Why is mobile coverage in UK so awful?
Discussion
Skeptisk said:
I expect not everywhere but at Stansted Airport it is rubbish. Cambridgeshire is awful. I’ve rarely had problems outside the UK. It doesn’t seem to get any better ie at least in Cambridgeshire it hasn’t improved in the past 15 years. Why?
Probably depends on your phone and the network you’re on. I have no issues on EE.
From what I've seen I think when you're outside the UK, assuming you're using a UK sim to roam, your phone can connect to any network it chooses and it will generally choose the one with the best signal. Within the UK, it's limited to whatever network you are on. Someone roaming to the UK from another country would see the opposite - better reception in the UK than in their home country.
They were better 10 years ago.
I'm with 3, signal has gone from good to terrible at home. They call it 'congestion' and say they won't be improving it. The cut my contract short without penalty.
I think they're doing as little maintenance as possible in favour of profit, as the water, train, electricity companies etc all do
I'm with 3, signal has gone from good to terrible at home. They call it 'congestion' and say they won't be improving it. The cut my contract short without penalty.
I think they're doing as little maintenance as possible in favour of profit, as the water, train, electricity companies etc all do
wiggy001 said:
Parts of central London are terrible on several networks. Your phone might show a signal by try doing anything that involves data and you've no chance. London Bridge is a prime example.
Yep on the train out complete black spot at New Cross for a mile or so.In my town centre house my EE signal is awful while wife's 3 signal is fine.
Out in the garden I get 5g she’s lucky to get 4g….
Very poor in 2024.
I wrote to my MP once to complain that the mobile signal on the West Coast Mainline was complete s
t, and how did they expect anyone to be productive while sat on the train if they were unable to connect to the internet or make phone calls. I accept that some of it is in dips/cuttings, and very small bits are in tunnels, but you would think it would be a fairly important place to have signal.
On the other hand, the tube now has signal on much of it, which as a vast improvement.
t, and how did they expect anyone to be productive while sat on the train if they were unable to connect to the internet or make phone calls. I accept that some of it is in dips/cuttings, and very small bits are in tunnels, but you would think it would be a fairly important place to have signal. On the other hand, the tube now has signal on much of it, which as a vast improvement.
May be area/network dependent. I've been with Sky for years and was sick of having a newer iPhone than the Mrs. but my phone was always slower. If I had 3G she had 4G. if I had 4G she had 5G. Seemed to make no difference as to where we were. My phone used to just hang while we used hers for the internet. I've just switched to EE because I was sick of the network, sick of the roaming charges they made me pay but ultimately, the Mrs. gets a hefty friends and family discount with EE!
Honesty, it's like having new phone.
Honesty, it's like having new phone.
Skeptisk said:
I expect not everywhere but at Stansted Airport it is rubbish. Cambridgeshire is awful. I’ve rarely had problems outside the UK. It doesn’t seem to get any better ie at least in Cambridgeshire it hasn’t improved in the past 15 years. Why?
I live in Cambridgeshire and my 4 and 5G are both just fine so much so that our home internet is 4G as there is no fibre service where I live and we are so far from the exchange on copper that a string and paper cup would provide more throughput. Portofino said:
wiggy001 said:
Parts of central London are terrible on several networks. Your phone might show a signal by try doing anything that involves data and you've no chance. London Bridge is a prime example.
Yep on the train out complete black spot at New Cross for a mile or so.In my town centre house my EE signal is awful while wife's 3 signal is fine.
Out in the garden I get 5g she’s lucky to get 4g….
Very poor in 2024.
Planning
Planning is very difficult for Mobile Network Operators. Most people want good coverage. There is a lack of acceptance from planners and residents that infrastructure is needed for that.
5G
As above. Typically goes less far so needs more sites.
VF/Three - Trying to merge. Current market place VF/VMo2 have a shared infrastructure company. EE/Three have a shared estates company. The merger leaves no certainty for everyone. Upgrades are pretty slow while they wait to see if the Competition Markets Authority allow it.
