Question

ZERO service during thunderstorms?

  • 27 June 2023
  • 9 replies
  • 484 views

Badge

Does anyone else lose service completely every time there’s a bad storm?! I’ve never had this issue with any other provider until T-Mobile (which I didn’t even choose to get, but thanks to them buying out Sprint I had no choice). It either says “SOS” or “no service” and even in rare cases when it shows 1 bar of LTE, absolutely nothing will load. Can’t even get texts or calls to go through!!! Most recently happened this past Sunday, and I lost all service almost immediately when it started raining and before the storm even got bad. SO FRUSTRATING!!! And also frightening since I was unable to check in with family for over 12 hours. 


9 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +16

phone from Sprint or TMO? and youre switched to the TMO sim card now or still with the Sprint one? and how many devices in the house and how many of them see this when it happens? type of phone?

Badge

Phone is from T-Mobile and has a new T-Mobile SIM card. My boyfriend, who also has the same phone through T-Mobile (iPhone 14), experienced the exact same issue. He was actually on the way home when it happened, and he had service until he drove into our condo complex. So strange!!

Userlevel 7
Badge +16

i would be interested to see just how far the covering tower is for you guys. many things out there can affect signal especially storms. add onto this the possibility that your servicing tower might be just barely in range of you guys might be the tipping point when a storm rolls through..heck heavy foliage can affect signal..you can have killer signal right up until the leaves start back up on the trees then drop signal because of them. i would contact TMO through one of their social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter (tier 2 support) and ask them to put in a network ticket for you. do you guys have home net by chance? preferably not through TMO since the signal comes from the same tower?

Yes, this is frustrating. I am having the same experience with T Mobile 

I was originally with Sprint but T Mobile took over. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +16

as was i but i dont have any issues..and still  using my former Sprint LG V60.

Userlevel 7
Badge +11

One reason that I still like Android…. using ‘Signal Check Pro’ it actually gives a reading of the distance to the connected tower - in my case 0.29 miles.  Samsung results are off by a factor of 2.

Eg.  At 10 miles, Samsung shows 5.  Similarly, cellmapper will show.

Badge

@fireguy_6364 do you know how I would find out how far the covering tower is for me? is this something I can look up online? We have Xfinity internet, but since the power was out during this time that obviously wasn’t working either. I used to have the WORST daily service through AT&T about 15 years ago and still never lost service completely during storms...

Userlevel 7
Badge +16

the agent might be able to tell you at least a direction. you can also use an app to get general locations.

We have had the same issue for the past two years. Anytime it storms and we lose power - we not only lose electricity but cell service too. We recently worked with Xfinity our internet provider for a mobile hot spot or wifi for storms to connect our phones if they have no service. Waiting to try that out during the next storm. 

Reply