Verizon 4G LTE wi-fi calling vs network extender

[dylanmitchell]

How does Wi-Fi Calling (voice service using your ISP for backhaul) call quality compare to network extenders like the Samsung 4G LTE Network Extender 2? We're in San Diego and near the Mexico border and experiencing interference from the new wireless operator in Mexico, Altan Redes. The company uses the same 4G LTE 700 MHz as Verizon causing dropped calls, failure to connect, and spotty data service. Looking for the best solution to get good quality service until Verizon figures out how to deal with the interference from Mexico.

 

[coxhaus]

I have both Wi-Fi calling and a cell spot at my daughter's small business. If they leave their phone on LTE they use the cell spot which burns their minutes and is an extension of the cell service. If their phones are on Wi-Fi then the phones use Wi-Fi calling and they don't burn their minutes. This is the way I understand it.

The Wi-Fi calling is better quality than cell service.

 

[sfx2000]

How does Wi-Fi Calling (voice service using your ISP for backhaul) call quality compare to network extenders like the Samsung 4G LTE Network Extender 2? We're in San Diego and near the Mexico border and experiencing interference from the new wireless operator in Mexico, Altan Redes. The company uses the same 4G LTE 700 MHz as Verizon causing dropped calls, failure to connect, and spotty data service. Looking for the best solution to get good quality service until Verizon figures out how to deal with the interference from Mexico.

Hi - I'm also in San Diego, and very aware of the issues that have impacted Verizon's service down in south bay... rest assured that VZW is working the technical issues, but the real solution is intergovernmental cooperation between the US and Mexican regulatory agencies.

WiFi Calling - works well when you're inside your WiFi coverage area - and I've had good luck with iPhone 6s on ATT when I transition out of my WiFi back on to the LTE network.

 

[dylanmitchell]

VZW has been the most affected since Altán Redes' launched its network on the 700 MHz spectrum, causing network interference. We've had dropped calls, calls going straight to voicemail, spotty data service, and low signal strength. Talked to VZW again and interference from the border has caused problems as far North as Los Angeles and as far South East as El Paso. VZW is working on the technical issues but doesn't expect a quick resolution. Public safety communication in the 700 MHz is also being affected.

How far do signals from cell phone towers travel? We're about 15 miles from the border but even Oceanside and Carlsbad (about 50 miles from the border), and LA (about 120-130) miles from the border are experiencing interference. San Diego to El Paso extends over 600 miles along the border and extending that 50 miles inland cover a considerable population!

 

[Smokey613]

Maybe a Drone strike on their tower(s)?

 

[sfx2000]

VZW has been the most affected since Altán Redes' launched its network on the 700 MHz spectrum, causing network interference. We've had dropped calls, calls going straight to voicemail, spotty data service, and low signal strength. Talked to VZW again and interference from the border has caused problems as far North as Los Angeles and as far South East as El Paso. VZW is working on the technical issues but doesn't expect a quick resolution. Public safety communication in the 700 MHz is also being affected.

The interference in the 700MHz band is both ways - so it's a challenge for both.

How far do signals from cell phone towers travel? We're about 15 miles from the border but even Oceanside and Carlsbad (about 50 miles from the border), and LA (about 120-130) miles from the border are experiencing interference. San Diego to El Paso extends over 600 miles along the border and extending that 50 miles inland cover a considerable population!

Not as far as most folks would think - typically no more than 3 kilometers or so for most macrocell deployments - over water (along the coast), it can be a bit interesting due to surface ducting, so beach front communities can see interference over a longer distance - I recall seeing 850MHz from LA down in Del Mar because of this.

 

[dylanmitchell]

VZW is continuing to work on the issue and has added capacity their network. The response is similar to how they handle outages caused by natural disasters.

VZW says that they are working with the FCC, the Mexican Government, and Altan to resolve this issue. However, Altán officials said they in compliance with Mexican regulations and the problem is one to be settled by governments, not providers. Working with governmental agencies is challenging and times consuming a fix may be a ways off.

 

[sfx2000]

However, Altán officials said they in compliance with Mexican regulations and the problem is one to be settled by governments, not providers.

Yep - pretty much the same thing as Telcel/Iusacell interference at the border... and the authorities in Mexico really don't care what happens in the US as long as their stuff is covered - it's always been this way - recall the boomer AM stations, aka Mexican Radio?

Not much different than the Imperial Beach sewage outflow from the Tijuana river... surfing/swimming in their excrement - just one more thing...

Gah...

 

[dylanmitchell]

XERF-AM covered a large part of the U.S. and our local 91x still brodcasts from Tijuana. I remember hearing the Mexican National Hour and Mexican National Anthem on 91x. I've heard them called both boomer and border blasters.

 

[sfx2000]

XERF-AM covered a large part of the U.S. and our local 91x still brodcasts from Tijuana. I remember hearing the Mexican National Hour and Mexican National Anthem on 91x. I've heard them called both boomer and border blasters.

things have changed - remember channel 6 - XETV-6 - pretty much closed down.

91x is a clearchannel station these days - 94.9 is better, IMHO, but tastes change.

The mighty 690 - these days it's a Chinese Communist Propaganda mouthpiece... XEWW

 

[dylanmitchell]

Verizon's latest info on the border interference is they're working on it but it's still a problem, they don't know what the solution is, and they don't know when it will be fixed.

Still trying to optimize network extender set up in our house. We can use either wi-fi or the network extender works using the network extender is eating up our data and a few very close neighbors are probably accessing it and adding a small amount of data our internet plan

Some Verizon reps have said the current 4G LTE network extender passes both voice and data and others have said it only passes voice and data goes through cell signals or wi-fi depending on how the phone is configured.

We have 4G plans with data caps so don't want data counting against our plan when we're home and could be using wi-fi. On our S9 and our S10 phones can we leave wi-fi on, disable wi-fi calling, and use the network extender for voice and wi-fi for data? The goal being voice goes through the network extender and data through wi-fi without counting towards the data cap. At coffee shops, friends houses, etc. we could turn wi-fi calling on.

Not really happy with the network extender. It runs hot, resets itself fairly often, has MME Communication errors, and voice calls can be delayed or slightly off sync.