4G signal but no data (internet)

Wiredcharlie

I'm on ID Mobile which is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) on the Three network. Despite an apparently good 4G signal I frequently experience difficulty in getting any data (internet connection) at all.

Do you have this problem too?

After a long chat with an AI service to try to understand how cell data connections are allocated, I asked:

"I am on an MVNO service and experience difficulty at the Radio Resource Control (RRC) stage. What mechanism might the operator be using to favour branded customers when the MVNO phone requests RRC_ACTIVE connection?"

"Operator networks can deprioritize MVNO users during RRC connection setup using mechanisms defined in 3GPP standards. 

While RRC itself treats all access requests similarly, operators can:

• Include a deprioritisationReq in SystemInformationBlockType1, instructing MVNO devices to delay reconnection attempts after RRCConnectionReject.
• Use Access Barring settings that apply more restrictive access control to non-emergency, non-high-priority users—often affecting MVNO traffic first.
• Rely on network congestion policies that trigger RRCConnectionReject more readily for lower-tier subscribers. 

This means an MVNO user may receive an RRCConnectionReject with a wait time (T302), while a branded customer on the same mast might still connect successfully under the same conditions."

Frozen_up_north

Is this one particular location? I was with Three at one time and several of their sites had very slow internet, one was swamped by a lot of users as it was near a caravan park, one they admitted didn’t have a good enough data connection and the other was plain faulty. My nearest site had no battery backup, it went off line at the slightest glitch in the mains, which seemed quite often.

I switched to O2 which was much better engineered and am now with 1p Mobile (EE virtual network). EE is the only one near my home with 5G.

Wiredcharlie

Not concerned about the connection speed at all. Only bothered by a reluctance to connect to the internet, even when a good 4G signal is showing.

tinker411

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884589#Comment_81884589

Three, oh don't. I've had pretty much the same explanation from them before - out of the 4 masts my phone connects to at home (none of which have 5G); 3 have network limitations (in other words, are swamped) and the other is the furthest away from me but, that aside, is working fairly well, just taking a while to connect and ambling along when it does.

Now though, with Vodafone customers jumping onto Three's network with the merge, unless they 5G what's left the network will be on its backside come summer, which will be nice. It's already taking multiple taps of selection buttons on phone to get the data connection going.

On the other end of things, the only network handling upgrades reasonably well here is O2 oddly enough - connected to one of their upgraded masts the other night; 532Mbps download.

jimjames

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884951#Comment_81884951

Although equally that means you also now have access to Vodafone network as a 3 customer

MyRealNameToo

3 generally has poor connectivity around our area, with the one exception of our local pub where its the only network anyone can get a connection with. A lot depends on where you are, for a 1/3 of my commute into work both O2 and 3 show 4-5 bars of 5G but neither can load a webpage. I believe its network congestion in that particular area and given its in a dip with tall buildings there is limited mast options despite the 4-5 bars.

I suspect it is possible for MVNOs to agree a 2nd class service in exchange for lower prices, which is effectively what you are saying, they arent under the same competition regs as BT Openreach are. Obviously it's down to the operator if they want to pay less for this downside or pay more and get parity.