Three Coverage On The Move

I've notice when talking to one of my contacts when they're driving that they lose signal frequently and unlike other networks it doesn't come back and can take a few redials to get back in touch with them.

Now this doesn't happen the same with EE, EE seams to briefly go quiet and then come back and the reasoning behind it is assumed to be that when EE is locked to 3G it also has 2G as a backup ready to take over, but three having 3G as its baseline technology means it doesn't have any backup to connect too.

I'm wondering if our assumptions above could well be the case?

I know currently that a device connecting to 4G has 3G connected simultaneously to continue normal GSM functions such as calls and texts (although VoLTE isn't too far away by the sounds of things) but do 3G devices specially those that are also 4G capable hang onto a 2G signal as well as 3G in the same way.

A device can only talk to one radio stack at a time, the handset on 4G will page down to the 3G network for incoming / outgoing calls, SMS can be routed over 4G.

When on a voice call over 3G the device is not aware of a 2G network existing until the parameters in the device tell it to pause the call on 3G and pass to the 2G radio interface.

Three have higher parameters than EE,O2,VF as they do not want to handover to a 2G network as this costs them money have they have disabled this across most of the Three network.

So Three does support 2G calls but I'm assuming this is in select locations and is under a roaming agreement then?

Correct, only areas that have the 2G roaming agreement in-place are bits of Wales and Scotland, not aware of any areas of England and NI that have the 2G roaming in-place.

Well good I'm with EE then I suppose!

In reply to a post by bookey:

Correct, only areas that have the 2G roaming agreement in-place are bits of Wales and Scotland...

That's certainly true across much of North Wales, but it's only the old ex Orange 2G GSM masts that I can roam onto and there is no data service, only voice / texts.
Makes me think that I'd be better on EE as I'd then have access to data, albeit slow from these masts

From the 3 bashing that went on on EE's forum last night it sounds like you would be much better off on EE rather than 3..

Also from some comparison tests that I published to EE and Three yesterday, 3's overselling of its its data has followed suit of other providers who oversell and lead to crippled backhaul.

If interested they can be found here!

Pretty sure I roam onto 2g while on the train from the south west to London (the telltale sudden strong signal with no data connectivity). Not often, but it's consistently in the same places.

Edited by deleted (Mon 28-Sep-15 19:05:37)

to get a 2G signal on EE you have to have no signal at all on 3 as EE is classed as a roaming network when your phone is on 2G EE on 3 (i have Never seen data working on 2G ee when on 3)

the roaming thing been turned off in an area seems a myth to me as everywhere i go i can force my phone onto 2G only on a 3 sim and after 2-3 minuets (there is a big delay) it roam on EE (no data thought)

another problem which seems to mirror the problem i have had with 3 in the past (and EE/Orange on 3G) is phantom network where the phone shows i have a signal but its a phantom signal as what has happened is my phone has attempted to switch between a mast and got stuck in between the result is for about 2 minuets you have no data text or voice services (also the signal bar will not change as its stuck reporting last signal)

luckily enough the phones radio firmware has a deadlock detection so after 2 minuets it forces the radio to restart once it realises its not really connected to a cell any more (you see it drop to x signal then reconnect back to network with actual signal) my fix on EE was just use 2G, on 3 its harder to fix as if your exactly between 2 masts with weak signal your phone will jump between the masts and at some point it gets stuck and you end up with phantom network for about 2 minutes (used to happen at my house as there was 3 masts just in range of my house so the phone was jumping between them a lot)

this issue happens more to 3 then any other network due to more spread out 3g network cells and no 2G to fall back on (but this problem does happen on EE/orange as well when 3G is used i know as about say out of 10 calls in a day 1-2 of them will divert to my backup phone that is on O2, as i have set the no response divert to my other number so i dont miss a call)

and i not even talked about the problems with having 4G enabled you can be missing up to 50% or incoming more calls if your connected 4G (as the call has to drop to 3G to allow the call to happen) issues like phone not ringing or when call is answered after 2-3 second call is terminated or call stays connected but no voice), if your on 3 or giffgaff you should always make sure you have HulloMail installed (as 3 and giffgaff do not support missed call notification text so your likely unaware how many calls your missing)

Edited by leexgx (Mon 12-Oct-15 02:21:57)

In reply to a post by leexgx:

to get a 2G signal on EE you have to have no signal at all on 3 as EE is classed as a roaming network when your phone is on 2G EE on 3 (i have Never seen data working on 2G ee when on 3)

I have - in Fowey in Cornwall - the only time I've turned on 2G on my handset, and roamed onto a cell still broadcasting as "Orange", and I did have 2G. Dear god it was slow, but it did work.


That said, I find I get excellent coverage overall on 3, and certainly it is * miles* ahead of Vodafone. I can drive from Exeter to Truro, and not lose my call or data once. I can drive from Exeter to Birmingham and only lose my signal once (and yes, for all kinds of dull reasons I've tested this). On Vodafone, EE and O2 you'd be lucky to get away with 10 or fewer drops every hour.


the roaming thing been turned off in an area seems a myth to me as everywhere i go i can force my phone onto 2G only on a 3 sim and after 2-3 minuets (there is a big delay) it roam on EE (no data thought)


It has been selectively turned off - it's mostly now off. Where are you that it's still available?

this issue happens more to 3 then any other network due to more spread out 3g network cells and no 2G to fall back on (but this problem does happen on EE/orange as well when 3G is used i know as about say out of 10 calls in a day 1-2 of them will divert to my backup phone that is on O2, as i have set the no response divert to my other number so i dont miss a call)

I can't say that mirrors my experience, I have 4G and 3G only mode enabled on my phone (Blackberry Passport) and experience very good coverage, very few problems with coverage, and very few issues with data availability.

and i not even talked about the problems with having 4G enabled you can be missing up to 50% or incoming more calls if your connected 4G (as the call has to drop to 3G to allow the call to happen) issues like phone not ringing or when call is answered after 2-3 second call is terminated or call stays connected but no voice), if your on 3 or giffgaff you should always make sure you have HulloMail installed (as 3 and giffgaff do not support missed call notification text so your likely unaware how many calls your missing)

I can't say that's my experience (and I use Hullomail), my calls are reliable. I find a lot of problems come down to handsets and not the networks.