4G broadband via dish aerial in West Wales. Download speed step change

[OutlanderTomtom]

We live in a small valley in west Wales. BT copper is 5d/0.7u so 4G seemed to be the solution except we are in a tiny no signal pocket! Great down the lane either way but here? Nope.
As EE is the only viable broadcaster we approached a number of resellers offering rural solutions. All but one failed to get a signal. The winner got a signal on a huge pole with a dish on it! Circa 20Mb download. A pole and dish duly fitted to the chimney and away we went. For 12 months we had a useful speed then around the contract anniversary (pure coincidence I'm sure) there was a step change down to around 6Mb download.
It's an unlimited contract and usage hasn't changed. Sky downloads, YouTube and internet radio. No working from home as we're both retired.
The chart shows the random test results over the last year or so and a trend line to help smooth the data out.
The dish looks the same as it always has. Its apx 10m up.
Any ideas???

[Chris_B]

@OutlanderTomtom  The dish works by line of sight so if an vegetation has grown between your dish and the transmitter it will have an affect.    

[Christopher_G]

Hi @OutlanderTomtom.

Have you reported a problem on the network status checker? If you do that, our network team will look into it for you to see if there's a problem or maintenance.

Chris

[OutlanderTomtom]

Hi Chris_B,

Line of sight isn't absolutely the be-all, end-all of functionality, signals are bent, refracted and reflected and so can be picked up from around buildings and behind hills. We are in that situation as the target mast is indeed behind a hill. To be line of sight we'd need a dish up at at least 25m, 40m even. The step change was that exactly, a step change and not a gradual degradation. Vegetation would have been gradual. That, and the fact it happened at the end of October/November would suggest vegetation would have been dormant and/or loosing leaves at a rate.
That being said I wondered if it wasn't trees but a new shed or barn? It would need to be right on the brow to have an effect. Not the usual place for a farm building owing to the winter winds. However, the flaw in that theory is that it's intermittently very bad. It's overall worse than it was (see graph) but at times is still around 12Mbs which is OK (it's all relative eh?)

[OutlanderTomtom]

Hi Chris,

Yes, I have lodged a report on many occasions. I'm signed up for alerts for my area too so get texts warning me of service problems though often they don't seem to be affecting me.  I have two masts in my locale, on above the town, fantastic for when we're out ad about there but behind two close hills so very effectively blocked and little chance of propagation as it's so close. If that has a problem. we wouldn't notice.
The second, although 7km away, has only one hill in the way and that's some distance: that's the one we are aligned to.

[Chris_B]

@OutlanderTomtom   From behind a hill your are only picking up what’s not being absorbed by the hill and not going to be a great signal.   What’s on the other side of the hill ?  Anything new ? As this can also have an effect on your signal.   Something has changed especially as you say this was first noticed in October/November so if it’s not Mother Nature it’s probably something else. 

[EssexBoyEE]

To be honest in remote Areas like this, you would have been better off monitoring or logging your Signal Quality as well as or instead of Network Speed, as there are just too many variables in LTE for Speed, where as Signal Strength on the same Cell Mast should be a bit more consistent over time and give a good indication of any degrading or sudden issues.

When you say as Dish, do you mean a Flat Panel Antenna, or an actual Dish, ie a a Parabolic Reflector with the Antenna Part reflecting off it (what Make and Model).

Any good 4G Router (what Make and Model) should be able to give you a Detailed Signal levels (Probably within the Admin Web UI) for Signal Levels like RSSI, RSRP and SINR, as well as Cell Mast Info your logged onto (either ENBID or PCi/Ci), have a look and post up any findings. 

[OutlanderTomtom]

Nothing new appears to be there as far as you can see from the roads. No new building estate etc. It's all rolling farmland and few trees a that. Typical West Wales (similar to Devon in a way) countryside. The actual LOS route is along a valley and its the occasional shoulder of the valley wall that gets in the way rather than a hill rising up. Nothing is going to be built on these.
The dish (@ EssexBoyEE yes, it's parabolic by Mikrotic) is high up so checking it for possible alignment change is going to be difficult but I guess that's something I will have to do to rule it out. We've had very high winds over winter and it is conceivable that it's moved a little. Up close I should be able to tell but that means getting up a ladder.

[EssexBoyEE]

@OutlanderTomtom is this Microtik Dish purely an Antenna (ie coax Cables running down to the Router) or is it one of those Microtik Router Dishes (Router is part of the Dish and is fed down by RJ45 cable, ie Power over Ethernet). If its the latter the Router Dishes on some of the cheaper Microtiks are not that efficient on Weather Proofing, ie theres just a plastic flap to cover the exposed Ethernet and POE Connections. if its just a Antenna Dish, again dont rule out Weather Proofing of the Coax Cables.

As you say could be Alignment needs checking or just an complete over hall on the Installation.

If you dont have Line of Sight to the Mast you could be working off Reflected Signals, and or the MiMo isnt kicking in which has degraded Speed, MiMo doesn't mind Reflective Signals as this can sometimes help with separating the MiMo phased Signals, but in either case to acquire a good Mimo and or any Carrier Aggregation for Speed increase will also require a reasonable Signal from the Cell Tower.

I still recommend before doing any ladder climbing or investigating any further, that you acquire and post up the Signal Levels and Cell Mast ID as in my previous Post.