Many Bowdoin students find that their cell phones do not work or function inconsistently in many of the buildings around campus. While service might roam in one room in the first-year bricks, the cell phone might receive full service down the hall.
"I encounter reception problems in most of the buildings on campus. Unless I want to get disconnected every few minutes, I can't talk in my dorm at all," Verizon Wireless subscriber Meredith Segal '08 said.
Shaez Allidina '07, who also uses Verizon Wireless, experiences cell phone reception problems as well.
"I encounter many problems in my dorm," he said. "I live in Howard and there is absolutely no reception unless you go outside the dorm. In most other buildings, the reception is good."
Cell phone usage is prevalent at Bowdoin. "I have seen [cell phone] usage increase greatly [at Bowdoin] over the past two years," Lueree Horgan, manager of telecommunications at Bowdoin, said.
For this reason, Bowdoin works with Cingular/AT&T Wireless to provide students with discounts for new and current subscriptions. Cingular recently purchased AT&T Wireless.
The College owns 113 cell phones and PDAs, which are subscribed to Cingular/AT&T service. The PDAs allow faculty members to check and send emails, according to Horgan.
Many students on campus subscribe to Cingular/AT&T as well, while some subscribe to Verizon, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular Wireless services.
Several of Bowdoin's buildings, however, harbor many reception problems. Building materials may be the cause of the reception problem.
"The thick brick buildings (which may also contain steel framing) can inhibit the microwaves, in turn diminishing reception to the wireless handsets," Horgan said.
Outdoor areas like the Quad provide the best reception. Some buildings still receive good reception due to the materials from which they are constructed, Horgan said.
"Outside open spaces receive the signals from the towers located throughout the Brunswick area. This is referred to as 'Line Of Sight.' As the signals travel, they are picked up by the wireless handsets," Horgan said.
Several students found peculiar places to that receive the best reception from their cell phone.
"The cold drove me to looking for other places to talk...Though I'm from Coleman, I now go to Coles Tower, 16th floor if I want to talk for awhile. The library stairway between the second and third floors is the closest warm place I've found good reception," Segal.
In terms of which cell phones provide the best reception, Horgan said that there is not much difference between Cingular/AT&T service and Verizon Wireless service.
"Both companies own cell towers in the area. It has been our experience that Cingular/AT&T Wireless provides better customer service and support," Horgan said.
Bowdoin and Cingular/AT&T are working with ways to increase cell-phone reception in the future.
"We are currently looking at ways to enhance coverage around and within all buildings on campus," Horgan said.
One way they are doing so is adding more antennas to the buildings that would receive signals from the cell towers. These would lead to increased clarity of cell phone use in and around the campus buildings.
"Also, cell phone technology is constantly changing and improving. Cingular/AT&T Wireless is committed to introducing new technologies to Bowdoin as they are developed and available," Horgan said.