Testing: EEs 4G - MVNOs

[jbennett360]

a. Don't know why they aren't as good anymore but something changed during lockdown 2020 if you ask me.

b. mobile networks are less interested in covering houing areas with capacity for data than they are public areas, main reason for this is obvious which is the lack of need when fixel line services 'SHOULD' be available and 'WiFi calling' is now being encouraged as a solution to low coverage.

Yeah I'd agree with the timing there actually. Fits with when if starting experiencing the more constant issues.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

Yeah seems a pretty much correct with some MBNL sites getting L14 when the L08 radio is added.

Three's new Phase 8 poles seem to be setup with L07, L08, L14, L18, L21 however, these are sites with eNB ID's starting 49*** or 5*****

Yeah, there's no signs of L14 onine unfortunately. Mines had 800MHz though since before three got their B32 SDL license.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

Yeah likely an older Huawei radio then....

New Ericsson radios for L08 are also L07 and L14 capable.

Yeah I think it is as there is the little Huawei name badge at the bottom of the panel

 

[jbennett360]

I specifically remember I was trying EE out for MBB and also used a Samsung S10e at the time and noticed overnight the mast had been pushed some change's (noteably the PCI - Physical Cell ID) changes on pretty much all masts in my area and beyond.

Then I noticed reduced speeds (200's become 100's "mbps") and this never really changed and record figures I had acheived before have since been unreachable (at least for 4G but then 5G isn't exactly on par with others either)

It's almost like traffic management or QOS was imposed on the network

I even tested the network during the 1st proper lockdown when the cities where deserted, and couldn't realy push the network to its potential, a spot in London gave me 400+mbps previously but the change on the network rendered that impossible to acheive again,

Birmingham city centre nothing really changed from when it was full of commuters and shoppers to when it was deserted and littered with the odd sneakey copper.

First thought was... This makes 5G look better for them.

Some of the EE speeds like you say 4/500 on 4G. If you're getting similar on 5G, then why would you use a 5G service/plan, you'd stick with 4G?

Drop the speeds of 4G and that then makes the 5G better.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

EE was capable of 170Mbps on a BT SIM with 3 bars of signal about a year ago. Now it will barely do 10 meg stood right by the mast on an actual EE SIM.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

First thought was... This makes 5G look better for them.

Some of the EE speeds like you say 4/500 on 4G. If you're getting similar on 5G, then why would you use a 5G service/plan, you'd stick with 4G?

Drop the speeds of 4G and that then makes the 5G better.

Yeah, their 5G is nearly as bad as O2s. And there they were telling me on the phone yesterday that EE is proven to be the FasTeSt uK nEtWorK jUdgEd bY rOoTmEtRiCs. I just ran a speedtest on my EE SIM and then my 3 SIM and the three blew it out the water. He then blamed my 'signal conditions' yet I was at the top floor of my house which has full signal.

 

[jbennett360]

Yeah, their 5G is nearly as bad as O2s. And there they were telling me on the phone yesterday that EE is proven to be the FasTeSt uK nEtWorK jUdgEd bY rOoTmEtRiCs. I just ran a speedtest on my EE SIM and then my 3 SIM and the three blew it out the water. He then blamed my 'signal conditions' yet I was at the top floor of my house which has full signal.

I don't trust Rootmetrics at all. Amount of times I've ran a speed test on there with my VF sim to be told it's 400ish.

Speedtest app and I'm hitting 650.

Same place, same time, same mast etc.

Saying that. Rootmetrics did report a massive decrease in call performance for EE in my area, so fair play there.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

I don't trust Rootmetrics at all. Amount of times I've ran a speed test on there with my VF sim to be told it's 400ish.

Speedtest app and I'm hitting 650.

Same place, same time, same mast etc.

Saying that. Rootmetrics did report a massive decrease in call performance for EE in my area, so fair play there.

I only ever get 5 meg max on their speedchecker on 3, 80-140 down in the same spot on speedtest.net.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

EE just isn't fast anymore. Right by the mast on B1 B3 CA.

 

[drevilbob]

I have a family member who works for EE's technology centre and they've told me that a lot of the legacy sites are being attacked quite often whilst engineers are on site plus quite a few backhaul sites are getting attacked too. They now have taken to delaying engineers going to sites because the amount of threats they're receiving. Apparently a few have actually been attacked too.

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

I have a family member who works for EE's technology centre and they've told me that a lot of the legacy sites are being attacked quite often whilst engineers are on site plus quite a few backhaul sites are getting attacked too. They now have taken to delaying engineers going to sites because the amount of threats they're receiving. Apparently a few have actually been attacked too.

But the site hasn't been attacked.....




I live in a rural Yorkshire village where there is only one mast and nothing has ever been attacked for any of the operators, three comes from the same site and is providing 140+ meg speed on 4G+.

 

[drevilbob]

But the site hasn't been attacked.....




I live in a rural Yorkshire village where there is only one mast and nothing has ever been attacked for any of the operators, three comes from the same site and is providing 140+ meg speed on 4G+.

I'm more getting at the fact they're less likely to send an engineer these days to fix problems as long as the mast is ''working''

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

I'm more getting at the fact they're less likely to send an engineer these days to fix problems as long as the mast is ''working''

But how come there is such a drop in speed when f*ck all has happened at the mast..... Its exactly the same as before. People pay this idiotic company an idiotic amount for an idiotic service.

 

[drevilbob]

But how come there is such a drop in speed when f*ck all has happened at the mast..... Its exactly the same as before. People pay this idiotic company an idiotic amount for an idiotic service.

I wouldn't be surprised if the microwave link probably being used to connect that mast back to core network is blocked tbh. Three are most likely using a fibre link.

 

[Lucian]

I wouldn't be surprised if the microwave link probably being used to connect that mast back to core network is blocked tbh. Three are most likely using a fibre link.

EE are big fans of microwave, even in urban areas. Not quite my tempo..

 

[drevilbob]

EE are big fans of microwave, even in urban areas. Not quite my tempo..

Yeah, annoys me because they have the money and spectrum to do it. I got over 500mbps on MNBL site before when it had fibre link with them

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

There are a hell of a lot of microwaves on the site, a 5G monopole on the recieving end of one that went live recently. Wouldn't be supprised tbh if that was the issue.

 

[drevilbob]

There are a hell of a lot of microwaves on the site, a 5G monopole on the recieving end of one that went live recently. Wouldn't be supprised tbh if that was the issue.

Yeah, probably is that then. I've got a 5G monopole going up to with a microwave link about 100 metres away from me atm from Three would like to see the 5G speeds on that tbf

 

[CarlO1460]

EE just isn't fast anymore. Right by the mast on B1 B3 CA.
View attachment 1485

Band 7 is the one

 

[Bubblesthefish6]

Band 7 is the one

Just to prove a point