How can you get the best from your mobile contract to ensure you have what you need - how does the strength of your signal affect this?

1. Communications Team – News update
How good is your mobile signal
So if coverage with one network drops, your
phone will automatically seek out a rival.
Roaming is proven to work when abroad, but the
operators say it will discourage investment in
masts. Why build a mast in a remote location if
your rivals will be able to use it?
There are technical problems, too, in ensuring
calls don't cut off when your phone goes from
one company to another. Working out billing and
data limits could be a nightmare so this scheme
may never get implemented.
The Expense Reduction Analysts
Communications Team specialises in finding
high quality communications solutions at the
best possible prices for business users.
Our in-depth knowledge of the communications
market and the technologies involved, and our
relationships with suppliers put the Expense
Reduction Analysts Communications Team in an
ideal position to provide companies with the best
possible value as well as being able to provide
valued advice through our consultancy services.
Next Step
To discuss this opportunity further please
contact: Simon Webb
M: 07710 143624
E: s.webb@erauk.net
The terms of the 3G licences were that the
mobile networks had to provide coverage
for 90% of the country by June 2013 and
they all achieved it apart from Vodafone,
which reached it in January 2014. But while
nine out of ten people looks good on paper,
the flaw with the Government targets was
that they covered population, not
geography, so the targets can be met whilst
still leaving huge regions uncovered.
All of the four main mobile phone operators -
Vodafone, 02, EE and 3 will tell you that their
coverage is wide-spread in the UK and between
90% and 95% of users have 3G. You might
expect signals to be weak in remote mountain
areas, but why are there signal failures in the
heart of cities? Black spots aren't just caused by
a lack of masts. Buildings or hills can block the
signals from transmitters relatively close by.
That's why it's possible for you to get a perfect
signal out in the street but struggle in the office
unless you hang out of the window.
But not all phones are equal and some such as
Samsung Galaxy and HTC models are better
at picking up weak signals. Moving closer to a
window also helps. Mobile phone signals are
hampered by brick walls, but don't object so
much to glass.
The difference in coverage from the networks is
likely to get smaller over time with the advent of
4G. Vodafone and 02 are working together on
the creation of 4G masts, which should improve
coverage. The signals will travel further and so
could reach rural areas where you can't get 3G.
Vodafone and 02 claim they will offer 4G to 98%
of the population by the end of 2014.
The Government says it is investing £150 million
on 500 new phone masts in rural black spots
where there is no coverage. And the latest plan,
announced recently, is to force companies to
allow 'national roaming'.