To the cell-service providers, time is REALLY money! Usually, if we get separated in a large, busy place, (casino, what else?), we get back together by a quick call. Should add, most of the time separated, as slot machines aggravate me more since they have evolved into phoney electronic displays with no concept left of "chance". If wife's cell is not answered, after a five or six rings I get a message, Voice Mail not yet set up. But last time, no rings at all, immediate message. Her cell was turned off. The provider's equipment detected that it was turned off, and rather than use their precious time "ringing" to a deaf phone, it immediately went to the V.M. Never noticed that before. I continue to be amazed by the day-to-day nuances evident in the Computer Revolution! Frank
I haven't paid attention to that, probably because I seldom call, I text. I haven't been to a casino since my ex left but would go occasionally to one that's about 15 mins from my house. This was about 8yrs ago and I don't even remember what cell phone I had but I do remember not getting very good service in the casino. This is the casino that on New Year's Eve we both won. I won $1,800 on the dollar slots and he won $1,500 on the poker machine. We also had a great meal at the Buffet. I don't know if that's changed but that casino had great buffets, quality food! Back to voicemail....I seldom leave messages and I seldom listen to them either. Unless it's from someone Important....meaning my dr or insurance etc.
I think I've heard before that casinos use some sort of blocking feature, to prevent cheating. I haven't been to a casino in quite a while, but I do enjoy them on occasion. I know it's unlikely that I'll win, but I enjoy the environment (very rarely), as long as I'm feeling well. I play slots online sometimes, with no change of winning, and also play a few slots/scratch ticket type of apps that do offer a slight chance of winning, from various small prizes up to a million dollars. I guess it's a good thing that they detect the phone is turned off, but does that mean your wife has shut her phone off, or that it's otherwise unavailable? I know sometimes i'll get different messages when I call my mom and friends, but I'm not sure if that means the home phone has picked up and the message will be on the actual phone, the call's gone to a virtual answering machine, or if it's a cell phone, I don't know if it means the person's got the phone off, is on the phone & ignoring the interruption, or just isn't answering for some reason. To me, all that really matters is that I'm not getting through.
I am not a casino habitue but I can relate to the phone problem. Our home is located in a somewhat dead spot because cellphone signal is not consistently working. If someone sends me a text and it arrives coinciding with the dead spot period, the message will be much delayed that sometimes it arrives after a day or 2. When we send a message, the same thing happens. We have observed that the phone signal here is like a radar that is rotating. Maybe a portion of the rotation renders our place with no signal so it becomes a dead spot. However, a phone call will reveal that problem because the caller knows that he cannot connect, the same on our end. After so many years of residing in this suburban town, there's no upgrade in the cell phone signals.
@Corie Henson I think cell phone communication is exactly the same as radio transmission, that is, it radiates outward from the cellphone in all directions equally. The nearest cell-tower locks onto the signal, and relays it from that tower by whatever means the company uses, but very likely a continuation of radio transmission. Radar is similar in that it is a radio signal, but it is beamed outward in a narrow "band" by a directional antenna. The rotating antenna gives the ability to tell in what direction it's "target" is located,. and whether it is moving, which way, and how fast. I suspect the rotating radar beam has been replaced by electronic switching of some type, but am sadly out of date with knowledge of today's electronics. Frank