Mobile 5G, or lack of it

[CJ1106]

Hi all

I recently got a Pixel 8 and don't get 5G. When looking at https://www.speedtest.net/ookla-5g-map and move the map to my location (Northop Hall in North Wales) it shows there is a 'EE' 5G mast close to Brookside (road just off the A55) and when looking at EE's map for CH7 6NS is shows that 5G is week and doesn't even show a strong 5G signal on Brookside when it clearly shows there is a 5G mast there. Why is this?

I was looking at having a Wi-Fi unit with a SIM to use instead of landline fibre, but not sure if this is the way forward. Was even thinking of '3' but their transmission is even worse, with a poor external only of 4G and no 5G at all, your help would be a pair you can offer advice and options available.

[bristolian]

I'm not sure what dataset the speedtest map uses to claim site locations or how it's collated, but based on a cursory check of a few locations - it's somewhat dubious and very vague. It certainly doesn't look like data that can be relied upon to any certainty.

When you say "it" claims there's a 5G site in a particular location, do you mean the Ookla one? If the EE coverage map claims poor coverage there, that would be a safe bet. All of EE's network sites carry different technologies and 5G is never carried alone - it will have co-located 4G also.

[CJ1106]

Cheers, where can you locate the mast from the come providers? For EE it states that I've 5G outside, but if you were to know where the mast is located, you could either go to a window upstairs facing the mast to Get better reception and for the case of a Wi-Fi writer's permanent location, but I've limited info on where the mast are.

[Chris_B]

@CJ1106   Do you get 5G when upstairs in your home when next to an open window?  Try all sides of your home and this will give you some sort of indication of what to expect if you got a 5G router,     Next coverage checkers are a guide and not a guarantee of a network connection type,   EE can not test every location that a mast has the potential to reach,   You’ve not seen anyone at your home testing network connections.     It’s all based of a computer simulation. 

[bristolian]

Out of interest, is there anything you specifically need 5G for? And that 4G would be insufficient?

5G is in relative infancy and continually rolling out.