[seatmad]

Hello everyone,

I've been a long time lurker on here but there is a great wealth of information and I need some help.

My mobile phone signal at home has recently dropped and when inside it is near impossible to get a signal yet alone make calls or texts.

I logged this with the network and they initially said they couldn't see a fault before passing me up to second line who also couldn't find a fault.

I've since complained about how my fault was dealt with but as soon as I’ve complained I've been told my mast suddenly has an issue. Now I'm dubious about this and challenged them with the network responding that it is mast congestion causing the issue. I don't believe it is and the complaint is more about the fact I believe I’m being lied to now rather than the actual fault.

So the my question is before I go back to them, can congestion effect signal strength? I can see how it can effect speeds and phone calls etc but surely my phone should still show a signal. I also did a speed test at about 1745 and got a result of 12.87Mbps down, 5.68Mbps up and 35ms ping on 3g so the network doesn't appear to be congested. I'm happy to be proved wrong and if so will accept what the network has offered me. Anyone able to help me out. Cheers

[mrMick]

Which network would this be?

[omnidirectional]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seatmad

So the my question is before I go back to them, can congestion effect signal strength?

Yes, especially for 3G. When a mast becomes congested the transmission power reduces in the hope that some traffic will be offloaded on to neighbouring masts. This is called 'Cell breathing', however 2G and 4G shouldn't be affected by this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_b...ng_(telephony)

[John_Patrick]

If its 3G your connecting too then yes, congestion can cause this issue.

A cell will 'breath' dependant on how busy it is. As there is limited bandwidth on the site, the larger the area it covers, the more people can potentially use the site. If all of them suddenly decide to use a lot of data, its too much for the backhaul and so the cell with shrink - this cuts the area it covers and thus the number of people able to use it. In an area where there is good coverage, those affected by the cell shrinking will handover to another cell that may expand its coverage to capture the hole left by the first dependant on its own usage.

The issue you seem to have is that your either on the edge of coverage or right in between two congested cells that are busy at the same time and both shrink leaving you in a hole of no coverage at some times.

Im not sure if this happens on 4g, although as a lot of the protocols are based on 3g then its probable.

Some networks still have 3G on E1 (copper coax) links rather than ethernet GiGe. Some 3G sites STILL only have ONE E1 link...... which will give the coverage but the capacity is severly limited as not a lot of data can go down that E1 link.

[seatmad]

Well thanks everyone. There was me thinking I had a fairly good understanding of mobile networks but that's a whole area I didn't know about. In a sad way it's quite interesting reading about it.

Looks like the network are right then and I'll have to take what I've been given.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrMick

Which network would this be?

It's the three network.

[moox]

Since it's 3, try and see if they will give you a "home signal" - it is a femtocell that you plug into your home internet connection and gives you a good signal.

It is normally meant for people who can't get any signal at all, but they might be willing to offer you one if this issue is giving you a similar problem

[oilman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

Since it's 3, try and see if they will give you a "home signal" - it is a femtocell that you plug into your home internet connection and gives you a good signal.

It is normally meant for people who can't get any signal at all, but they might be willing to offer you one if this issue is giving you a similar problem

They usually only supply it to contract users. All that they might do is get a guy call you and check some things with you eg have you got right settings on phone etc. Just say you are in a big old granite house, and you can't get a signal indoors, and they will give you one.

In the meantime, you can install the 3 in touch app as a stopgap, which is ok, but not as good as a home signal box.

The 3in touch app is also useful, not only in home, but if you are in a pub or at a friend house say and can't get a signal, but you can get a wifi signal.

Note: you still use you minutes etc over wifi.

[clewsy]

Well 3 do have congestion in many areas, some places are just a nightmare. However MNLB could have switched off a site that you used to use and now your on one further away? Quite a few people are complaining about this where I live who are on EE.

[Michael09]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

Since it's 3, try and see if they will give you a "home signal" - it is a femtocell that you plug into your home internet connection and gives you a good signal.

It is normally meant for people who can't get any signal at all, but they might be willing to offer you one if this issue is giving you a similar problem

Got my home signal box last Wednesday. Before inside the signal in my house was virtually useless. Phoned them up, they ran a few checks, then suggested the Three in touch app. I told them that the app crashed a lot and was rather inconvenient so the woman spoke to her supervisor and said I was eligible for a home signal box. Came next day, easy to set up and now I have full signal in the home.Highly recommended, if you are able to get one from them.

I am on a 12 month Sim Only Contract with them (The £17 one)

[seatmad]

I'm only on a 30 day rolling contract so don't think they'll give me a home signal but I'll ask anyway.

Tempted to switch to EE as at least I'll have the 2g fallback and I do get a signal at home for that.