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Mobile phone reception question.

SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
in Not Sports Related
Some friends of mine have an ongoing problem with signal strength in their new home.
They have tried various companies......tried signal boosters, their kids have also tried different ones as well, all with poor results.
Are there people out there who will professionally come to your home and with various testing equipment etc find out the best option and signal strength for you?

Comments

  • i_b_b_o_r_gi_b_b_o_r_g
    What sort of reception are we talking about, Soundo (Wifi, 4g/3g)?


  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    Erm.....actual phone signal strength......I suppose that’s 3g 4g?
    I’m really very poor at understanding techy stuff re phones and broadband etc.
  • CallumcafcCallumcafc
    edited December 2017
    Nothing better than buying a load of cheap pay as you go sim cards from the supermarket/poundshop and testing them all out, apart from that I don't see what else extra could be done by any kind of paid "professional".

    No point testing anything other than O2, Vodafone, EE and Three as those four are the only networks with their own towers. Everyone else works of those four companies' towers so if you can't get anything with those four, I don't know what can be done about it with giffgaff, Tesco etc.
  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    Callumcafc said:

    Nothing better than buying a load of cheap pay as you go sim cards from the supermarket/poundshop and testing them all out, apart from that I don't see what else extra could be done by any kind of paid "professional".

    No point testing anything other than O2, Vodafone, EE and Three as those four are the only networks with their own towers. Everyone else works of those four companies' towers so if you can't get anything with those four, I don't know what can be done about it.

    Thanks Callum......I know for a fact they’ve tried the four network suppliers you mention and with poor results.
    I will suggest your SIM card idea to them.
    I kind of thought the professional advice approach might have been unlikely.
  • johnny73johnny73
    Check the coverage for your area for each provider.

    https://mobilephonechecker.co.uk/guides/coverage/
  • CallumcafcCallumcafc
    Signal boosters are the best option really and if those don't work then you're really struggling.

    If they can use a network that offers wifi calling (most/all do by now) then that might be a decent work around if they have home broadband.
  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    johnny73 said:

    Check the coverage for your area for each provider.

    https://mobilephonechecker.co.uk/guides/coverage/

    I suspect they will already have done this Johnny.......but will pass on this link if they haven’t.
    Cheers and thanks for your help.
  • HardyAddickHardyAddick
    edited December 2017
    wifi calling is best if your phone can do it.
  • i_b_b_o_r_gi_b_b_o_r_g
    As far as I know, you can only boost the transmitter strength (eg - if it was wifi you were talking about, you could get a booster for the router).

    I'm not sure you can boost the reception of a mobile phone, that would be down to the phone company and the area they live in. I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

  • Stu_of_KunmingStu_of_Kunming
    i_b_b_o_r_g said:

    I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

    I was home for a week before xmas and had to spend some time in Kent, I was shocked at how bad the phone signal was, considerably worse than rural China, which just makes no sense at all.
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  • guinnessaddickguinnessaddick
    I’m with Vodafone, I’ve got one of their sure signal boxes, as the signal indoors is so poor.
  • JiMMy 85JiMMy 85
    Also, if they’re in 4G try going to mobile data and turning it off so they hit 3G instead. I don’t know much about how this works, but in my experience strong 3G is better than weak 4G (when at Charlton or anywhere else where there are lots of people).
  • stackitstevestackitsteve
    My signal indoors is shocking.
    Very rarely use normal calls/texts as it all involves hanging out the bathroom window for a bit of reception.

    Thankfully with whatsapp everything is done via wifi for free anyway.
  • Siv_in_NorfolkSiv_in_Norfolk
    Stu_of_Kunming said:

    i_b_b_o_r_g said:

    I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

    I was home for a week before xmas and had to spend some time in Kent, I was shocked at how bad the phone signal was, considerably worse than rural China, which just makes no sense at all.
    Agreed

    Since moving back, it has blown my mind how far behind China the UK is in many respects. Mobile phone reception has been one of the most shocking. Thinking about it, though, I saw plenty of evidence over a sustained period that China is continuously massively investing in infrastructure to lay the foundation for their global dominance in the future. Domestic phone signal in rural areas hasn’t been overlooked, as you need to unify the nation before you can dominate the world.

  • swords_aliveswords_alive
    JiMMy 85 said:

    Also, if they’re in 4G try going to mobile data and turning it off so they hit 3G instead. I don’t know much about how this works, but in my experience strong 3G is better than weak 4G (when at Charlton or anywhere else where there are lots of people).

