Slow 4G and no 5G in Perth, Scotland

[Scooty997]

Hi there. Service with Vodafone in Perth has become so bad I wanted to make this known. The 4G speed is totally useless now and we still have no 5G. I also wanted to ask and see if any individuals or moderators could share when the city will be getting a 5G upgrade?

anyways,

1) Does the issue happen in just one location? If so, how far do you have to travel to regain service?

The coverage is terrible and also very slow across the whole of Perth city centre. There is no 5G still and only an overly congested 4G connection available, which has become much worse since the 3G switch off 

2) What is the full postcode (e.g. ST1 1AA) of where the issue occurs? If you don't want this showing on the Community, add it to your profile here.

PH2 7EY

3) Does the issue occur if you try your SIM card in a different phone?

Same issue on anybody’s phone using Vodafone 

4) What errors are seen or heard when the issue occurs?

 N/a aside from things not loading

5) Does this happen on 2G, 3G, 4G or all?

Happens on E and 4G. Still no 5G in Perth…    

6) When did you first notice this issue?

Since the 3G switch off it has become particularly poor and unusable 

7) Is the issue permanent or intermittent? If intermittent, are there certain times of the day when it occurs?

Permanent for sure, but improves during off peak hours as you would imagine .

if any light can be shed into this issue that would be appreciated. Thanks

[Gemma]

Hi @Scooty997 - thanks for taking  your time to complete the above template. I understand how important it is to have the best possible connection at all times. Your local serving sites 72538 and 5315 are performing as expected without any faults. I've taken a closer look at the 4G coverage in your area. There are sections of patchy coverage, which will be impacting the speeds you get. There aren't any 5G upgrade plans showing at the moment, for within the next 3 months. In the meantime, if you've a WiFi Connection, you could check if your phone is compatible for Wifi Calling. 

[japitts]

Displayed coverage levels do not directly affect data speeds, which are impacted far more by the available capacity & deployed spectrum. Patchy coverage does not directly cause poor data speeds.

5G is not the only panacea to slow data speeds, 4G capacity-adds are also an option.

[LUCIFER-40]

i completely agree with you, the Vodafone network since they closed down the 3G part of there network is absolutely abysmal. every single day the network is slow and generally unusable, for the last 4 days in Perth both Vodafone and O2 networks have been down around the North muirton area of Perth PH13BY. In 4 days ive literally been able to use the network for 2 hours at most, and it doesn't just stop at 4G issues either, the whole network including calls is unusable and down. but after driving all over Perth to check what other areas are like its the same story, Vodafone just fob you off and say theres no issues when clearly there is. I have family and friends also on Vodafone and on O2 networks and both networks use the same frequency so there's clearly an issue. after asking around in general people are sick and tired of the cell phone reception in Perth and Vodafone being the worst one. I have tried contacting Vodafone but thanks to their network being down for the last 4 days I have not been able to because I can't even physically send an email or even call them. I am just about ready to tell Vodafone to stick their contract because this is an absolute joke and we're all being ripped off. Perth is the heart of Scotland literally and they can't even be bothered to give us a 5G network that tells us something. I am absolutely sick to the back teeth of being fobbed off and lied to by this company they honestly do not care about their customers. I am now back down in the borders as I am in Perth and the borders one week at a time week on week off and even the borders is only marginally better but Perth is just abysmal. is for safety reasons if there's a problem situation or an accident you've got no chance of contacting anybody so why the hell should be beforeking out for the amount we do for our contracts. I have gone to the extreme of factory resetting my phone which is a Samsung galaxy s23 ultra, which is fully up-to-date with the latest software and firmware etc all settings are present and correct as they should be and before Vodafone read this and save why don't I just try using a Wi-Fi connection I don't have Wi-Fi or internet in the property and I shouldn't have to either none of us should. we pay fortune for contracts and your customers expect to get what they pay for not be lied to. I have checked to make sure all network settings are present and correct as well as these are made available on Vodafone's website both automatic and manual inputs and still nothing works. I've even tried going back to my old Samsung galaxy note 9 which is also a 5G phone and still the same issue so it's not the phones whatsoever it's the networks. The biggest problem is people don't report issues they just leave it and hope it goes away or gets better and it's not good enough. so anybody reading these articles and issues please take this on board and report everything because otherwise the networks will never get better.

