Time to Throw in the Towel - Historically Abysmal Data Service in Edinburgh City Centre

[Weegie247]

I'll cut to the chase - I've lived in Edinburgh for a large portion of my life and it feels like the o2 data network has been consistently on a decline. I rarely ever get 5G which is shocking given the amount of time its been rolled out, its something I also should be getting considering its paid for in the contract I signed and as soon as we get just a small influx of people in the city, performance plummets even when I have a strong 4G (never 5G) signal. 

Am I doing something wrong? I have all the correct settings and have had my sim changed incase it was something to do with that. I've grown tired of it really and once this contract ends I think I'll be looking elsewhere.

Surely I'm not the only one having this issue right? Reach out below with your own experiences if you can, I'd love to hear if anyone ever found a solution. 

[Bambino]

@Weegie247 It's probably network congestion, so there is little you can change. Try Pay & Go sims from the other network providers before you decide to switch. You can then find the best one to suit you without having to commit first. Follow this guide when you're ready to move: Cancelling your contract - An updated guide - O2 Community

[madasaf1sh]

The problem with Edinburgh City Centre, is more than likely due to the local council, not allowing much infrastructure to be built so you have to put up with what is there, and wait for planning etc.  I can just see the anger in some people aka NIMBY's if someone decided to dig up Princess Street, and put in Dark Fibre, there would be uproar from some quarters.. 

And just to add you dont pay for 5G, you pay for connection whether that be 5G or 2G, and other networks have the same issues in busy historical cities... 

[japitts]

Different MNOs have varying levels of performance in historical cities, but in an ideal world, a combination of a good macro coverage layer with a sprinkling of picos, micros or other small-cells for high-band capacity, should yield good results.

That high-band doesn't necessarily need to be 5G, but that's one part of the jigsaw. If data performance is suffering when you have good indicated coverage, that's a congestion/capacity issue.

At least one other MNO has a good small-cell deployment in Edinburgh.

[Oxonian]

Some things to try that might improve things @Weegie247 :-

Guide: How can I sort out my network issues? 

Guide: Is the network down for me or everyone? 

My Network App - Find Out More About Your Network Coverage | Apps | O2

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