Smartphones with best reception?

[bungeejumper]

I hope this isn't a stupid question. Do some mobile phones have more robust antennae than others, and which ones are worth considering for best reception?

Over the last couple of years, mobile phone reception in our rural area has steadily deteriorated to the point where there's little point in anyone phoning me, because the G2 signal won't hold up for long even if I happen to hear the phone ring. (Most of the time, the signal is so weak that the phone doesn't even do that. It's only the call register that tells me afterwards that somebody has tried to ring me, and failed.)

I am on 02, which is the only network that even claims to provide a workable service for our area. (Vodafone works intermittently, EE and the rest don't work at all.) There is no immediate prospect of getting a 3G signal around these parts. Those factors appear to be a firm given, unfortunately.

So....... any recommendations? I am in a mood to change my 30 month old Nokia/Microsoft phone, probably for an Android set-up of some kind. What works best in a low-signal area?

TIA

BJ

[scotia]

The old pre 3G phones had a simpler task of being optimised for one band, so may prove to be more sensitive - but they are not smart phones. You can still get such (cheap) phones - so, loaded with a pay as you go SIM, they may provide phone coverage in your area.
In our case, the weak Vodafone signal was a problem, so we installed at home a Sure Signal box which provided a local cell operating via our broadband (landline) connection.

[bungeejumper]

The old pre 3G phones had a simpler task of being optimised for one band, so may prove to be more sensitive - but they are not smart phones. You can still get such (cheap) phones - so, loaded with a pay as you go SIM, they may provide phone coverage in your area.

Ah, but I do need the full 3G works for when I'm away from home, so it'll need to be a proper smartphone.

In our case, the weak Vodafone signal was a problem, so we installed at home a Sure Signal box which provided a local cell operating via our broadband (landline) connection

I'm interested. So would that patch the phone's reception to the point where it would ring loudly and not drop the calls? I could see how it would allow 3G, of course, but then, I can get that with my present wifi. Thanks for the thought. Will investigate.

BJ

[AleisterCrowley]

As a general rule, as phones have got smaller/'smarter'/more complicated the radio performance has suffered- offset to some extent by improvements in radio technology.
Over the last couple of years, mobile phone reception in our rural area has steadily deteriorated
Could be several things;
a] Genuine reduction in signal strength, due to: tree growth, new buildings, site faults, site upgrades/optimisation (changing antenna orientations and tilts to deal with poor signal elsewhere, or interference), network consolidation (O2/Vodafone combining physical networks)
b] Constant signal, but worse perception as you upgrade to newer phones or a phone fault, possibly .

you may find, in case b, that an old Nokia like a 6110 works best as a phone !!
Can you borrow other phones to check, or see who else in your area uses O2 , and what their experiences are?

[bungeejumper]

you may find, in case b, that an old Nokia like a 6110 works best as a phone !!
Can you borrow other phones to check, or see who else in your area uses O2 , and what their experiences are?

No, it's definitely a local signal issue. Most of my neighbours can only get a workable 2G signal if they walk out into their gardens. (LOL, my daughter in Warwickshire has to walk nearly half a mile to the far end of her village! And that's with a whizzbang iPhone.)

A lot of people would be surprised at how bad rural reception can be, because it's becoming normal these days for people to make the mobile number a key part of their routine contact arrangements . It became an issue recently when my local hospital demanded my mobile number so that they could contact me, but then they couldn't reach me when they needed to. It was also an issue for a friend whose car broke down and who then couldn't call the rescue services. And again, when I needed a texted code to confirm a change to an online store card order but couldn't read the code that they'd sent me. Sigh.

I gather that Sure Signal is a Vodafone-only thing. And that 02 does have something similar but it seems to be only available for business lines. Will keep looking.

BJ

[AleisterCrowley]

I'm surprised it's actually degraded over time, or is it the 'deaf smartphone' effect? A relation of mine who lives in a village has noticed the same - his smartphone is poor compared with his old 2G phone.
Anyone you know use a old style talk and text mobile? Some people keep them as back up.

As mentioned above, could be down to network consolidation (which improves overall coverage, but can degrade small areas)

Try contacting O2 customer care - they should be able to advise, and at least the case gets logged.

[stewamax]

Sure Signal is a Vodafone-only thing

EE have Signal Box which, if you can demonstrate to them that you are in a dead or 'doubtful' area for their signal (do your homework and check their coverage maps first), they will send you free. Only covers a small area in and around the house but works flawlessly and makes a big difference.

[gryffron]

So....... any recommendations? I am in a mood to change my 30 month old Nokia/Microsoft phone, probably for an Android set-up of some kind. What works best in a low-signal area?

It's very hit and miss. Radio reception is a dark art. Modern mobiles don't have any radio tuning at all. They just listen to the background noise and then crunch the data mathematically to find the signal. As the number crunching has got ever more powerful, so the size of aerials has decreased. Now disappearing inside the phone. So the effectiveness is just as much down to software as to hardware. Even a software upgrade can make quite a difference to radio reception.

The downside of this, is that their range effectiveness is largely independent even of model. Last week's batch of the same phone may have different software and behave completely differently. Which doesn't really help you to answer your question

A local micronode, or talk-over-wifi with AppleTalk or some Skype option will likely be the most reliable solution.

Gryff

[swill453]

A local micronode, or talk-over-wifi with AppleTalk or some Skype option will likely be the most reliable solution.

Or even an old-tech solution - diverting the mobile number to a landline.

(solving the problem stated in the OP - missing incoming calls)

Scott.

[Stompa]

WiFi Calling?

https://www.o2.co.uk/connectivity/wifi-and-4g-calling

You’ll be able to make and take calls wherever you have a wifi connection...

[dionaeamuscipula]

EE have WiFi calling (which is what the sure signal and similar boxes provide) as standard on the devices we use for work. I've had only one person complain about signal strength since then, we got him a box and he is OK now, but I suspect he had managed to stuff up his WiFi Calling set up in some way - he is techno useless.

The software diverts calls automatically through your broadband and wifi router.

DM

DM

[stockton]

I'm surprised it's actually degraded over time

This sort of degradation seems to be very common. It is certainly not helped by the fact that there seems to be no effective way of providing feedback to mobile service providers where a relatively small number of customers are involved.

[AleisterCrowley]

It does happen, but wouldn't say it's common.
Gradual degradation over an area (as opposed to sudden drops) is usually down to: tree growth , new buildings, antenna/feeder degradation at site.
A perceived general degradation can be caused by gradual take up of newer (and 'deafer' from a radio perspective) smartphones

[AF62]

EE have WiFi calling (which is what the sure signal and similar boxes provide) as standard on the devices we use for work.

WiFi calling and the sure signal boxes are completely different and the only connection is they both plug into your broadband.

WiFi calling allows the phone to use WiFi to make and receive phone calls, i.e. it is a VOIP solution. It normally requires a specific model of phone to work, for example EE''s list - https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting- ... fi-calling

Sure Signal and similar are femtocells which are low powered mobile phone 'masts' which work with any mobile phone (although with some companies like Vodafone you have to register the phones you want to use, but with EE you don't). However they are much harder to get hold of these days (I have an EE boster but I don't think they supply them any more).

If you want to buy a new phone then WiFi calling is probably the way to go, if you don't then Sure Signal devices (if you can get hold of one).