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[05omegav6]

Even on 3G TMobile/Orange/EE seem to be a bit more consistent than tothers

There is an overlap between Orange and T Mobile depending on when the nearest mast was switched on... sometimes network displays as Orange/T Mobile Generally EE in more built up areas...

3G tariffs are much better value than 4G as well

[biggriffin]

Is it any good?

Should I jump to 3 or ee from O2 for better 4g coverage?

Or stick to 3G and stay where I am, with 02.

Tbh, given the hopeless 3G coverage up and down the m4 and how long the 3G service had been available for development, it doesn't fill me with confidence that a 4G service is likely to be more consistent..? Or is 4G a major step up in coverage as well as speed?

why do you need 4g along the M4 when you are driving?

For downloading data, obviously 

3 points still.

[05omegav6]

3 points for what exactly? Listening to internet radio

Only an offence if you need to hold the device to use it... pushing buttons is legally acceptable.

[Lazydocker]

As you know, I'm on 3. Tbh, I've seen 4g several times but don't think the speed increase is dramatic over 3G.

Only several?  ....Due to coverage?

No 4G at my house In Fact... Crap signal at my house on everything except Voda Like I said... When I've had 4G I've not really noticed a dramatic increase over 3G speeds

3 definitely has the best 4G coverage... My experiences (through speaking with many people) is that EE can be hit and miss... Although it's 2 networks they pretty much had the same coverage before the merge so the rural coverage is still poor. 3 seem to have better 3G and 4G coverage nationwide (in the areas I have visited).

As for 4G... I get it automatically with 3 but I wouldn't be looking to pay extra for 4G. That said, I've just changed my O2 (business) contracts to sim only on a 4G tariff that still saves me about £100/month And they will only have 3G capable phones for the time being

[aaronjb]

That's a significant saving, LD..

I stayed 3G when I upgraded last time but Amy went 4G when she got her 5c - there's a significant speed difference between us when she has 4G and I don't, but the number of times it's actually there to be used seem pretty small around my area.  Then again, despite being in a major conurbation, signal in general is quite poor.

[chrisgixer]

Is it any good?

Should I jump to 3 or ee from O2 for better 4g coverage?

Or stick to 3G and stay where I am, with 02.

Tbh, given the hopeless 3G coverage up and down the m4 and how long the 3G service had been available for development, it doesn't fill me with confidence that a 4G service is likely to be more consistent..? Or is 4G a major step up in coverage as well as speed?

why do you need 4g along the M4 when you are driving?

For downloading data, obviously 

3 points still.

Why would downloading data get me 3points?

[chrisgixer]

Is this the same biggriffin that was asking how to get wifi on his bb service not long ago, giving out on how to use a mobile device while driving, or not, as the case may be...?

[chrisgixer]

As you know, I'm on 3. Tbh, I've seen 4g several times but don't think the speed increase is dramatic over 3G.

Only several?  ....Due to coverage?

No 4G at my house In Fact... Crap signal at my house on everything except Voda Like I said... When I've had 4G I've not really noticed a dramatic increase over 3G speeds

3 definitely has the best 4G coverage... My experiences (through speaking with many people) is that EE can be hit and miss... Although it's 2 networks they pretty much had the same coverage before the merge so the rural coverage is still poor. 3 seem to have better 3G and 4G coverage nationwide (in the areas I have visited).

As for 4G... I get it automatically with 3 but I wouldn't be looking to pay extra for 4G. That said, I've just changed my O2 (business) contracts to sim only on a 4G tariff that still saves me about £100/month And they will only have 3G capable phones for the time being

How are you dealing with traffic for your guys? Iirc you had tomtom traffic as prety reliable, but I'm guessing that's 3G dependant. My preferred google maps traffic obviously is only reliable with at least a 3G connection. So it drops out on motorways between major towns. Nearly getting two bars of GPRS in places.

With rush hour traffic changing by the minute a drop out for a few miles can mean the difference between a 30minute journey and an hour and a half.



....maybe I could train speckled Jon to fly beside the car? How fast can pigeons fly?

[zirk]

I use Nokia Maps, which is free to download with any Nokia, The Sat Nav Mapping Data and Speed Cameras, Hot Spots is loaded of line on the Phone, and looks for On Air updates every time you use it, Live Traffic and re Routes and Voice Search are downloaded with a GPRS or 3G Signal but the thing copes quiet well should or if you lose a signal.

Suspect youve got one of those iBrick things so guessing no good to you, but often question to people the cost of a Up to Date Sat Nav with live Data vs the cost of a secoind hand Nokia Phone.

[Phil]

As setting up 'proper' broadband on site is difficult and expensive for 25-40 week projects the company I work for used to have vodafone 3G dongles, we also had Vodafone mobiles as well.

As Vodafone was at best rubbish and we used to get a massive amount of dropped voice calls and the data service went down they recently changed the calls back to O2 and after lots of discussions we have the option of O2 or EE for the data connection.

I'm working in Basingstoke and get a very good 4G (data only sim) signal on EE, but can only get 3G (calls and emails on phone) on O2.

With my own O2 contract I get a good 4G coverage between my house in South Essex round to Redhill in Surrey where head office is and a substantial part of the M25 when sitting in traffic!

As with all networks there are black spots, I just seem to be a bit lucky they don't really affect where I go.

There is a definate up in speed between 3 & 4G, on O2 anyway.

As for using 4G data in the car, EE actually market a car specific 4G wifi dongle and lighter charger, there seems to be some assumption in previous comments theres only one person in the car :-)

[Lazydocker]

Traffic updates fine. Doesn't have to be 3G, GPRS is sufficient once initial data is in.

Like I said, there's not really a benefit to 4G IMHO... Not until it is reliable everywhere

[chrisgixer]

Thanks guys.

As another example, m4 traffic build up last night, up at 8/9 stretching back to Jcn 5. Initially on entering the slip road and the point of no return, a struggling 3G signal showed traffic to jcn6. No biggy. Still quickest route.

Later a black spot in coverage hinders data download to google maps. Tomtom traffic shows no change. Until I pass junction 6 exit, where data floods back in and then shows the rest if the traffic up to 8/9.

I could very easily have come off at 6 and taken a back route to 8/9 or even up to my Jcn at 10 for not Reading.... ....IF THERE HAD BEEN NETWORK COVERAGE. AAAAAAH.

....and breath.


Although, there may be an issue with the phone or network as my gayPhone5 really seems to struggle with data on anything less than the full five bars.

[chrisgixer]

So I think what we're saying is, mobile signal coverage will never be good enough to give blanket coverage, for traffic management for example.

Unless they install a cable transmitter, if such a thing exists, along the length of every motorway or major route in the country.

[Gaffers]

Dont forget you are in a tin can which will have some sheilding effects on the signal, maybe moving the location of the phone inside the car could help with better signal?

[Entwood]

Dont forget you are in a tin can which will have some sheilding effects on the signal, maybe moving the location of the phone inside the car could help with better signal?

Come now Sir, as an ex-military man you should know better ....... the insertion of common-sense and logic into a discussion is against all the rules...