USO

I'm trying to register for a USO connection. BT quote me a min speed is 0 Mbps but maps show I can get a 4G connection. I have Three's 4G home Wi-Fi but min guaranteed speed is only 2.5 Mbps which they have confirmed but the USO folk won't accept that as they say Three is not on their list. EE have confirmed they cannot give me an indoor signal but again the USO folks won't accept that either. They say I have to get an EE contract, install an outdoor antenna, go through EE 's technical support invluding getting an engineer to visit in person, to confirm an inadequate signal before they will register me for a USO connection.
Does anyone know if this is really the situation and as I live in a listed building (in Scotland), would I be allowed to install an antenna?

That sounds to me like a complete load of tosh, from someone who hasn't a clue just trying to get rid of you.

(I assume you have a typo and meant 10Mbps minimum, not 0?)

Edit: Just in case you don't know, EE in the UK is 100% owned by BT.

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 01-May-20 20:20:01)

No, it wasn't a type. Zero Mbps guaranteed minimum speed. Hence I'm trying to get a USO line but the official USO folk said I had to go all the hassle with EE.
They said all this in an email, not just on the phone.

Edited by deleted (Fri 01-May-20 20:27:12)

Zerombps

Can you give postcode so we can see your location and check your options or does it uniquely identify you?

(sounds like you are in a castle somewhere remote!).

Or post the line estimate from https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/ with the telephone number blocked out. (Or address if you use the pulldown address checker)

it could be that uso have identified your premise as being able to be served by 4G , Don't forget USO is to get you 10 m/bps only (not anything else

if that is the USO proposed delivery for that area / premise - nothing will change until that is proven not to be correct - the 4G from EE will be different from the 4G from three - think you will need to follow the process

In reply to a post by Fastman3:

it could be that uso have identified your premise as being able to be served by 4G , Don't forget USO is to get you 10 m/bps only (not anything else

if that is the USO proposed delivery for that area / premise - nothing will change until that is proven not to be correct - the 4G from EE will be different from the 4G from three - think you will need to follow the process

A premise:- Link.

Nothing whatsoever to do with buildings.

Also I have no problem with my mobile broadband from Three. I switched to them from EE. See my sig.

I can't find anything in the USO that says you have to sign up for every mobile carrier before you can be accepted onto the scheme. If that is the case and the onus is on customers proving they are eligible for the USO, the entire project is utterly pointless.

Sorry to disappoint, the area has castle in its name, I don't live in a castle. Also I'm only 9 miles from Scotland's third largest city (Aberdern) so hardly remote.

Post code covers a wide area which is hilly. There is no dispute on the fixed broadband piece, the line from the exchange, which is digitally enabled, is too long..

The issue is whether I can receive a good enough 4G connection.

Thanks for your interest

In reply to a post by buggerlugs:

I can't find anything in the USO that says you have to sign up for every mobile carrier before you can be accepted onto the scheme. If that is the case and the onus is on customers proving they are eligible for the USO, the entire project is utterly pointless.

I agree entirely. Though AIUI only BT are relevant for the USO wrt the OP, and EE are the mobile provider owned by BT.

EE are also probably the supplier of the fastest mobile broadband in much of the country.

I would have thought it BT's responsibility to propose a service that would satisfy the USO, and to foot the capital costs up to the statutory limit. If it would exceed those costs they would need to obtain the OP's consent to pay the excess.

Of course, it isn't impossible that they have made a suitable proposal along those lines, but the antenna side of it would be their responsibility. We only have the OP's take on it so far.

it could be that uso have identified your premise as being able to be served by 4G , Don't forget USO is to get you 10 m/bps only (not anything else

if that is the USO proposed delivery for that area / premise - nothing will change until that is proven not to be correct - the 4G from EE will be different from the 4G from three - think you will need to follow the process

4G via EE is one of the USO delivery methods

BT is one of the USO delivery mechanisms which is why they advised you what they did and why i advised you to follow the advise they gave you -- it is irrelevant who you current provider is at 4G

Dear Fastman3

I think you might have a slight problem.

Aberdeen came in 310th on the ofcom list of Speeds by area. A mere 280 or so places behind Dundee and Falkirk.

Somethings odd about Aberdeen.

Edited by Swac3 (Mon 04-May-20 13:59:39)