Poor Signal Strength NG22

[nottechyenough]

Thank you Christopher, Signal strength checkers on websites always show
good services most of the time, varying usually only when the network
operators have become aware of a problem and are trying to fix it. In a
given area, local factors that might create a local signal shadow can
create a local problem. I have an iPhone 5s and to try and get a clue as
to the cause of my poor voice quality services I have tried EE, O2 and
lebara sims. Only the Lebara SIM gives a strong signal as indicated by the
bars on the display. So I don't think it is the phone that is failing.
With the EE SIM in place I have used the "mobile data" menu and tried
selecting 3G instead of 4G and the signal strength indicator shows 2 bars
instead of one. My wife has a Doro phone with an EE SIM and it shows 3
bars. Is this a 2G/3G/4G problem?

The real kicker is that when I had a Plusnet SIM it was great!!! And yet
Plusnet use EE, so what is different. EE sent me a new SIM and I discarded
the old Plusnet SIM, so there must be something different?? Perhaps I
should just use the Lebara SIM, and they don't ramp up the price with
inflation plus 3.9%!!!

[nottechyenough]

My problem is in BS21.  I can dial a call, the person at the other end can answer, then after about 30 seconds the line gets dropped,  Signal strength was low at 2 bars on two different "not smart" phones.  Its all voice service as the phones don't do data!!  At least, if they do, I don't use them for that.

[bristolian]

Your post has been split out into a new thread.

EE's 3G network has now been switched off nationally, the ideal solution is to have a VoLTE-compatible phone/SIM combination and use the 4G-network for voice & data.

Without this, voice fallback is now to 2G, which doesn't employ the same "HD" codecs as 3G did & 4G does. So calls will not be as clear. A phone will revert to 4G for idle & data services, so the onscreen bars may vary, although this should largely be a perception issue.