Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hi there Speedytweety!

I don't want your husband to show off his service when you need it just as much! I appreciate all of the troubleshooting you've already completed as every step is extremely important.

My question for you based on your troubleshooting is if we've replaced your sim card yet?

The sim card holds all of your services and could possibly be faulty! They're free at direct Verizon Wireless stores or we can ship one out to you!

Please let me know!

Thanks,

MelissaM_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
Adjuvantjfoster

I very reluctantly bought the extender after listening to 12 years of unfulfilled promises of better service with their roll outs of more service.

The extender raised my iPhone 4S performance from 0 to 1 bar, up to 4 bars.

On finding that my brand new, 4th generation iPad had to have the LTE switched off for the extender to work on 3 g  with my iPad , ie 4 bars with LTE switched off.

I am not a happy camper about this.

Nor am I a happy camper that my new iPhone 5 has the same damned lame behavior.

Having to remember to switch on LTE and to restart the iDevice every time we leave the house is a major shortcoming of trying to use this extender to make up for Verizon spending most of the expansion money on TV commercials and print buys instead of building more bloody cell towers.

Oh yeah, and while on the subject of cell towers, long sections of the Interstate Highway  I5 between San Francisco and Los Angeles California are a cell phone coverage desert.

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
speedytweety
Enthusiast - Level 1

HI Melissa,  Thank you for your response and help!

Yes a new SIM card was one of the last ditch efforts we tried and it didn't help. I had to jump through hoops to get a Network Extender ordered, first order didn't go through, then the discount I was offered wasn't approved, then I was told the network extender was sold out and they didn't know when they would be receiving more.  Finally after more than a week, I spent over an hour on the phone and got them to send me a refurbished 3G extender for $99..... it solved the problem my phone works in the house, and everyone's signal increased, but now we lose calls when driving to or from our house and it switches over to the network towers. But at least we can all use our phones with no problem IN our house now. Have a Fabulous Day!!!!!

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
dswartz44
Newbie

I have a the HTC Thunderbolt (very first LTE device) and recently changed residences within same town and needed better 4G LTE signal strength.I bought the Wilson Electronics "Sleek" wich is a portable cradle type signal booster for LTE and I couldn't be happier. OMG anywhere I go or just stay at home, as soon as I put the device in the cradle it jumps immediatey to full bars and is super fast with data.It's not a perfect setup as it won't work unless your phone or device is sitting in the cradle, so for phone calls you've got to hold all of this contraption with dangling wires up to your ear, or use speaker phone. But I got it for data, so that's o.k. When I go on long trips I take it in the car, put the magnetic antenna on the roof and have 4G LTE internet for everyone in the car--it's amazing how you can go from barely a signal or going back and forth between 3G and 4G, and then use the Sleek booster and WHAM! you've got great 4G LTE. I routinely run around 4 to 6 mbps (as clocked by speedtest.net). I even run my home Direct T.V. Internet link off my phone as it's actually way faster than my AT&T DSL which limps along at about 1.5 to 2 mbps, no faster. The dsl tends to be more consistent in signal packet delivery whereas the LTE w/booster can fluctuate now and then and drop packets. But for the most part, rarely have any issues with this booster and highly recommend it. Check out at www.wilsonelectronics.com

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
barsad
Enthusiast - Level 2

Indeed, when you buy an iPhone 5 or other LTE device, Verizon "forgets" to tell you that if you are a 3G extender user, you have to switch it off every time you enter your house or the extender will not work. It's hard for me to understand why a phone can do everything but bake you cookies, yet they can't figure out how to put a line of OS code or firmware code that says "switch off LTE" automatically when a particular Wi-Fi network is detected. It's not that they can't do it, it's that they don't care enough to assign an engineer to do it, or they could certainly ask Apple to do it.

I'd also like to offer a bit of advice to those of you in dead zones... when you call Verizon, keep insisting that they should send you an extender for free. Sure, you may have to call 10 times before you get a representative who finally understands that when you promise someone cell phone service, you either deliver or provide a device that CAN deliver it for free. But ultimately it will be worth it.

Note to Verizon (a.k.a. Michelle_G): Here's a multiple choice question, let's see if you can get it right:

When your customers are in a zone on the coverage map that you claim is "excellent" service, yet their particular home is in a small dead zone, YOU SHOULD:

A. Blame it on a construction site, even if there is none around the house.

B. Blame it on the customer misreading their signal, or otherwise having interfering devices in their home.

C. Blame it on everything else except Verizon's poor cell phone tower placement.

D. Ask customers to pay $250 for a device that will finally give them service.

E. After the customer refuses to pay, reveal that, oh yeah, we have $99 refurbished models, do you want to pay extra for that?

F. Admit that Verizon has failed to deliver good service, and send the extender to the customer so that they no longer have to pay over $100 a month for dropped calls.

You got it, Michelle, F is correct! Please pass that on to your higher ups.

JG

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
Not applicable

Not true.  I have the S3 and use a Network extender.  The Extender picks up for calls and texts.  I also can use 4G lte data while still connected with the NE.  So, it is false you do not need to turn it off to use 4G LTE.    I purchased the NE before the 4G came to my area and I continue to use the NE.  No problems at all.     

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
Not applicable

While connected to NE have you tried dialing the #48?   Maybe it is the make of the phone?  But with the S3 I am using both 4G LTE for data and the NE to make Calls/Texts. 

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
Not applicable

YES it will.  4G LTE for data and NE for 3g calls/text.  Now this is with the S3.  When you hook the NE up after it gets the gps and all signal lights are blue, dial #48 and it will verify you are under NE coverage.   The only thing different, is the 4G is stronger then the 3G and my phone shows 2 bars. BUT, have never had a dropped call, missed text and can still stream Netflix, etc.    I personally think it works great. 

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
barsad
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hey PSF -

Sorry, I have to disagree with you. You might want to consider, before writing a blanket "Not true," that your experience with an Android phone might not be the same as someone with an iPhone. I am also very aware that LTE is data only, and 3G is still used for voice and text. But I can state unequivocally that, with my iPhone 5, when LTE is on, the extender does not recognize. As soon as I switch it off in Settings, I instantly have the 5-bar reception with the extender.

I'm glad to hear everything is great with the S3, lucky you, but some of us still have the problem.

JG

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Re: 4G users not eligible for 3g Network Extenders?!?
Gooseland
Newbie

I think that PSF is right.  I am using an iPhone 5S, iOS 7.0.4. I have the latest Verizon provided Samsung NE, all 4 lights blue, last one flickering.  I am confirmed on NE by calling #48.  When the iPhone LTE is switched off, signal strength is -60 dBm (aka - full strength signal) on 3G.  When the iPhone LTE is switched on, signal appears to drop to -100dBm (solid 2 bars) and the display flips to LTE.

Call quality is the same under whether LTE is on or off.  This suggests that calls are routed through the NE's 3G and data is routed through the cellular tower 4G.  Since I typically leave the iPhone WIFI on (great signal throughout the house), the 4G signal quality becomes irrelevant.

So - I believe that leaving the iPhone 5S  LTE and WIFI on all the time, whether in or out of the house makes the most sense without having to worry about turning LTE on/off upon entering the house.

Hope that helps. 

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