Gesture of goodwill? Cancelling contract.

[Deleted User]

ConsumerGuy0016 - If the networks could increase the number of frequencies/channels they would do it at once but they can only use what they are allocated by Ofcom.
They cannot use any other frequencies and the analogy with Amazon is incorrect as Amazon could get round that by employing more people.
Until Ofcom release more frequencies by taking them from the TV bands 700Mhz range in a year or two the networks are stuck with what they have and congestion will continue.
Each mast can only carry a certain ammount of traffic and when it's fully used then lower priority customers (MVNOs) get kicked off first.

nickthegreat

Deleted_User wrote: »

ConsumerGuy0016 - If the networks could increase the number of frequencies/channels they would do it at once but they can only use what they are allocated by Ofcom.
They cannot use any other frequencies and the analogy with Amazon is incorrect as Amazon could get round that by employing more people.
Until Ofcom release more frequencies by taking them from the TV bands 700Mhz range in a year or two the networks are stuck with what they have and congestion will continue.
Each mast can only carry a certain ammount of traffic and when it's fully used then lower priority customers (MVNOs) get kicked off first.

then don't add more customers to your network if it can't cope. or advise customers in that area of problems prior to signing them up.

the contract is for a high bandwidth service, sold in an area where they can't provide a high bandwidth service.

ConsumerGuy0016

Deleted_User wrote: »

ConsumerGuy0016 - If the networks could increase the number of frequencies/channels they would do it at once but they can only use what they are allocated by Ofcom.

Re-read my post. I said they could do the above OR stop accepting new customers if they can't cope.

It's unreasonable for new customers to suffer prolonged and inadequate service and for current customers to suffer progressively worse service as the network increases its market share.

As you said, Amazon can employ more people if its market share grows. If mobile operators cannot find ways to retain service as their market share grows then they should either cease to accept new customers OR refund customers for unexpectedly poor service.

[Deleted User]

All networks suffer from this problem of congestion so it would not be much use cancelling and moving networks.
Congestion happens at random and is not predictable and this problem has been written about for a number of years in the tech press as well as in mainstream media.
Experts were predicting this problem four years ago and it will not be solved until the networks get the 700Mhz band at which point you will need to buy a new handset to use the new frequencies.
I doubt if any business would turn away customers but I agree that people should be made aware of these problems through mainstream media like MSE/broadcasters etc.

ConsumerGuy0016

It has been in the media recently:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2863122/Out-touch-Vodaphone-tells-customers-lose-mobile-signal-THREE-DAYS-pay-compensation.html

If you experience network issues for consecutive days then you are eligible for compensation. It is explicitly written into these contracts.

System

O2 could easily add more masts to increase capacity but they stick with low capacity, low frequency 800/900MHz coverage to save money.

They rely on 2G 900MHz, 3G 900MHz and now 4G 800MHz.
Their 2G 1800MHz and 3G 2100MHz coverage is very poor.

Deleted_User wrote: »

ConsumerGuy0016 - If the networks could increase the number of frequencies/channels they would do it at once but they can only use what they are allocated by Ofcom.

nickthegreat

Deleted_User wrote: »

All networks suffer from this problem of congestion so it would not be much use cancelling and moving networks.
Congestion happens at random and is not predictable and this problem has been written about for a number of years in the tech press as well as in mainstream media.
Experts were predicting this problem four years ago and it will not be solved until the networks get the 700Mhz band at which point you will need to buy a new handset to use the new frequencies.
I doubt if any business would turn away customers but I agree that people should be made aware of these problems through mainstream media like MSE/broadcasters etc.

if it wasn't an unusual problem why are they letting me out of the contract?
its specific to this area and network. confirmed by the store and the CS rep and by myself on other networks.

this is predictable. if i go into town during shopping hours my internet won't work - or at least so rarely that I don't bother any more.

obviously i'm a little annoyed that I'm paying extra for something they knew wouldn't work correctly or as advertised, the problem in the area predates me joining. that's bs in my opinion

[Deleted User]

nickthegreat - If you are leaving O2 may I suggest that you try EE or Three, both are better set up for 3G and 4G, and EE especially has more spectrum at the higher frequencies than any other network I know.
EE also came out top for 3G coverage/speed in the country in a recent technical test that was featured on The Register website.
Having said that I realise that some users have had trouble in some city locations with network congestion on EE.
But my son uses EE and has no trouble with data except in central London at certain times. And he has had no trouble with EE customer service!

[Deleted User]

Henry Leng - Yes I agree but it's a trade off between higher frequencies that carry more channels and lower frequencies that penetrate buildings better.
The 800Mhz 4G band is prized by networks for the building penetration feature and this is why Ofcom are looking to add the 700 Mhz band that is to be taken from Freeview TV channels in a few years time - see news items on UKfree.TV website on this topic.
If mobile use continues to grow as it has I think we can expect to see much more use of network sponsored wi-fi in cities and tiny transmitters bolted to the sides of farmhouses in rural areas . (This is currently being tried by EE, as written about on The Register website)

nickthegreat

Deleted_User wrote: »

nickthegreat - If you are leaving O2 may I suggest that you try EE or Three, both are better set up for 3G and 4G, and EE especially has more spectrum at the higher frequencies than any other network I know.
EE also came out top for 3G coverage/speed in the country in a recent technical test that was featured on The Register website.
Having said that I realise that some users have had trouble in some city locations with network congestion on EE.
But my son uses EE and has no trouble with data except in central London at certain times. And he has had no trouble with EE customer service!

cheers for the advice - EE was the next stop (despite orange shafting me years ago ). Three however is appalling round here (but in a way that means I really wouldn't have any valid complaint), and I can't handle the apparent lack of text message notifications for missed calls (unless that's changed recently).

only a little hesitant because EE seems to have pretty shoddy CS. tbh i quite like the fact that there's a vodaphone rep lurking here. but again, it seems contrary to opinions on here.