No Network Coverage

auldyin · 27-03-2008, 20:36

Just switched to Virgin Mobile, wife and I, NO NETWORK COVERAGE, West End of Glasgow.
What a total waste of time and money!!!

Cheers

dragon · 27-03-2008, 22:53

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/c.../street-check/

What does that say for your area?
(Unless things have changed virgin are a virtual network using t-mobiles Transmitters)

auldyin · 27-03-2008, 23:05

Very interesting.
3 bars, should work outside and limited coverage inside.
Upshot is that we have phones which will work outside, but if I want to phone the missus at home, then possibly no network coverage.
Similarly, if I'm out, she cant contact me from the house.
Total shambles I'm afraid!!

Thanks for help though

Cheers

dragon · 27-03-2008, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by auldyin

Very interesting.
3 bars, should work outside and limited coverage inside.
Upshot is that we have phones which will work outside, but if I want to phone the missus at home, then possibly no network coverage.
Similarly, if I'm out, she cant contact me from the house.
Total shambles I'm afraid!!

Thanks for help though

Cheers

Have you tried taking the phone outside and seeing if it does actually work?

Are these new phones or are they old ones with new sim's in.
Not on manual network select and set to the wrong network or anything silly are they? (probably not but doesnt hurt to check)

auldyin · 27-03-2008, 23:47

Quote:

Have you tried taking the phone outside and seeing if it does actually work?

Yes.
No coverage so I cant phone in and wife cant phone out

Quote:

Are these new phones or are they old ones with new sim's in.

Old phone with new sims but Virgin guy said that shouldn't be a problem!!

Quote:

Not on manual network select and set to the wrong network or anything silly are they? (probably not but doesnt hurt to check)

No, they are on automatic network select.

Cheers

dragon · 28-03-2008, 14:05

They are defiantly unlocked?

Assume they are fairly recent phones so defiantly at least Dual band (gsm 900/1800Mhz compatible)

Try a manual network search and see which networks it sees?

Are they both the same make/model of phone?

Just trying to figure out if the phone is incompatible in some way or there really is No coverage.

auldyin · 28-03-2008, 15:21

Identical phones, compatible, should be no problem.
When we are both out of the house, contacting is fine.

Cannot phone into the house or out of the house because in the house there is no network coverage. Very strange indeed.
I'm beginning to wonder if it has anything to do with wireless routers, so when I get home, I'll disconnect router. I cannot imagine that disconnecting will make any difference though. (I would like to close the loop though).

Cheers

PS Both are unlocked

**Hugh** · 28-03-2008, 16:23

It could be your house is some sort of Faraday Cage

auldyin · 28-03-2008, 16:46

Nice one foreverwar!!

Its a strange kind of phenomenon.............a selective Faraday Cage.
Why selective?.............because this never happened with O2!!

I think its more to do with the "piggy backing" of Virgin on T Mobile. I seem to remember an article on this and will try to find it.
IMHO I reckon its about low level signalling, perhaps exacerbated by some kind of shielding effect which is hampering the signal.

Cheers

lostandconfused · 28-03-2008, 16:54

check to see what netweork it is trying to connect to. I had the same issue. My phone was set up to look for a 3g network first. So when one wasnt available it wouldnt look for a gprs signal. Changed to gprs and have not had a problem since.

Have you phoned virgin mobile to see what they say?

dragon · 28-03-2008, 17:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by auldyin

Nice one foreverwar!!

Its a strange kind of phenomenon.............a selective Faraday Cage.
Why selective?.............because this never happened with O2!!

I think its more to do with the "piggy backing" of Virgin on T Mobile. I seem to remember an article on this and will try to find it.
IMHO I reckon its about low level signalling, perhaps exacerbated by some kind of shielding effect which is hampering the signal.

Cheers

O2 uses GSM 900Mhz for the majority of the network
where as T-mobile uses 1800Mhz
3g/Utms will use 2100Mhz

For the most part at least, may not be the case for all of the Masts as I think at least of some of the networks have Licences to broadcast on all of the above frequancies.

auldyin · 28-03-2008, 21:19

Quote:

Have you phoned virgin mobile to see what they say

Candidly, Virgin have been very good.
Problem is that they think coverage is good for my area. Unfortunately its no good for me.

As far as connection is concerned, my phone links to Virgin. The missus phone links to T Mobile. Virgin techs assure me that that is not a problem.
Strange how the missus cannot make any connections from the house, I can, infrequently, and we have identical phones.

Its all becoming far too complicated for me.

Cheers

dragon · 29-03-2008, 01:14

Could you perhaps try a different mobile just to see if its someit to do with that model of the phone?

Also some mobiles seem to be better at picking up a signal than others. (I have a z520i and n70 on vodafone, and even if I disable 3G on the n70 it will still often find 1-3 bars of signal when the z520i can't pickup anything)

Woolworths have a virgin payg phone for a tenner if you need to get one... suppose it depends on if either have a

1) Different make/model of phone to try?
2) Mind spending more money?

What make/model of phone are you using out of interest.

auldyin · 02-04-2008, 10:10

Hi dragon,
Woolies very kindly slotted my sim into the Virgin mobile they have on sale and guess what..........No Network Coverage!!
They then tried their own sim and I am sure you will be able to predict the outcome....................NNC!!

Was fishing on Sunday and couldn't contact wife, nor she me (not that I particularly wanted contact..................fishing wins!!!)

Am about to pull the plug and go back to O2. I will however be asking for a refund but doubt very much whether I will get one.

Many thanks to all who offered help and assistance.

Cheers

logo · 02-04-2008, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by auldyin

Candidly, Virgin have been very good.
Problem is that they think coverage is good for my area. Unfortunately its no good for me.

As far as connection is concerned, my phone links to Virgin. The missus phone links to T Mobile. Virgin techs assure me that that is not a problem.
Strange how the missus cannot make any connections from the house, I can, infrequently, and we have identical phones.

Its all becoming far too complicated for me.

Cheers

Its just to the handset picking up the signal, if they both work outside then there is nothing wrong. Try making a call from a window and upstairs, you will usually find out that your signal is a lot better upstairs.

If you still have problems email theteam@virginmobile.com and ask them to contact the tech department to see if there are any network enhancements coming up in the area.

If you still have issues PM me, i have a contact in Virgin Mobile who is usually sound.