O2 Network

[Slarti]

It managed to last 5 months this time!

Failed some time yesterday. I now use this thread as a diary of my O2 local mast failures.

Just got a text message, but not time to get excited as this happens because a weak signal comes and goes. I have already registered for email updates, so just a question of hanging around as usual to see how long it takes before proper service is restored.

Why IS my local mast so unreliable?

Where is it physically located?

Slarti

[XFool]

Got home this evening and it was working again. This is a record!

Let's hope it isn't temporary.

[XFool]

I see it's been about five weeks.

Yes! O2 have hit the 'jackpot' again. What is particularly frustrating is that I currently need the mobile to help test my failing landline...

While in the local park on my daily walk I was at least able to ring my home landline to try it out. That is until even THAT O2 signal source fell over.

Sometimes I wonder if I should relocate - perhaps somewhere like Basra or Kinshasha? They probably have more reliable infrastructure that the UK.

[AleisterCrowley]

Well as mentioned upthread, PM me your postcode and I will pass on to contacts. Your experience is NOT normal (if it were O2 would have no customers) and I'm starting to suspect it's a phone issue. Are family /friends on O2 having the same problems? Have you asked? Have you tried borrowing a newer phone?

[XFool]

Well as mentioned upthread, PM me your postcode and I will pass on to contacts. Your experience is NOT normal (if it were O2 would have no customers) and I'm starting to suspect it's a phone issue. Are family /friends on O2 having the same problems? Have you asked? Have you tried borrowing a newer phone?

IT IS NOT* "a phone issue"!

Anyway, they are getting better at fixing it. They managed to get it going again by this afternoon. Practice makes perfect.

*

Subject	O2 Network Update: XXX XXX
From	no-reply@o2alerts.com
To	XXXXXX@XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
Date	Today 10:00
To protect your privacy, remote images are blocked in this message. Display images Always show images from no-reply@o2alerts.com
 	
Hello
O2
		
Sorry you've been having network problems.
We're working hard to fix the issue and will be in touch within 48 hours, or sooner if it's fixed.
Don't want to receive any more updates on this network issue? http://s.o2alerts.com/XXXXXX

AND just now:

Subject	O2 Network Update:XXX XXX
From	no-reply@o2alerts.com
To	XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Date	Today 19:50
To protect your privacy, remote images are blocked in this message. Display images Always show images from no-reply@o2alerts.com
 
Hello
O2
	
Good news. We've fixed your network issue, so you should be back up and running.
If you experience any further problems, please visit http://status.o2.co.uk

[AleisterCrowley]

Most odd, although the status checker would pick up all local faults, possibly not just 'your' problem (if there is one)
I've never seen a weak signal 'come and go' at a fixed location, although the signal will vary as you move around of course.

Have you spoken to anyone at O2 about this, giving dates/times/locations etc? If it's a network problem it will affect a lot of people and the more reports O2 get the better they are able to isolate and fix.

PM me your location (postcode will do, or street name) and I can pass on if you like. Obviously location will remain confidential and I will not post it or refer to it.

FWIW I've had an O2 mobile for 25 years, used in London, Slough, Reading and elsewhere, and have never had any ongoing issues.

[XFool]

PM me your location (postcode will do, or street name) and I can pass on if you like.

I have resent base station details by PM.

I think the recent short interruptions must have been temporary network/software issues. The previous outages (10+ days) were obviously more serious hardware problems. And, as I previously reported, on one of these occasions when I went to look at the mast it had two aerial riggers working on it.

[AleisterCrowley]

Thanks, got the PM and will follow up

[AleisterCrowley]

Ach, sorry xfool got a response from the team a week or two back but it got forgotten as work has been a bit mental. I will send you a pm with the details today

[XFool]

...The thing is, I'm now genuinely puzzled.

This time (Yes. My O2 network has been down again) I know there is serious work afoot. Even last Thursday the relevant tower had scaffolding erected around it.

That's got to be for something more than a slight tweak of an antenna... But this is therefore for work planned in advance - so, how come it is not technically possible to let everyone know about this work in advance? A text message broadcast to everyone using that station? (Wouldn't be 100%, but would be something). The O2 status site just serves up the usual guff:

...Ah! (Just rechecked)... Now it says:

"Sorry, we're carrying out some upgrade work in this area.

We’re carrying out some upgrade work to help improve our network. While we do this, you might have some trouble with your calls, texts and data but we're working as fast as we can to get things sorted.

Everything should be back to normal by 8pm on Saturday 28th August 2021."

So only another eleven days.

