EE's degraded service and coverage - time to leave after 15 years?

Buzby

NFH wrote: »

Therefore how does cutting back on 3G masts allow EE to accommodate 4G? They use different frequencies.

Because it has nothing to do with frequency allocations - but the size and weight capacity of the towers holding the antennae arrays. Some can be upgraded, even then, there has to be spacing to reduce interference and as a result, depending which is in pole position (pun intended) modifies the service area previously available.

Where there IS no ability to co-site, one or the other has to be removed - hence the problem.

NFH

Buzby wrote: »

If you have 2 femtocells on the same network at home, there is every chance they are knocking each other out (AIUI these small devices are not intelligent enough to be self-aware). Try turning one off.

This is a plausible explanation and suggestion, but it's not the cause. I didn't mention that the reason I have two is that the first one had this problem on its own. When I received the second one, I unplugged the first one and the second one likewise had the same problem. I therefore have both of them connected in different parts of the house in an effort to ensure continuous coverage.

I should also add that calls will not hand over to a Signal Box, only from a Signal Box. Therefore calls will not hand over between Signal Boxes, but if you start a call at home and walk down the road, the call hands over from the Signal Box to a weak external mast.

NFH

I am even tempted by Giffgaff, as I have a SIM card with over £70 of credit and O2's coverage has recently improved significantly in my area, but:

• Giffgaff is not suitable for business customers as it does not routinely provide VAT invoices.
• Usage history is unreasonably hidden from customers despite being visible to Giffgaff staff.
• Giffgaff experiences significant short network outages from time to time, most recently on 27/09/2013.
• Giffgaff's plans for 4G, including timescales and charges, remain unclear. It is also worrying that O2 didn't buy any 2600MHz spectrum unlike EE and Vodafone who both bought plenty to provide dense 4G coverage in urban areas.
• Giffgaff doesn't accept my American Express business card, unlike its parent company O2.

gjchester

NFH wrote: »

Giffgaff doesn't accept my American Express business card, unlike its parent company O2.

Doesn't help directly but Amex charge more %age wise to the merchant to aquire the transaction and take a day or so more to pay the merchant. There are many of the "super cheap" type places will not accept them for that reason, or may accept them if they have to but don't advertise it to try and encourage MC/Visa payments.

Exactly what any given company pays depends on their transaction level and how good they were negotiating.

NFH

Yes, everything you say is correct. but this doesn't change the fact that Giffgaff doesn't accept the card. The upside is that I might not have to pay anything to Giffgaff again. It seems remarkably easy to earn free credit by replying to several questions per month in Giffgaff's forums and referring a new customer now and again.

Mack_Jones

I disagree - my new EE 4G contract is getting excellent signal / service in Bristol area & my 4G internet speed is running around 15/20mb

NFH

Mack_Jones wrote: »

I disagree - my new EE 4G contract is getting excellent signal / service in Bristol area & my 4G internet speed is running around 15/20mb

Lucky you. Are you comparing to the coverage that you had on Orange or T-Mobile two years ago? Everyone on EE whom I ask in London has noticed a significant deterioration in coverage since two years ago.

Don't forget that Orange UK's head office was in Bristol before it merged with T-Mobile UK to become "Nothing Nowhere". They wouldn't remove coverage from significant numbers of their employees' homes and frequented places.

ZhugeEX

Earthworm wrote: »

I've seen others state they are now in the process of upgrading their remaining 2G/3G masts (ZHugeX I believe). I wonder if this will fill the current blackspots created by the removal of masts. It is a shame they didn't upgrade the masts they planned on keeping prior to removal of the masts they saw as un-needed. I don't think Vodafone/O2 are much better tbh. They seem to get slated on Twitter for poor 3G/2G in London on a daily basis.

Correct.

A total of ~9,000 ex Orange masts have been decommissioned.

The remaining ~6,000 have been and are being upgraded across the country with new kit and dual band antennas. Basically by this time next year all Orange sites will have 2G/3G and 4G.

By the end of 2014, MBNL (Three/EE) will have access to over 18,000+ fully upgraded masts. This will take EE/Three's 3G coverage to 99.2%. EE are planning to have 98% 4G coverage by then as well.

So yes, things may not be great now/past few years for EE but things are looking up for the future. This consolidation project is known as the "diamond programme" internally. I don't have any figures right now but latest i've heard is that just under half of the ex orange masts have already been upgraded.

NFH

ZhugeEX wrote: »

A total of ~9,000 ex Orange masts have been decommissioned.

What is EE doing to rectify the coverage blackspots created by these masts being decommissioned? Are these coverage blackspots permanent? For example there's no coverage at my local station in London, but two years ago the signal was excellent on Orange alone. It's the same story at countless other places, even in the heart of the City of London.

ZhugeEX

NFH wrote: »

What is EE doing to rectify the coverage blackspots created by these masts being decommissioned? Are these coverage blackspots permanent? For example there's no coverage at my local station in London, but two years ago the signal was excellent on Orange alone. It's the same story at countless other places, even in the heart of the City of London.

Some will be filled in. It's hard to say exactly. Obviously MBNL will be looking to fill in all gaps, hence why they're trying to get to 99.2% 3G coverage by the end of 2014. But i can imagine there will still be a few coverage gaps.

What is important to note though is that EE and Three will have a big advantage over O2 and Voda when it comes to 3G and 4G in these early years.