GigaCube unstable 5G

[Ash194]

Despite having a full 5G signal at all times the GigaCube randomly drops away. The only way to get it back is to login to the device and run a location test, this in turn forces it to jump back into 5G with a full signal. Just wondering why the device is not doing this automatically if it momentarily looses the 5G signal? I don't want to have to keep doing this .

[Bravo]

Best I've gotten was 351mbps down, 28 Mbps up and 10ms ping. That was directly attached to the GigaCube. There seems to be a roughly 10:1 asymmetry with the 5G service.

Its certainly not a symertric connection unlike other 4G services I've used over the years, EE probably being the best (if I can say that here without getting struck off) where upload was often the same or even better than download.

[vegtable]

I should add that the above script needs PhantomJS that is available for Linux and Windows. You could easily install this on some random box that you keep on all the time such as a NAS if you use one? It is proably easier to install on a Linux box but I am sure Windows is possibe - apart from the fact Windows needs rebooting all the time itself.....

I have a pfSense FreeBSD  based router that sits behind the cellular router and run the script from there.

[Bravo]

GigaCube already has a watchdog reboot service built in to the firmware. I just logged in to it now and it looks like it's rebooted itself exactly 1 day and 14 hours ago. It's currently holding its 5G service better than it has for the past 2 months, perhaps the factory resets I did last a Friday helped. Since that time I've only manually power cycled it once (on Saturday morning, less than 12 hours after the factory reset and power cycle). Since then it's been ok touch wood. Will see how it goes.

[Ash194]

After a weeks worth of engineering work in M502UG I'm  suddenly unable to connect to 5G. I might add that when running the optimization test in the Gigacube  it shows a near full 5G signal. Sadly when you try and ask vodafone questions about handover request fails, x2 and s1 link problems MME problems etc they switch off, the advice I have from the call centre in India is to have a store change the sim. It's like taking your car to the mechanics only to have a waitress come out and start trying to work on it. I'm not an expert but I'm really surprised by the knowledge gaps a lot of the staff have. I really need someone that has a little bit of RAN knowledge to look into please vodafone.

[Bravo]

Mine was fine for a week or so, after a factory reset, but has now reverted to dropping off 5G and then remaining on 4G. Nothing but a power cycling will get it to re-attach to 5G. The router reports pretty much a full 5G signal....so heck knows what's going on with it.

Vodafone (typically) full of empty promises to call me back, but hopeless they never do.

[Ash194]

Starting to wonder if it's firmware as your symptoms are the same as mine although quite a coincidence that I lost all access to 5G after a weeks of engineering work. Are you in the salford quays area by any chance?

[Bravo]

I'm in central London, N5 postcode. I strongly suspect my issue is the box, rather than the network.

[Ash194]

They are clueless to help me with the issue. I'm unable to get hold of anybody that is remotely technical. It's awful that when things go wrong your best hope is a script monkey that doesn't know if it's Christmas or Easter. I have got to the point of wanting to leave. So after going through security via my pin with the mobile broadband team he then blind transferred me to retentions who again asked me to go through security only this time apparently I don't have a pin, funny that since I just gave one. When I insisted that I be allowed to then answer the security questions again as I got one wrong the woman started shouting at me and talking all over me. She sounded like someone from Jeremy Kyle absolutely disgusting service. I now just want to get my deadlock letter and go to Ofcom.

[Ash194]

I have now done some investigating as there is another thread very similar to this one with some useful info. I moved the Gigacube to a public area of our apartment building to test it and suddenly it picked up and held onto 5G. I then moved it back into its original location and for a while it worked before loosing it again. I can only conclude that the device is not accurately displaying signal strength. This still leaves me with the question of what the hell did the engineers do when they were allegedly upgrading the towers in this area. I used to work in this industry that remotely ensured and assisted with engineering work for a very large US carrier, they had some complete moron engineers often creating more problems than the one they went to fix, wouldn't be surprised if the same happens over here. 

[vegtable]

Well, I'm not on 5G and don't have a Gigacube but my 4G signal and bandwidth has been greatly diminished at the same time as work being carried out at the local mast.  Part of the issue with cellular is that there are a lot of variables and changing in radio planning can have positive effects for some and negative effetsss for others. I have had a similar issue in that have got no usful input from Vodafone as to why my mobile broadband is now kind of useless to me

I tend to think mobile broaband isn't ready for prime time as a substitute for fixed broadband. The combination of:

1. Patchy, variable covereage, with no SLA and subject to change.
2. Headline service characteristics that the network rarely delivers such as bandwidth and latency.
3. CGNAT.
4. Poor support with call centers who have no idea what they are talking about or just fob you off.

I think in time 5G will mature although it will never be an option for me where I live. I am regretting going down the mobile broadband route. I work from home 4 days a week  really need a reliable service - and this isn't it. There are limited options where I live and at the moment I am limping along with a poor service. Thankfuly FTTP is on its way 2nd quarter next year for me. Hope to be able to hold out until then.

V