O2 Network Performance

clewsy · 28-05-2014, 18:31

Hi,

I thought I would ask as getting fed up of getting the standard response off o2. Has anyone else recently noticed that their 3G signal has disappeared from places they used to have it and now replaced by 2G coverage. Even this in places seems weaker as well.

O2 say that the network is fine, however others who use the network are saying the same about how hit and miss it has all become. Is this because they are up to something with this network site sharing with Vodafone or is it very much a local issue that is confined to areas of North Staffordshire?

I would be interested to know if others are having issues or have had similar issues and what the outcome of this was?

ney · 28-05-2014, 20:48

I have been with 02 over 12 years now and I used to be 100% with there service but in the last year or two I find I now only seem 97%/98% happy with the 02 service once in a while.
My sister had problems with picture messaging the other week. It would send ok with in 20 seconds or so but it was taking well over an hour to arrive at the other end.
She on an 02 contract.
After 45 mins on phone complaining to 02 they offered her a new contract for about the same price a month with more data, 100 extra mins and 5000 text and an upgraded Iphone 5s 32GB from the Iphone 5s 16GB that she was using.
Even my sister says 02 has gone downhill a little in the last 2 years or so. Even with coverage.

Darren

clewsy · 28-05-2014, 22:47

I think what is most annoying is their answers seem scripted. They don't seem to want to investigate and improve network coverage - yet this sharing agreement with Vodafone is meant to improve things?

Shame I can't even consider moving to 3 or EE as the closest mast site is still an old EE 2G thing and I'm guessing wont be updated now they are focused on this 4G rush.

IslandNiles · 28-05-2014, 23:36

It's funny you should mention this. I was on a work trip yesterday to the East Riding of Yorkshire area with a colleague who happens to be on O2. Five or six times during the day, she tried to look things up online but had no data access, despite seeing the 3G icon on her iPhone 5c. In all but one of these places, I was able to access data without an issue.

I've heard about their data network being bad, but it just seemed pretty much unusable for her in this particular area. Not confined to one particular mast/site either. This happened over quite a distance.

clewsy · 29-05-2014, 08:54

Interesting so this isn't a local issue then unless they are working on masts all over the UK at the same time. Its quite frustraiting though when O2 are being clowns and seem to simply refuse to accept that anything is wrong.

japitts · 31-05-2014, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by clewsy

I think what is most annoying is their answers seem scripted. They don't seem to want to investigate and improve network coverage - yet this sharing agreement with Vodafone is meant to improve things?

Shame I can't even consider moving to 3 or EE as the closest mast site is still an old EE 2G thing and I'm guessing wont be updated now they are focused on this 4G rush.

Remember the "4G" rush as you call it, only becomes enabled after a particular site has been given the "MBNL 3G" treatment.

In other words, if that Orange-2G site is kept on, it will be upgraded to T-Mob/EE/MBNL 2G/3G first and then EE 4G added after.

Magic Cottage · 01-06-2014, 19:30

Why would O2 or any other network admit there is anything wrong/ Would you? They are not going to tell you their network is crap when you call them are they. That would be business suicide.

But I agree. The coverage where I am no longer seems as good as it used to be. In fact I and several friends are convinced that coverage has never been so good after that massive outage they had (I think last year).

wavejockglw · 01-06-2014, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magic Cottage

The coverage where I am no longer seems as good as it used to be. In fact I and several friends are convinced that coverage has never been so good after that massive outage they had (I think last year).

I'm a little confused by the above. Does that mean the coverage is better or worse since the outage? Recent Root Metrics (http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/) testing has revealed some significant improvements in big cities but if you are a rural customer or in a suburb the experience may be very different.

Magic Cottage · 01-06-2014, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavejockglw

I'm a little confused by the above. Does that mean the coverage is better or worse? Recent Root Metrics (http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/) testing has revealed some significant improvements in big cities but if you are a rural customer or in a suburb the experience may be very different.

To be fair we are in a fairly rural area. However, at home problem of weak signal is now solved by the app Tu Go for contract customers. Calls and texts routed via wifi but still on your O2 package.

wavejockglw · 01-06-2014, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magic Cottage

To be fair we are in a fairly rural area. However, at home problem of weak signal is now solved by the app Tu Go for contract customers. Calls and texts routed via wifi but still on your O2 package.

Handy for keeping in touch with landlines and mobile and with Wi-Fi you will have the use of Skype, Whatsapp, Viber and all the other free comms services.

Have a look at the Root Metrics results and see if you might benefit from better speed and coverage when visiting your closest city. O2 only have 800MHz 4G and it's the ideal frequency range to cover wide areas so perhaps you may get coverage sooner than you think. Just out of interest how is the coverage on other mobile networks where you live?

Magic Cottage · 01-06-2014, 21:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavejockglw

Handy for keeping in touch with landlines and mobile and with Wi-Fi you will have the use of Skype, Whatsapp, Viber and all the other free comms services.

Have a look at the Root Metrics results and see if you might benefit from better speed and coverage when visiting your closest city. O2 only have 800MHz 4G and it's the ideal frequency range to cover wide areas so perhaps you may get coverage sooner than you think. Just out of interest how is the coverage on other mobile networks where you live?

EE is very good apparently. Friend who lives a few doors away gets a steady 5 bars on his phone. Vodafone is the other end and crap.