What is the experience of other mobile network users? Do you get advance notice of this sort of thing, or is it just O2?

[UncleEbenezer]

I was a happy small-biz customer of O2 for over 20 years.

Then I switched to a consumer contract, and the service is unrecognisable as the same company. Urgent need to Get Out. Recent email tells me they're teaming up with Virgin, which may portend something altogether worse even than that.

On the plus side, that 28th of August may not mean it. When my service vanished on the morning of June 2nd, their website promised an update by June 8th. In practice it was back on the evening of the 2nd.

[edit to add] I see this thread - and my contributions to it - go back to my days as a happy small-biz customer.

[XFool]

Perhaps the scaffolding and this whole thread are related?

[AF62]

What is the experience of other mobile network users?

My experience is they are all generally useless.

I changed from Three to O2 earlier this year as Three wanted to triple the cost of my contract and I couldn’t get any sense out of their overseas call centre as to why.

O2 showed perfect coverage for my home on their coverage checker - Well I found that is as trustworthy as most politicians. After the sims arrived instead of the four bars of coverage there map showed I should get, there was barely one bar. And not only that the download speed was almost dial up speeds. Eventually got through to someone who had a clue and who admitted the O2 network in the area was completely oversubscribed and so their network was congested and delivering poor speeds - so why not tell people before they sign up!

Vodafone - well the least said the better but I wouldn’t wish them on my worst enemy.

So now with EE, who’s service also doesn’t match their coverage checker but at least isn’t overcrowded like O2 and is actually useable (provided you don’t stray out into the countryside where EE’s coverage just vanishes).

[swill453]

O2 showed perfect coverage for my home on their coverage checker - Well I found that is as trustworthy as most politicians. After the sims arrived instead of the four bars of coverage there map showed I should get, there was barely one bar. And not only that the download speed was almost dial up speeds. Eventually got through to someone who had a clue and who admitted the O2 network in the area was completely oversubscribed and so their network was congested and delivering poor speeds - so why not tell people before they sign up!

I'm not sure that explanation holds water. Network congestion wouldn't cause the signal strength on the phone to show as low.

Scott.

[Infrasonic]

O2 showed perfect coverage for my home on their coverage checker - Well I found that is as trustworthy as most politicians. After the sims arrived instead of the four bars of coverage there map showed I should get, there was barely one bar. And not only that the download speed was almost dial up speeds. Eventually got through to someone who had a clue and who admitted the O2 network in the area was completely oversubscribed and so their network was congested and delivering poor speeds - so why not tell people before they sign up!

I'm not sure that explanation holds water. Network congestion wouldn't cause the signal strength on the phone to show as low.

Scott.

AF62 didn't claim it did - he made two separate points.

[bungeejumper]

"Sorry, we're carrying out some upgrade work in this area.

We’re carrying out some upgrade work to help improve our network. While we do this, you might have some trouble with your calls, texts and data but we're working as fast as we can to get things sorted.

Everything should be back to normal by 8pm on Saturday 28th August 2021."

Yeah, just had that message from 02 recently, and the work was due to be done on 18th August (i.e. yesterday). Checked my reception this morning, and it's gone up from 1 bar to 2 bars, and still no 3G. "Not good for mobile broadband", says the 02 status monitor about my postcode. Gee, thanks guys, it's good to be in the 21st century.

BJ

[AleisterCrowley]

<sigh>
In the good old days people were amazed when they could get coverage outside major cities

[bungeejumper]

<sigh>
In the good old days people were amazed when they could get coverage outside major cities

In the good old days you could do a lot of things without needing an active mobile signal. Such as buying stuff online or completing a VAT form. In fact my local hospital now makes appointments by phoning my mobile. They say it's standard procedure. I don't always get the calls.

BJ

[XFool]

As Thursday is allotment day, I got a chance to see what is happening at 'that tower'!

Scafolding all the way up to the very top, now - plus a pulley system. Two platforms at aerial level, man seen moving around on top platform.

The signal comes and goes in an unpredictable way - even when present system doesn't necessarily work, no calls or response to system commands. Loud screech during a call to a subscriber.

Sometimes system is down during working hours, on outside working hours... other times it is on outside working hours until it suddenly isn't. Then it's on during working hours, when queues of text messages get in. So, little chance of predicting when on or not (it is currently on).

[bungeejumper]

Scafolding all the way up to the very top, now - plus a pulley system. Two platforms at aerial level, man seen moving around on top platform.

So they've got the tea and biscuits organised then? That's a promising start. I expect they're still waiting for the portaloo to arrive?

BJ