Best mobile coverage between the commons? Post Reply

[bamse]

My mobile contract is due to end soon and I'm looking to move to a different provider. I'm currently with O2 and have virtually no coverage in our house located between the commons. If I'm lucky it might work at times in the loft but downstairs its completely erratic going from full signal to zero constantly. Very frustrating to say the least! Does anyone know which networks are the best here? I would hate to be locked in for another 2 years with a network that doesn't work.

Thanks

[WandsworthResident]

hmm - NOT Vodafone is all I can say if I can be a representative sample of 1! Generally hopeless BTC and can barely get a signal in my house, even having paid them for the privilege of a "Sure Signal" box which is never too keen to dish out more than 1 bar of signal at a time.

[bamse]

My husband has a vodaphone signal booser that seems to work but their plans are so much more expensive than other networks that I'm keen to see which other ones work before committing.

[mummy_dani]

I'm with O2 and m husband is with Vodafone and we get signal at the bottom of our garden and if we almost hang out of front bay window! I don't think any provider is particularly good as masts aren't allowed on Clapham or Wandsworth commons ( for safety reasons apparently).

[hjm]

Vodafone is good if you get the signal booster. I think we paid £10 for ours. I was previously on O2 and couldn't get any reception in the house.

[ellesmum]

My husband has had better signal since switching to EE last month...but then tonight they disconnected his phone for no apparent reason and refused to reconnect it until he paid them £45, but wouldn't tell him what the £45 was for
So you can get signal with EE, BUT they might just disconnect you unceremoniously and refuse to tell you why before demanding cash to reconnect.

I think I'll stick with o2...!

[NYE31]

I'm with EE, their coverage is OK, although I've moved from the west side of Wandsworth Common to the Tonsleys & our coverage is better here.

Just watch your contract with EE, they changed mine (without my permission) last May & put me on a minimal usage plan so whenever I used my phone it cost me a fortune as no inclusive minutes, texts, data usage etc. I noticed when my DD bills went from £35 a month to £100+.

I made a fuss & after 2 months of complaining, letters, threatening to cancel my contract, move to another provider & report them to the regulator etc, they are refunding some of the money (but not all)

[bamse]

A guy in carphone warehouse said he hasn't heard many complaints about t-mobile. Anyone use them? Thanks

[excitera]

We have vodafone "Sure Signal" box...
without it no reception whatsoever... Friends visiting our house don't have a reception either - Vodafone, O2, Three...
also recently our home ADT alarm failed as it using mobile signal, looks like we need to pay more money to have a landline based alarm..

Clapham common westside - is worst than Africa! About time mobile providers fix this non-sense!

[JDMummy]

Me too have the same question. Why the networks in this area is so bad and network providers reluctant to do anything about it. I heard Vodafone and O2 are the better ones. But from reading above post, may have the same problem too?

[sw11_]

How about Northcote road specifically? Does anyone get signal there or is it not with even trying? I'm up for a new contract shortly so wondering who I should try!

[Orangetree]

I have been on Vodafone and live on northcote and am fine, have to admit if having a coffee or drink someplace on northcote I lose signal..

[JDMummy]

I have just switched to Vodafone. They can check the signal status of your area by postcode in the Vodafone store. The shop assistant told me vodafone is doing some work in the area to boost signals. The project will be finished by the end of March. But the work will only improve the signals for Vodafone users and will not support other networks.

[Lizzie]

Mobile phone companies have been trying to improve coverage but planning applications are often turned down after heavy lobbying from nearby residents. There was one a couple of years ago for a 15m mast to replace a 12.5m one outside the Mormon church in Nightingale Lane by Wandsworth Common. It was for a shared mast (Vodafone/O2), which would seem to make sense but was turned down because residents said it would be an eyesore (higher than trees etc). Personally, I think that the church itself is an eyesore and seeing a few metres of phone mast above the tree line is a reasonable price to pay for improving mobile coverage. (I do live around there and use the Common a lot so would be one of those who had to see it. Plus my mobile reception isn't too bad so I wouldn't have benefited much.) I'm not sure how much of Northcote Road area it would have covered though. None of us really want a mobile phone mast outside our door but we do want good network coverage....