Have gone from bad to worse with Manitoba coverage.

[Lindsaylangan]

I have made numerous complains about the cell reception )going on over a year). When we moved to our location, we had excellent service. We were told by TELUS rep that if we switched to Manitoba TELUS numbers that we would get better rates and coverage. This last two months have been awful. We live rural, and used to get service for my whole hour drive to work minus one dead zone on a valley. Now I drive 102 kms with zero service the whole way. The internet on my phone is also not working )or my husband and children and numerous friends and neighbours) and this last few months we have ZERO service. Up to 15-30 dropped calls a day, sometimes 6 drops in one conversation but it’s saying full signal strength. We purchased new SIM cards )which we were advised by TELUS agent) were supposed to be credited for them )we weren’t) and now none of us have any service until we drive 45 moms to an hour. Like what the heck!

[NFtoBC · Accepted solution]

You can use the Telus NetXP App to report coverage issues. It is the best way to report issues, as it catalogs the locations where trouble exists. There should have been no difference, as the same towers are used now as 2 years ago.

[Lola]

Telus doesn't do rural very well, not even here in BC. I know a family in a rural town here and they only get reception in half their house, though Telus claims that can't be so, IT IS SO and the tech has been out there a few times and experienced it himself. Long stretches of our highways of course are without service, even the places where service apparently exists, it doesn't. We have a lot of telecommunication spin here; something the companies do very well.

[the-ripratt]

I also live in Manitoba and am pissed at the lousy coverage area here.  According to the Telus map AND their sales people I am supposed to have great coverage where I am.  I have such bad service that I put up a $500.00 signal booster on a 65 foot high tower so I am way above any trees or other possible obstacles and it is a clear shot to their tower.  Also, I am only 5 miles from the tower that their equipment is on so there should be NO need for any kind of booster in the first place.  I wanted to change my home phone to one of their wireless phones but it's a good thing I didn't get one because I couldn't use it either. 

The coverage seems to have gotten even worse in the last few months.  I used to be able to use my phone if I was near an East facing window and now most of the time I can't even make a call if I am in the yard.  I have to go out onto the highway before I can get a usable signal.  I am getting so frustrated that I almost thru my 3 phones into the bush because they are useless around here and they cost a lot of money for small paper weights.

[ChrissieCHunt]

Have you tried testing your signal to see how bad it is? This blog tells you how to check your phone’s signal the right way (the signal bars aren’t reliable). The site also has some tips on making adjustments to boost your signal with and without a cell phone booster.

[the-ripratt]

I have tested my signal strength so I know just how poor it is and been told by Telus themselves that the signal is too weak to be of any use where I live. They are the ones that told me that the tower I am SUPPOSED to be getting my service from hasn't worked for the past 6 years.

[ChrissieCHunt]

That's pretty rotten. They need to update their network. Have you looked at a cell phone booster? 

[ChrissieCHunt]

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@Lindsaylangan wrote:
I have made numerous complains about the cell reception )going on over a year). When we moved to our location, we had excellent service. We were told by TELUS rep that if we switched to Manitoba TELUS numbers that we would get better rates and coverage. This last two months have been awful. We live rural, and used to get service for my whole hour drive to work minus one dead zone on a valley. Now I drive 102 kms with zero service the whole way. The internet on my phone is also not working )or my husband and children and numerous friends and neighbours) and this last few months we have ZERO service. Up to 15-30 dropped calls a day, sometimes 6 drops in one conversation but it’s saying full signal strength. We purchased new SIM cards )which we were advised by TELUS agent) were supposed to be credited for them )we weren’t) and now none of us have any service until we drive 45 moms to an hour. Like what the heck!

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Living in a rural area often means problems with reception due to how far away cell towers often are and terrain blocking the signals (hills, trees, etc.) If you are getting a signal (even a weak one),  you should look at cell phone signal boosters. www.signalbooster.com has many articles on boosters and what they can do. You can also just type in signal booster on a Google search. Just do your homework so you get the right one and don't overpay.