Help Stupid question about signals, 3G, G, etc

[zcacogp]

Ian,

Agreed, not just London-based issues.

Call centre wise, when I first called (150, from the handset) I was put through to an offshore call centre. The following time I was put through to a UK call centre, with a delightful-sounding Scottish lass, who was very helpful. I mentioned that she had been far more helpful than the offshore call centre, and she said that if I call again and was connected to the offshore one, if I asked I could be transferred to a UK-based one. Her words were "It's your right to have this happen" (whcih struck me as an odd thing to say.)

So, call 'em up and ask nicely!

Keep us posted. I hope you get to the solution (and aren't forced to be without your device for ages. Apparently mine could be gone for up to a month ... )


Oli.

 

[ianb11]

Yeah I need to ring them it's just going through the hassle of explaining it all etc etc.....

If they tell me the handset is faulty I think I'll flip my lid!!!!!

 

[JudithPrietht]

get the same problems with mine - it's getting really annoying now, so i'm going to give them a call soon to have a bit of a rant.

tried calling a couple of weeks ago and was told by an offshore call centre guy that they would need to test my connection, which they couldn't do while i was using the phone for calls - i don't have a landline to call back on so this is less than helpful. I get 3G+ reception at work, so it's pointless calling from there, and I don't want to have to hunt round for a friend's house where the problem is present, then spend 20 minutes on hold trying to get through, all on my friend's bill... irritating.

w/r/t phones missing calls while showing full signal - I read somewhere that the bars show how good the connection to the nearest tower is, but if that particular tower is currently dealing with too many calls it won't connect any more, and you'll get a missed call message. don't know what, if any, truth there is in that.

 

[Mubble]

From what I've read, due to Orange's poor 3G signal, particularly around London for me, when the Desire is only on GSM or G signal, it can't handle both data and calls. Therefore, if your phone is sending or receiving data when on G only, your calls won't get through until the data stops.

Anyone else heard this?

 

[ianb11]

From what I've read, due to Orange's poor 3G signal, particularly around London for me, when the Desire is only on GSM or G signal, it can't handle both data and calls. Therefore, if your phone is sending or receiving data when on G only, your calls won't get through until the data stops.

Anyone else heard this?

I think that's right yeah.

They have Orange Helpers on Twitter so sent them a message today about my 3G & they came back & said that 2 masts in my area are "congested".

I replied it's been like that for weeks & just got the standard "we are working hard to improve our coverage......."

Not good enough.

 

[mobily]

I am suffering exactly the same isse re: 3G connection and I am based in Plymouth! Surely our masts can't be congested down 'ere

 

[Eris Ed]

I am suffering exactly the same isse re: 3G connection and I am based in Plymouth! Surely our masts can't be congested down 'ere

Maybe you get your signal from France! Stranger things have happened......

 

[jaybo1973]

I think that's right yeah.

They have Orange Helpers on Twitter so sent them a message today about my 3G & they came back & said that 2 masts in my area are "congested".

I replied it's been like that for weeks & just got the standard "we are working hard to improve our coverage......."

Not good enough.

I got the same from 3uk. Even though they knocked some money off of my bill, its still not good enough

 

[ianb11]

Even worse today, not working at all even when on H & full signal. Kept getting Orangeguard when I was online?

Phoned them up, nationwide problem

I've always found their customer service reasonably OK but their network coverage is a joke.

 

[zcacogp]

I know I am currently writing this from a position of ignorance (my Desire is still being repaired), but I'd have thought that if the network coverage really is this bad then a complaint to Ofcom wouldn't be out of order, surely? There was an article on the radio this morning (I listened while sitting in a traffic jam on the M25, which was about as 'congested' as the Orange data masts) about TalkTalk broadband customers being charged for service which they are not being provided with, and that being illegal. Surely the situation is the same with 3G and Orange?

Just a thought. Maybe a thought I will have again when I get my Desire back. (Oh and I am having mild withdrawal symptoms at the moment. And I've only been without it for four days!)


Oli.

 

[Eris Ed]

(Oh and I am having mild withdrawal symptoms at the moment. And I've only been without it for four days!)

You need to join THIS THREAD my friend

 

[zcacogp]

Tony,

Gosh. So I do.

I'll go there right away ... thanks.


Oli.

 

[Mubble]

Well, I just spoke to Orange to complain about my lack of 3G signal with orange and the fact that my phone fails to receive calls (straight to voicemail) and takes 30s to connect outgoing calls.

The guy I spoke to advised me not to use non-official forums as they paint a bad picture of Orange's service. Like people moaning about Windows 7 was his argument. I argued that I'm not against orange, I'm just not getting the service I paid for. He said Orange aren't aware of any issues - almost in denial.

He said he'll call me back tmrw to get feedback on some changes he made at his end.

I just tried phoning my Desire from my landline. 3 bars of reception and yet again straight to voicemail.

Load of crap.

 

[ianb11]

Well, I just spoke to Orange to complain about my lack of 3G signal with orange and the fact that my phone fails to receive calls (straight to voicemail) and takes 30s to connect outgoing calls.

