Sorry we are experiencing high service demand in this area - Durham

[Fellwalker]

I've a Nexus 5.  If there is a "My Network" app from O2 in your app store, you can download that.  When run there is a Network Map screen.  Bottom right of that, there is a button that says "Tap for live status". I find I've missed calls, occasionally texts.  The pop-up for me says "Sorry we are experiencing high service demand in this area... ...This can cause intermittent service for calls, texts and data"

It has been saying that for at least three weeks.  I'd not found the button in the app before, and the web site says no problems in your area.

Is anything likely to be done about it?  My best guess is that as a growing University city, the students create additional traffic, and more capacity is needed, but this has happened from time to time before whilst I've been with O2.  The coverage map is wrong anyway as it does not seem to take any account of hills and contours. It tells me I should get good data and voice indoors, but I can only get voice, and that only most of the time. Between here and the city centre, about a mile, coverage disappears altogether for 2/3 of the walk, and it isn't good in the centre.  We need more masts elsewhere.  It really isn't funny. 

I have to use TuGo, but that is only any use at home.  Durham does not have many hotspots, unless I go into one of the student oriented bars.

[MI5]

Durham is a bit of a dead spot at the best of times....
Coverage maps, for any network are only an estimation, unfortunately....

[perksie]

As you can see they're well aware of the problem and it will be fixed as soon as possible, O2 won't want this any more than you do:

Live results for Durham, County Durham

Sorry we are experiencing high service demand in this area

A mast close to your location is experiencing a high level of demand for service. This can cause intermittent service for calls, texts and data. We’re working to improve it as quickly as we can. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Updated 19:00 (refreshed hourly). Recent faults might not show yet.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

We understand how frustrating it is to not be able to use a service we're paying for but networks do nit guarantee a fault free service.

Once your service us back up you could out your argument across for a goodwill gesture. They do not have to comply but may.

Keep checking the status and rebooting your phone.

Take care.

[Fellwalker]

Thanks Perksie.  That is the message I saw on my phone app, that has been there for at least three weeks, updated hourly but always the same.

Prompted by your message, I see it is now also on the web site live status, whereas it had not been there . I'd not re-checked the web site when I first posted.  Looks like it has upgraded its status so I can hope something will be done.

[Fellwalker]

@bandofbrothers: Intriguing. How does rebooting the phone help?

[Anonymous]

Hi fellwalker.

Turning the phone off and back on again helps reset the phones connection to the network. Kind of a refresh.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[japitts]

Well... turning the phone off/on just serves to "detach" and "reattach", it'll only really solve any problems with hung connections - total "break and make".

If the problem is with overload on the network or local cell, then no amount of breaking and making your connection to the local site is going to resolve that. You might get temporary respite as your connection is remade, but that's probably all...