AT&T cel phone coverage was so bad in my house we just broke down and bought the AT&T microcel which used the internet to boost coverage. Works much better now but it wasn't cheap.

It was suggested to me, as well, to get a micocell, but I was also told this will help coverage in my house only. Not out and about in the neighborhood. By the way, my main experience, thus far,soon to change, is old-fashioned phone talking, not data. But folks say AT&T is slow with data, compared to others, though it depends what type of phone, processor, plan etc.

I love having to walk out to the sidewalk to make a call with ATT. Remember the scene in Green Acres where they had to climb up the telephone pole to make a call? Albany is not too far removed from Hooterville.

Since I switched to Verizon, my cell phone reception has been excellent. I can also highly recommend sonic.net for both internet and land line. It's wonderful to be an AT&T free household.

Well it seems the misguided anti-cell tower folks are spreading fear and are organized enough to come to the council meetings and expand on their fear-mongering. All of the more moderate people who sort of take credence in the WHO and American Cancer Society's views on cell towers and who want decent AT&T coverage need to show up at the January meeting where they will consider a new antenna on the existing tower at 1035 San Pablo to help counter-balance these people.

How timely! I just switched from VZ to ATT this weekend & purchased my first iPhone. I agree w/Mark & will try to attend the Jan mtg to weigh in!

Folks: We just added some info to this story about plans for the new Solano Ave. AT&T antennas. (In case you missed it...)

Mark is correct. It is so important to be heard on this issue. If you are unable to attend the meetings, please email the commissioners and support new antennas.

I had Pac Bell-Cingular-ATT service for more than 10 years and could never make a cell call at my house. I spoke to Sue at ATT many times and was planning to speak on behalf of ATT at a council (might have been P&Z) meeting. When I saw the maps from ATT presented at the meeting I saw a small area in Albany that would continue to have poor service. My house was in the middle of the area. I left without speaking and switched to Verizon the next week.
When I switched from Comcast to ATT for the house connections this year the service guy had to walk a block away to make a call on his company provided ATT cell phone.

There isn't much more to say except I do speak on an ATT cell phone to my sister and my son on my regular evening walks. The telephone and powerlines that are overhead cause the dropped calls in my case. I switch to the other side of the street from overhead lines in order to avoid dropped calls. Sometimes even that is not enough. I can forward this article to my sister and my son so that they understand what the dropped calls are about. Thanks. If anyone has a map of AT&T antenna positions, I'd like to continue my walks in places with coverage ... like Kensington?

It's all the more reason to keep your land line!

According to AT&T's JOKE of a coverage map we're all awash in BEST categoy wireless coverage there is! See here:

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/#?type=voice&lat=37.88995947967777&lon=-122.29514898602878&sci=9

AT&T coverage in Albany is mostly negative experience than a pleasant one. Several locations you would expect to have a at least decent coverage, you end up either with none or so poor it is practically no coverage at all. Observation of continuous poor coverage at following locations: Albany Post Office, approximately block radius at Washington & San Pablo Ave, in and around Safeway, extremely spotty coverage half block radius on Solano Ave between Key Route & Pomona Ave, several streets east of the High school suffer from none to very poor coverage.
These are just a few, I am sure there are more. The AT&T proposed sites would greatly improve coverage for customers. Having to keep a land-line is only increasing money in the pockets of AT&T, I would prefer to give them less money.

I'm glad to hear that AT&T is proposing new cell antennae, and know that at least one proposal was considered a year or so ago. But why did AT&T wait until now to address the lousy cell service? It's been terrible for years. So, clearly, it's not just the fault of the NIMBYs, naysayers and tin-foil hat brigade.

The lack of AT&YT coverage in Albany is appalling. I travel all over the world and get better cell coverage in South Africa, China, Tunisia, Sweden, the deserts of Israle, even rural in North Dakota.

Poor cell coverage is hurting Albany businesses; customers cannot check menus, make reservations, read reviews, even read maps to find their way around. Home-based businesses suffer from missed calls and poor voice quality.

Poor cell coverage is a health hazard when citizens cannot make emergency phone calls, or contact family members at home when running errands in Albany.

The sooner the City Council makes it a priority to get improved AT&T service in Albany, the better.

Other than Verizon, what providers seem to work in Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito? I was talking to a friend from El Cerrito to El Cerrito yesterday with a terrible connection. She said she'd switched from AT&T to T-Mobile, hoping for improvement, and didn't get it. Other experiences?

for what its worth, you get great cell reception deep in Muir Woods. Great news if you are a squirrel..

I spoke with a Albany Police officer yesterday, who told me that a victim of a robbery last week had to run to 7-11 to call the police because she couldn't get cell service. It was only a matter of time before this happened.

Unfortunately members of our City Council and P&Z are too busy pandering to a small lunatic fringe to worry about those residents who use AT&T or other providers with poor coverage in Albany.

If you are really concerned about AT&T cell coverage in Albany go to the January 10th Planing and Zoning Commission meeting. If you can't attend send a email and let them know how you feel.