how does data roaming being 'on' affect your signal?

AbbieCadabra

i'm a little confused (nothing new there then!). we've got 2 phones (samsung s3) on a business contract with t-mobile & we've been having increasing problems with signal/reception over the past few months. the network option of t-mobile/orange disappeared a few months ago & we're now just left with the t-mobile signal. when it was the combined signal, problems were definitely less.

there seem to be lots of people with similar issues at the moment but i contacted them to query if anything was going on in the areas affected. they've advised that there is an ongoing fault in one post code area where the phones are used & that some work was being carried out recently in the other area affected but this has now been completed (but this is the area we have most issues).

they also advised that the phones should be set to 'choose network automatically' (already on that setting) & that data roaming should be active.

i'm no expert but i thought it was best for data roaming to be off unless you specifically needed it?

we rarely use mobile data when out & about, anything online is usually done when home on the WLAN connection.

so how does data roaming affect the signal??

edit: timing is a funny thing, i've just had a reply from t-mobile on the data roaming advice they gave, makes no sense to me when i've already said we rarely use the internet when out & about?!
their reply "Data roaming on is needed so that if you should need to connect to the internet, or have any apps which need to do so, that this is able to happen if the network signal being received is from an Orange or T-Mobile mast (although the network indicator may show as EE on both)."

macman

Data roaming is only needed if you need data services when overseas. I think you are referring to data on or off. Data really needs a 3G signal. Calls and text can manage on 2G.
There is more 2G than 3G availability.

AbbieCadabra

yes, that's what i understood of data roaming too.

this was part of the 1st reply i had from t-mobile, which then prompted me to ask why data roaming was required -

"Please ensure that the network selection mode is set to 'automatic' on the phones and data roaming is enabled."

marmitepotato

I have an iPhone with a Virgin Media SIM card. Virgin advised me to have data roaming on as VM uses both T Mobile and 'roams' over onto Orange. With out data roaming on this would not be possible.

macman

Data roaming specifically refers to roaming on overseas (non-UK networks). I don't know why VM told you that. Switching it off should not stop you accessing your service via both TM and Orange masts.

sillygoose

AbbieCadabra wrote: »

yes, that's what i understood of data roaming too.

this was part of the 1st reply i had from t-mobile, which then prompted me to ask why data roaming was required -

"Please ensure that the network selection mode is set to 'automatic' on the phones and data roaming is enabled."

What they really meant but hope you don't know is: "...and data roaming is enabled. So you will forget it is on, go on holidays and your phone will continue to use data abroad at an extortionate rate leaving you with a bill for hundreds of pounds and a nice big profit for us"

AbbieCadabra

have to say that my cynical side had already come up with that one sillygoose!

this is the latest reply/explanation from t-mobile:
"The EE network is composed of both Orange and T-Mobile masts. If your device doesn't have data roaming enabled then you're not getting the full benefit of both network signals.
if you're worried about being charged for enabling the setting I can assure you it won't happen. Your device can't connect to any other network in the UK other than EE as your SIM card won't allow it. In addition to this if you do go abroad and the setting enabled our Data Pass subsystem won't let you connect to the internet without having bought a pass. "

sooo, data roaming DOES affect your signal???

AbbieCadabra

ok, just found this on Knowhow page -

If you are out of an area where your mobile phone network has a signal, your phone will "roam" to find another network to allow you to connect to other service providers to make use your phone to make calls, send texts etc. This is most likely to be when you are abroad. "Data roaming" refers to your phone's connection to the internet with another provider if you have a Smart phone with access to mobile apps and web browsing.

BIB is what t-mobile are saying then. yes it's mainly abroad, but it is for use in the UK too when in a poor signal area. i suppose i now have it in writing from t-mobile so if i get any unexpected charges, just refer them back to the advice i was given.

edit: just tried to change the settings on my phone & data roaming can only be enabled if mobile data is active. i've already said that we don't use mobile data often & there's no way i'm leaving it 'on' all the time. so that plan is scuppered straight away...

macman

Assuming that your tarif includes some element of data, why would you disable data?
Obviously you can't enable data roaming if you've disabled data entirely in the first place.

AbbieCadabra

i think we've got 500mb if data each month, will have to check. think i'm just so wary as i've seen so many reports of bills for big data.

i think i've got my settings ok on my S3, but these smartphones do seem to have a mind of their own sometimes & i don't want to end up with an unexpected/large bill. technology & me don't tend to mix too well i'm afraid!

it is near the end of our billing month & i've only used a small amount of data so i'll enable data & roaming for a few days to see if it makes any difference.

macman

Then you are on a tariff that is wrong for your usage.