Guildford: Sporadic to no mobile data coverage

[CAmilla1]

Hi, I have an iphone SE 3rd generation. It works fine everywhere BUT Guildford and Woking. The mobile data in the town centre is so bad that I basically can’t use my phone normally when I’m there. This issue has beem going on for four years. Have been in contact with customer services who were not helpful. Have also spoke to random people in Guildford who share the experience. What is going on? Is there a setting I can change? Someone mentioned a mast the phone connects to, but the mast has a fault with it. Why is this not being fixed??

[MI5]

@CAmilla1 

This is a customer to customer community, not O2, so we cannot answer your question, sorry.

You need to contact O2.

Message them on Social Media. Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter (X)  (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG) or give them a call on 202 or 0344 809 0202 (contract) 4445 or 0344 8090222 (PAYG)

Guide: How can I sort out my network issues? 

https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/my-network

[Enlli]

Here is Woking from the My O2 My Network App

 

[MI5]

Always been rubbish around that area.

[japitts]

This has all the symptoms of a capacity issue - that is, the serving sites don't have sufficient spectrum/bandwidth deployed to support the use being demanded of it. From a very quick glance at the area, other MNOs do have a more comprehensive high-band rollout in Guildford - which is much better at providing dense coverage and supporting data concentrated data use.

Installing that additional capacity can sometimes be simple, but is not always - and can sometimes require complex build works on sites, which is rarely as quick as would be welcomed.

[Oxonian]

If you @CAmilla1 decide to consider leaving O2 when your contract comes to an end, I would suggest that you get a PAYG SIM for each of the other three networks and see which works best for you in the areas that you frequent. 

Do not rely on the network coverage maps as they are notoriously optimistic. 👍   

[CAmilla1]

Isn't O2 a national service? I mean, it SHOULD work everywhere. I understand low coverage in a forest, but right in the middle of a large town? There is a problem there that someone needs to fix. Thanks for your comment though 👍

[CAmilla1]

Thanks for that information @japitts 

Who do I contact about this? O2 customer service has been poor in understanding the problem.

Many thanks 😊

[CAmilla1]

@MI5 "Always been rubbish around that area" means someone needs to fix it asap! Who to contact though 🤔

[Cleoriff]

@CAmilla1 

O2 customer service will NOT get involved in anything to do with network issues.

They have no control over it. They may however give you some money off your bill as a form of compensation.

The best thing long term is to look for another network and request that you leave your current contract free of charge. (that's pushing it but 'some' people have been lucky in that respect.)