Can you hear me now?

Q: I'm a Verizon customer with an LG VX3100, but I don't get quality service in my home. Verizon says that something is blocking us, and since the tower is 600 yards away, we can't cancel. My wife swears she had better reception with an older phone that had an extendable antenna. Do they really make a difference?
-- Jeff

A: Though some people swear by them, extendable antennas, in my experience, don't make a significant difference in reception. I've noticed a change on a couple of occasions but nothing that would influence a purchasing decision. Also, keep in mind that extendable antennas can break easily. While I don't doubt your wife enjoyed better coverage with another mobile, you need to remember that reception is affected by a plethora of variables; these include your geographic location (even within the same city), atmospheric interference, and how many people are using the network at a given time. As a result, you can encounter problems even when you're close to a tower. Yes, that doesn't say great things about the state of wireless service in the United States, but I would suggest trying another Verizon phone to see if that improves your performance.

Speak up

Q: I would like to know if there is a flip phone (through any carrier, they are all the same to me) that has a speakerphone and can be answered without opening it. When shopping for a phone, I see no information regarding this topic. Do you know of any? Does the Motorola Razr V3?
-- Stacy

A: That's a great question, but your options can be limited. If your phone has a menu selection for auto-answer, that should do the trick. Making a call, however, is another matter. While there are swivel phones such as the Sony Ericsson S710a and some Nextel handsets that allow you to make a speakerphone call while closed, it's not a feature that has been adopted widely. In order to make a call, you would need to be able to access your Recent Calls or Contacts lists through the external screen or use voice dialing.

Take it outside
Q: Is there an official guide to cell phone etiquette? I have a friend who constantly answers his phone in restaurants. It's disruptive and very embarrassing to have him blabber away while eating. And it's not as if they're important calls; it's just friends telling him where to meet up later. Any advice on what he should do?
--Pat

A: Sorry Pat, there's no Emily Post or Miss Manners for the wireless world. But beyond taking CNET's cell phone etiquette quiz, there are some simple courtesies that your friend can observe. Unless it's an emergency or absolutely necessary to take the call, just leave your phone on vibrate and enjoy your meal and the time with your friends. If you answer a call, it sends a message that the person on the other end of the line is more important than present company. If that's too hard, try texting in place of yakking away. And if you absolutely must take the call, excuse yourself and step outside.

3G
Q: What is 3G? I've heard a lot about it lately, but I have no idea what it is.
--Jason

A: In short, 3G (or third generation) refers to the still-developing wireless networks that will bring broadband data speeds and services to your cell phone. With speeds between 144Kbps to 2.4Mbps, you'll be able to stream music and video, download large files in a flash, zip through Web pages, and videoconference with other callers. The best way to think of it is to imagine the difference between a dial-up and a broadband Internet connection. At the moment, most handsets, regardless of carrier, operate on 2.5G networks, which clock data speeds of a poky 40Kbps to 90Kbps, whereas 3G networks will offer data speeds roughly three times faster. It's a significant difference--be sure to check out "CNET's quick guide to 3G cell phone service" for more information.