topic Re: Re: Struggling coverage in Mobile Network discussions

Re: Struggling coverage

jaykay2PT — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 15:30:23 GMT

I noticed a distinct drop off in my 5G download spweed, from over 200 down to 12. By using local knowledge and talking it through with an EE engineer on the phone, we decided that, here in Penzance, the extensive scaffolding that has gone up around the Lloyds bank building, is in dicet line from the 5G tower that feeds my signal!

Sorted, but not really as the scaffolding is going to be there until at least May this year

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

bristolian — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 15:38:39 GMT

To save confusion, your post has been moved to a new thread. Was your EE "engineer" from within the CS area?

The main factor in download speeds is the amount of spectrum available, and how many users wanting to share it - neither of which are directly impacted by scaffolding or other building works. All 5G sites also carry 2G & 4G services.

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

jaykay2PT — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 15:44:30 GMT

cs area?? not understanding what you mean

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

bristolian — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 16:56:33 GMT

My enquiry was trying to ascertain whether your "engineer" was a customer service agent, or someone from within the networks side.

As mentioned, the presence of scaffolding should not be a direct cause of reduced download speeds.

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

jaykay2PT — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 07:47:31 GMT

the scaffolding is acting like a "Faraday cage", incidentally it is 50 metres from the very place where Michael Faraday trained with Humphry Davy

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

bristolian — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 07:58:15 GMT

Your report was for slow data speeds, not reduction of coverage - different symptoms to that caused by a Faraday scenario, a difference that well-intentioned CS staff might not spot.

If you have an Android phone, it would be easy enough to test the theory.

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

jaykay2PT — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 16:31:18 GMT

After various conversations, with EE tecchies, I have been advised by them, to turn OFF the 5G and resort to 4G, it really is an amazing improvement. This now prompts the question, why am I paying top buck for 5G, when I am only using it as 4G?

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

bristolian — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 20:19:07 GMT

That's the sort of advice I have come to expect from a CS agent identifying themselves as technical. Offering a workaround without identifying the underlying issue. You're also not paying for any specific radio access technology, but for access to EE's network.

Put aside the direct comparison between technologies, a major factor in download speeds is the specific bands & carriers that are deployed. This will illustrate the amount of spectrum available and thus the capacity.

As per previous posts, Android phones are excellent at allowing these checks.

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

jaykay2PT — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 20:29:44 GMT

So you keep repeating with out any explanation, so I am non the wiser, but
you probably feel even more knowledgeable than the previous answer.
Oh well I shall have to phone EE again and see what they say

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

Leanne_T — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 06:54:12 GMT

Hi @jaykay2PT

Thanks for coming back to the community.

If you give us another call when you get the chance the team will get the 5G coverage looked into for you.

Leanne.

Re: Re: Struggling coverage

bristolian — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 10:05:31 GMT

@jaykay2PT wrote:
So you keep repeating with out any explanation

You've not specified whether you have Android or Apple, which would go some way to assist.

By means of some explanation, both 4G & 5G services operate across different frequency bands. In simple terms, low-band provides excellent coverage but with trade-offs with capacity & resultant speeds. High-bands are the opposite, and EE network design provides for a combination.

Add on, that 4G offers a very mature service with coverage offered from virtually all network sites - 5G is still in relative infancy and is not available everywhere. Thus I suspect you're on the edge of 5G coverage or reliant on low-band carriers , whereas 4G is not suffering in the same way. Operators have methods to mitigate for this, once the workaround/test of locking your phone to 4G-only has proven the situation - although ultimately the fix is for new 5G carriers/sites to be installed in the affected location.