“Sorry, I just saw that.” If you typed that text and it was in fact true, it may have happened after leaving a cell signal dead zone. While we are used to always being connected, there are times when our phone carriers fail us.
Despite a proliferation of cell phone towers, sometimes you’re just not close enough to one, too many people are leaning on it, or you’re in a building or near an obstacle made of materials that interfere with the signal. Weather can also be a factor.
Whatever the cause, your experience isn’t alone, and Holafly, a travel SIM card provider, looked at DeadCellZones.com to rank the cities and states with the biggest dead zone complaints.
(Credit: Holafly)
If you don’t live in the great state of Hawaii, you might feel a little jealous of those who do. But if cell phone signal is a priority for you, there is small consolation. It is the state with the most dead zone cell signal complaints – 282 per million people in the first three quarters of 2024.
However, that’s how some like it out there. KITV News attended a community meeting in rural Kauai in May about a proposed cell tower, where attendees expressed concerns about the towers falling on homes. (They were more open to satellite connectivity.)
Rocky, mostly rural Maine is the next state when it comes to complaints, with 264 per million. The city of York, where residents have also opposed new tower installations, has tried to address the lack of service by installing small cells at traffic signals.
The next state when it comes to cell signal issues is Vermont, which is filled with tall trees. There, 252 inhabitants per million kvetchuan for their service. But those who live in North Turnbridge can go to the general store to use a free public phone that sits out front, thanks to the special interests in former pay phones of a Vermont Technical College graduate.
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(Credit: Holafly)
However, poor cell phone service is not just a provincial problem in sparsely populated states. Even big cities face problems. Cincinnati, Boulder and Green Bay top the list when it comes to complaints. Cincinnati is home to FirstNet, an independent cellular service company that ensures first responders’ phones are always connected.
If your cell service is poor, you don’t have to be the first responder to get a good signal. You can make some simple adjustments to your phone or use signal boosters at home or on the go.
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About Chandra Steele
Senior Features Writer
