felixthecat
are we there yet?
Terrible signal here on all networks. It's like a big black hole of mobile nothingness.
Half a mile up the road it's fine
Half a mile up the road it's fine
How bad is your mobile phone signal?
- Thread starter skyscraper101
- Start date
Everything Goes
Well-Known Member
Just to confuse matters. Just because your phone indicates 5G doesn't mean you are actually on 5G, it just means it's available somewhere in the area you are in.
I can only speak for Android using a Samsung phone, when you are really connected to 5G the indicator is infilled:
Example of being on 4G but 5G is available somewhere in your vicinity, just to cause confusion:
The story behind this mess.
I can only speak for Android using a Samsung phone, when you are really connected to 5G the indicator is infilled:
Example of being on 4G but 5G is available somewhere in your vicinity, just to cause confusion:
The story behind this mess.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Looks like that is talking about the US, not the UK.
2hats
Dust.
The fundamental idea applies though. Different UK carriers also adopt different policies towards what 5G indication a handset might present to the end user. But ultimately it's all a curate's egg. Performance really is a function of (all of): your location, the materials around you in your immediate environs, your handset, the frequency bands in use, the available technologies/modes supported by masts providing your cell, subscriber demand in those cells, EMI, local atmospheric conditions, range, other carrier policies/agreements, etc. There are circumstances where you are better off with a 4G signal rather than 5G.
Everything Goes
Well-Known Member
While this references the US networks which has a more complicated history. The basics premise I set out regarding the 5G icon is correct for anyone in the UK.
Samsung guidance:
What do the different indicator icons mean on your Galaxy phone
FAQ for Samsung Mobile. Find more about what do the different indicator icons mean on your Galaxy phone with Samsung Support.
www.samsung.com
lazythursday
Averagely-Known Member
It just seems to be deteriorating by the day. On my commute, I know the bits where there are no signal. And I know I will rarely get anything to load once I'm getting close to Leeds station. But this last couple of weeks I can barely use my phone at all on the journey - there's a signal, but just nothing data-wise except for a few brief bursts. I would bite the bullet and switch from Smarty to a proper contract with EE but I feel a lack of confidence that the extra cost will actually achieve the results I want....
2hats
Dust.
Footnote (of sorts): on the northern line the other day, I noticed that the 4/5G signal was consistently good throughout the journey (far better, more consistent than on the walk to and from the zones 2 and 4 stations at either end). I suspect that the nature of the tech required, and indeed the fact that it is a more recent investment, brings a more equitable signal to all subscribers than above ground (well, until the segment of the network you are on gets saturated, but then it perhaps degrades in a different manner).
rubbershoes
not the only raver in the village
At home, there's no signal at all
teuchter
je suis teuchter
A few times in the last couple of months I've just not been able to get through on a phone call at all, or someone has tried to call me and it hasn't worked. Where both ends of the call are within zone 2 London, and made in places where there's not previously been any issue with signal.
It's not just data but regular mobile calls that are becoming unreliable.
It's not just data but regular mobile calls that are becoming unreliable.
2hats
Dust.
4G and 5G networks are packet switched, not circuit switched (in essence, they are just about data). So if your provider has switched off (or almost entirely switched off) their 3G radio kit (EE and Vodafone have, Three is about to, O2 completes this next year), and your handset no longer supports 2G, then your phone calls are, essentially, 'data'.
I guess you could dig out an old 2G only handset and stubbornly use that (O2 will start turning their 2G radio kit off next year, EE and Vodafone haven't announced a timeline for that yet, but they should terminate 2G service no later than 2033).
I guess you could dig out an old 2G only handset and stubbornly use that (O2 will start turning their 2G radio kit off next year, EE and Vodafone haven't announced a timeline for that yet, but they should terminate 2G service no later than 2033).
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
Just noticed my phone reported it was using WiFi for giffgaff calls.. Down to one bar in my back bedroom.
Dawned on me that the foil backing on the wall insulation might be an issue.. Wifi is looking strong maybe 14 feet from the router...
