New mast has signal but no connectivity

[4wd]

We generally have no phone signal whatsoever but where there was a 'just usable' signal that has now been swamped by a new mast (finally!) turned on.
Only it seems to be putting out a carrier with no connectivity.
So we are worse off than before it started up.
Is this normal, I hope it will  start working properly in hours not days or weeks.
Or maybe it's faulty - there is no way to ask simple questions like that apparently.
YO21 2DG
 

[bristolian]

Can you explain what you mean by "putting out a carrier with no connectivity"? Call, text & data testing are part of the new site commissioning process.

What carriers are you seeing from this new site?

[4wd]

Whereas before we had usable patchy but very weak signal there is now five bars but no connectivity at all.
The mast is 'on' but not connected and is making things worse as it's obliterating what little signal we had previously from a more distant mast.

[bristolian]

Let's try to establish what exactly you mean by "no connectivity", given that calls, texts & data testing are all part of a site being tested before brought live.

What happens if you try to make a call? What happens if you try sending a text message? What happens if you try to use mobile data? (I suspect it's mobile data you're referring to, but all the more reason to ask about calls & texts)

Your mention one site obliterating another, a phone is meant to attach to the sector with the best RX so it's doing as designed, in that respect. How long have these symptoms been evident?

[4wd]

You can't do anything with the 'strong' signal because the mast has no connectivity to the network, they are apparently delaying turning it on properly for unexplained reasons.
There is no 4G, no calls and no text.
It is five bars of nothingness 😖

The mast has been there for nearly two years while they invent excuses to not activate it.
I know the phones select the strongest signal.
Which is this one with no connectivity.
It started last Friday when they came out to 'turn it on' (finally) only all they have turned on is a signal with no connectivity.
Either this is fairly normal peculiar way to do it or its faulty and ought to be reported but I don't know how to report it.

[bristolian]

You mention the site has no 4G, but you have signal? Is the site providing 2G coverage?

2G only service would explain a lack of mobile data, but calls & texts should be fine. That's also unusual, the phone should normally prefer a week 4G signal over a strong 2G one.

Fault reporting is on "check status" of https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile-coverage-checker in the first instance.

[4wd]

The mobile checker is entirely useless it always says we have usable signal when we don't.
It isn't designed to show problem areas in real time.
No 2G service exists anymore surely, well I know they don't put 2G only on a new mast that would be silly.

The phone actually says connected to a 4G signal but with an explanation mark because it doesn't have any connectivity to the rest of the network - because the mast does not appear to be properly activated yet.
Then nothing whatsoever works because it's five bars of nothingness,
I don't know how many different ways there are to say the same thing.

[Rach_H]

Are you able to use the 'Report a problem' option on the Coverage Checker, so our team can take a look into what is happening @4wd?

Have you spoken with our Technical experts about the issues you've been having?

Rach

[bristolian]

I must be honest, I'm not clear on the symptoms here - but I strongly suspect terminology is the issue. I'm familiar with the new site install process, and some of the pitfalls that can happen. But this one's unusual, so I'm trying to understand.

You mention the coverage checker not being designed to show coverage in real-time, which sounds like you've used the "check coverage" option rather than the "check service status" option which does.

You repeatedly mention having five bars but no 4G. In technical terms this would indicate you're getting coverage from another "G", most likely 2G. What I suspect you're saying, but you've not yet confirmed despite a few attempts at prodding, is that you've got 4G coverage showing but no mobile data. Is that correct?

And if so - what happens when you try making a call or sending a text? I did ask earlier in the thread, but you've still not answered.

You mention having an exclamation mark on your phone-screen - can you post a screenshot of this?

[4wd]

I can't speak with anyone at EE or report anything at EE because my phone uses EE network but isn't on an EE contract.
We don't have a signal from any network to make it worthwhile.

There's a new mast which was switched on last Friday the antennas on it are putting out a strong signal as it is really close by but it has no connectivity. You can turn off wifi and it shows connected to 4G but nothing whatsoever is usable because the mast is not linked to the network.
To make matter worse where we did have weak usable signal that has now been lost under the useless signal from the new mast.

What it needs is someone to look at the mast in YO21 2DG and say Oooh that one isn't working properly or Oh dear that one still won't be turned on properly until 1st April because of our secret reasons.

I did kind of hope to get some useful suggestions or information ideally from someone at EE not have a string of posts suggesting I'm an idiot or what I describe is impossible.