Vodafone 3g Maps Inaccurate

[diztig]

Why do the Vodafone coverage maps (www.vodafone.co.uk/coverage) show solid, powerful 3G coverage in many areas where in actual fact, you can only get 2G, even when stood outside and clear of buildings?

Two example postcodes, NG5 1NN and NG4 2SG. The NG5 postcode gets nothing at all on 3G. The NG4 postcode gets around one or two bars outside the building and only 2G indoors, despite other operators all having 3-5 out of 5 bars.

There are many other places I could name, but this post would be far too long!

How are these coverage maps calculated? They grossly over-state Vodafone's 3G coverage. Oh, and as I'm currently conducting trials for my job with 4 different networks, and 4 different devices-per-network, we can rule-out it being a hardware fault. Would Vodafone be prepared to send someone out to these areas?

[Amie1]

Funny how no one has replied to this!

[Retired-Moderat]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to pop on here to let you know that we've been really busy recently but we answer all posts in the order we rece them so we'll be with you shortly.

Thanks for your patience,

Moderator

[Jenny]

Hi diztig,

I can understand why this can be rather confusing and I’d like to explain.

Due to it being a mobile network and not fixed line network, coverage can be affected by many things including tall buildings and trees etc as you said. However sometimes the structure of a building (i.e. certain metals etc), any local machinery etc can also influence the level of coverage you receive.

I have checked the sites in both areas and there are no faults as they’re all working fine.

Due to the many external influences, we can never guarantee 100% coverage in any location.

All the best,

Jenny
eForum Team

[diztig]

Hi diztig,

I can understand why this can be rather confusing and I’d like to explain.

Due to it being a mobile network and not fixed line network, coverage can be affected by many things including tall buildings and trees etc as you said. However sometimes the structure of a building (i.e. certain metals etc), any local machinery etc can also influence the level of coverage you receive.

I have checked the sites in both areas and there are no faults as they’re all working fine.

Due to the many external influences, we can never guarantee 100% coverage in any location.

All the best,

Jenny
eForum Team

Thanks for replying, Jenny.

Whilst I understand that radio signals are affected by buildings/structure etc, why, when blackspots like this are reported, aren't either the coverage maps updated to reflect the true coverage, or someone from Vodafone assess whether or not a repeater transmitter could be installed to 'plug' the blackspot?

The other point to note is that in both of the postcodes previously mentioned, all four other networks get between 2/5 - 5/5 signal bars of 3G.

[Ben_H]

Hi diztig,

Thanks for the reply

As Jenny mentioned there are literally hundreds of factors that can effect signal at any given time, from lead in the roofs of some old properties, to trees seasonally hindering signal strength with folliage. As random as it sounds, I once dealt with a signal issue whereby a farmer had let some trees become overgrown around a mast we had paid to put on his land. It took 2 months for us just to gain access to the property and get the correct permissions from local authorities to take them back. Very humbling that in these days of modern technology, something as everday as a fir tree can effect coverage!

I will of course take the postcodes you've provided and make sure they are given to our engineers for them to investigate further in order to either get the maps ammended or to check the sites themselves. The coverage fluctuates daily given the above mentioned scenarios as well as many other across all networks but that's why we have dedicated teams to make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible

If anybody else wants to check the coverage availability in their own area, feel free to visit our Coverage Maps for more information!

Cheers, Ben

eForum Team

[diztig]

Hi diztig,

Thanks for the reply

As Jenny mentioned there are literally hundreds of factors that can effect signal at any given time, from lead in the roofs of some old properties, to trees seasonally hindering signal strength with folliage. As random as it sounds, I once dealt with a signal issue whereby a farmer had let some trees become overgrown around a mast we had paid to put on his land. It took 2 months for us just to gain access to the property and get the correct permissions from local authorities to take them back. Very humbling that in these days of modern technology, something as everday as a fir tree can effect coverage!

I will of course take the postcodes you've provided and make sure they are given to our engineers for them to investigate further in order to either get the maps ammended or to check the sites themselves. The coverage fluctuates daily given the above mentioned scenarios as well as many other across all networks but that's why we have dedicated teams to make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible

If anybody else wants to check the coverage availability in their own area, feel free to visit our Coverage Maps for more information!

Cheers, Ben

eForum Team

Thanks Ben - could you please followup this one and let us know when the network engineers get back to you?