Poor to no service @ Daytona 500

[sol1109]

Upgraded to a smart phone because I had tickets to the Daytona 500 and thought the weather, racing, and track apps would be good to have as part of the experience. However, while on the infield I was lucky to get 1 bar of 4G and on the backstretch absolutely nothing. Stuck for 14 hours in the rain unable to access weather maps official track information etc. Where we were staying was 5 minute from the track in Port Orange and had the same experience, weak to no data signal just basic cell. Hate to say it but everyone around me at the Sprint Cup event with the sponsors phone had no problems. Very disappointed. Anyone else have the same or different experience?

[Ann154]

Perhaps the circuits were overloaded from everyone there. Sometimes Verizon and other carriers set up cell towers on wheels. They may or may not have had some at that event.

Did you try to switch the phone to 3G?

[B33]

Well with an event that is sponsored by the Company that's over the Cup side of Nascar Naturally there going to have Good Coverage as  there Towers or there or Mobile Truck Towers were there for the Event for there phones an other things that one's use. That's why Keselowski was Tweeting like he was over in Turn 3. When Alltel was bought out Roger Penskey wanted to change the alltel car to Verizon but Sprint stopped it. Roger was not Happy

[sol1109]

Even if the circuits are overloaded you will still see signal strength just have trouble processing the data. Looked at the VZW coverage map and both the track area and Port Orange where we stayed are marked as fully covered by 4G-LTE. As for switching to 3G I noticed my phone doing this automatically, don't see a manual selection, but that was also very weak or non existent. Here at home I get 3-4 bars.

[Ann154]

Where the setting is to change from LTE/CDMA mode to CDMA mode depends on the model of phone.

Which one do you have?

[B33]

Looking at the Map an were lake Loyd Which is inside the Track itself it does show coverage around it an there is a Verizon store that's not to Far away so it is puzzling why the signal wasn't as good as what it should have Been. But it could of been the possibility of the 4G being Down as well Maybe . The Link to the Map For the Daytona Area an the Track: Note to see lake Loyd an the Daytona Track Zoom in to street Level High Way 92 is just North of it.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController?requesttype=NEWREQUEST&zip=32114&city=D...

[sol1109]

Pantech. Set to LTE/CDMA mode.

[sol1109]

Already looked at that map. If I had known about the store while there and did not have to go home after the original rain out I would have stopped by. The signal was more consistent along that road. I ate at one of the restaurants and had a signal but none after I left the infield for the backstretch. Maybe the backstretch stands create a shadow due to the metal framework.Would need to see a plot of the cell sites to map that out.

[Ann154]

Under Apps > Settings > Wireless & Networks > mobile networks, you should have an option for network mode.  If it is there you should be able to switch between LTE/CDMA mode to CDMA mode.  This will force the phone to use the 3G network in places with weak or no 4G signal.

[sol1109]

Thanks, good to know.