3G Coverage

[irata]

Anyone know what percentage of the UK population T-Mobile’s 3G coverage is? Or how fast they are rolling coverage out?

The T-Mobile 3G coverage checker on the website is both very out of date and not very useful. I wish they had a map like all the other networks do, or are they ashamed of the coverage?

I phoned up customer services to ask about coverage improvements in my area, yet despite making the call over 3G at the time I was told there are no plans to have 3G in my area this year. :confused:

[MrMajix]

the official figure is that we cover 40% of the population, with 3G ... now to be honest, we have covered all the major cities so far, which allows us to make that 40% claim... dont forget it is 40% of the population NOT 40% of the UK.

There are major plans for their 3G rollout. This does take some time, and is planned to be finnished within 5 years. the major legwork we are expecting to take 2 years.

The coverage checker I agree is a bit pants...

by the way - ask to speak to the technical team, as they have a tool, that allows then to actually see the cell sites in your area and real time coverage information!!!

hope this helps

[irata]

Many thanks again MrMajix for your answer, that rollout sounds rather impressive. Giving the time it took all networks to roll 2G out, 3G really is going at some pace.

Next time I call I'll ask as you suggested, I'm interested in coverage as I make quite frequent usage of internet access using my mobile (thanks to the internet bundles) and one of the best things about 3G is that I can surf the internet (using bluetooth to my laptop) at the same time as making a phone call!

One strange quirk I have noticed is that on 2G if I leave my mobile sat still the number of coverage bars shown is the same always regardless of time of day, while on 3G it can vary from morning to evening by several bars. Its as though coverage decreases during peak times.

[MrMajix]

You are correct.... the coverage on 3G altohugh is there is not so dense...

so say in your postcode area we may have 5/6 cell sites for 2G coverage, which will give constant coverage at a certain level, however, only 2/3 may have been upgraded to 3G aswell, therefore meaning that those cells have to handle a lot more traffic by themsleves... or are affected by other interventions (i.e weather or obsticals) more easily.

hope this answers your query!!!

[rabmc]

One strange quirk I have noticed is that on 2G if I leave my mobile sat still the number of coverage bars shown is the same always regardless of time of day, while on 3G it can vary from morning to evening by several bars. Its as though coverage decreases during peak times.

where abouts are you to experience this.... city centre type area?

for the traffic to change that much - just wondering.... :)

[irata]

I'm on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, so yes a city centre type area, though coverage has improved dramatically over just the last few days within the whole town so I presume several more sites have become active. The variation in signal strength is nothing at just 1 bar now. I'm hoping yet more cell sites around here will become 3G'd soon so I can get coverage at work.

[bilbo--baggins]

I'm only interested in using 3G for web browsing - but would I be correct in assuming that 3G data speeds are available in areas shown as having 'video' access?

[markyl85]

Can someone pleaseee tell me if i will get any or a little bit of 3g coverage at my post code? OX4 3TS... I can see once mast with UTMS but is it too far away??

[J_B]

I currently live in the good 'ole US of A but am returning permanently to the UK in a couple of months.

I am in the process of trying to decide which operator to go with. The web 'n' walk offer seems amazing but I am unsure whether it will be of any use. I will be travelling quite a bit and decent 3g coverage where I will be is very important.

Can anyone tell me (not using the t-mobile checker as I understand it is a little out of date) if there is (or plans to be and when) 3g coverage in the following postcodes:

DN21 4EH, NE66 2QR, CW5 7AZ, B68 9QS

Very many thanks in advance

(PS this is my first post - hello everyone!)

[T-Mobile Tech]

3G sites are getting a **** load of money at the mo, there are site getting build all over the place, and us in Network Ops can't keep up, we only find out about new sites when we get faults on them as we can't keep up with the rollout.