Best Cell Service inside game and tailgaiting?

[cyfan50438]

What is the best cell service that people use during the tailgate and game and what issues did you have. With 60k to 100k people around a small area I can understand that problems with communication can arise. But with everyone trying to download radars to see the rain, to twitter, Facebook, and Instagram it became difficult. I have US Cellular and was able to text and call but everything else was totally un-accessible. Is there something better out there.

 

[Farnsworth]

I honestly think it's going to be a total crapshoot based on a number of attributes, not just service provider. My wife is on cricket and gets no service all over the place, including our basement, yet she was the only one in our tailgate of probably 30 people who could access a radar and send group messages. Cricket uses AT&T towers IIRC. My phone also worked for everything except I was to busy to deal with radars. A lot of my friends on Verizon surprisingly has a really hard time.

 

[Rabbuk]

I pretty much go to the game and assume my phone won't work.

 

[kingcy]

I have Verizon and could get and send texts, but they would stack up because I could not send and get them at a regular pace. Data is crap in Ames on game day and has been for the last couple years. I used to get OK data on game day but that's not the case anymore.

 

[tim_redd]

Based on my unscientific observations, I actually think US cellular is the best. I believe they set up temp towers. Verizon is useless.

 

[Farnsworth]

We also keep our phones in airplane mode when we aren't trying to use them unless we are waiting for a text/call to give them a location. This saves battery and it trying to search for signal all day.

Also turn off your WIFI people, that makes it 10X worse when it's searching for nothing that is there (that you can get on) constantly.

 

[kingcy]

We also keep our phones in airplane mode when we aren't trying to use them unless we are waiting for a text/call to give them a location. This saves battery and it trying to search for signal all day.

Also turn off your WIFI people, that makes it 10X worse when it's searching for nothing that is there (that you can get on) constantly.

I was in Ames for 14 hours yesterday and had an hour and fifteen min drive both way where is streamed music and had no battery issues.

 

[alarson]

Verizon data went down in the tailgate lots by around 9 or 10am, could still get texts and calls. Was similar for friends with other carriers.

In the game could still get data (they seem to have some cell stations inside the stadium) most of the time, though that went to crap during the rain delays because everyone was on their phones again during that.

 

[NorthCyd]

I have Sprint which sucks. I get nothing on 4g, but if I force my phone to 3g I am able to get some data. I was actually streaming video in G7 for a while.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

We also keep our phones in airplane mode when we aren't trying to use them unless we are waiting for a text/call to give them a location. This saves battery and it trying to search for signal all day.

Also turn off your WIFI people, that makes it 10X worse when it's searching for nothing that is there (that you can get on) constantly.

First part is true. Second part not so much. Wi-Fi signal polling takes maybe 2% of the battery that cellphone signal polling does and Wi-Fi won't poll unless it's been 10-20-30min depending on the phone. Obviously if you're in a stadium without any Wi-Fi or any other place without Wi-Fi and you're scrounging up your all your battery, sure turn it off. But turning off Wi-Fi will make little difference.

Turning off cell phone signal on the other and will make a world of difference.

Kinda sorta rule of thumb is if you're signal is 50% or more, the Wi-Fi won't signal that hard. So for an iPhone that's 3 bars.

To answer the OP question, so few people use T-mobile in Iowa (because it's non existent outside main cities and highways) that honestly it's been the best for me at the stadium. Though I haven't been since last year

 

[Clone to the Bone]

What is the best cell service that people use during the tailgate and game and what issues did you have. With 60k to 100k people around a small area I can understand that problems with communication can arise. But with everyone trying to download radars to see the rain, to twitter, Facebook, and Instagram it became difficult. I have US Cellular and was able to text and call but everything else was totally un-accessible. Is there something better out there.

It ain’t Verizon!

 

[nfrine]

The only time I really used the phone was during the second weather delay. Downloaded weather maps without too much delay inside the stadium. I was surprised....US Cellular.

 

[tzjung]

I'm pretty sure T-Mobile it's the best in stadium situations. I have Google-fi and can toggle between US Cellular, Sprint, and T-Mobile cell bands, and T-Mobile was by far the best. I had data, could receive and sent texts and calls. I used to have Verizon until last Dec and it was **** on gameday.

 

[AlaCyclone]

I have T-Mobile and no issues at all until I tried to pull up my Mobile Ticket to get scanned out after the Incoming Hail announcement was made. lol. I wasn't coming back anyway, but that sealed the deal. Love T-Mobile, especially when I travel overseas.

 

[brianhos]

ATT would work inside Hilton at least last year. Probably because no on has ATT anymore.

 

[cycloner29]

Verizon worked fine for me inside the stadium. Outside it sucked.

 

[beentherebefore]

I have Sprint, and texts and calls went through FASTER on Saturday than they ever do for me otherwise. Using apps? Those would not work, but there were about 100,000 people in the area.

 

[algonacy]

Maybe a homing pigeon?

 

[jdcyclone19]

I sure wish the athletics department would install wifi at the stadium. The alamo bowl had it and it was really nice to be able to fully use our phones.

 

[CyTwins]

I sure wish the athletics department would install wifi at the stadium. The alamo bowl had it and it was really nice to be able to fully use our phones.

I'd gladly pay for it too