• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Let down when I needed it.

J

jaybo1973

Android Expert
Hi all

For the last 2 weeks since I got my desire, I have not left it alone.

Rather than just playing with it, I really needed last night. I went to nottingham and needed directions from the car park to the Thai resturant. Hay hay, my desire will get me there! Wrong. Again, a very poor 3G signal (in a city centre?) It dropped on to roaming 2G, so no access to data. After walking in completely the wrong direction for 10 minutes, it picked the signal back up and got us there.

Again today, went out into the sticks. "I know, ill use OS maps on my desire!" wrong, no 3G signal again. This is becoming a pain now, my signal strength is always poor, when others around me on other networks have a great signal. I am on 3 and they are known for this by the sound of it.

I have now enabled data roaming as from what I understand, 3 have a deal with Orange (for free) for these holes in coverage? Can anyone confirm this?
 
On the othr hand it is said that 3 has the best 3G network/coverage in the UK. I've just switched to 3 from Orange because their (Orange's) coverage here in one of the largest towns in the south-east was pitiful in 2G let alone 3G. I did not get 3G all the time with Orange. So far since I moved to 3 I've had no problem getting 3G and HSPA. Perhaps you were unlucky in Nottingham with a mast down?
 
westbros said:
On the othr hand it is said that 3 has the best 3G network/coverage in the UK. I've just switched to 3 from Orange because their (Orange's) coverage here in one of the largest towns in the south-east was pitiful in 2G let alone 3G. I did not get 3G all the time with Orange. So far since I moved to 3 I've had no problem getting 3G and HSPA. Perhaps you were unlucky in Nottingham with a mast down?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I never seem to have a good signal no matter where I am. Hometown, work, out and about. Where ever.
 
jaybo1973 said:
Hi all


I have now enabled data roaming as from what I understand, 3 have a deal with Orange (for free) for these holes in coverage? Can anyone confirm this?
Click to expand...

I have a Desire on 3, and i live in the sticks and I find that it is essential to leave Data roaming on all of the time. It appears 3 will roam to Orange. The little R appears above the signal bars.

Initially I was worried that this would mean that I would get wacking great data charges, but it this has not happened to me ever. I think it must be the way the handset is set up becuase I didn't get this with my old Non-smartphone handset on 3.

I think if you go abroad, you should turn roaming off, but in the UK you can leave it on.

Sorry to hear it has let you down, but Google Maps has worked great for me both in Cumbria (High Cup Nick) and Wales (Sugar Loaf and Skirrid) without any problems.

Cheers
 
marshduck said:
I have a Desire on 3, and i live in the sticks and I find that it is essential to leave Data roaming on all of the time. It appears 3 will roam to Orange. The little R appears above the signal bars.

Initially I was worried that this would mean that I would get wacking great data charges, but it this has not happened to me ever. I think it must be the way the handset is set up becuase I didn't get this with my old Non-smartphone handset on 3.

I think if you go abroad, you should turn roaming off, but in the UK you can leave it on.

Sorry to hear it has let you down, but Google Maps has worked great for me both in Cumbria (High Cup Nick) and Wales (Sugar Loaf and Skirrid) without any problems.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I'll see how it goes for a while. Will contact 3 though if it keeps doing it. Maps was a major factor when I decided to get a smart phone.

Will be going to the north yorkshire moors in a couple of months, it would be nice if maps would work up there.
 
not sure if you guys are rooted or not if so try flashing the latest radio (.44) now I've got full bars wherever I go... (west london)
 
jaybo1973 said:
I'll see how it goes for a while. Will contact 3 though if it keeps doing it. Maps was a major factor when I decided to get a smart phone.

Will be going to the north yorkshire moors in a couple of months, it would be nice if maps would work up there.
Click to expand...

To be fair, I don't think that I would trust the maps over the wire, in these circumstances.

Take a look at the register Group Test: smartphone satnav apps ? reghardware

I think you should consider, getting a sat nav app which stores the maps on the phone.

Cheers
 
marshduck said:
To be fair, I don't think that I would trust the maps over the wire, in these circumstances.

Take a look at the register Group Test: smartphone satnav apps ? reghardware

I think you should consider, getting a sat nav app which stores the maps on the phone.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. It is more OS map info I am interested in though really. I like google maps for walking about towns or cities, although a poor signal screws this up. I hope future updates from google maps allows map info to be saved to SD. Even if it is something like a 5 mile radius
 
beanbean said:
not sure if you guys are rooted or not if so try flashing the latest radio (.44) now I've got full bars wherever I go... (west london)
Click to expand...

Do you think that's something that will be incorporated in an official update from htc? WOuld be good for us non rooted Fraidy cats
 
If you can stick it out for a little while longer, orange and t-mobile have agreed to share phone masts.

From October 5th, both t-mobile and orange customers will be able to access a more powerfull network nationwide.
 
I have a Desire on 3 and have never had this issue. I am branded to 3 so no Froyo and no latest radio software and I have never been let down. I am surprised that in the middle of a big city you couldn't get a data signal. Might be your phone that is the issue, not sure if 3 could test it in one of their shops.

Steve
 
At work (J27 of the M1, north of Notts) my Desire on Orange has truly awful reception. However, when I bought my iPad I also bought a Mifi from 3 and without doubt, this is the best gadget I have ever purchased. When the Orange signal let's me down I turn on the mifi and get a really fast connection. My next contract is going to be with 3 as I've been so impressed by how quick the mifi has been, even when we on Hadrians Wall!
 
I know it's not really the reason for your problem, but I think it is ridiculous you can't install Google Maps to your memory card for offline use. When you are on a pretty lame data plan (250Mb p/month) you can't really afford the bandwidth for navigating around the place. You would think that they would at least allow you to store certain routes in your cache. Anyway, that's my $0.02.
Cheers
Shane
 
Get yourself some navigation software that works with or without GSM or 3G signals. I use Navigon and it has not let me down ....yet.
 
Can't find it on the Market. I would buy CoPilot, but I can't find an Australian version and I have read that 2.2 isn't supported yet.
 
I work out in the sticks and can just about get a 3G signal on the 3 network at work (1 bar average). On Vodafone and o2 a 3G signal doesnt even exist at my work, although in the worst location there (no 3G on any network) Vodafone does have a much better 2G signal than the orange one that 3 falls back on.

3 is by far the best for 3G coverage overall and data speeds from my experience around the midlands, but obviously it depends what part of the country you are in.

Could be worth getting the handset tested if your getting alot signal problems in the City centre
 
master_yoda said:
I work out in the sticks and can just about get a 3G signal on the 3 network at work (1 bar average). On Vodafone and o2 a 3G signal doesnt even exist at my work, although in the worst location there (no 3G on any network) Vodafone does have a much better 2G signal than the orange one that 3 falls back on.

3 is by far the best for 3G coverage overall and data speeds from my experience around the midlands, but obviously it depends what part of the country you are in.

Could be worth getting the handset tested if your getting alot signal problems in the City centre
Click to expand...

Yeah, I need to get something sorted by the sound of it. Sat at work now with 2 bars. Used to get 4 on Tesco mobile
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom