Poor Service in Grand Central Station in NYC

[ppal]

Why is it that I can't get voice or data service on Metro North trains when they are in Grand Central Station and the surrounding tunnels? I get perfect service on my AT&T device. This is a huge hole in Verizon's coverage in NYC and a major inconvenience to the thousands of commuters who ride Metro North every day. I switched to Verizon because I thought it had the best coverage in NYC. Had I known this, I would've stayed with AT&T. This is a big drawback for me.

[vzw_customer_support]

@ppal - We aim to get as much coverage as possible to all our customers, ppal. Sometimes tunnels and other types of areas and surroundings can cause issues with cell service. Have we had a chance to set up a review ticket for the Grand Central Station and its surrounding tunnels? If this has not been done, we can help get one set up. So please let us know. Thank you, ppal, and take care.

NicandroN_VZW

*Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport*

[ppal]

What is a review ticket and what do I need to do to set it up?

I know that tunnels can sometimes interrupt service but it disappoints me that my AT&T device gets 4 bars of coverage when the train is going through the Park Avenue Tunnel but my Verizon iPhone says "Searching" from when I get on the Metro North train until when it emerges from the tunnels.

[BruceBach]

I also switched from AT&T to Verizon believing they have the best network coverage and am extremely disappointed with the horrible coverage in Grand Central. While waiting on a departing Metro North train I had absolutely no problem with AT&T, now I can't make or receive a call, send a text message or access the Internet on Verizon -- absolutely ZERO reception. In the middle of Grand Central Terminal I can eventually get a signal, but 10' inside a platform NOTHING. Speaking as a New Yorker: "How can Verizon have have no service at the absolute center of the known universe?"

P.S. I called Verizon, installed a replacement SIM, had my iPhone 5 diagnosed at the Grand Central Apple store...still no reception.

[Gutterstink]

I seem to be having issues even above on a sky scraper outside the grand central . I m not able to send / recieve data on my phone. I work on a high floor in the xerox building and i just cant seem to access internet the entire day.

[budone]

I seem to remember that MTA contracted out service in the tunnels and ATT has exclusive coverage for x amount of years

[GeorgeCT]

budone wrote:

I seem to remember that MTA contracted out service in the tunnels and ATT has exclusive coverage for x amount of years

Not to aim this rant at any one company or person but this "exclusivity" is really starting to get on my nerves.

With exclusive rights to brands/models/colors/service etc we the consumer get taken for a nice long ride and lose out on everything.

Every carrier should be forced to carry every brand/color/model phone and have equal access to hang antenna where other carrier plants a antenna, then ONLY price should be the deciding factor.  Why should AT&T have exclusive right to GCT or the tunnels?

It doesn't make sense for a carrier to offer $40 unlimited everything when they don't offer coverage in a world where we travel to every corner of the US let alone the world...end rant.

[budone]

Here is a snippet of an article from earlier this year. it is tied to the subways, but it is the same thing that is going on.

Thirty additional subway stations now have wireless voice and data communication capability allowing New York City subway riders to make and receive cell phone calls, send and receive texts and e-mail and access Wi-Fi underground. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials were joined by executives from Transit Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Boingo Wireless to demonstrate the new capability at the City’s busiest station, Times Square.

[vzw_customer_support]

Hi Guttterstink!

Thanks for the details you provided regarding your service and your location. On what floor are you at work? Wireless service can reach high up in the air, but it would depend on your location. Please provide me with this information, as well as let me know if other VZW customers are experiencing the same thing. Thanks!

ChristinaB_VZW
VZW Support
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[edk012]

I ride the Metro North Harlem line a couple of times a week on average and have the same service issues while in GCT. Plus when I get out of there I don't have consistent signal for the entire trip to Brewster (1.25 hrs). I'm lucky if I get 15 mins of Netflix streaming before I get cut off and forget Xfinity. Verizon...I've been with you guys for a long time and partly because I have an old plan with unlimited data, but this plus the fact that I STILL cannot get data while on a call is making me think more and more about looking at AT&T.