topic Re: Network Coverage in Mobile Network discussions

Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 08:56:43 GMT

I am in an area that EE claims to have "4 bar" coverage but at best I get "1 bar" but usually its "no bars". I have a one year old Samsung Galaxy S20 5G. I am not in a tunnel or in a house with thick walls. I have tried turning my phone on and off but it makes no difference. Please can anyone help me as this is extremely frustrating?

Re: Network Coverage

James_B — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:11:48 GMT

Hi @AdamC55,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Do you only have this issue indoors? If yes, have you turned on WiFi Calling in your settings?

Does the network status checker show any problems in your area?

James

Re: Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:25:25 GMT

Yes James. It is the same outdoors in this area and I have got wifi calling switched on. Network Status Checks says that I should have a "4 bar' signal but at best the most I get is "one bar' but usually its no signal at all (indoors and outdoors)

Re: Network Coverage

James_B — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:39:42 GMT

What about if you select the 'check status', rather than 'check coverage' option @AdamC55?

James

Re: Network Coverage

bristolian — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:14:36 GMT

How long have you had this problem? Is it recent?

Re: Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:41:58 GMT

When I use 'check coverage' states no known problems in the area

Re: Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:43:52 GMT

I have only just signed up to EE so yes it is recent in that the signal has been poor at best but mostly non existent

Re: Network Coverage

bristolian — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:52:34 GMT

@AdamC55 wrote:

When I use 'check coverage' states no known problems in the area

No reported problems is usually the result from a "Check status" search, but all the same.

The next source of investigation should be to identify if this problem is phone or network-related.

Do you have problems in other areas? Do other EE users have similar problems in this location? These are both tests that will narrow down the potential issue.

Having a 5G-capable device does cause an additional complication - that your phone will (by design) prefer a 5G-service over a 4G-one, and this will inevitably give you weaker perceived service even if you're still able to use your phone without issue. The 5G network isn't as expansive or dense as the 4G one is, that's in the nature of a relatively early-stage rollout. You may be able to experiment with disabling 5G on your phone, to see whether this improves the perceived service.

All that said, if your phone is showing no-service when others are working OK, that's a cause for concern.

Re: Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 08:04:57 GMT

I will check with the local community but I suspect that those that have EE as a service provider are not experiencing the same reception problems that I am (at least not to the same extent). I fear that the issue is simply that I have one, or more, of the settings on my phone wrong but I am having trouble working out which one(s)

Re: Network Coverage

bristolian — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 08:42:26 GMT

Not so much a settings issue as a fault.

Swapping SIMs between working & non-working phones is the most reliable way of seeing if problems follow the SIM (account-related), remain with the phone (hardware or software fault) or are common to everyone (network issue).

Re: Network Coverage

AdamC55 — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 08:33:37 GMT

I visited the local EE shop and they have admitted that although their website states that there is a good reception in my area the reality is that it is the opposite. The reception is poor to non existent. This has been backed up by feedback from the local community and observing a similar outcome when transferring the SIM into another device

In conclusion the fact is that I have been sold a product that could not perform as it was publicly advertised by EE.

Thank you Bristolian for all your help