Dawned on me that the foil backing on the wall insulation might be an issue.. Wifi is looking strong maybe 14 feet from the router...
teuchter
je suis teuchter
It's no longer possible to have a phone conversation with someone whilst going for a walk. It now seems almost always to be the case that trying to do this means the call breaking up or cutting off multiple times. You have to find somewhere with a reasonable signal, see if the call is even going to connect, and if it does, stay in that location for the duration of the conversation. Even wandering around within a park causes things to fall apart.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
If you want access to all of the EE spectrum, the only MVNO provider is 1p mobile. I've found them pretty good so far.
RoyReed
Must fly!
I'm in Clapham North (half way between Wandsworth Road and Clapham High Street) and I usually only get 1 bar on my phone, and never more than 2 bars. Could it be that I'm on one side of the railway line and the nearest mast is on the other. I obviously use my home WiFi, but the quality of phone calls is appalling.
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
The UK’s phone signal is infuriatingly poor
I have discovered that the UK’s phone signal is terrible. I expected poor connectivity on coastal paths in Cornwall, but everywhere I went I experienced problems.
www.spectator.co.uk
This is so true. I've just switched off 5G now. I see absolutely no benefit to it in this country.
Elpenor
Dancing as fast as I can
There isn’t any 5G in large parts of the country. At least on my network. But loads in Kent and Sussex oddly enoughThe UK’s phone signal is infuriatingly poor
I have discovered that the UK’s phone signal is terrible. I expected poor connectivity on coastal paths in Cornwall, but everywhere I went I experienced problems.
This is so true. I've just switched off 5G now. I see absolutely no benefit to it in this country.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
A week or two ago my phone lost the ability to make any calls at all.
Some investigation revealed that this was because 3g had been turned off in my area by my provider, Three.
My phone is only 3 or 4 years old and has 4g and 5g.
However ... something that does not seem to have been advertised very widely is that it's not enough just to have a 4g phone: it must have "4g calling" aka "VoLTE" enabled. Mine doesn't, or at least it doesn't have it enabled on the Three network. As Three has no 2g infrastructure at all for the phone to fall back to, my phone could no longer make any calls. I realise this has probably been going on for a little while when I have strayed into areas with 3g turned off, and explains why there were some places I couldn't make calls.
For now I've solved this by switching to another network which does have a 2g signal. But this will only be OK for as long as they keep their 2g signal going.
Some investigation revealed that this was because 3g had been turned off in my area by my provider, Three.
My phone is only 3 or 4 years old and has 4g and 5g.
However ... something that does not seem to have been advertised very widely is that it's not enough just to have a 4g phone: it must have "4g calling" aka "VoLTE" enabled. Mine doesn't, or at least it doesn't have it enabled on the Three network. As Three has no 2g infrastructure at all for the phone to fall back to, my phone could no longer make any calls. I realise this has probably been going on for a little while when I have strayed into areas with 3g turned off, and explains why there were some places I couldn't make calls.
For now I've solved this by switching to another network which does have a 2g signal. But this will only be OK for as long as they keep their 2g signal going.
Winot
I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint
Article about London's dreadful mobile data capacity (scroll to the end):
www.londoncentric.media
TLDR: mainly problem getting planning permission for new masts, but also Huawei kit being removed.
Why exactly is London's phone signal so bad?
Plus: Will the tube strikes actually go ahead; the capital rises up in support of a cat.
www.londoncentric.media
TLDR: mainly problem getting planning permission for new masts, but also Huawei kit being removed.
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
Yes I had to fiddle around with the 4g calling when Vodafone switched off 3g. Vodafone kept saying that 4g wasn't enabled when it was (a OnePlus). I managed to find a solution without needing to change my phone or network but it was a PITA.
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
At home we don't get TV, radio or good mobile phone reception, we sometimes get up to 3 bars, if you go upstairs or about 2/3 up the stairs but it's not guaranteed. No point in us having a smart meter cos it just wouldn't work
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
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