Mobile Tech Special

Cell Phone Woes: America’s 10 Worst Cities for Mobile Phone Reception

Are you plagued by dropped calls? Is your download speed slow as molasses? Well, that could be because your metropolis is on this list. As part of TIME’s look at how wireless technology is changing our lives, we partnered with data firm OpenSignalMaps to find out which cities had the spottiest service.

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10. Detroit, Michigan

By Aug. 17, 2012
Alan Copson / Getty Images

Population: 706,585

Worst Carrier: AT&T

Best Carrier: Sprint

Tall buildings can interfere with reception, and downtown Detroit has plenty of those. While such issues can be resolved by building extra cell phone towers (see cities like New York), the companies involved need to expect a good return on their investment—a hard sell when your city’s population has significantly declined.

(Cover Story: 10 Ways Mobile Technology Is Changing Our World)

Next 9. Lexington, Kentucky

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