cell reception in puna :)

[Hopefeather]

When we were in Puna this last month the only place we had decent cell reception was in Hilo. We have Verizon. We're moving over soon, and were wondering what the best cell reception for Puna would be?

hope

[Carey]

Hope, we also have verizon, and live now in "downtown" Keaau, where reception is usually OK (2+ bars). We rented in HPP, down by Beach & Makuu, and we were sometimes able to get reception at the house. To improve that, we purchased a wired antennae (goes into a jack spot on the phone, pretty inexpensive) and could get up to 2 bars, with the phone plugged in (yeah, I know, wiring the wireless!) but at least it worked! Some of the areas around Pahoa town & Orchildland center can get about 2 bars now. With that external ant., we can get some reception near Pam L., down in Aniola & out near Kapoha.
Aloha, Carey

[macuu222]

I believe Cingular Wireless has the best reception all over Puna and from what I understand.... throughout the Big Island. We live in HPP on 5th and Makuu and we get three bars most of the time. Never had a dropped call yet....although we've only had it 3 months.

[Hopefeather]

I've heard that Cingular has the best coverage. However, i've also heard they are terrible with customer service. Have you had good service?

hope

[John S. Rabi]

My T-Mobile does not work between Volcano and Mt. View and past Pahoa but I get good reception everywhere else.

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,RB
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
75-5870 Walua Road, Suite 101
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808)327-3185

[Howard]

We have Verizon also. We generally got good reception in Pahoa as well as in Hilo. In Nanawale, we usually got good reception outdoors; indoors was more erratic, ranging from good to nonexistent at different times and in different parts of the house.

Howard

[msurf]

How about Verizon in Fern Acres? Anybody?
Mahalos,
Mike

[punafish]

We got Cingular a couple years ago because we knew it had the best reception in Puna. Hawaiian Shores gets decent reception, but the # of bars seems to be in constant flux. I have to be careful not to walk to the wrong spot in the house or I get cut off. Regarding Cingular's customer service, we recently had a technical problem with my wife's phone - she can make calls out but can't receive any. Cingular was never able to fix the problem, and the customer service folks I spoke with actually blamed it on the network of the company Cingular bought out. (Who was it?) Then they had the gall to pitch the idea of us re-upping for another 2-year plan, told me it would "solve" our problem. (!?) In all fairness, the folks I dealt with on the phone were nice, polite, and really tried their best. Unfortunately, Cingular's customer service system is rigged against the people on the front line (totally management's fault). The folks you deal with on the phone have their hands tied because they don't have the authority to make on-the-spot decisions that will keep customers happy. Bottom line? If we can avoid going with Cingular again, we will - perhaps give Verizon a try? Any opinions out there on whether customer service of Verizon is any better?
If bad cell phone reception is my only problem, then I'm a lucky man indeed. Such a small price to pay for living in paradise. Aloha

Tim

[pslamont]

Cingular customer service sucks, but it is good reception, so we have it too. We were ATT (Cingular bought them out) and yes, we changed phones and upgraded and yes, it made all the difference in the world.

We have great reception now.. Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Cindy V]

We have Verizon and when last there worked fine in Hilo, Volcano, Pahoa, and some places within Leilani Estates. We had better reception in April than we did when we were there in Nov 2005, I hear Verizon put up a new tower in Pahoa?

Aloha
Cindy