A couple of times recently, I’ve been somewhere where other people had cell-phone service, and I didn’t. I always assumed this was a carrier issue, but have begun to wonder if the age of my phone has something to do with it. I have T-Mobile, and my phone is the most basic Nokia model from about three or four years ago. What’s the word on the street?
This is anecdotal, but I have a gadgety Motorola model from a couple years back that has all the gizmos and it has really crappy signal reception. In fact, my mom gave me this pricey phone after being unsatisfied compared to her old dinosaur of a phone. She never had a signal, got crappy reception, and it often dropped calls. She actually sent it back to the company three seperate times and they gave her three different phones of the same type with the same crappy results. So my Mom went back to her old phone, old faithful- a very basic Nokia model from the late nineties. This phone is a basic and very old model but invariably gets no less than four bars wherever we are, or in places where, comparably, I have very low signal or none. We both have t-mobile, as well, so I’m guessing this is a phone issue.
However, you can also check out t-mobiles coverage map and see if you are in a poor signal area. It could be both phone and coverage issues combined, as I believe is my case with the motorola combined with t-mobile service.
One of the areas where I had a problem was inside a building in downtown Boston, where the signal strength, as indicated on the linked map, is high. No one else seemed to have a problem, which led me to think my antiquated phone was to blame. But my ignorance of cell technology is fairly complete, so maybe I’m blaming my Nokia when I shouldn’t be.
Ask someone else with a T-Mobile phone to swap SIM-cards with you. That will tell you wether the problem is with the SIM or with the phone. If it’s neither, that means the area you’re at has bad coverage.
If you used to get service there but now don’t your best bet is to call your local t-mobile store and have them check out if there is any down towers. They can look it up for you in a heart beat*. If you have never had service but other people do I would switch phones with some one or go down to your local t-mobile store and see about upgrading your phone. You have 14 days to return it and get you money back so you should have no problem figuring out if it’s a phone thing.
*If you don’t want to call tmo drop me a line and I’ll look it up for you. I can even send you a screen shot so you can see exactly what kind of service to expect.
T-mobileguy proudly serving the straight dopes T-mobile needs since Mid Feb 2007 
Hey T-mobileguy…
I know on my Verizon phone that occasionally I can dial *228 and update the configuration maps. This really helps with coverage and eliminating dead areas.
Is there such a number for T-Mobile customers?
Nope, T-mobile updates it’s phones with an over the air programming. We send all kinds of stuff to your phone all the time. There is no need for any customer involvement. (well not your phone, but you get the idea 
).
That is of course not including the data devises or any software stuff that may need to be down loaded for individual phones. For example, you may get 3 service updates on your phone and never even know it happened but still need to down load the new software patch for the blackberry pearl to correct problems with the track ball.
I have T-mobile. I get no reception from my desk, but there’s a big steel plate between me and the transmitter.
Well, t-mobileguy, never was there a more perfect harmony between username and thread subject. Thanks for your advice. It seems like the answer is yes, it could well be my phone that’s the problem. Which is too bad, because I’m hanging onto it for its anti-chic.