Landlords - at one time landlords wanted telecoms. Due to legislation the cash benefit is massively reduced. Generally they don't want telecom tenants anymore as they are not worth the hassle. They do have compulsory purchase type powers but it's expensive and depends on the pocket of the land owner as to how hard they fight it.
Ultimately they are not making tons of money so are being slow at doing anything!
Planning is very difficult for Mobile Network Operators. Most people want good coverage. There is a lack of acceptance from planners and residents that infrastructure is needed for that.
5G
As above. Typically goes less far so needs more sites.
VF/Three - Trying to merge. Current market place VF/VMo2 have a shared infrastructure company. EE/Three have a shared estates company. The merger leaves no certainty for everyone. Upgrades are pretty slow while they wait to see if the Competition Markets Authority allow it.
Landlords - at one time landlords wanted telecoms. Due to legislation the cash benefit is massively reduced. Generally they don't want telecom tenants anymore as they are not worth the hassle. They do have compulsory purchase type powers but it's expensive and depends on the pocket of the land owner as to how hard they fight it.
Ultimately they are not making tons of money so are being slow at doing anything!
There's been no improvement at all in my part of West Cornwall since I first moved here 27 years ago.
Lucky to get a 4g signal anywhere, no chance near my house.
I can get a weak 3g signal upstairs indoors on Vodafone. Nothing at all on other networks.
Wifi calling is the only way to reliably use a mobile.
It's not like I'm in the middle of nowhere - 4 miles from a market town, 6 miles from another. 420ft above sea level too.
Despite this, the network operators' maps all show good connectivity.
Lucky to get a 4g signal anywhere, no chance near my house.
I can get a weak 3g signal upstairs indoors on Vodafone. Nothing at all on other networks.
Wifi calling is the only way to reliably use a mobile.
It's not like I'm in the middle of nowhere - 4 miles from a market town, 6 miles from another. 420ft above sea level too.
Despite this, the network operators' maps all show good connectivity.
SpidersWeb said:
ecsrobin said:
Probably depends on your phone and the network you’re on.
I have no issues on EE.
And depends where you are, as EE is utterly awful in places around me.I have no issues on EE.
Either no signal of any kind, or where there is signal there is too little capacity to do anything.
ecsrobin said:
Skeptisk said:
I expect not everywhere but at Stansted Airport it is rubbish. Cambridgeshire is awful. I’ve rarely had problems outside the UK. It doesn’t seem to get any better ie at least in Cambridgeshire it hasn’t improved in the past 15 years. Why?
Probably depends on your phone and the network you’re on. I have no issues on EE.
I had a brief spell with Vodafone but found it to be terrible, so switched back ASAP.
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Mitcham residents win battle against EE phone mast as council says it would destroy area's character
Gunthorpe residents who object to 'eyesore' 5G mast will take campaign to Peterborough council meeting
... because nobody wants the phone mast near them, they just want the good service.
Scotland’s wild splendour ‘threatened’ by march of phone masts
Brighton Neighbours Launch Campaign Against 5G Mast Appeal
Mitcham residents win battle against EE phone mast as council says it would destroy area's character
Gunthorpe residents who object to 'eyesore' 5G mast will take campaign to Peterborough council meeting
... because nobody wants the phone mast near them, they just want the good service.
Probably a mixture of a crap phone on a crap network and maybe just a crap coverage are.
I've a dual SIM Nokia X30 and it's fine on EE. The 3 signal isn't as good but the big difference between the two is that the 3 network is much more congested. I only use the 3 SIM for overseas travel. fk paying £2-5 a day when £10 gets me 4 GB for a month.
Mobile towers only have so much bandwidth (less than 100 MHz) which is split into smaller channels (typically 5-20 MHz ea) which need to be shared amongst every device requesting bandwidth.
I've a dual SIM Nokia X30 and it's fine on EE. The 3 signal isn't as good but the big difference between the two is that the 3 network is much more congested. I only use the 3 SIM for overseas travel. f
k paying £2-5 a day when £10 gets me 4 GB for a month. Mobile towers only have so much bandwidth (less than 100 MHz) which is split into smaller channels (typically 5-20 MHz ea) which need to be shared amongst every device requesting bandwidth.
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