Mobile phone signal on Outer Hebrides

pinkteapot

Does anyone know how good mobile phone reception tends to be on the Outer Hebrides?

We're planning on going next summer - one week on Skye then one on the Uists. Annoyingly, MrTeapot has a job where he'll have to check in with work occasionally. On Skye, I've found a few options for holiday cottages with wifi. On the Uists, needing an internet connection is really limiting the choice of accommodation.

He could get away with using his iPhone as a hotspot or using a mobile broadband dongle, but obviously we'd need reasonable 3G reception. If it's not going to be strong enough, we'll have to go for one of the cottages with internet.

I know, I know - defeats the purpose of getting away from it all in a location such as this!

We've been to the Orkney Islands before and I remember that mobile coverage wasn't that great in many areas...

xnikkix

Probably pretty poor. I've family on some of the islands and you get a signal some places and others you don't but it's usually not great, patchy at best and very rarely 3G. I'd go for wifi if it's important.

pogofish

Depends on your network.

I've never had any great problems with Vodafone and Orange seems to be the most popular network for the more remote parts of Scotland. Its the one we advise for all our fieldworkers.

Others however are truly awful.

pinkteapot

Thanks both. MrTeapot and I are both on O2 who aren't great in heavily populated areas, so we won't rely on them!

I have found an absolutely stunning looking cottage - right in the middle of the Uists so ideal for exploring them, and a bit of a luxury place. I'm already looking forward to its spa bath after a day out walking! Told MrTeapot we have to stay there on the basis that it has the wifi he needs and I found very few alternative options.

missile

Hope you enjoy your cup of tea after the spa bath.

MattLFC

If the internet connection is only required for web browsing and emails (not video or audio), then Opera browser will help a LOT, both on the iPhone and laptop. Opera Mini on the phone will automatically compress pages by upto 6x (meaning they download upto 6x less data thus 6x faster), and Opera browser for laptops has Turbo mode nowadays, which uses the same technique when surfing on a low bandwidth (slow) connection.

With regards getting 3G coverage, if you believe it would be an economical thing for them to do (ie. users/population vs cost to install 3G network) then the answer is yes. I think you probably know the answer is likely to be no though. Even on the mainland, 3G connectivity on every network aside from 3, is patchy once you go out of the cities (in fact, it is even in the cities!!!). You may even find his phone ends up "roaming" on another carrier, which may mean calls and texts only, with no internet connectivity on his phone anyway.

Unless of course, there has been a past trial of 3G or associated technologies, or some current trial of LTE going on in the hebrides (quite often future wireless technologies are trialled in remote places where the bandwidth is available/can be free up easily) which may mean enhanced 3G connectivity lol.

pinkteapot

missile wrote: »

Hope you enjoy your cup of tea after the spa bath.

MrTeapot can bring me a cup of tea while I'm in the spa bath to make up for having to do some work on holiday...

All sorted - we are having one week on Skye, in a cottage (with wifi) near Portree. Then a week at a cottage in the north of South Uist (also with wifi). Ideally placed in the middle of the Uists so we can explore them all. Can't wait! Love the long Scottish days in June.

missile

pinkteapot wrote: »

:DMrTeapot can bring me a cup of tea while I'm in the spa bath to make up for having to do some work on holiday... .

Get Mr Teapot to take you to the Isles Inn. Great food :j.

Hope you enjoy you holiday :beer:.

pinkteapot

Thanks for the tip!

nesssie1702

3G coverage is sparse up in the Hebrides. Stornoway has it, but that won't help you if you're in Uist.

However, places like the Claddach Kirkibost Centre in North Uist have free Wi-fi and if you go to the Dark Island Hotel in Benbecula for a drink or a meal, you'll be able to use their free wi-fi as well. I'm almost sure that the Kildonan Museum in South Uist has it too.

Enjoy your Hebridean break!!

jools27_2

Always had problems with vodaphone when visiting family on North Uist, we usually find a signal somewhere on orange