Advice needed, sudden loss of coverage

laissez-faire · 23 Jul 2006 at 12:56

Up until 3 weeks ago I used to get full Vodafone signal in my house. Something (god only knows what) has meant that now I get 1 bar if I am very lucky to allow me to send texts, but most of the time no coverage at all. This means making a call is completely impossible as even when there is 1 bar I am not able to understand what people are saying.

Tried the sim in 3 different phones, exactly the same thing happens. (V3, SL45 and K800i). Tried an O2 sim in my phone and still get full signal (so no random 900mhz shrowd generators have popped up!)

Vodafone say that there is nothing wrong with any of their transmitters in the area.

Surely I can cancel my contract early if it is now impossible to use my phone in my own home? They have so far simply refunded the two weeks of line rental that I have been unable to use my phone.

Does anyone have any clues what could cause a sudden problem with coverage?

laissez-faire · 23 Jul 2006 at 13:49

Gavin said:
It can only be two things.............

1.There is something wrong with your nearest cell

2.The handsets faulty in some way.

1. Vodafone deny this
2. 3 faulty handsets? What are the odds?

laissez-faire · 25 Jul 2006 at 10:08

Dolph said:
There is a third one.

3. Something is interefering in line of site between you and the transmitter.

It's not normally a major problem, but building work, growing trees and various similar things can interfere in signal in that area that are beyond the control of the network.

Part of the reason no network guarantees 100% coverage and service is that there are many things that can effect service beyond the network's control.

This had occured to me, some work has been done by the forestry commision on power lines that are directly in the line of sight between the transmitter and the house. Nothing new put up but as I understood just routine maintenance. If this is what is causing the issue where would I stand re:my right to cancel?

laissez-faire · 26 Jul 2006 at 11:32

I too don't think a sim could do anything but they are sending me a new one anyway. They say that if the new sim doesn't improve things I can cancel the contract.

They are being good about it, but rightly so. The sudden loss of coverage is grounds to cancel. It represents a 'significant change in the level of service provided' and thus I can cancel. I will have to move to O2 which will be fine for Southampton but up in Edinburgh it is a bit sketchy!

Sam