topic Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up? in Mobile Network discussions

Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:24:14 GMT

Should I just give up with EE / being able to make a call from home?

I've lived in my home since 2006, which is a small 3 bed semi - the phone and internet signal outside of the home is very poor/ almost non existent. Postcode is LE9 2DJ - which is a large village about 5 miles from Leicester city centre.

I believe I have tried virtually everything over the years and recently.

The phone signal breaks up/ missed calls/ sounds like a dalek.

We have EE fibre broadband (we are only 200meters from telephone exchange). We have three mobile phones in the house - 1. my work phone - Samsung A32 5G, 2. My partner and my phone - Samsung S20Plus 5G. All of them are on EE network.

This is a list of just some of the things we've tried:

Made sure all phones are upto date, replaced sim cards for new.

Moved EE router several times to various locations

Replaced EE router to the new Smart EE router, AND installed three of the booster disks.

We've had the line to the house tested several times - no issues found.

We've tried resetting all routers and phones.

We've changed many settings on all phones with the advise from EE technical.

We've been put through to endless amounts of 'EE technical' staff with no resolve (we generally get passed from "its a broadband issue - its a mobile phone issue")

Just as an example - I have just received a call on my work phone - they could not hear me as they said my voice kept breaking up. So they called again from another phone, but still had same issue, and then they called again from yet another phone and still had same issue. I tried walking around the house but it did not improve - I was literally stood 4ft away from the router and still could not hear.

Note: there seems to be no issues with my internet, only ever phone calls.

Please can someone resolve???

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Chris_B — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:45:13 GMT

@Shmev What has your router got to do with the mobile phones ? Your phones don’t get a working signal from it unless your have enabled Wi-Fi calling on the devices . Your devices connect to a cellular mast not the router unless you enable Wi-Fi calling on the device then it’ll use the Wi-Fi signal from the router to give you a working signal for calls/texts. This has only been possible to do in the last few years as Wi-Fi calling wasn’t a thing.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:52:58 GMT

I forgot to add that all my phones have Wi-Fi calling enabled on them - and to use Wi-Fi calling as for making calls. If I didn't have Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling enabled then I would have zero mobile call coverage. There is no phone signal in or around my home - even though the EE chart says there is.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:20:31 GMT

Hi @Shmev

Thanks for coming to the community.

If you call our tech gurus on 150 or 0800 079 8586, they will be able to get this looked into in more detail for you and discuss your options.

Thanks.

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:24:34 GMT

Hello Leanne

Thank you, but already done that dozens of times.

The latest time they advised I replaced my standard EE router with the smart router - which allows upto three booster disks around the home to improve signal........ I have all three disks connected around the home yet still I've had several calls today all of which either sound like a dalek or cannot hear properly etc.

I've also contacted the 150 EE number and get a recorded message that they'll check the line yet again and let me know - still not had any response ?

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:27:56 GMT

Thanks @Shmev

Does this only happen when you are connected to the WiFi?

Do the phones work OK in other areas?

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:58:32 GMT

Yes only happens when connected to Wi-Fi at home.

If we don't use Wi-Fi calling then get no signal at all.

All the phones work perfectly ok away from the property.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

bristolian — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 15:59:41 GMT

Do you have similar problems when using WiFi-calling elsewhere?

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:06:32 GMT

No, we've tried all the phones elsewhere on Wi-Fi calling with no issues.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:59:52 GMT

Thanks @Shmev

In this case, please call us again on 0800 079 8586 and select broadband, the team will run some troubleshooting and help you further.

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:02:27 GMT

Thank you, but I have already done that several times too ........ I just seem to be going round in circles ?

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:04:52 GMT

I'm sorry we have no account access to get this looked into for you as this will need investigating by the broadband team @Shmev

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:11:50 GMT

I've phoned your broadband team, explained it to him - and he's just told me it's not a broadband issue and he's putting me through to EE mobile ?!?

Do you see my problem? - I just keep getting sent from Broadband to Mobile to Broadband to Mobile etc etc etc - it never gets resolved?

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:40:41 GMT

What did our tech gurus say when you have been transferred? @Shmev

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:00:55 GMT

They said the usual thing of - we'll check the connection / there maybe work going on in your area (although if I'm connected via Wi-Fi only I don't see how a mast would effect signal).

But to be honest I've been told all of those things before many times over the years.

He openly admitted there's nothing he can do.

I wouldn';t but it's almost the year 2023, they put a man on the moon over 50years ago and I still can't make/ receive a phone call

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:04:06 GMT

Thanks @Shmev

Are they going to get this looked into and get back to you?

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:17:39 GMT

No, they were unable to help me any further

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Leanne_T — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:32:34 GMT

I have sent you a private message on here for some details @Shmev

Leanne.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

bristolian — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:41:34 GMT

I've now had a chance to look at this example a little closer - I must stress I'm not EE staff and this doesn't replace your fault-finding with them.

EE operate 4G across different frequency bands, the location you've cited has limited service on EE's primary bands which is unlikely to provide reliable service indoors - but the low-band 800Mhz "extended range" service is good here. This will need a VoLTE/4G-calling device/SIM combination to function.

All that said, if you have poor service and a working WiFi-connection, then WiFi-calling should be reliable. You've mentioned that you can use WiFi-calling in other indoor locations OK, everything here therefore points at something specific with your router/broadband connection.

Re: Impossible to make/receive calls since 2006! - should I just give up?

Shmev — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 21:04:36 GMT

Hi, thanks for your message.

And yes I agree it does point towards router/ broadband - the problem is when I go through to EE broadband they ask if there is any Wi-Fi drop for any other devices and internet. When I say no it's just issue with the mobile calls, they then just pass me back through to the mobile EE department ........ and my journey starts again- round and round.

I have also tried separating the bands 2.4 and 5GHZ etc of devices and phone - but made no difference.

Also tried all the VoLTE/4G etc - all made no difference.

The EE mobile just came up with the usual "they maybe doing some maintenance on the mast in your area" .......... this has been an on-going excuse for over a decade........ I must admit I don't understand how a mast can effect my mobile phone signal when I'm using Wi-Fi calling?