Which network has the best coverage for calls (esp. London)?

chattychappy

My ancient and disabled mother has been on T-Mobile for years, but since the merger with Orange she had experienced a step-degradation in the network where she lives (south London). I believe the original T-Mobile transmitted has been turned off.

On my own phone, at her house, I get 1 or 2 bars out of 5, it used to be 5. We suffer from dropped calls and complaints that people get voicemail.

I have a foreign SIM and I noticed travelling around London it would often log onto EE and stay there. Now it seems to stick on O2. I "feel" O2 often has the best signal, though I realise other factors might be at play.

Can I ask - if you regularly use more than one network, which network in suburban London do you find has the best coverage for calls?

Thanks.

Browntoa

I'm on O2 , no problems with coverage in London

eDicky

If your mother is on a monthly contract, but not SIM-only, she could well be eligible for a free signal booster from EE. I think it's called TP Link or something like that. EE don't seem to publicise it much and I was told it's a recent thing. I'm in a similar situation and heard of it from a friend who received one, but I am SIM-only so the CS told me I'm not eligible, suggested I look on EBay.

System

O2 and Vodafone have low frequency 2G/3G so they often have a signal advantage over EE / 3

The problem with a foreign SIM is that it can be set by the home network to prefer one or more local networks (due to agreement or cost) otherwise it may just roam onto the strongest signal when first registering in the country (that's why networks have good coverage at airports) and stay there until no signal.

chattychappy wrote: »

I have a foreign SIM and I noticed travelling around London it would often log onto EE and stay there. Now it seems to stick on O2. I "feel" O2 often has the best signal, though I realise other factors might be at play.

chattychappy

eDicky wrote: »

If your mother is on a monthly contract, but not SIM-only, she could well be eligible for a free signal booster from EE.

I'd seen them on other networks, though not on EE. Actually at home, she has the landline as a backup. My main concern is on her trips out in her electric wheelchair thingy...!

Heng_Leng wrote: »

The problem with a foreign SIM is that it can be set by the home network to prefer one or more local networks (due to agreement or cost) otherwise it may just roam onto the strongest signal when first registering in the country (that's why networks have good coverage at airports) and stay there until no signal.

Yep, that's what appears to happen. Eg my Czech SIM refuses to log onto O2. My Vietnamese SIM will register on all the networks. I get an idea if I manually log on and look at the signal strength. O2 seems to have the best strength, but I know those indicators are not very reliable.

J_B

Saying that your mother is ancient and disabled, would we assume that she doesn't go out much??

In that case, take your 'foreigh sim' to her place and choose the network that it picks up - simples