Carrier Best (if any) Website for determining Cell Service

[dizmonk]

So my daughter is going away to college in Bristol, RI. T-Mobile (my current provider) and Verizon both claim to have 5G in that area according to their service maps. I got a trial for Verizon and we went to campus. I ran speed tests on both networks. Indoors both signals were garbage. (I repeatedly got SOS from T-Mobile and 1-2 bars from Verizon.) Outdoors (not surprisingly) both were fine.

I've looked at a number of websites to determine by zip code, which is the best signal in that area and I can't find anything reliable.
Other than literally standing on campus and testing it with different networks, is there a website or accurate way to determine what's the best carrier there? I've got an Iphone 13 Pro and my daughter has an Iphone 13.

Thanks. I've got to think there's should some accurate way to assess carrier signals other than their maps and my testing it.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I'd suggest asking the students on campus what their experiences have been, if you have the opportunity. Maybe via a community website. It's not really surprising that the service was garbage indoors. If your daughter will have access to wi-fi on the campus, she should consider using the wi-fi calling feature of iOS.

 

[smirking]

Rootmetrics used to have crowdsourced coverage maps that were detailed down to the block, but now they just have more generic reports for major cities. They happen to have a report for Providence, RI.

https://rootmetrics.com/en-US/rootscore/map/metro/providence-ri/2022/2H

Anyone know of something similar to what Root Metrics used to do? Is there anyone else now collecting user submitted signal reports?

 

[dizmonk]

Rootmetrics used to have crowdsourced coverage maps that were detailed down to the block, but now they just have more generic reports for major cities. They happen to have a report for Providence, RI.

https://rootmetrics.com/en-US/rootscore/map/metro/providence-ri/2022/2H

Anyone know of something similar to what Root Metrics used to do? Is there anyone else now collecting user submitted signal reports?

Yea I used to count on them a lot for this kinda stuff. I don't know when they changed their practice. They were very helpful back then.

 

[smirking]

Yea I used to count on them a lot for this kinda stuff. I don't know when they changed their practice. They were very helpful back then.

Oh I used to love their reports for helping me decide on hotels whenever I traveled so could avoid having to pay upwards of $20/day for the honor of logging into garbage hotel WiFi.

 

[kanga1622]

This raises a question - how many bars should we be expecting indoors?

 

[spikeymike]

This raises a question - how many bars should we be expecting indoors?

Between 1-4. There are way too many variables to have a one fits all answer.

 

[compwiz1202]

Between 1-4. Way too many variables to have a one fits all answer.

And it mostly is worthless. I can have 4-5 and have no cellular data.

 

[jetsam]

If your daughter will have access to wi-fi on the campus, she should consider using the wi-fi calling feature of iOS.

^^^This.

It would be the rare college that isn't blanketed in Wi-Fi. Both T-Mobile and Verizon support Wi-Fi calling on iPhones. As a student, the OP's daughter should never need indoor cellular.

OP:
My two cents: I'd give the nod to T-Mo. First, because they are cheaper, second, you're already using them, and third, because T-Mo prefers Wi-Fi over cellular - the opposite of Verizon.

And if, by Bristol, you mean RWU:

https://www.rwu.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/it/student-wireless-access.pdf

 

[dizmonk]

^^^This.

It would be the rare college that isn't blanketed in Wi-Fi. Both T-Mobile and Verizon support Wi-Fi calling on iPhones. As a student, the OP's daughter should never need indoor cellular.

OP:
My two cents: I'd give the nod to T-Mo. First, because they are cheaper, second, you're already using them, and third, because T-Mo prefers Wi-Fi over cellular - the opposite of Verizon.

And if, by Bristol, you mean RWU:

https://www.rwu.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/it/student-wireless-access.pdf

This is very helpful. Thanks and yes I mean Roger Williams University. Can you explain/send me to a site about the Wi-Fi over cellular (t-Mobile v. Verizon)??? I know about Wi-Fi-enabled calling. She and I both have it enabled but why/how is T-Mobile's approach to that better than Verizon's?

thanks a lot... Really appreciate it.

 

[jetsam]

This is very helpful. Thanks and yes I mean Roger Williams University. Can you explain/send me to a site about the Wi-Fi over cellular (t-Mobile v. Verizon)??? I know about Wi-Fi-enabled calling. She and I both have it enabled but why/how is T-Mobile's approach to that better than Verizon's?

thanks a lot... Really appreciate it.

My wife's nephew went to RWU. He graduated in 2021, IIRC. He was quite happy there - I hope your daughter will be, too.


I think this person explained Wi-Fi calling differences as well as any:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/wi-fi-callling-att.1979487/?post=23053898#post-23053898

TL;DR - T-Mobile uses Wi-Fi calling preferred. They will switch to Wi-Fi calling whenever possible, and stay there. Verizon uses cellular calling preferred. Verizon will hang onto cellular, switching to Wi-Fi calling only if cellular reception drops below some threshold. On Verizon, then, you may find yourself on a marginal cellular connection when Wi-Fi calling would work better.