Mobile Broadband - Slow connection, help please

[pembere3]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Since mid-May I have had real problems with my mobile broadband. For about a week at the end of May I was unable to connect to the internet at all although the vodafone summary page showed as 'connected' with the timer ticking. I contacted technical support and was told that a mast was down in the area and there was nothing that could be done. The person I spoke to refused to give me a call reference number.

Thankfully the internet started working again at the start of June but it has been incredibly slow - certainly not as fast as the summary page suggests or as fast as advertised. I have been unable to downloaded important software because it times out as the connection is so slow. Not only is it very slow but it often cuts out after 10/20 minutes and I am unable to connect again for ages.

I'm sure you can understand that I am really disappointed with the service I have received - it is certainly not what I left T-Mobile for. Given the poor service I would like a refund on any costs already incurred/any future costs for the period from mid-May to present.

I would also like to know when I can expect the masts in my area to be fixed - when I signed up for the service the coverage checker showed my postcode (SE1 4NG) as strong.

Is there a stronger dongle available that you could send me perhaps?

Many thanks,
Emily

[Retired-Daz_V]

Hi EmPem,

It's a shame to read that you're disappointed with your Modem - I've checked your coverage location and can see that you should be well covered by 3G in London. However, you're not wrong about the speed - we've suffered a trio of local cell site failures (three very close to you), that although are now being fixed by our engineers, will have lessened the traffic load in your area. We're also planning over twenty new cells in your area - the closest being on Tabard street - which will be very close indeed to you from what we can see. This will mean a little slow-down for the time being, but a massive boost to performance in the very near future. Sadly I can't provide a timescale, but with all the details on our system, it means completion is near. As for the faulty sites, again, I couldn't give a timescale, but they're a priority for us in conjunction with the new sites.

I hope this brightens your day - we realize the need for fast mobile data in our capital and have listened to everyone affected by data congestion.

As for a 'stronger' modem, this doesn't exist, sadly. What you can do to improve your coverage, however, is to run an extension cable with the modem away from your computer's chassis - this further positions the modem away from the electrical field of the computer itself, and combined with closer to a window perhaps, should provide a substantial boost until these new sites are operational.

Please let us know how you get on, and if there's anything else we can do to help!


Daz

eForum Team

[colinmcg]

I have a similiar problem got a Dell netbook with built in mobile broadband which I have only just started using (had the netbook for a year) and it is very slow and drops the connection. Any advice ? Im in Glasgow and the coverage map indicats it should be ok.

[Sukhi]

Hi LBC

Welcome to the eForum! It's great to see new faces around here .
Has the connection always been slow? I've just checked the sites around your area with the post you registered with and can see they are all functioning fine, you should have full coverage. Is there any post code you'd like me to check?

Sukhi
eForum Team

[colinmcg]

Hi LBC

Welcome to the eForum! It's great to see new faces around here .
Has the connection always been slow? I've just checked the sites around your area with the post you registered with and can see they are all functioning fine, you should have full coverage. Is there any post code you'd like me to check?

Sukhi
eForum Team

Ive only started using the mobile broadband for the 1st time last week despite having the netbook for a while I always used wi-f before. I dont even have an account but apparently it came with 90 days free so i assume thats how its connecting ? How do I check ?

Its the postcode I registered with Im connecting from.

Thanks

[Retired-MattyD1]

Hi LBC

Thanks for the new information.

Have you noticed if it's better or worse at a particular time of day?

Like Suki has said, all of the nearby sites appear to be working fine.

Is there anyone else that you know that's got a similar issue?

Without knowing some account details it's hard to say if you've been using wifi or the Vodafone network
to connect.

I'm going to send you an email and once we've got some details we can confirm this one way or another.

Many Thanks

MattyD

eForum Team