[japitts]

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@LUCIFER-40 wrote:

it doesn't just stop at 4G issues either, the whole network including calls is unusable and down.....both networks use the same frequency so there's clearly an issue..

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Not all sites carry all frequencies, local deployment will vary based on numerous factors. Each MNO will have their own equipment even where sites are shared.

If "the whole network" was indeed unusable or off-service, it would be attracting national press attention.

[LUCIFER-40]

The response was for the original publisher Scotty not you, you go to Perth you try using your phone in Perth anyway and believe me it's practically unusable right now because the whole network is having major issues and Vodafone just fove you off, I have not been able to make a single phone call in the last 4 days because it keeps going off all together I can't receive any calls and the 4G keeps disappearing all together so the whole contract is a waste of time right now and the same goes for 02, My fiance is on 02 and she's having the same problems they use the same frequency and transmitters for your information. so don't tell me that it's unusable when clearly it is unusable and an absolute joke.

[japitts]

I stand by the comments in my previous post, O2 & VF are different operators and have separate equipment even when a site location is shared. Their spectrum holdings are broadly similar but not identical.

[LUCIFER-40]

i completely agree with you Scotty, the Vodafone network since they closed down the 3G part of there network is absolutely abysmal in Perth. every single day the network is slow and generally unusable, for the last 4 days in Perth both Vodafone and O2 networks have been down around the North muirton area of Perth PH13BY. In 4 days ive literally been able to use the network for 2 hours at most, and it doesn't just stop at 4G issues either, the whole network including calls is unusable and down. but after driving all over Perth to check what other areas are like its the same story, Vodafone just fob you off and say theres no issues when clearly there is. I have family and friends also on Vodafone and on O2 networks and both networks use the same frequency so there's clearly an issue. after asking around in general people are sick and tired of the cell phone reception in Perth and Vodafone being the worst one. I have tried contacting Vodafone but thanks to their network being down for the last 4 days I have not been able to because I can't even physically send an email or even call them. I am just about ready to tell Vodafone to stick their contract because this is an absolute joke and we're all being ripped off. Perth is the heart of Scotland literally and they can't even be bothered to give us a 5G network that tells us something. I am absolutely sick to the back teeth of being fobbed off and lied to by this company they honestly do not care about their customers. I am now back down in the borders as I am in Perth and the borders one week at a time week on week off and even the borders is only marginally better but Perth is just abysmal. is for safety reasons if there's a problem situation or an accident you've got no chance of contacting anybody so why the hell should be beforeking out for the amount we do for our contracts. I have gone to the extreme of factory resetting my phone which is a Samsung galaxy s23 ultra, which is fully up-to-date with the latest software and firmware etc all settings are present and correct as they should be and before Vodafone read this and save why don't I just try using a Wi-Fi connection I don't have Wi-Fi or internet in the property and I shouldn't have to either none of us should. we pay fortune for contracts and your customers expect to get what they pay for not be lied to. I have checked to make sure all network settings are present and correct as well as these are made available on Vodafone's website both automatic and manual inputs and still nothing works. I've even tried going back to my old Samsung galaxy note 9 which is also a 5G phone and still the same issue so it's not the phones whatsoever it's the networks. The biggest problem is people don't report issues they just leave it and hope it goes away or gets better and it's not good enough. so anybody reading these articles and issues please take this on board and report everything because otherwise the networks will never get better.

[ElsieM]

Not only in Perth. I live in Aberdeenshire and it has been abysmal here for the last 2 or 3 months. I was in Oxfordshire and London and only really got a signal when in a WiFi enabled area. For the first time I emeent over my data allowance without even being able to use much data or have phone signal. It was constantly searching and either on E or showing full bars of 4G or 5G but saying no internet connection or no signal! The Jeremy Vine show might help. 

[Janey]

Hi @ElsieM I know it's important to have a strong connection so we'd love to help you with this.  Please check out our guide on the next steps to take.