28-05-2014, 18:31	#1
clewsy Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midlands Posts: 2,860	O2 Network Performance Hi, I thought I would ask as getting fed up of getting the standard response off o2. Has anyone else recently noticed that their 3G signal has disappeared from places they used to have it and now replaced by 2G coverage. Even this in places seems weaker as well. O2 say that the network is fine, however others who use the network are saying the same about how hit and miss it has all become. Is this because they are up to something with this network site sharing with Vodafone or is it very much a local issue that is confined to areas of North Staffordshire? I would be interested to know if others are having issues or have had similar issues and what the outcome of this was?

28-05-2014, 20:48	#2
ney Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area Posts: 10,704	I have been with 02 over 12 years now and I used to be 100% with there service but in the last year or two I find I now only seem 97%/98% happy with the 02 service once in a while. My sister had problems with picture messaging the other week. It would send ok with in 20 seconds or so but it was taking well over an hour to arrive at the other end. She on an 02 contract. After 45 mins on phone complaining to 02 they offered her a new contract for about the same price a month with more data, 100 extra mins and 5000 text and an upgraded Iphone 5s 32GB from the Iphone 5s 16GB that she was using. Even my sister says 02 has gone downhill a little in the last 2 years or so. Even with coverage. Darren

28-05-2014, 22:47	#3
clewsy Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midlands Posts: 2,860	I think what is most annoying is their answers seem scripted. They don't seem to want to investigate and improve network coverage - yet this sharing agreement with Vodafone is meant to improve things? Shame I can't even consider moving to 3 or EE as the closest mast site is still an old EE 2G thing and I'm guessing wont be updated now they are focused on this 4G rush.

28-05-2014, 23:36	#4
IslandNiles Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 13,091	It's funny you should mention this. I was on a work trip yesterday to the East Riding of Yorkshire area with a colleague who happens to be on O2. Five or six times during the day, she tried to look things up online but had no data access, despite seeing the 3G icon on her iPhone 5c. In all but one of these places, I was able to access data without an issue. I've heard about their data network being bad, but it just seemed pretty much unusable for her in this particular area. Not confined to one particular mast/site either. This happened over quite a distance.

29-05-2014, 08:54	#5
clewsy Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Midlands Posts: 2,860	Interesting so this isn't a local issue then unless they are working on masts all over the UK at the same time. Its quite frustraiting though when O2 are being clowns and seem to simply refuse to accept that anything is wrong.

31-05-2014, 17:54	#6
japitts Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 427	Quote: Originally Posted by clewsy I think what is most annoying is their answers seem scripted. They don't seem to want to investigate and improve network coverage - yet this sharing agreement with Vodafone is meant to improve things? Shame I can't even consider moving to 3 or EE as the closest mast site is still an old EE 2G thing and I'm guessing wont be updated now they are focused on this 4G rush. Remember the "4G" rush as you call it, only becomes enabled after a particular site has been given the "MBNL 3G" treatment. In other words, if that Orange-2G site is kept on, it will be upgraded to T-Mob/EE/MBNL 2G/3G first and then EE 4G added after.

01-06-2014, 19:30	#7
Magic Cottage Guest Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,663	Why would O2 or any other network admit there is anything wrong/ Would you? They are not going to tell you their network is crap when you call them are they. That would be business suicide. But I agree. The coverage where I am no longer seems as good as it used to be. In fact I and several friends are convinced that coverage has never been so good after that massive outage they had (I think last year).

01-06-2014, 19:36	#8
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	Quote: Originally Posted by Magic Cottage The coverage where I am no longer seems as good as it used to be. In fact I and several friends are convinced that coverage has never been so good after that massive outage they had (I think last year). I'm a little confused by the above. Does that mean the coverage is better or worse since the outage? Recent Root Metrics (http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/) testing has revealed some significant improvements in big cities but if you are a rural customer or in a suburb the experience may be very different.

01-06-2014, 19:39	#9
Magic Cottage Guest Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,663	Quote: Originally Posted by wavejockglw I'm a little confused by the above. Does that mean the coverage is better or worse? Recent Root Metrics (http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/) testing has revealed some significant improvements in big cities but if you are a rural customer or in a suburb the experience may be very different. To be fair we are in a fairly rural area. However, at home problem of weak signal is now solved by the app Tu Go for contract customers. Calls and texts routed via wifi but still on your O2 package.

01-06-2014, 19:46	#10
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	Quote: Originally Posted by Magic Cottage To be fair we are in a fairly rural area. However, at home problem of weak signal is now solved by the app Tu Go for contract customers. Calls and texts routed via wifi but still on your O2 package. Handy for keeping in touch with landlines and mobile and with Wi-Fi you will have the use of Skype, Whatsapp, Viber and all the other free comms services. Have a look at the Root Metrics results and see if you might benefit from better speed and coverage when visiting your closest city. O2 only have 800MHz 4G and it's the ideal frequency range to cover wide areas so perhaps you may get coverage sooner than you think. Just out of interest how is the coverage on other mobile networks where you live?

01-06-2014, 21:03	#11
Magic Cottage Guest Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,663	Quote: Originally Posted by wavejockglw Handy for keeping in touch with landlines and mobile and with Wi-Fi you will have the use of Skype, Whatsapp, Viber and all the other free comms services. Have a look at the Root Metrics results and see if you might benefit from better speed and coverage when visiting your closest city. O2 only have 800MHz 4G and it's the ideal frequency range to cover wide areas so perhaps you may get coverage sooner than you think. Just out of interest how is the coverage on other mobile networks where you live? EE is very good apparently. Friend who lives a few doors away gets a steady 5 bars on his phone. Vodafone is the other end and crap.

DS Forums

O2 Network Performance