In-Building Intricacies

Consumers want to use their wireless phones everywhere these days, both inside and outside. But sometimes the service just doesn't work in buildings.

VoiceStream Wireless

Total Hold Time: 5 minutes

Transfer/IVR Layers: 2

CSR: Thank you for calling VoiceStream, where you get more. This is (name). How may I help you?

WR: Sometimes my phone does not work in my office. However, I have a friend with a different cellular service, and hers works when mine won't.

CSR: It's just different signals. Different companies have better signals at different places. Now, where you may have service somewhere else, she may not. It depends on the place where you're at.

WR: So does that mean that you have fewer towers than they do?

CSR: No. We might not have a tower as close to your building as (the other carrier) has.

WR: Are you building more towers?

CSR: Yes. We are building more towers. What state are you in?

WR: Kansas.

CSR: And what city?

WR: Overland Park.

CSR: Yes. We should be getting more towers there. We've been merging with different companies, so there are more towers to come. Our business is growing a lot.

WR: Do you know when that will happen?

CSR: I couldn't give you an exact time or anything like that. I apologize.

U.S. Cellular

Total Hold Time: 10 seconds

Transfer/IVR Layers: 2

CSR: Thank you for calling U.S. Cellular customer service. This is (name).

WR: Sometimes my phone doesn't work inside my office building. My friend has a different carrier, and her service always works inside our office building.

CSR: Where are you located?

WR: Knoxville.

CSR: Down in Knoxville, TN?

WR: Yes.

CSR: And she has a different carrier?

WR: Yes.

CSR: I really don't know what to tell you about the network setup there. It should be comparable. You've got the same kind of phone and everything?

WR: I don't know what kind of phone she has.

CSR: The signal stream is based on the network, pretty much, unless your phone is just really, really, really old. And any kind of thing, metal, mountain, whatever, can get in the way of the transmission. So she may have a stronger phone with a greater antenna or something like that.

WR: Is there anything I can do to solve that problem?

CSR: There's nothing anyone can do to solve that problem, because it's the network signal, and it could be any number of reasons. It could be interference. It could be just at a certain time of the day the network gets stressed out and certain signals drop.

CSR offers to transfer WR to the Knoxville call center for assistance.

Verizon Wireless

Total Hold Time: 10 seconds

Transfer/IVR Layers: 3

CSR: Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless customer service. This is (name). May I help you?

WR: Sometimes I try to use my Verizon phone in the elevator at work, and it doesn't work. My friend has a different carrier, and she can use her phone in the elevator. Why is that?

CSR: It could be the tower for her company is positioned right so you can get service in the elevator. But if you talk to any company, they're not going to be able to guarantee you that you're going to get service in any kind of a building. A lot of people can use them, but the nature of cellular service is that it's made to be used outside in a clear, open area. With technology, it can get into other areas, but with the elevator, you've got a lot of metal and concrete. When it (the signal) comes into contact with that metal and that building, it starts to bounce around, and it won't be able to find you.

Inside Information

About 78% of today's wireless voice calls originate from inside a building, according to Greg Evans, Agilent Technologies (www.agilent.com) manager of engineering services. This reality creates a need for coverage enhancements. For more information about improving in-building coverage, see “Inside Addition,” Wireless Review, June 15, 2001 (also available on our Web site, www.wirelessreview.com).