In short: What determines a cell phone's reception?
I live rurally. My cabin has never had lines for phone or cable, so I can't just connect a phone. I rely on cell.
Mine (5ish year old Samsung Galaxy Ace on Koodo/Telus) is crap, working only in very limited spots in my house, and even then sometimes poorly. I must not move it or me, or charge it while talking, etc.
I'm seeing other people in the area having success with their cell phones, but after asking around, have not been able to determine the common denominators in the working cells.
Is it newness of the phone? i.e., Do newer cell phones have more powerful receptors?
Is it the type/model of phone?
Is it the network? (Telus vs Rogers.)