    I switch down to 2g sometimes to make calls on vodafone during times they are having 'network issues'. Also their coverage is so bad on 3g in many areas across central and south east London. Can't wait to switch to a different carrier.
  • swords_aliveswords_alive
    edited December 2017
    Siv_in_Norfolk said:

    Stu_of_Kunming said:

    i_b_b_o_r_g said:

    I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

    I was home for a week before xmas and had to spend some time in Kent, I was shocked at how bad the phone signal was, considerably worse than rural China, which just makes no sense at all.
    Agreed

    Since moving back, it has blown my mind how far behind China the UK is in many respects. Mobile phone reception has been one of the most shocking. Thinking about it, though, I saw plenty of evidence over a sustained period that China is continuously massively investing in infrastructure to lay the foundation for their global dominance in the future. Domestic phone signal in rural areas hasn’t been overlooked, as you need to unify the nation before you can dominate the world.

    But how does their rail infrastructure compare? ;)
  • Stu_of_KunmingStu_of_Kunming
    swords_alive said:

    Siv_in_Norfolk said:

    Stu_of_Kunming said:

    i_b_b_o_r_g said:

    I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

    I was home for a week before xmas and had to spend some time in Kent, I was shocked at how bad the phone signal was, considerably worse than rural China, which just makes no sense at all.
    Agreed

    Since moving back, it has blown my mind how far behind China the UK is in many respects. Mobile phone reception has been one of the most shocking. Thinking about it, though, I saw plenty of evidence over a sustained period that China is continuously massively investing in infrastructure to lay the foundation for their global dominance in the future. Domestic phone signal in rural areas hasn’t been overlooked, as you need to unify the nation before you can dominate the world.

    But how does their rail infrastructure compare? ;)
    Large parts of the country is light years ahead of the uk, in infrastructure, organisation and price!
  • GlovepupGlovepup
    JiMMy 85 said:

    Also, if they’re in 4G try going to mobile data and turning it off so they hit 3G instead. I don’t know much about how this works, but in my experience strong 3G is better than weak 4G (when at Charlton or anywhere else where there are lots of people).

    When I was with Vodafone I could do this and you say is handy when in a crowded place, since moving to EE that option has been removed. Guessing when I downloaded new carrier settings. Annoying.
  • hoof_it_up_to_bentyhoof_it_up_to_benty
    HardyAddick said:

    wifi calling is best if your phone can do it.

    Most modern phones should work on this - works a treat for me. Couldn't get reception otherwise in my flat.
  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    Stu_of_Kunming said:

    swords_alive said:

    Siv_in_Norfolk said:

    Stu_of_Kunming said:

    i_b_b_o_r_g said:

    I'm surprised that there are still "black spots" in the UK though....

    I was home for a week before xmas and had to spend some time in Kent, I was shocked at how bad the phone signal was, considerably worse than rural China, which just makes no sense at all.
    Agreed

    Since moving back, it has blown my mind how far behind China the UK is in many respects. Mobile phone reception has been one of the most shocking. Thinking about it, though, I saw plenty of evidence over a sustained period that China is continuously massively investing in infrastructure to lay the foundation for their global dominance in the future. Domestic phone signal in rural areas hasn’t been overlooked, as you need to unify the nation before you can dominate the world.

    But how does their rail infrastructure compare? ;)
    Large parts of the country is light years ahead of the uk, in infrastructure, organisation and price!
    Sweet. Just the crippling xenophobia, massive class divide, disappearance of political dissidents, atrocious human rights, endemic corruption, suppression of free speech and female infanticide to crack now... :neutral:
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  • HardyAddickHardyAddick
    hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

    HardyAddick said:

    wifi calling is best if your phone can do it.

    Most modern phones should work on this - works a treat for me. Couldn't get reception otherwise in my flat.
    I am on O2 with a new Samsung A3 but can't do wifi calling.
  • hoof_it_up_to_bentyhoof_it_up_to_benty
    HardyAddick said:

    hoof_it_up_to_benty said:

    HardyAddick said:

    wifi calling is best if your phone can do it.

    Most modern phones should work on this - works a treat for me. Couldn't get reception otherwise in my flat.
    I am on O2 with a new Samsung A3 but can't do wifi calling.
    Okay I was wrong! My old Samsung S5 works on Three.
  • HardyAddickHardyAddick
    Only the top end Samsung phones allow wifi calling on O2 at present. Hopefully that will change over the next 18 months.
  • eaststandmikeeaststandmike
    If they are on the Vodafone network you can buy their booster unit called Sure Signal. You plug into a socket on the wall, connect it to the internet router and you are good to go.

    I live in the sticks with no signal at all, bought the Sure Signal and I get 4g with a full Signal all over the house.
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