? Your personal experience with the iPhone? Because in my experience, my 1G iPhone has better RF reception than a friggin Moto Razr (which used to be the PIMP of RF reception). Take your hate elsewhere. If there's ANYTHING this article should have taught you, its that there a FAR more variables at play here than your myopic mind can comprehend (case in point: blaming the cell phone).
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Kaiser-Machead
04/02/09

@NFLBLitze1: Chillax dude, it's a random picture of a popular smartphone. Christ on a cracker, people are so touchy about these things.
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madog
04/02/09

@TheSonOfKrypton: Based on your experience? Well what about my experiences? Where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.

Where was I again? Oh yeah, I've got an iPhone, does that help?
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Software_Goddess
04/02/09

In reply to Giz Explains: Why Cellphone Reception Still Sucks
You had me at fairies. We clearly need more fairies.
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bosskev
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: If that's what you want, just come visit me--got all you need right here in the Castro.
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howman
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: Ditto. I got to fairies and even though I read the rest, it went in the eyes and out the brain because I was too busy thinking about fairies... We so need more fairies.
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@howman:

He had me at "The fatter the hard pipe".

Granted, he didn't have me until the end of the article, but still, he has me.
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madog
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: Oh yes, let's all get friendly with the "girl" on the internet.

I won't fall for that one again.
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Software_Goddess
04/02/09

@madog: What is wrong with girls on the internet? I did not realize that this was a men's only club. Are you saying none of you should be nice to girls here? I'm confused…
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ScottRose
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: Nothing wrong with girls on the internet, though you'd get a bit more respect (though maybe a few less followers) if you used a pic that wasn't [your?] cleavage.

Not trying to start a whole thing here, but that's just my advice.
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Software_Goddess
04/02/09

@ScottRose: Ya, I had a pic. of my foot up first but I put that one up by request. I would hope you all could take a joke and see past the chest! I thought you men were use to ignoring such things wile talking to a girl. I guess I was wrong. If you guys really can't handle it I will change the photo.
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soggy_cheerio
04/02/09

@Software_Goddess: Guys seeing past the chest. That's a funny one.
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