The guy I spoke to advised me not to use non-official forums as they paint a bad picture of Orange's service. Like people moaning about Windows 7 was his argument. I argued that I'm not against orange, I'm just not getting the service I paid for. He said Orange aren't aware of any issues - almost in denial.

He said he'll call me back tmrw to get feedback on some changes he made at his end.

I just tried phoning my Desire from my landline. 3 bars of reception and yet again straight to voicemail.

Load of crap.

I know I should but this is precisely the reason I can't be arsed to phone them.

Basically they'll just deny it or say it's a handset problem.

The bit about non official forums is bang out of order.

Like you I'm probably pretty pro Orange cos I've been with them since I owned a mobile over 20 years ago.

Again like you I just want what I pay for.

It shouldn't be that difficult.

 

[Mubble]

Check this out if you're on Orange and having issues receiving calls:

http://androidforums.com/desire-sup...-voicemail-possible-solution.html#post1833076

 

[mobily]

The situation regarding signal appears to be getting worse.

My phone will now simply not connect to the internet even when on 'H' this morning!

I am going to contact Orange but don't hold out much hope!

 

[ianb11]

Decided to speak to Orange today cos it was doing my head in.

Went through the usual blurb & the guy then told me that there was a congestion issue with a mast in my area & engineers were working on it.

Said to him it had been like this for all the time I've had the handset (2 months) & he said that this was correct! The mast hasn't worked properly for months!

The expected date on his system was the 8th November so should be ok after that.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Gonna deffo ring them back if it's no better after that.

 

[zcacogp]

Ian,

OK. Sounds like you are making progress.

I'd be having words with Orange about the bill you are paying for decent service, and that they aren't doing their bit in providing the service. A (partial) refund would certainly seem to be in order, IMHO.

Keep us posted.

FWIW, Carphone Warehouse seem to have decided that the fault with my handset is serious enough to warrant it going back to HTC. Which means I'll be without it for up to a month. (Of course, whether there is a fault at all is still a matter of conjecture; it could be that they found no fault with it and hence are sending it to HTC for confirmation, or that they are only geared up to do minor things like change screens, and hence anything at all complex needs to go to HTC anyway.)


Oli.

 

[ianb11]

Ian,

OK. Sounds like you are making progress.

I'd be having words with Orange about the bill you are paying for decent service, and that they aren't doing their bit in providing the service. A (partial) refund would certainly seem to be in order, IMHO.

Keep us posted.

FWIW, Carphone Warehouse seem to have decided that the fault with my handset is serious enough to warrant it going back to HTC. Which means I'll be without it for up to a month. (Of course, whether there is a fault at all is still a matter of conjecture; it could be that they found no fault with it and hence are sending it to HTC for confirmation, or that they are only geared up to do minor things like change screens, and hence anything at all complex needs to go to HTC anyway.)


Oli.

I'll be giving them a day or two after the 8th & if it's no better I'll be on the phone to them again.

That's when I'll be "discussing" my bill with them.

 

[zcacogp]

Ian,

Let us know what the outcome of the discussion is. I found that they were pretty quick to give me 50% off my bill for the month when my problems started (although I have yet to see that bill to know whether it happened or not.)

And if my handset comes back and the data rate is no better than before then I'll be having some very very firm 'discussions' with them about bills ...


Oli.

 

[ianb11]

Ian,

Let us know what the outcome of the discussion is. I found that they were pretty quick to give me 50% off my bill for the month when my problems started (although I have yet to see that bill to know whether it happened or not.)

And if my handset comes back and the data rate is no better than before then I'll be having some very very firm 'discussions' with them about bills ...


Oli.

Yep will do mate.

 

[ianb11]

Today was the date when the mast is supposedly fixed but guess what 3G still the same.

Tweeted OrangeHelpers & they said there is no date for this "congestion" to be fixed.

I'll be on the phone to Orange tomorrow & I'll be asking for a discount on my bill

 

[zcacogp]

>AwaitsOutcomeWithInterest<

Remind me whereabouts you live. Are you in London too?


Oli.

 

[ianb11]

>AwaitsOutcomeWithInterest<

Remind me whereabouts you live. Are you in London too?


Oli.

No I'm in NW England.

Although interestingly enough I was in Glasgow city centre a couple of weeks ago early in the morning (about 8am) & 3G didn't work then either!

 

[zcacogp]

Oh. Ah.

I thought you were suffering from the grotty-signal-in-London phenomena ... clearly not!

It's interesting asking other people who have 3G devices on Orange about their level of service. I have yet to find anyone who has looked me in the eye and said "It's excellent". Most people look shifty and say 'It's OK' or 'It's a bit slow'. I am firming up in my suspicion that the data transfer is simply rubbish, and people either don't know what to expect or simply shrug and put up with it.

Which, of course, means Orange get away with shoddy service.

Don't let them off the hook lightly with the bill. And keep us posted.


Oli.