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Mobile Broadband - Poor signal and connection speeds?

Myrm
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
Hi

I have had my VF MBB dongle for about a year now, I think and in the beginning the signal was great. But over the past few months the signal quality has deteriorated very noticeably. No matter where I go it seems that I cannot get a decent signal. Right now I am sitting in a hotel room at TR12 7EN. Next to my laptop is my VF BlackBerry which is displaying a 80% 3G signal, yet my MBB dongle can only find a "Poor GPRS" signal. This seems to happen wherever I go and I have been travelling extensively throughout the UK over the past 2 or 3 months. It is really getting frustrating now. I think the only thing for me to do now is to pay off the remainder of my MBB contract and go elsewhere. can anybody else advise before I take this option?

Thank you.
Myrm
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DERMY BUD
7 REPLIES 7

Retired-Daz_V
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)
Hi Myrm!

Hmmm... really odd! :huh:

I've popped that postcode into our search tool and it appears that there is only fringe GPRS coverage at that location - certainly not enough for 80% 3G. Can you perform a hard reset on your BlackBerry? I'm not sure that the speed you'll be getting in this location will match what it's saying.

Other than this, have you tried swapping the SIMs over? Any difference?

Beyond this, it could be a fault with the modem or there's abnormal electromagnetic interference coming from your laptop. In the case of the former, we do offer a repair, and in the latter, this can happen in rare cases where the modem stick does not fully protrude from a computer's electromagnetic field. This is not common, but indicates a fault with the computer's hardware - can you try an extension cable to lengthen the distance at which the modem sits from the computer body?

I think we do need to know more about this whole situation before we could conclude what's going on. Also, can you take use the modem SIM in your BlackBerry and connect via cable or bluetooth? How does that work for you?

Let us know!


Daz

eForum Team

Myrm
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
Hi Daz_VF

Many thanks for the reply.


The phone does get a weak to strong 3G signal here; one of those where if you are not touching the phone it will have a strong 3G signal, but as soon as you pick it up it drops to poor 3G

I carried out some of the tests you asked (though I do not have a USB extension cable).


1. Phone sim in phone = 3G (flucuates from good to poor as described above)
2. Dongle sim in dongle = poor GPRS

3. Dongle sim in phone = poor gprs (note the lower case)
4. Phone sim in dongle = very good GPRS
Myrm
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DERMY BUD

Retired-Lee
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)
Hey Myrm,

From the symptoms you describe here, it might be worth considering a replacement SIM card, which can be obtained from your local store. They'll be able to register the SIM in store too!!!

Let us know how your signal goes upon replacement.

Cheers,

LeeH
eForum Team

Myrm
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
Hi LeeH_VF

Very many thanks for your reply. I will visit my local VF store at the weekend/early next week.
Myrm
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DERMY BUD

Myrm
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
Just got home and thought I would try my dongle on my laptop one last time before I go to the VF shop tomorrow. My house is so close to a VF 3G mast that I virtually sleep with the thing! Needless to say my Storm 2 always has a 100% 3G signal at home. So, in theory, my MBB VF dongle should have the same. Just booted the laptop up, plugged in the dongle and, well, what do you know. A Stong 3G+ signal. I am currently downloading a file using my dongle at a speed of 500KB/sec - which I am happy with.

So could it be that I just happen to travel to areas of poor 3G reception? Why would my Storm 2 have a better 3G singal than my dongle in some areas? Is it still worth me taking the dongle into the VF shop or has my test proved that the dongle is working as it should?

Many thanks.

Myrm
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DERMY BUD

Retired-Martin
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)
Hi Myrm

It is good to see that you have been able to get a good download speed on your dongle.

To be honest with you, there is no need to take the dongle to a Vodafone shop as it is working fine, if you weren't getting a good speed when the mast is on your door step, or in your bed :D then I would definitely say the dongle was faulty.

There is normally a tendency that different phones / modems pick up better signals than other pieces of equipment.

Martin
eForum Team

Myrm
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member
kk and thanks, Martin_VF
Myrm
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DERMY BUD