topic Re: No service despite living next door to the mast in Mobile Network discussions

No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 18:58:33 GMT

I have started to receive missed call information despite my phone sitting next to me and not ringing. I was waiting for an important call which never came. I contacted EE to ask if there was a problem as I cannot receive or make calls in my home, and have to go outside and face the mast before I get a signal - which is dire for want of a better word.

My signal shows no bars or just the half bar and cuts out very quickly. This has been an issue since I started my new contract. I tried to complain to EE and they informed me that there has been a problem with the Mast for several months and they cannot gain access to fix it.

The same mast transmits BT and Vodafone signals which work fine.... what is wrong with EE? I got a text to say my complaint has been resolved and closed. It has not been resolved but I cannot get any information from the EE website about making a formal complaint. It just refers me to the Ombudsman, and I'm not at that stage yet. Does anyone know how to make a complaint in writing?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Chris_B — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:03:03 GMT

@Blackdog101 If your that close to the mast can you try you sim in a different device? You need to rule out your device. Do you have issues in other locations?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:04:10 GMT

It definitely is not the device. I tried that and other people in the area are having the same issue. I also have a signal booster which is happily flashing green at me as I type - despite switching off and on several times over the past week.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Chris_B — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:06:21 GMT

@Blackdog101 Is that an EE signal box ? as that service got terminated a few months ago. Can you not use Wi-Fi calling ?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:12:06 GMT

yes, I didn't know it has been terminated. In fact the guy I spoke to suggested I try it until I said I already have one. There is no problem when I drive around 10 - 15 miles from home. I live in a rural area.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

James_B — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 07:35:30 GMT

Hi @Blackdog101,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Have you activated WiFi Calling on your phone?

James

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 10:04:16 GMT

Tried WiFI calling and it seems to have improved slightly. Thank you for the tip.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

James_B — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 10:06:42 GMT

No problem @Blackdog101 🙂

James

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

bristolian — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:44:02 GMT

@Blackdog101 wrote:

It definitely is not the device. I tried that and other people in the area are having the same issue.

Has every EE user who has problems, used the status checker's "report a problem" facility to report them?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 23:46:08 GMT

Hi,
I have been in touch with EE over the past few days and they have informed
me that there is a major problem which is causing a service wide issue.
They don’t seem to realise that because this problem has been ongoing for a
considerable time, (several years) that is why a lot of people have
ditched EE in favour of other networks. The crazy thing is, the same mast
they say is requiring fixing seems to work with other networks. I.E. BT 02,
Vodafone, sky etc. but EE have said they can’t get in touch with the
landowner to gain access to the mast. Totally confusing.
Apparently they phoned me twice recently but once again, my phone didn’t
ring. I was out of the house so couldn’t use wifi calling and I had no
signal.
I’m afraid I will probably leave EE when my contract ends next year if this
issue isn’t sorted out once and for all. The ad with Kevin Bacon says it’s
coverage is better than any other network? I wonder if they checked the
trade descriptions act before they made that claim?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

James_B — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 06:49:54 GMT

Hi @Blackdog101,

I'm sorry to hear there have been some delays in accessing your local mast. In some cases we can't access mast sites without permission from the land owner. Hopefully our network team will be able to reach them soon.

James

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

bristolian — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 16:23:15 GMT

@Blackdog101 wrote:
The crazy thing is, the same mast
they say is requiring fixing seems to work with other networks. I.E. BT 02,
Vodafone, sky etc. but EE have said they can’t get in touch with the
landowner to gain access to the mast. Totally confusing.

Sky is a MVNO (piggyback) provider who resell O2-coverage, but each individual network operator will have their own legal agreement & separate equipment on every shared structure.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 21:10:08 GMT

So if Sky can get access to the mast and they're a piggyback provider why
can't EE get access?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

bristolian — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 22:53:29 GMT

Sky don't have their own mobile network. There are 4 mobile operators in the UK - O2, Vodafone, EE & 3. Every other provider just re-sells network coverage of one of the big-4.

You've mentioned that BT coverage is OK here - they are an EE "piggyback" in the same way as Sky is an O2-piggyback and (to give another example) Asda Mobile is a Vodafone reseller.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 20:26:06 GMT

I have been using Wi-Fi calling and it worked for a few minutes then went back to square 1!
I have missed more calls and had to resort to providing my landline number so that I can be contacted. This is NOT good enough.! I’ve also spoken to others who informed me the landowner receives substantial subsidies for allowing the mast on their land. If this is the case, how come EE has not withheld his payments until they can access the mast?

EE informed me the problem at the mast would be repaired by 31 August. It’s now 3rd September and I’m am no closer to having a signal that I can rely on.

I have lodged a formal complaint with EE and have not received any correspondence from them apart from 2 missed calls and a text to say they’d tried to contact me. I missed the calls because I had no signal!!! To say I’m frustrated is an understatement. Why can EE not be honest and admit they either can’t fix the problem or that they can’t be bothered trying to fix it?
Meanwhile Kevin Bacon is on my TV every day telling me that EE is the most reliable network and has the best coverage in the UK. Does he know the truth? Is it another consequence of living in a rural area in NI?

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Christopher_G — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 07:19:50 GMT

Hi @Blackdog101.

Thank you for your patience with this. I've sent you a private message to get some information from you.

Please have a look and get back to me.

Thanks

Chris

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

bristolian — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 07:22:40 GMT

@Blackdog101 wrote:

I have been using Wi-Fi calling and it worked for a few minutes then went back to square 1!
I have missed more calls and had to resort to providing my landline number so that I can be contacted.

Does your phone show good wireless signal & WiFi-calling symbol when this problem happens? It's a very reliable service, but with two caveats:

1: It's only as good as your wireless router

2: WiFi-calling is generally designed to only kick in when your mobile coverage is deemed insufficient. Are you using Android or iOS? Recent Android phones do sometimes have an option to set "WiFi-preferred" and override any weak mobile coverage.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Blackdog101 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 01:17:37 GMT

I've sent the information you've requested but have not had a reply.

Re: No service despite living next door to the mast

Leanne_T — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 06:52:40 GMT

Hi @Blackdog101

I have replied to your message this morning.

Leanne.