Coverage in Faversham

Leanne_T · ‎15-01-2021

Update: 20 April 2021

Thank you for the feedback that has been provided since the mast went on air. On the 15 April 2021, our engineers visited the site and completed performance improvements to the mast.

We have monitored performance since the improvements and full service has been restored to Faversham.

Update: 09 April 2021

Our engineers have completed building the equipment needed for the new mast and this has been integrated onto the network. The new mast is now on air, and we are monitoring performance in the area.

We would value your feedback on service over the past week in Faversham. To give feedback, please reply to this post.

Update: 05 March 2021

Our engineers have been working on building the equipment needed for the mew mast in Faversham. We have found the generator is not providing power to the site, and a replacement generator is required for us to integrate the mast onto the network and restore service to the area.

This equipment has been ordered, and we expect the mast to be on air by the end of March, barring any unforeseen delays.

Update: 25 February 2021

Our engineers have started building the equipment needed for the new mast. The build had been slightly delayed due the late arrival of essential parts. After the equipment has been fully built we can start to integrate this onto the network.

We expect the mast to be on air within the next two weeks, barring any unforeseen delays.

We’re aware of a signal issue that is affecting some of our customers in Faversham.

Our site was located in an area which is being redeveloped. Unfortunately, this means that our equipment had to be removed.

We are working with the local council to install a new mast in the area. The deployment of this has suffered from some slight delays during 2020, because of various restrictions during the pandemic, but we expect this to be on air by the end of February, barring any unforeseen delays.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. In the meantime, if you’re an EE pay monthly customer with a compatible phone you can use WiFi Calling to make and receive calls and texts over a WiFi connection.

For details on how to set up this service, please see our WiFi calling help pages.

Awatch · ‎19-01-2021

I know these things can’t be helped, but as this is from 2020 don’t you think it could have been handled a little better rather than have it stop working the morning of 12/01/2021. And not expected to get sorted until the End of February, so that’s 6x weeks for a Town Centre to be without a mast.

With the mast opposite my work I have been relying on erratic WiFi Calling but it really is not ideal, equally IMessages struggle to Send and Receive.

Things are hard enough these days so this really isn’t helping.

Can’t a temporary system be set up, possibly at the Swimming pool as it’s not been in use since the summer and I’m sure they could do with some income.

Awatch · ‎19-01-2021

I hope it gets sorted soon with it already being down a whole week. Wifi Calling isn't something that can be trusted to be stable.

At least you have a number of choices near the old Woolworth building such as the Swimming pool opposite, the independent Cinema around the corner as well as the various sites Shepherd Neame have dotted around the town to name just a few!

Leanne_T · ‎26-01-2021

Hi there @Awatch

Because of redevelopment to the site where the mast is located, the site provider gave us until January 12th to remove our equipment from the area.

Our engineers have explored numerous temporary options, however the earliest date we can restore service to the area is the end of February, barring any unforeseen delays.

We have located an area for the new mast, and we are working with the council to progress with the installation of the equipment needed to integrate the mast onto the network and restore service to Faversham.

We will keep you updated on this post.

Leanne.

JohnFav · ‎29-01-2021

Shame this is taking so long.

The WiFi Calling help page was not very helpful and actually almost made me think my phone could not do WiFi calling as it wasn't listed. Only found it by searching for it within my phone!

Very poor that this is taking so long. Not sure what affect covid would have had and you don't go into detail, so shame this is being used as a blanket excuse!

If you had notice of this redevelopment then this should have been sorted.

Apexmonkey · ‎01-02-2021

Hi Leanne,

I have noticed that the 4G service has been inconsistent since last Wednesday (27 Jan) with 4G coverage fine until around 12-13:00 and then drops out completely - today for example it has been down between 13:00 and 16:30. As I am relying on this for work can you provide any timeframe when the work may be completed (rather than a rough end of Feb) as every day the coverage checker advises that this has been completed but then the next day the same issue...

markish99 · ‎02-02-2021

I don't feel that this is acceptable. I blogged about it at; EE and Faversham in Kent – The Slayford

Why can't you roll a mobile base station in, such as the ones that you turn up to festivals such as Glastonbury with?

In the interim, what compensation are you offering? I have several business mobiles with EE. At times they are useless and have been since the second week of January.

Faversham had a population of approximately 20,000 a decade ago. There are four large mobile networks, so, let's just say that EE's got one out of four residents as a customer, that's 5000 people. Multiply it by a conservative £30 a month. (Each of my handsets is on approximately £50 a month, so I am being generous.) So, 5000 customers multiplied by £30 a month gives £150,000 gross revenue for EE. This 'service' that you provide is down for two months at best, by the look of it. So, you have charged £300,000 to your customers, and not really provided them with much of a service. I'd wager that you are actually getting more than the £300,000 in this period.

My earlier question regarding compensation was a bit of a rhetorical one - I already know the answer. Nothing. You have told people that I know have telephoned to complain this. That they will get absolutely nothing. This looks a little bit obscene considering my rough calculations in my previous paragraph......

How have you managed to arrive in this position as a company. This is either cost cutting or ineptness. Which is it?

Being a paying customer, that is not receiving the service that they are paying for, that will not receive compensation, I would be grateful if some of my money was spent on answering, in detail, the points above. Surely it is the least you could do? Right? If not just for me, maybe the other 4,999 users. How about the patient three listed below too?

@Awatch @JohnFav @Apexmonkey

Awatch · ‎02-02-2021

I asked about some sort of temporary antenna but apparently they are really low power and only really work outside and with line of sight.

Good job we are in Lockdown 3.0 with 95% of local businesses closed and fewer people in the town centre, otherwise they would have hundreds more complaining.

Being self employed I am still working and have lost loads of precious business due to relying on wifi calling, I have been with Orange / EE for many years now, I really don't want to change mobile companies but that;ll be out of necessity rather than choice.

I can understand Covid has delayed the networks building & maintenance plan but the old Woolworths has been up for development for a long time, surely Knowing they would be losing a town centre antenna should have been prioritised over a new mast?

markish99 · ‎03-02-2021

Fully agree @Awatch

Reference the temporary antenna there are various options, I think they may have responded to you regarding a picocell, which is a short range option for extending range indoors, but there are other higher power options available. They have them, but tend to deploy them to areas such as festivals where they get a lot of PR. They are costly to deploy, which is likely the reason that they haven't offered or implemented it.

Over to you EE.....

Leanne_T · ‎04-02-2021

Hi everyone.

Our engineers have been looking at temporary options over the past few months to restore service to the area. So far, we’ve been unable to locate an area that is suitable for a temporary mast, but we are working towards the earliest date we can restore service to Faversham, which is by the end of February, barring any unforeseen delays.

We will keep you updated on this post.

If you are affected by the mast being offline and would like to discuss your options, please get in touch with our Mobile Care team.

Leanne.