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O2 Network Failing

I don't imagine that there is, but I thought I would ask: Is there any kind of regulation that applies to mobile networks in relation to capacity?

Where we live, although we can get good 3G and 4G signals, only one voice network penetrates the house - O2.

For about three years this has been problematic during school holidays and for a week either side of those (private schools with different dates, perhaps). Outbound calls fail, calls are dropped in both directions. However it worked at other times.

The network has been more or less completely broken for about 7 weeks now. 9 in 10 calls will fail or drop.

I've reported this seven times only to be sent a reassuring SMS to tell me "our network is working fine in your area". I beg to differ.

On the last occasion in "Live Chat" I was told this might be "temporary congestion". It might well be congestion, but it is now permanent. O2 cannot give any kind of "fix date" for this, since the computer says "Network is fine". So I assume nothing will be done.

If I can't have O2 here, then I can't have a mobile phone service at home. It's not the end of the world, we have VOIP over our 4G home broadband connection and that works perfectly, and I'm trying to get a second VOIP line to work.

So this leaves all options open as regards networks, I can pick any, since none of them will work at home, so I just need a PAYG SIM with the cheapest PPM option, which looks like Three. That will work "out and about".

But I'll ask anyway: Is there any regulation which can be brought to bear on O2 to fix their failed network?
 
My local O2 mast is broken, and has been for a few days at least; a longer term problem might explain the AWFUL 3G speeds over the last few months, but right now it is totally dead. We can get a couple of bars upstairs from another mast, but useless for internet use.
 
I've never lived somewhere with no access at all to any mobile network for voice until now. It seems a bit odd.

The thick walls of the stone built cottage don't help in this regard.

Though it still puzzles me as to how, even without our roof antenna, our 4G modem can get a 3 bar signal and decent 4G speeds from EE @ 2700m from the transmitter with the modem on the window sill, and yet, we can get no EE voice signal whatsoever even with the phone next to said modem. I guess it's just down to the size of the antenna in the phone versus the ones in the modem.

And so we have a home VOIP landline working over the network over EE 4G and that's flawless, crystal clear and with no dropouts.

O2 did suggest that if I took out a contract with them, I could use their "2Go" service which works over Wi-Fi to provide a mobile service.

Er, hello. I'm not going to sign up for a contract with you people when your service has been allowed to fall into disrepair, and then pay EE for the data to route your calls over their network, am I. I could just put in a second VOIP line for work.

Mind you - see other thread about that. I'm sure I shall get it to work eventually.
 
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Perhaps things will improve if the "3" buyout is allowed.

If it is, I may regret my choice of phone, there was a 4G version available - but it doesnt work on the 800MHz band - which is the ONLY 4G band O2 use.
 
O2 do have 1800MHz 4G in parts to provide extra capacity, but you'll only find that in major cities.

Do they? Guide only mentions 800Mhz.

I do like my phone though, I only have to charge it every week or so. I might wait to get 4G on my next tablet.
 
I ordered SIM cards from all the networks and tried them at the weekend to see if anything had changed since I last tried them.

They're all about the same. They all show as being "On Network" but none can make or receive calls. Except EE which just about manages a mangled call but it's not good enough to use. SMS messages work on all of them when you take the phone upstairs but none of them with the phone downstairs.

So I've concluded that Three is the best option since it doesn't oblige you to buy a "pack" every month and so I can put £5 on it and just leave it like that, and use it when I go out and about. If I want data I can buy a £5 pack for the day. I only go into London about once a month anyway.

I might as well not port the number even though I have a PAC code, as this will only annoy people trying to ring me and I might miss something urgent. Friends can have the new number but be made aware that it doesn't work when I'm at home. And the home VOIP number so they can reach me at home.

I thought that "not spots" were supposed to be being fixed, not created :(

We're hardly "in the middle of nowhere", this is on the border of Hampshire and Surrey. And now have no access to any mobile network for voice calls. Not been in this position before.

Supposing that this is also affecting about half the village who use/used O2, I suppose this might make people more receptive to a new, nearer transmitter.
 
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I dont know if it is phone signals getting weaker, or radio interference getting stronger; it doesnt matter how many upgrades I have made to my TV aerials, the signal deteriorates every afternoon/mid evening, until channels that were 90-100% at midday are breaking up and getting "No Signal" between 5 and 8PM.

Ditto Wifi, I have to run slightly illegal channels to get 1/2 strength on +9db antenna, whereas 5-6 years ago I got full strength off of the standard antenna across channels 1-12.

OFCOM are not interested - unless you are willing to pony up £100 PER HOUR to get it investigated (plus VAT)
 
The ITV channels tend to fail in the summer on hot days.

But then that's no great loss, unless "Lewis" is on.
 
The most reliable Multiplex for freeview is PSB1, which carries the main BBC channels. It has the most amount of error correcting code, so can cope with more faults.
 
I lose loads of channels, commercial and BBC; recently we lost the BBC HD channels entirely, they went from perfect, to poor to gone from the map.
I would blame the antenna, except this is on two different antenna/tuner set-ups and galling - considering I can SEE the transmitter from my window (Malvern relay).
 
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