Is it just me or is ee phone signal poor

[Pyromanic]

I've noticed a huge degredation in network coverage in the past few months.  The network civerahe checker indicates I should get excellent coverage at home, but I currently get 1 bar, and sometimes that drops out!  I travel around the country a lot and have never previously experienced such poor signal on EE.  I don't know what EE have been doung to the network, but the signal has significantly reduced virtually everywhere I've travelled.  Been a customer for over 18 years but now find EE network to be so poor, I'll be going elsewhere unless this gets sorted soon.

[Arundalep]

Then please explain why following the switch off of 3G coverage (or whatever preparation work may have happened alongside), the ability to use both data and voice has degraded so significantly in rural areas.

I first noticed issues with areas that previously had reliable and adequate data coverage, when the area was upgraded to 5g (Crawley, Horsham, Worthing and now Billingshurst), existing (albeit slower) 3G connection became poor or non existent no reliable data connection was possible. 

I used to be able to have a continuous voice call while in the car for many miles / minutes but since January 2024 this is no longer possible.

I have also heard the same said by other EE customers in the area that their previously good coverage (certainly better than other providers) has dropped this year. 

I have repeatedly reported these issues and the response always says reboot your device, there are no network issues in the area.

This affects my business everyday, I have no axe to grind but would appreciate if the previously very good quality of service was resumed.

[DanCM]

As I understand this, they have replaced 3G transmitters with 4G and 5G. This means a signal tower or post that was 3G is now 4G/5G.

However, 4G and 5G do not penetrate obstructions as well as 3G since they are higher frequency. So comparing purely signal strength you will see less coverage on 4G/5G that you did on 3G with the same number of transmitters in the same place as the old 3G.

That's how it was explained to me and honestly since 3G has gone, the coverage in my area (Dorset) is very patchy on EE. Many black-spots and call drop-outs and data drop-outs, so it seems to make sense.

[bristolian]

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@DanCM wrote:

As I understand this, they have replaced 3G transmitters with 4G and 5G. This means a signal tower or post that was 3G is now 4G/5G.

However, 4G and 5G do not penetrate obstructions as well as 3G since they are higher frequency. So comparing purely signal strength you will see less coverage on 4G/5G that you did on 3G with the same number of transmitters in the same place as the old 3G.

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You're not the first to fall for a popular misunderstanding, or be told it by "my mate Dave down the pub"!

First off, radio sites are merely structures that host equipment (towers, rooftops or streetside monopoles) - generally radio kit at ground-level & antennas at height. Thus they're not specific to individual technologies. As tech progresses, 4G & 5G radio kit is added, and 3G radios are removed. The tower structure/rooftop is still the same, the antennas may get swapped out - but that's driven by the frequencies installed, not the technology.

4G & 5G services are operated across various frequency bands, it's this that dictates coverage levels rather than the technology. EE operated 2G on 1800Mhz & 3G on 2100Mhz, both high-band. 4G is operated on 800Mhz, 1800Mhz, 2100Mhz & 2600Mhz. By deploying 4G on low-band 800Mhz (and 5G on 700Mhz using the same equipment), this provides a coverage boost compared with older 2G & 3G service. High-bands provide greater capacity for density of users - thus 1800Mhz is EE's base frequency with 2100Mhz & 2600Mhz providing additional spectrum in high-use areas.

[PawelBaluta]

Honestly? I don't care about numbers which network is better 5g, 4g or 3g. I've been over 5 years with ee and the coverage has deteriorated massively over the last year. I often have network outages at home so my phone becomes useless. I have spoken for hours to the support specialists even replacing the sim card and the whole phone has not helped. The range outside is 1 sometimes 2 bars but support tells me this is not an issue. For me it is important though because the internet I pay for is just poor. I have a second sim card on the same phone from the O2 network. Outside full coverage at home drops by 1 bar and nothing cuts in or disconnects. So let ee finally admit that they have poor internet and not tell people that it is their fault or the fault of the house we live in. Time to change your operator

[Surpic]

It’s not you, I live in Norfolk and coverage has gone from the best to the absolute worst. To the point where in Norwich city, yes a city, there is no signal,in a lot of areas ,in the 21st century I find this shocking. I spent a lot of my time talking to various different departments about this issue, I even suggested that someone spent a day driving around Norfolk to see if they could make a call but that was dismissed. I gave up with it I the end, I was wasting my time waiting to have a call answered only to be left feeling completely ignored and fobed off. I will add that four of us working for a firm that has sites all over Norfolk are on and were with ee so not just my phone. Anyway as I said it’s not you it’s a company that seems to have lost its way.

[ee_user14]

I've found on a few occasions that after a period of "we're improving network in your area", the onscreen bars can sometimes degrade - but data speeds especially are better.

Friends with 5G phones in the past 6 months or so keep saying network is different, but all of them with 4G me included, haven't seen the same and often get totally different bars than 5G.

Guess this post won't be popular cos it doesn't say EE signal is poor.

[PawelBaluta]

There is something about it. There is still no 5G in my city and the phone I bought 2 years ago has it. Since then the coverage has changed dramatically for my device. I have changed the preferred 4G network in the settings but it does nothing. You say the data transfer rate has increased, I even sometimes have no internet and a website cannot load. Clearly something is wrong on the EE side.

[Hels2354]

EE connectivity use to be wonderful - I’ve noticed a big difference since Oct 24 and it’s getting worse in all regions - they need to sort I’ve been a customer for over 18years but will need to review at end of contract 

Customer service isn’t the same either - wish they would go back to how they use to be great customer service and great connectivity but no longer 

[Christopher_G]

Hi @Hels2354 

Have you checked the coverage map and network status checker for the areas where you're having a problem? The coverage checker will let you know what coverage to expect and the status checker will tell you if there are any maintenance works.

Chris

[Jfdjwd]

Honestly it’s awful. Probably not just ee but why would anyone have multiple phones to compare. I cannot even make a phone call from central London. Every day I leave work and try and call my daughter. From embankment to Waterloo, literally the centre, full beams 5g on the screen and I can’t even talk to her without video. Absolute waste of money. May as well have a 3310