Spark Mobile Regular Dropouts

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BLazeD

154 posts

Master Geek
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Topic # 205860 29-Nov-2016 21:43

I've just joined Spark mobile (been with VF long time prior) and not happy with their mobile internet service. I've had no issues with VF (or any providers overseas - have been travelling) and my iPhone 6S, but noticed that Spark mobile internet seems to drop out all the time. Noticed it at Sylvia Park on the weekend and my gym today. It will be either 3G or 4G and several bars, but no data is being transferred. The email attachment won't load, the YT clip won't play, whatever. Pretty disappointing and becoming very frustrating. Don't want to go back to VF (prefer Spark bonuses like Spotify) but this is ridic. Auckland btw.

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33 posts

Geek
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Reply # 1679871 29-Nov-2016 23:30

I also had similar issues during the past few days, mainly in east Auckland. Could it be a capacity issue? I haven't had this issue with Spark (well, Telecom) since 2013 before their LTE networks were switched on.

firefuze

404 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Reply # 1679912 30-Nov-2016 07:44

What troubleshooting steps have yourself or Spark attempted so far?

BLazeD

154 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 1679932 30-Nov-2016 08:31

firefuze: What troubleshooting steps have yourself or Spark attempted so far?

Apart from an obvious reset what could they do?

Pumpedd

1759 posts

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Reply # 1679987 30-Nov-2016 10:51

Had issues with not being able to send mail yesterday on my mobile.

old3eyes

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Reply # 1680017 30-Nov-2016 12:17

I'm on Skinny and I've noticed since the weekend problems trying to connect to the internet with LTE. 3G seems OK..

Regards,

Old3eyes

jaidevp

322 posts

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Spark NZ

Reply # 1680527 1-Dec-2016 09:31

BLazeD:

firefuze: What troubleshooting steps have yourself or Spark attempted so far?

Apart from an obvious reset what could they do?

Note down some examples with dates/times and locations, and log a fault through. It will be investigated.

tripp

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Reply # 1681285 2-Dec-2016 13:54

I am also having issues on 4g as well.
Mount Wellington all the way up to Albany data will stop working and Pandora will not load, just sits at buffering. Stuff.co.nz won't load one tests.
Switched to 3g and it's fine

Only started this week.

old3eyes

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Reply # 1681351 2-Dec-2016 16:02

tripp: I am also having issues on 4g as well.
Mount Wellington all the way up to Albany data will stop working and Pandora will not load, just sits at buffering. Stuff.co.nz won't load one tests.
Switched to 3g and it's fine

Only started this week.

Stuff is where I'm having problems with. I suspect it's a Stuff issue as my tablet on WiFi today was doing the same thing. Herald site OKAY.

Regards,

Old3eyes

tripp

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Reply # 1681359 2-Dec-2016 16:13

old3eyes:
tripp: I am also having issues on 4g as well.
Mount Wellington all the way up to Albany data will stop working and Pandora will not load, just sits at buffering. Stuff.co.nz won't load one tests.
Switched to 3g and it's fine

Only started this week.

Stuff is where I'm having problems with. I suspect it's a Stuff issue as my tablet on WiFi today was doing the same thing. Herald site OKAY.

My main one is pandora, works fine on wifi and 3g, 4g and it will just stop randomly and show buffering.

KiwiSurfer

449 posts

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Reply # 1682819 5-Dec-2016 19:00

I've been experiencing data issues over the last few days as well (which is why I came here!). Was in Mangere today and even with 2-3 bars of 3G I would get pages from NZ Herald etc taking several minutes to load (if ever at all). And while travelling home to Wiri I noticed that the maps app struggled to download the tiles so for most of my journey I could only see my route overlaid grey tiles. Will record date/time/location if it happens again and lodge a fault with Skinny. I assume thats the correct process for Skinny customers?

- James

mdav056

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Reply # 1682875 5-Dec-2016 20:08

Interesting, because I'm getting the same issues on my win desktop Ethernet connected to a Spark Wireless Broadband modem (ie, 4G) in east Auckland -- pages not loading, or taking an age to load. Speedtest checks out fine. I *think* that this problem goes away when I get on to VPN (cisco to my work, or Nord to NZ site) -- things *seem* to load much faster. The ** are because I have not been very systematic in testing, and non-VPN connections come and go rather frequently, making testing difficult. This has been going on for the last few days. In particular, I've noticed that google search is very problematic, and loading adverts are seemingly holding everything back on general websites. I was assuming that google.co.nz was having problems?.

gml

BLazeD

154 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 1682884 5-Dec-2016 20:20

Doesn't Spark have a rep here? Sure we could all call and lodge a complaint and waste 30 mins or more troubleshooting, but really they should be proactive. Pretty obvious something bigger is the problem.

Talkiet

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Reply # 1682895 5-Dec-2016 20:30

One person supports this post

BLazeD:

Doesn't Spark have a rep here? Sure we could all call and lodge a complaint and waste 30 mins or more troubleshooting, but really they should be proactive. Pretty obvious something bigger is the problem.

None of the 'reps' here are paid a cent to engage here and I limit my engagements to things I know about or could help with. I have no indepth knowledge of the mobile network. It's _NOT_ obvious something bigger is the problem. You absolutely should call and complain because when that happens we can see where the complaints come from and because they are logged through the same system we can build a picture of where (geographically perhaps) the issues might be.

I don't even have access to the call logging systems used personally.

Cheers - N

BLazeD

154 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 10

Reply # 1682954 5-Dec-2016 20:47

One person supports this post

Talkiet:

BLazeD:

Doesn't Spark have a rep here? Sure we could all call and lodge a complaint and waste 30 mins or more troubleshooting, but really they should be proactive. Pretty obvious something bigger is the problem.

None of the 'reps' here are paid a cent to engage here and I limit my engagements to things I know about or could help with. I have no indepth knowledge of the mobile network. It's _NOT_ obvious something bigger is the problem. You absolutely should call and complain because when that happens we can see where the complaints come from and because they are logged through the same system we can build a picture of where (geographically perhaps) the issues might be.

I don't even have access to the call logging systems used personally.

Cheers - N

Thanks for that. Re the unpaid bit you should take that up. Forums like this a such an easy way to reach thousands of existing and perspective customers who probably prefer not to deal with a call centre. Should be a no brainer for your support bosses.

tripp

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Reply # 1683003 6-Dec-2016 06:46

I tried to report an issue last week (thursday or friday) via twitter, first they said it was my phone (oneplus 3) but I am also getting it on my nextbit robin which supports all NZ bands.

After pointing out to them that it was working fine on my oneplus 3 until around 26th November and that other users are having issues (sent them the link to this) they then linked me to GSMarena saying my phone does not support band 28. Pointed out that yes it must be my phone that is the issue because other users must connect to my device to access 4g on spark.

After that they asked for times and dates, gave them these (for mt wellington and albany) and they replied that no one else reported issue in mt wellington, 3g is good but inconsistent for 1800mhz and none for 4g and to DM them more info.

At this stage I gave up and set my phone to 3g only.

It's like beating a dead horse talking to spark etc these days, they don't really do anything about issue.

What is very clear to me is that something happen (maybe work was done) on the weekend of the 26th November which is creating issues for users now.

I can have full bars for 4g but it just stalls out, pandora just buffers for minutes when I never had the issue before the 26th November

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