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Paying for 5G signal with 4G speeds

gino76ph
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Hi. I took a SIM-only 12-month contract on Vodafone at Carphone Warehouse via phone.

The contract comes with Unlimited data, Unlimited calls & Unlimited texts to anyone and  "5G capable" attached to the advert.

I am currently paying £28 per month and i'm using a 5G UK-spec phone in the OnePlus 8T.

My concern is with the monthly plan i'm getting downloads speeds "capped" at 10MBps and upload speeds at 2MBps.

As you can see my internet speeds are very slow (in 4G speeds) but getting a 5G signal but not 5G speeds.

I feel the advert is misleading and confusing - having a 5G phone and 5G should mean i must have 5G speeds as well.

I rung Vodafone CS and i was told that If i want faster speeds i need to pay more which I understand. But i feel they did not understand my real concerns.

Can anyone enlighten me on this please?

 

16 REPLIES 16

I assure you i don't find all your replies as harsh. I do appreciate them.

I do not understand why Vodafone has capped all its last year's "Unlimited" plan.

And it has been last year. The pandemic is still with us and more people are working from home so surely why can't Vodafone help out its customers by removing barriers, removing some limits and maybe double the speeds? ( for loyal customers such as myself).

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Phew, I'm glad as I'd hate to think our replies were being unsupportive to you.  :Smiling:

We'll never know why Vodafone place such caps I'm afraid as it's a business decision only internal staff will be privy to, but that said you could be close to a possible reason !

I hope for the best for you and others in your situation who want to take advantage of faster large file download speeds.

Take care @gino76ph 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

My issue is currently unresolved so in some ways I am not happy.

The other issue is the vagueness of your network checker. 

Upon putting my work postcode it did say good indoors & outdoors (3G,4G & 5G) and yet being blighted by a tall building (i'm not saying which one) working indoors in the ground floor meant poor signal indoors; I have to place my phone beside the window or go to the 1st floor for lunch whilst i check messages, news, etc.  

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Sorry to hear that @gino76ph 

 

“ The other issue is the vagueness of your network checker.  ”

The Vodafone status-checker is to give an indication of signal but isn't guaranteed.

Within the Service Checker their is a Coverage disclaimer.

This states  “ Coverage may vary by location. This map shows a computer generated prediction in a given area. It should be used as a guide only and is not a guarantee of actual signal coverage. As with all radio-based systems, service may be affected by a number of local factors, such as building materials, tree cover and even weather conditions. Data reception or speed may not be as good indoors or in a car.

 

When I'm speaking to someone who is interested in joining Vodafone UK or moving house I advise to also use a Vodafone Payg sim card too to get a good indication of what signal strength and data speeds they can expect to attain where they reside, commute and work and not just make a decision on what the Vodafone Service Checker indicates.

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

That sounds like a good & fair advice. 

But some people can't be bothered or don't have the funds to buy a PAYG SIM then "try out" the network signal of where you would normally travel, etc. Because that is very subjective. Going to & from work may vary...you may take the Tube then the next day you may take the bus or a totally different route altogether. 

I could be working in the City today and then I could be sacked then move to a totally different area the next month. 

The only definite in today's world is change. 

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Yes there are lots of variables one can manage and one's that one can't unfortunately.

“ But some people can't be bothered or don't have the funds to buy a PAYG SIM then "try out" the network signal of where you would normally travel, etc. Because that is very subjective. ”

If a person can't be “bothered” then the outcome from signing upto an expensive lengthy contract is on them.

Thankfully Vodafone supply14 days as a Cooling Off Period if the person can be “ bothered ” to keep an eye on their service and use the Cooling Off Period in time :Winking_smiley:

But then a person has the hassle of having to cancel and return a handset if applicable.

Payg sims can be ordered via Vodafone's Website for free or picked up for £0.99 pence from various shops and petrol stations etc so it's not an expensive route to try.

Even if a person does not want to top up lots and only the minimum amount it's a good route to take. 

Yes there are lots of variables involved and you can't allow for them all.

I must be a creature of habit when commuting to and from work !

I also use a Hybrid Dual Sim Card phone so if one network is struggling where I am I can then switch to another easily without having to switch sim cards around.

All UK Network's have fringe coverage areas and not spot areas.

I also only use Payg so I'm not locked in and buy my phone's sim free from the manufacturer which I submit is not the route for everyone due to disposable income.

I'm certainly enjoying my chats with you too.

Take care and keep healthy.

 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @gino76ph 

 

You mention you are getting a 5G signal on the phone but the speeds are not as you would expected.  If you put your postcode into the coverage checker at the top of the page, you will get an indication of the maximum speed you can expect to achieve at the location.

 

However, to achieve the maximum 5G speed, you need to be on an unlimited max plan with Vodafone as sold by Vodafone here:  SIM only or as Carphone sell Vodafone Superfast 5G.

 

If you feel the advertisement is misleading as this is a Carphone plan, you will need to take it up with them, they should be able to clarify the maximum 5G speed that comes with the SIM only.