Cannot receive or make calls from hospital.

salthepal

I’ve a Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 and I’m unable to make or receive calls inside a hospital building. Phone calls are allowed as many other people are using their mobiles.
I am using a Plusnet sim which is usually fine.
The hospital runs its own free WiFi network and I’m wondering if this might be causing the problem.
Please advise me how I can fix this.
Thank you very much.

[Deleted User]

I'm guessing that the EE signal just isn't great there (presuming there's no other issue). The WiFi won't be the problem but could help if you use messaging apps instead (Whatsapp etc).

unforeseen

It wouldn't be the Wrexham Maelor hospital by any chance. EE signal in most areas there is non existent.

Britnall7700

Although Plusnet uses the EE Network it doesn't use the full allocation of frequencies and masts that EE have - by their own admission. You can have an EE phone and a Plusnet phone side by side and they get different signals.

The Wifi will have no bearing on it, but I tend to find Hospital buildings have very thick walls and many have an internal steel construction that serve as reasonably efficient signal blockers.

You may find another network fares better.

macman

So have you actually got a signal showing on it? The hospital wi-fi has nothing to do with it.
If there is no EE signal there, your options are to use another temporary SIM from a non-EE provider (if the handset is unlocked), or a VOIP service such as Skype or WhatsApp Calling (though you may find that the hospital wi-fi does not support these).
It isn't clear if this needs to be a short term solution or a permanent one (i.e. are you staff, visitor, or patient)?

d123

Britnall7700 wrote: »

Although Plusnet uses the EE Network it doesn't use the full allocation of frequencies and masts that EE have - by their own admission. You can have an EE phone and a Plusnet phone side by side and they get different signals.

Whilst your basic premise is correct, you haven’t worded it very well and left it rather vague.

Plusnet has access to all the same EE masts and would have the same 2G/3G service, and would have the same 4G signal as a PAYG EE customer or contract customer not using a supported 4G VoLTE handset (which is any iPhone since the 6 and a number of Android handsets, mostly ones sold directly by EE and supporting EE VoLTE).

Contract EE customers using either an iPhone or those supported Android phones have an additional frequency available for 4G which is Band 20 800Mhz LTE.

oldagetraveller

unforeseen wrote: »

It wouldn't be the Wrexham Maelor hospital by any chance. EE signal in most areas there is non existent.

As the OP looks to be located in Hampshire it has to be very doubtful they will be in a hospital in N. Wales.

salthepal

My hospital is Royal Hants County Hospital, Winchester.

Hoogle

you can try putting your phone in flight mode and then deactivating flight mode, this usually resets the signal.

d123

salthepal wrote: »

My hospital is Royal Hants County Hospital, Winchester.

You haven’t clarified, do you actually have signal on the phone?

It’s likely the signal is weak or blocked by the building construction, if you have no signal you won’t receive calls/texts.

Raxiel

Do you have the option of enabling Wi-Fi calling? If you can then that might let you make & receive calls while connected to the free Wi-Fi (assuming it doesn't have restrictions to prevent it).

A quick check suggests EE branded J5's have this feature, but I don't know if it's specific to them. My wife's Nexus 5x gained the option as soon as she inserted her Plusnet SIM.