Best 3G network

[some bloke]

The cab firm I work with has been sold to an outfit that uses a data despatch system via 3G.

I'm using the DooGee android I won in a raffle organised by Joseph from DX.

I have been using a virgin sim card with 1GB data (which is actually T Mobile) but trials have shown it loses connection very frequently around Town - and in open country where it's reasonable to expect poor coverage. That is going to cost me money because of lost jobs. It's a monthly contract so should be reasonably easy to get rid of.

A mate T Mobile and also gets connection issues - but another uses Orange and doesn't get anywhere near as many dropped connections. Anyone got any ideas which network is best?

[foxkillerdave]

Hi Dave,
Orange is now part of EE (Everything Everywhere) so is T mobile EE has a very wide coverage and share the masts between Orange and T mobile etc. I am with EE now having been transferred from Orange when EE took them over.
They are ok but in common with a lot of providers they have switched off some of their masts.
ie best of a bad bunch.

Dave

[terry1001]

It's going to vary a lot from town to town so might be best to ask locally. My signal (with EE) varies during the day as well, sometimes I get a 4G signal and others nothing at all in exactly the same location.

[some bloke]

Cheers lads, I'm also told some phones are more receptive that others - possibly variations in the antenna?

[AirRifleSport]

David, have you tried to disconnect and reconnect the phone when the signal is lost? It may help reacquiring the signal, may also last longer until the next downtime. Also, experiment with relocating the phone withing your vehicle for better reception. Hope this helps...
I am with Virgin and I seldom have any connection problem. I believe that 3G specifications can be different for different countries, so are phones from abroad. Someone may correct me on this.

Franco

[biffo]

The lower the frequency the better the signal transmission through buildings and other obstructions.

Vodaphone uses 800Mhz for 4G which is better again than the old 2G of 900Mhz

EE uses 2G, 3G, & 4G 1800Mhz

So apart from better coverage, Vodaphone use a better frequency as well..

NB. I don't work for them.

I use pay as you go..... Sainsbury's use the Vodaphone network, and are the cheapest at the moment.

Bif

[some bloke]

Cheers Biff, would that be the likely case with 3G as well?

[biffo]

Vodafone 3G is operated at 2,100MHz & some areas at 900Mhz.
The 800Mhz slot was only purchased by Vodafone a few months ago.

Whether they are using the 900Mhz where the transmitters are further apart (lower frequencies travel further), frequency hopping, due to a lack of bandwidth at peak times or whether they are just phasing out the old 2100Mhz stuff I dunno.

Some phones don't work at the lower frequencies..... Antenna length is tuned to frequency, as is the receive electronics., so a 2100Mhz phone will definitely be off the boil at 900Mhz.
'Posh' phones have doubled up internals.

Also, I'm not sure if the transmitter transducers/drivers themselves will work at that lower frequency, so might have to be systematically replaced.

The main point is that all of the networks claim 98% coverage. In Vodafone's case it is 98% of the land not 98% of the population.

There are however dead spots with all of the networks, it's just there are fewer with Vodafone, and they are still trying to improve coverage.... slowly.

Bif

[some bloke]

David, have you tried to disconnect and reconnect the phone when the signal is lost? It may help reacquiring the signal, may also last longer until the next downtime. Also, experiment with relocating the phone withing your vehicle for better reception. Hope this helps...
I am with Virgin and I seldom have any connection problem. I believe that 3G specifications can be different for different countries, so are phones from abroad. Someone may correct me on this.

Franco

Cheers Franco, trouble is coming out of the software and logging back in puts me at the back of the queue again. I've asked them to sort me one of their dedicated pods now which will cost a fiver a week extra. If that don't sort it I might be shifting firms.

Bif, Thanks again.

[Mini Magnum]

Three offer the fastest 3G network, not sure about network coverage though..