Bandwidth to a specific tower

[Walmyster]

Hi all,

I use 4GEE for my home broadband having tried many services over the years it has proved to be the best both in speed and in reliability. Except that.... the variation in download speed over the day is massive. I have seen over 50 Mb/s in the early hours of the morning but this can drop as low a 2 Mb/s during the day. I don’t know what else uses that specific tower during the day, perhaps the local college/students or a local school or business but this is too much of a variation. It’s clear that that particular tower needs more daytime bandwidth. Perhaps load balancing could be adjusted or something?

Anyway, I’ve tried to get a sensible conclusion from EE but I can’t get to a decent technical conversation from the EE help desk, Level 3 or whatever. I keep getting stuck at “reboot your server” etc. My system has proven that it can run close to the practical maximum speed. What I need is wider bandwidth at the tower.

Has anyone managed to get through to decent technical support? Any ideas?

[Chris_B]

@Walmyster   In the day people are awake using their devices. More load on a mast will effect networks speeds. 

[Walmyster]

Yes, exactly. My point is though that it may be fixable, as long as the laws of physics aren’t broken, by adjusting the load balancing on the network to reflect the actual load on that tower during the day. I can’t get through to anyone to have a conversation about it though.

[bristolian]

Hi @Walmyster 

I see that @Chris_B has already advised you that varying speeds on any mobile data connection are often symptomatic of varying traffic levels and data load at a given time and are not, of themselves, a fault.

Unfortunately, adding bandwidth to any network site is a more complex process than just enabling a software option. Sometimes, additional carriers is a simple task, and in these cases it can be done in a short timescale. Quite often, it can mean more extensive works or perhaps reconfigurations are necessary - either physically onsite or elsewhere in the network.

Capacity & performance enhancements are ongoing across the EE network.

[Walmyster]

Absolutely but how do I get EE to look at this particular tower (which does not seem to be configured right). Dropping from 50 megs to 2 megs isn’t right surely.

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

The speed drop you mention is a particularly extreme one, but if you are getting 50Mb/s at particular times, then that would suggest the regular speed that you're likely to receive.

You've mentioned that you've already spoken to EE's tech agents, that would be the correct way to have issues investigated, alongside using the "report a problem" link on the coverage & status checker . Unfortunately, with an increase in the number of home workers, some variance in daytime data speeds is to be expected, and in some cases it may take time for individual sites to have the necessary performance improvements.

Out of interest, does your router software give you any info on "connected cell" or "eNB ID"?

[Walmyster]

Yes,

CELL_ID:	4909570
RSRQ:	-10dB
RSRP:	-107dBm
SINR:	2dB
PLMN:	23430

when I built the system I used a couple of apps which identified all the towers near here. 

[EssexBoyEE]

Your SINR is too low, quiet poor in fact, does this figure move around much or tie up with your Speed drops.

[Walmyster]

No it’s pretty consistent and the best I could do. I have 2 x 23 dB antennae just to get that. Deep valley in Cornwall.

[EssexBoyEE]

Ok, where are the Antennas, if they are 23db and doing what they claim they must be very directional.

What's the Antenna and Router make.

Using external Antennas is a plus move if you in Fringe Coverage, but this is Restricting down to 2x2 Mimo against s possible 4x4 within the Router (assuming it's a fairly recent one)

Any 5G involved here, guessing not.

How many Cell Towers around you.