Readers weigh in on spotty service

We asked and you answered.

Boy, did you ever.

The question posted on The Laconia Daily Sun’s Facebook page was a simple one:  “For a story about cellular telephone service in the Lakes Region, please tell us locations where you often encounter 'dead zones' or places where you can't get reception.”

The question apparently struck a nerve, judging from the response – more than 100 in less than two hours. That's much higher than the number of replies we would normally get during a similar time frame.

The Route 106 corridor was singled out early and often as sorely lacking in reliable cell service. “Route 106 on the Belmont/Laconia line across from the gas station & then again a mile later heading towards Concord, just past Lakes Region Gymnastics!” wrote Erika Willette in a post that generated some enthusiastic agreement.

She’ll get no argument from Jennifer Laramie, who wrote that spotty service included “a good part of 106 including (but not limited to) Loudon/Gilmanton line, passing Belmont post office, passing Lakes Region Gymnastics going north until past LRCC and by Vista foods through downtown Laconia. Also spotty service until Meredith. The “H Roads” in Gilford - Hawthorne, Hedgewood, Hatch, Heather, Hazelnut. Thanks for doing this! Hopefully some change will come from it.”

“The cell signal in Wildwood Village off the end of Holman St. in Laconia is very weak. We get dropped calls all the time,” said Stephen F. Hall.

Dean Macdonald said that the area “between the Belknap Mall and the Winnisquam bridge” was a problem area, a sentiment echoed by several others.

 “All of Gilmanton...I call it the black hole!” wrote Bambi Benton.

 “The entirety of Holderness,” chimed in Alyson Gammons.

“All of Franklin,” posted Marie Giunta.

“Bristol,” said Janice Cate, “going west on 104 it drops off at the curve just after the Homestead, and doesn't come back (if you are traveling on 3a north) until you pass the Bridgewater Town Offices.”

“Agreed” said Michelle Aitchison Tait, “also where Hannaford in Bristol is. Most of downtown Bristol has spotty service at best. I’ve had Verizon, AT&T and US Cellular. Same with all of them in that area.”

Service in Gilford also took some heat.

“Bypass on Gilford end just before speed limit changes to 35,” wrote Kelly Teeter.

“Gilford near Meadowbrook and across from Dockham Shore Road,” said Natalia Wylie. “A dead spot right as you pass Governors Island and a dead spot around house numbers 700 on White Oaks Road in Laconia. I find that the service has declined significantly since January 2016.”

“West Alton from Rt. 11A to the Gilford town line dead as a door nail,” said Cathy Jones.

“Center and North Sandwich, Center Harbor/Meredith town lines on both Rt25 & Rt3 and everything in between,” wrote Kayla Lamson. “Rt28 between Wolfeboro and Alton. Rt171 in Ossipee.”

“Most of Sandwich,” wrote Cynthia Ferris Rose. “Rte 3 into Ashland/Holderness toward Plymouth.

Hope Langevin might have voiced the frustration shared by others when she said, “Might be easier to ask which areas do have service lol.”