poor cellular coverage - 2D just will not do anything about this

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kaczor47

95 posts

Master Geek

#230350 20-Feb-2018 13:38

I need some advise about how to get 2D to do something about poor cellular coverage. I have repeatedly complained about cellular coverage issues near my house (inner city suburb in Wellington)

Multiple times I logged a ticket, and every time 2D makes me jump through endless troubleshooting: provide date/time stamps of multiple instances of missed calls/ poor call quality, swap sim cards, swap phones. Yes, all obvious things, which I have done numerous times. In the end, after wasting my time, nobody will acknowledge that the coverage here is poor and tweaking the downtilt on the antenna is not going to do the trick. Friend with Spark have much better reception when visiting me (and judging by the location of towers, this makes sense).

Other than switching providers, moving house, or buying femto cells (too expensive, plus why should I pay for it?), any advice on how to tackle this?

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#1960967 20-Feb-2018 13:41

Do you happen to have a Samsung S8 or A8?

https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/mobile/products-and-services/wifi-calling/

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1960969 20-Feb-2018 13:44

you mentioned why should you pay for an expensive femto cell, but why should 2degrees pay to improve reception in a small area?

If its not cost effective for them to improve the reception, its going to be easier for you to just switch to spark/skinny

2degreesCare

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2degrees

#1960986 20-Feb-2018 14:14

Hi kaczor47

Sorry to hear of your reception issues. We get that collating details can be a pain but our Tech Support team need specific examples to determine if it's a SIM, phone, settings, interference or known reception issue.

Changing the tilt of the antenna can work but not if you have obstacles between you and the cell site unfortunately. As with all providers some locations might be better served than others.

Please can you PM us your number so we can see what's been done and hopefully get some answers for you.

Cheers

^POB

1eStar

1604 posts

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#1960993 20-Feb-2018 14:36

The most logical response is to change provider.

DarkShadow

1647 posts

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#1961007 20-Feb-2018 14:56

kaczor47:

why should I pay for it?

How much are you paying 2degrees a year, and how much do you think a new tower will cost?

michaelmurfy

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#1961010 20-Feb-2018 15:03

If the coverage is no good in your location then just switch providers. Cell towers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Skinny / Skinny Direct are very good options if you're a low spender.

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scuwp

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#1961028 20-Feb-2018 15:11

DarkShadow:

kaczor47:

why should I pay for it?

How much are you paying 2degrees a year, and how much do you think a new tower will cost?

Hmmm. OP takes 5 minutes and changes providers or 2D spends hundreds of thousands on their network to please 1 customer.

Also what is the OP paying for? Changing providers is free, it's very easy, and aside from a few minor bits-n-bobs they all offer similar plans/prices. They may even save money!

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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tripper1000

1618 posts

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#1961031 20-Feb-2018 15:14

I have a data solution, but not voice/text sorry (unless you and your friends have iPhones).

At my parents bach and my work place the coverage is very poor but exists. I share data with a 2nd SIM (you have to be on post-pay for this) and put the 2nd SIM in a 3G-wifi router. The router lives on a window ledge in a sweet spot and my phone connects to it via wifi. It means I get good solid data all over the house/office, and the data comes off my plan.

If there are no sweet spots, you can add an external antenna. The combination of a sweet spot and external antenna means my 3g router gets 5/5 bars, where as my phone is lucky to get 1 bar.

The whole setup cost about $60 from AliX a couple of years ago.

Linux

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#1961061 20-Feb-2018 15:32

Mobile carriers just can't pop up new sites where ever and when ever they feel like, This is why coverage is covered under the T&C's it's best effort

So you either have to get a handset that supports Wi-Fi calling or change mobile carrier

Linux

MrGadget

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#1961166 20-Feb-2018 18:01

dylanp:
Do you happen to have a Samsung S8 or A8?

https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/mobile/products-and-services/wifi-calling/

It also mentions other handsets coming through this year...

antoniosk

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#1961177 20-Feb-2018 18:42

scuwp:

DarkShadow:

kaczor47:

why should I pay for it?

How much are you paying 2degrees a year, and how much do you think a new tower will cost?

Hmmm. OP takes 5 minutes and changes providers or 2D spends hundreds of thousands on their network to please 1 customer.

Also what is the OP paying for? Changing providers is free, it's very easy, and aside from a few minor bits-n-bobs they all offer similar plans/prices. They may even save money!

To play devils advocate:

1. OP has taken the time, energy and opportunity cost in their life to provide documentation for 2D. For every person that complains, there are xxx who don't and just quietly leave or complain etc.

2. For 2D staff to suggest customer does this, suggests there IS coverage available in area, but the quality of that data is suspect. Either software projections of outdoor coverage which don't address indoor coverage and so on... otherwise if it's a known bad area, they would have said as much. Or call centre are totally incompetent.

3. There may be other reasons not advised by OP as to why they want to stay. 2D has some good pricing combinations (when billing works), and are a good provider. No one provider is good at everything, but when you find one you like it can be annoying to have to change.

In my case, the shared carryover data is an absolute must. Nobody else does it quite as good.

This doesn't mean OP gets a tower, but I do think 2D could possibly try a little harder - something which I am highly confident the contact centre has no authority, capability or support to do.

________

Antoniosk

dylanp

840 posts

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#1961178 20-Feb-2018 18:43

MrGadget:
dylanp:
Do you happen to have a Samsung S8 or A8?

https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/help-and-support/mobile/products-and-services/wifi-calling/

It also mentions other handsets coming through this year...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the A8 has been added since Christmas so that's a good sign. Wireless calling was one of the reasons we went for an S8 for one of my family members. They depend on a sure signal at the moment and now they have choice of telco!

I wouldn't depend on wifi calling being added to any other phones, or the feature being permanently available. I'm increasingly jaded over time. :)

hio77

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#1961218 20-Feb-2018 20:32

the thing to remember with these situations is, while it is possible, the provider could adjust an attenna a degree or two and improve signal to your location... They do need to consider what are the risks of doing this?

Femtocells aren't too badly priced (Particularly second hand), i do feel the cel-fi solutions are priced a little heavy simply because they are the only supported option.

last i heard, 2D do support booster installations in some situations. may have been fud?

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SaltyNZ

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#1961281 21-Feb-2018 06:54

hio77:

the thing to remember with these situations is, while it is possible, the provider could adjust an attenna a degree or two and improve signal to your location... They do need to consider what are the risks of doing this?

Femtocells aren't too badly priced (Particularly second hand), i do feel the cel-fi solutions are priced a little heavy simply because they are the only supported option.

last i heard, 2D do support booster installations in some situations. may have been fud?

We used to, possibly still do, but in general our solution from now on will be 'use VoWifi' as we roll it out to more handsets. The subscriber won't need to buy any special equipment other than the handset itself which the idea is that basically all handsets with 2degrees firmware/carrier bundle will support it out of the box going forward.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

timmmay

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#1961282 21-Feb-2018 07:13

Changing providers is trivially easy, and Skinny who uses the Spark network is well priced with excellent coverage.

I changed from 2degrees to Spark years ago when I got my first Smartphone, as working in one of the buildings next door to parliament the data coverage was terrible. Spark / Skinny has been very good for me, coverage just about everywhere in the country I go.

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