Mobile phone coverage

[Pet Nanny]

I am currently with vodafone and while they coverage used to be excellent, especially in rural areas, I have never been able to use my mobile in the village where I live.

In January, we are moving to a really rural village and I checked the coverage of vodafone today, to discover that it is boarding on abysmal!

It seems that O2 are very good so ideally I would like to switch. Problem is that my contract does not expire until August and if I try to move before that vodafone are sure to charge me for exiting early.

I thought that you could now leave a company, if they fail to provide the coverage you require, without any exit charges.

Anyone enlighten me please and if this is correct, do I need to go to the Ombudsman?

 

[ethical PR]

Depends what's in your contract...do they have a guarantee of acceptable coverage clause? If so, you should be covered.

You can only go to the ombudsman if you have tried to resolve a situation with a supplier and have exhausted their complaints system.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Have you asked Vodafone about their Sure Signal device, which apparently helps in areas where the signal is poor?

See more here: http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-phone/accessories/SKU75375-white

 

[billycan]

Have you asked Vodafone about their Sure Signal device, which apparently helps in areas where the signal is poor?

See more here: http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-phone/accessories/SKU75375-white

I'm with Vodafone in a rural area - no signal unless I go upstairs then only 1 bar. I pay the full amount though, absolute crap so why should I pay Vodafone more to enhance their feeble service? Dumping them and the phone and the contract ASAP! Rather like buying a new car that will only do 1mph max - Consider your self RRRRRRippedOFF!!

 

[Ashley_Price]

Rather like buying a new car that will only do 1mph max - Consider your self RRRRRRippedOFF!!

Well, I guess it could be said, did you check the speed of the car before you bought it to find out if it was suitable to your needs?

 

[NuBlue]

Well, I guess it could be said, did you check the speed of the car before you bought it to find out if it was suitable to your needs?

You assume coverage maps are accurate

 

[Ashley_Price]

You assume coverage maps are accurate

Did I say anything about a coverage map? I would assume you could ask other people in the area how good their mobile phone signal is.

 

[NuBlue]

Signals can vary from house to house, they do on our street where we are on the edge of a 3 mast's coverage. The only way to test properly is to try one yourself, try a PAYG sim. Some companies used to offer refunds if the signal was poor at your home address but I think most of them stopped that a while ago.

 

[Ashley_Price]

The only way to test properly is to try one yourself, try a PAYG sim.

Or ask if you can try the neighbour's phone in your own house.

So many of the contracts won't allow refunds once you've opened the packaging (unless there is something specifically wrong with the phone). I remember when my wife wanted to try out a couple of phones but one of them wasn't on display to try. In the end the ever-helpful assistant allowed my wife to have a little play on her (the assistant) own phone (which happened to be the same make and model).

 

[NuBlue]

Different makes, even models of the same company, have different signal reception in the same location. All it shows is if you're in a dodgy signal area, good luck because you've no come-back on the mobile provider.

My own tale, I reported a network problem to 3 after they upgraded a nearby mast. Prior to the upgrade, my mobile connected to a mast further away just fine. Post upgrade, it struggled to connect to the upgraded mast because it hadn't been upgraded with enough capacity to meet demand, weird. After 2 weeks, they rang me back, confirmed it was their problem and offered to cancel with no penalty. Can't complain.

 

[Easy Loans Company]

Can honestly say I have never had signal issues with EE. North west by the way...

 

[billycan]

Well, I guess it could be said, did you check the speed of the car before you bought it to find out if it was suitable to your needs?

No, because the car does 100mph in London, 90mph in Bristol but 1mph in huge areas of where I moved to during the irrevokable contract!

EE's reaction?....'Tough titty, we have your money so sling your hook!'

 

[Mark T Jones]

Have I missed something in this thread? If you buy a phone on the promise that it will coverage in your area, you have grounds for complain (as a rule the provider will back down if you push hard enough)

If you move and there is no coverage in the new area, then the problem is yours, surely?

 

[billycan]

Have I missed something in this thread? If you buy a phone on the promise that it will coverage in your area, you have grounds for complain (as a rule the provider will back down if you push hard enough)

If you move and there is no coverage in the new area, then the problem is yours, surely?

You're absolutely right, it is! However, I just had this daft, half witted, naive thought that I could appeal to EE's better nature but, well you know the rest...

 

[Ghazi]

I would ask for a femtocell. This plugs into your broadband and boosts the signal in your home. Good luck trying to get one from the telecoms companies though.

 

[gingerdad]

The coverage map for my area suggests you get an okay signal from o2, i get bugger all, EE and 3 no better, Vodafone is okay but not great and again suggests you should get a signal,

i've resorted to either *62* divert when no signal or more recently the o2 TU app but thats hit and miss.. the divert seems to be the best option for me if at home or work - or just a better phone signal.