Sponsored Links

O2 mobile coverage checker

james smith

Pro Member
Acording to O2's coverage checker I should have decent 5g.
My device can manage Three 5g with a Three SIM
But not with an O2 SIM even after using the device's optimise feature on different upstairs window sills.
When called out O2 just try their luck based on things such as atmospherics and the like.
Is O2 coverage checker 'only for entertainment purposes'?
 
Sponsored Links
FWIW, the coverage guessing maps from all four providers are hopelessly optimistic where we live, so I'd not place any faith at all in them.

They may be a very rough and optimistic guide, but that's as far as they go. For example, the coverage map for our home tells me that 3 provides "excellent 4G service". The reality is there isn't even 2G available from any of the four providers.

One major issue is that modern homes can be very effective at screening out radio frequencies (RF). The combination of things like foil-backed plasterboard, or worse the aluminised plastic sheeting used as a vapour barrier, plus the tin oxide IR coating on modern glazing, tends to attenuate RF pretty well. I've found that the cellulose insulation in the walls and roof of our house is also a very effective RF screening material, can't even get WiFi from inside the house to the patio right next to the house, so I had to fit an outdoor AP.
 
Sponsored Links
What you say about the coverage maps is most agreeable. Normally the router sits infront of a slightly open window to let the signal in
 

JitteryPinger many thanks to you, most definatly an ultimate member. Morrisons that you mention I can push bike to in ten minutes. There is a good chance that the other masts will be upgraded, I can wait untill my contract with Three ends just after easter​

 
Sponsored Links
jitterypinger EE has good reception if you are on the town center. I'm a bit too far away. Where I live and going away from the center Three is best. I have investigated EE, their cheeper SIMS are throttled, their unthrottled are strictly for rich people. Three where I live is fast and reliable. My dislike of Three is that they where quite happy with me attaching a phone to my router for nearly 2 years, then just blocked the feature and lied about it.. An O2 SIM in the same router and the phone works perfectly well
 
The huawei that I'm using now with three can do what you might be asking
But cellmaper here says no 5g mast close to me
I'd recommend not relying on Cellmapper considering iirc 5G masts are only displayed if they're standalone, not NSA. If you're on the 5G view and people have connected through NSA, you may see coloured squares though indicating signal.

For example, where I live, I see some coloured squares around the city centre where O2 apparently has 5G (my phone's a 4G phone and my SIM is a Virgin SIM from 2018 so I wouldn't be able to test), but as it gets closer to where I live, there is nothing.

O2's coverage map shouldn't be taken seriously, it's an estimate of what you'll get. Indoors signal will be worse than outdoors.
 
This don't sound right... Three are pretty much who they are because their terms of service allow all such things,

So I think we need to investigate that first.

If your saying Three 5G works on your kit then we need to be looking at solutions to using Three, theres a couple options

1. Smarty Sim (£15-20 per month)
2. Three Sim (£25-30 per month)
3. Three Business Sim (Currently £6 a month on a 24 month contract) - Best Option
4. ID Mobile (£18 per month)

Three sims will work best for Mobile Broadband but other networks will still work well.
jitterypinger I don't care a great deal if Three want to live a lie. They even managed to get the ombudsman to swallow their lie. I just use three for 5g mobile home internet and O2 for my calls and texts. Yes I've heard of net neutrality laws that are not enforced. Three just blocked calls to that router, same SIM in another router, voila incoming calls work again
 
Sponsored Links

CarlO1460 to answer each part I have a Huawei 112-37- you say that O2 also uses N28 as 5G which is poor performing, so not really a desirable band​

O2 does also use N78, but only relevant if you’re nearby the mast and if it’s available.

Their maps sadly show N28 which I see isn’t supported on your device, but wouldn’t be great speeds in real world. It’s worst than 4G speeds for me, sometimes by half.
 
O2 does also use N78, but only relevant if you’re nearby the mast and if it’s available.

Their maps sadly show N28 which I see isn’t supported on your device, but wouldn’t be great speeds in real world. It’s worst than 4G speeds for me, sometimes by half.

CarlO1460 I'm better to stay with Three, even if as explained earlier they knowingly remove features from what I paid for and then lie about it​

 
Is your sim a mobile broadband sim or a mobile phone sim, I don't get why they would block incoming calls if it was a mobile device sim, however I do have Mobile broadband sims with them and they don't allow incoming calls.
Jitterypinger what I had with Three was a mobile phone SIM in a Huawei mobile router.--I'm interested to know why a mobile Broadband SIM without calls costs the same as a mobile phone SIM that does. If each costs the same they should receive the same
 
My dislike of Three is that they where quite happy with me attaching a phone to my router for nearly 2 years, then just blocked the feature and lied about it.. An O2 SIM in the same router and the phone works perfectly well

When you say "attaching a phone" do you mean physically plugging in a landline phone and using a VOIP service or do you mean using your mobile phone with WiFi calling via the router?

Blocking VOIP doesn't make sense, unless they are also your VOIP provider and they've cancelled the VOIP service. Blocking WiFi calling makes more sense, it still seems as if there are a fair few deals that don't include WiFi calling.

My guess is that it's WiFi calling you may be referring to, and not VOIP, is that right?
 
Top
Cheap BIG ISPs for 100Mbps+
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £22.99
132Mbps
Gift: None
Vodafone UK ISP Logo
Vodafone £24.00 - 26.00
150Mbps
Gift: None
NOW UK ISP Logo
NOW £24.00
100Mbps
Gift: None
Plusnet UK ISP Logo
Plusnet £25.99
145Mbps
Gift: £50 Reward Card
Large Availability | View All
Cheapest ISPs for 100Mbps+
Gigaclear UK ISP Logo
Gigaclear £17.00
200Mbps
Gift: None
Community Fibre UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Virgin Media UK ISP Logo
Virgin Media £22.99
132Mbps
Gift: None
Hey! Broadband UK ISP Logo
150Mbps
Gift: None
Youfibre UK ISP Logo
Youfibre £23.99
150Mbps
Gift: None
Large Availability | View All
Sponsored Links
The Top 15 Category Tags
  1. FTTP (6026)
  2. BT (3639)
  3. Politics (2721)
  4. Business (2439)
  5. Openreach (2405)
  6. Building Digital UK (2330)
  7. Mobile Broadband (2146)
  8. FTTC (2083)
  9. Statistics (1901)
  10. 4G (1816)
  11. Virgin Media (1764)
  12. Ofcom Regulation (1582)
  13. Fibre Optic (1467)
  14. Wireless Internet (1462)
  15. 5G (1407)
Sponsored

Copyright © 1999 to Present - ISPreview.co.uk - All Rights Reserved - Terms  ,  Privacy and Cookie Policy  ,  Links  ,  Website Rules