GSM Cell Phone Reception Quality?

A not-so-anonymous reader asks: "I am about to buy a new cell phone and my primary focus is on good reception quality, as I have bad network coverage at home. I made some tests using some phones I have access to and got a subjective rating of T610 < K500i < 6520 < V600i, where T610 means 'nearly no service' and V600i gives 'service even in the wine cellar'. Googling around did not give any useful hints. Has anyone compared the reception quality of current GSM phones via simple locations testing, or better yet with commercial GSM testing equipment?"

Comments

Re:Lots of factors

[Tumbleweed]

And different phones use different algorithms for computing "the number of bars", so definitely don't use that to compare phones.

And you can't even use it as a guide on an individual phone - I've lost connection on phones when the signal strength showed medium or above - just boom, signal gone.

Cellphones suck, and they don't seem to be working on improving call quality - just adding stupid features. Who the hell needs an 8 megapixel camera on their cellphone?!

RTFQ

[fm6]

The dude asks for objective test results, and you give him the usual subjective anecdotes. I too have a Z520A, and I too get good reception. But is it because it's a GSM phone? Or is it because I happen to be in an area that's well served by Cingular?