Right now I am having to rely on a home signal to give coverage where I live, so far so good. In my local area apparently there is great signal for both 3G and DC-HSPA, yet for the last 3 months it has been rather poor. When I am travelling along the M60 or even heading to Liverpool on the M62 for some reason my phone struggles to maintain a phone call or a data connection. I know the flaws with how phones display a signal and what it means but on an iPhone and a Moto G it struggles ro get above 1 bar. Fine I thought its all I would need to make calls etc....but alas no South Manchester for some odd reason has been crap recently.

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Publi...Fbsaz2mB7GC4Qg

I suppose this wouldn't be an issue if there was a 2G backup but there isn't. It is switched off everywhere in Greater Manchester area. I have been trying out O2 recently on another handset and have to admit their coverage has been consistent, I achieve 4G easily easily where I live and it follows me between Liverpool and Leeds. 3G coverage still leaves alot to be desired if I am honest, as making or receiving a phone call switches back to 2G.

Anyway back to my point so suffering from crap coverage in and around Manchester on Three, I went walking the other weekend to Macclesfield Forest (highly recommending lovely part of Cheshire, crazy woman at the Hanging Gate is someone to watch out for). Got to the highest point in the hills and got full signal, could make calls, facebook status and so on....there was a big mast about 3 miles away but what I found weird was coverage followed me everywhere. DC-HSPA it was achieving speeds on average of 4-10 meg. For me that was great, I know its all subject to certain conditions etc....but how the hell is it Three in the middle of nowhere can give me 3G coverage over what is a considerably wider area than they do at home?

The only time I lost signal was when I went deep into the valley, other times it was great. I really don't understand coverage with Three in areas where you would least expect it there is coverage, in areas like the big city of Manchester it is becoming negligable at best. Interestingly I tried 2G backup on the walk and nada not a thing, went to North Wales other week no Three 3G coverage which I was expecting but no 2G backup. It seems Three are switching off 2G backup all over at least from my experience.

Its sad really, I moved to Three for the one plan and unlimited data, I don't abuse it download about 4gb a month but it seems their network has become a joke and its seriously making me evaluate other options. Right now coverage and having a data connection is more important to me than unlimited xyz, which Three seemingly is unable to provide outside the home or is this down to 4G upgrades?

I've noticed in my area that there is still 2G backup in one of the villages I travel through every day.... But there's no data so it's practically useless. I don't think it'll be long before it's switched off altogether eapecially seeing as it relies on legacy Orange masts which are on their way to beck of extinct anyway

Where I live the signal flits between 4G, H+ and nothing....must be whatever way the wind blows. It's mildly annoying at times. Seems more volatile than normal at the moment, I put it down to the 4G rollout around the town.

Sounds like you were on the Sutton Common mast, thats the big tower on the hill overlooking Bosley and Macclesfield which looks like a totem pole and which you can see from all directions in that area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton_Common_BT_Tower

I think its main purpose is BT, Radio and Digital communications, but it has masts for all of the major mobile networks strapped around it also. I suspect its location is higher than most city mast locations, and being on the highest point in the area, also means that there is nothing blocking it, and you can get coverage along some of the most remote areas - which is handy if your car breaks down!

Basically this mast covers nothing but rural areas, namely the A523 Macclesfield to Leek road and the Buxton Roads, but other than a Caravan Park with a few retirees, a few pubs and a handful of farms, you have the mast to yourself, so little chance of congestion. I suspect if the tower and its infrastructure wasn't already there, then it would be the last place that anybody would have built a mast, however it does serve a purpose when cars get stuck up on the Cat 'N' Fiddle road in heavy snow!.

I live further down on the Staffordshire Moorlands side, and '3' is remarkably good, giving me 10mbps - 12mbps speeds routinely, where BT ADSL can only manage <1mbps, but I suspect that its lack of congestion once again, as both towns either side of me have their own collection of masts, and the mast between them only has about 10 farms in its shadow, and as you found, we do have remarkable '3' DC-HSDPA coverage right up for miles into the hills. (nothing but 2G for about 5 miles from Vodafone or O2 though!!)

In comparison, the small market town where I work rarely gives me over 2mbps.

I specifically came to this forum today looking for information on this very subject.

I've been with three for nearly four years. In that time it has been great especially with the one plan.

Recently in the last few weeks I've been getting lots of dropped calls and total lost of network. My phone can go from full bars to no service, then suddenly log on at full strength. My htc M8 was replaced last week because of it. My new M8 suffers just the same. I'm convinced it's the network and not the handset.

I've been looking for a new network. t mobiles sim only at £18 a month looks good.

Have you called them to tell them your issues. Sutton: due for upgrades until mid to late Summer with MBNL.

As for Manchester as a whole MBNL/3/EE have started an aggressive upgrade schedule on the outskirts of the city.. Not sure if this what might causing issues for you. Other than the standard occasional outages the central area should be currently fine..