No data, high ping in Charlton, London

[WaterWheel]

Both data and voice connection have had issues in Charlton for a long time, but it’s gotten much worse over the last 6-9 months.

5G is no longer available and there is almost no 4G data coverage despite there being plenty of masts near by.

I’ve done all the usual troubleshooting and spent hours on the phone with support.

In the very few times I have been able to connect, I get the following results on ping. Any idea what’s going on? 

iPhone 17, outdoors.
 

 

[bristolian]

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@WaterWheel wrote:

I’ve done all the usual troubleshooting and spent hours on the phone with support.

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Can you be a bit more specific about what "all the usual troubleshooting" means or includes? What's usual for one person might not be to others... And in the same vein, what have CS attempted and/or tried so far? And how have things last been left?

In an  ideal world, a pre & post comparison of some of the radio parameters is how a query such as this is resolved - I doubt you have the "pre" but knowing what's been done so far, will help.

[WaterWheel]

Thanks very much for your reply. Really any help is appreciated!

Regarding the troubleshooting:

• Turn on Airplane mode when facing issue before turning off again
• Made sure I wasn't connecting to random WiFi networks
• Made a log, including connecting in different areas and noting their postcodes (issue only in Charlton)
• Reset network settings
• Switched the network manually and then back again to force a reset
• Updated to latest iOS
• Enabled  '5G [always] On' and 'Allow More Data on 5G'
• Disabled 'Limit IP Address Tracking', Apple iCloud Relay, and deleted VPNs and made sure there were no other profiles
• Swapped to a new SIM card
• Tried on different handsets (upgraded to a newer iPhone)

When talking to EE support, they normally advise me to carry out the above on the phone. They complete diagnostics but usually cannot find any issue, so ask me to make a log. When I call back a few days later, the next operator gets me to repeat these steps and the log is not used/the information I collected isn't recorded.

How things have been left, and this has happened repeatedly, is that they looked into a deeper level of diagnostics and found an amber alert which had only came into existence around 4 hours before the call, so this means I now have to wait for this to clear to be able to demonstrate it is an issue which has not been resolved/lived past the alert – and it repeats.

They recently advised that it could just be bad coverage, but the service has got worse – I'm not near any tall or modern buildings, I'm out in the open (even standing next to the nearby EE mast), and the headline coverage checker is good. They can't explain why 5G is no longer available. 

I'm really not sure on radio parameters, sorry.

[bristolian]

As I largely suspected, but thanks for confirmation.

I'd take issue with the suggestion of poor coverage, but this is with understanding of the radio layer. 4G & 5G services are delivered using a combination of radio frequencies, each good at different things - there's not one single "4G signal" or "5G signal".

The degradation in any particular "G" could be explained by config or optimisation changes, intended for the greater good but with some fringe case casualties. If there's been a change in coverage patterns, it's entirely possible that your primary coverage now comes from a different site/"G"/frequency, and this could potentially be one that's congested.

Data congestion could potentially explain your symptoms, but that's an educated guess and not based on any understanding or checks of your specific locality. What download speeds are you achieving?

[WaterWheel]

Thank you! I presume they will never admit to optimising the service in this way, which is frustrating. 

Speeds range a lot. Most of the time I can't manage to load a speed test, but when it does it can range from 7mbps to 15mbps.

 

[bristolian]

Network optimisation is a BAU activity for all networks - in very simple terms, it's making the best use of the kit that's been deployed, to get the best overall service.

Individual users naturally want the best service for them specifically, networks want the best service for everyone. I am talking in general terms here, with no knowledge of your specific situation, area or locality.