3G Coverage with no signal

[Piesang]

I know the title of this post sounds strange but that is exactly the problem I'm having at the moment.

If I set my Data Card to 3G only then it shows 3G but no signal. Every now and then If I'm lucky it will show one bar 3G but only for a few seconds.

I'm not able to browse anything.

If I set my Data Card to 3G Preferred I get GPRS/EDGE connectivity that works 100% but then all of a sudden it shows 3G and I loose my connection.

What can I do to get a better signal? I do have a external antenna plugged into my Data Card.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[CeeBee]

Coverage On Mtn Map But Nuthin On The Ground

Hi MTNDD,
Me also a problem with signal / coverage if u can check with your colleagues please.
My finance director recently asked to get 3G/HSDPA data card for him to be connected at home, Annette Str in Northwold Ext4, Randburg, currently using ISDN. (check the MTN coverage map for this street, area)
Off I go, checking the MTN coverage map, and see his street, infact the whole area covered by 3G/HSDPA, so in theory, he should get much better speed than ISDN. So we get the usb E220 HSDPA modem.
What a dissapointment... so s-l-o-w, speeds range from 40-65kbps, so only GPRS. The modem shows EDGE. No 3G coverage elsewhere in the house, outside, in the street.
Driving over there to go check the connection, see what cud be the prob, I keep checking my cellphone for 3G coverage, and sure enough, not just his street not covered, but this whole big sea of redness 3G/HSDPA according to the MTN coverage map is just a big fat lie!
The odd spot here and there in the area is a slight wiff of 3G ;-)
So what are we to deduct from this? a) MTN is deceiving the subscribers into believing there is 3G coverage, they can go and spend a lot of money on an HSDPA modem, that doesn't perform coz no signal, or b) the real 3G/HSDPA coverage is planned, but some over eager dude at MTN decided to upgrade the website coverage map solong, or c) the actual 3G/HSDPA towers are up, but almost none are working yet???
What's your take on this? I do understand that the coverage map is just a guide, but sheesh this is a bit too optimistic for an indication!
If it is planned coverage, when is the expected due date???
rgds

 

[YelloFever]

I know the title of this post sounds strange but that is exactly the problem I'm having at the moment.

If I set my Data Card to 3G only then it shows 3G but no signal. Every now and then If I'm lucky it will show one bar 3G but only for a few seconds.

I'm not able to browse anything.

If I set my Data Card to 3G Preferred I get GPRS/EDGE connectivity that works 100% but then all of a sudden it shows 3G and I loose my connection.

What can I do to get a better signal? I do have a external antenna plugged into my Data Card.

Thanks in advance guys.

@Piesang

I normally get between no signal to 2 bars with a YAGI antenna and I can connect with no signal or with 3 barrs I get between 500 to 900 Once I got 1.4

Piesang maybe you should invest in a YAGI - Just a suggestion

MTNDD

 

[YelloFever]

Hi MTNDD,
Me also a problem with signal / coverage if u can check with your colleagues please.
My finance director recently asked to get 3G/HSDPA data card for him to be connected at home, Annette Str in Northwold Ext4, Randburg, currently using ISDN. (check the MTN coverage map for this street, area)
Off I go, checking the MTN coverage map, and see his street, infact the whole area covered by 3G/HSDPA, so in theory, he should get much better speed than ISDN. So we get the usb E220 HSDPA modem.
What a dissapointment... so s-l-o-w, speeds range from 40-65kbps, so only GPRS. The modem shows EDGE. No 3G coverage elsewhere in the house, outside, in the street.
Driving over there to go check the connection, see what cud be the prob, I keep checking my cellphone for 3G coverage, and sure enough, not just his street not covered, but this whole big sea of redness 3G/HSDPA according to the MTN coverage map is just a big fat lie!
The odd spot here and there in the area is a slight wiff of 3G ;-)
So what are we to deduct from this? a) MTN is deceiving the subscribers into believing there is 3G coverage, they can go and spend a lot of money on an HSDPA modem, that doesn't perform coz no signal, or b) the real 3G/HSDPA coverage is planned, but some over eager dude at MTN decided to upgrade the website coverage map solong, or c) the actual 3G/HSDPA towers are up, but almost none are working yet???
What's your take on this? I do understand that the coverage map is just a guide, but sheesh this is a bit too optimistic for an indication!
If it is planned coverage, when is the expected due date???
rgds

Could you please PM me with the cell number's effected I'll get network and coverage to look into this and advise ASAP

MTNDD

 

[CeeBee]

Map coverage yet no signal

Thanx MTNDD,
I'm sad to say that I'm having similar probs at home.
I have just moved to a new place this week (Dennis Rd, Sinoville Pta, next to Azanza Rd if u check the MTN map), and with great expectation I looked forward to finally having 3G connection, after having to deal with low EDGE speeds where I was. Having checked the MTN coverage map, and seeing that the new place is right smack in the centre of a huge red 3G covered area, this helped make the decision to move to this particular area.
Wow, as great as the excitement to be able to use a proper fast connection with my HSDPA card, so great was my dissapointment to finally get to the laptop, and seeing that, yes, we can't deny that there is 3G coverage, but it is so crap a signal, that probably the only way to get some use of it is to sit on the house's roof, although I even doubt that The card only shows 1 bar signal on 3G, which also dissappears every few seconds, disconnecting the card. So I've gotta force the card to GPRS/EDGE ONLY to prevent it from hooking up to the terrible 3G/HSDPA signal which disconnects every now & then. Would've been OK (grudgingly) if EDGE was OK, but even that is crappy.
So yes, the coverage map is correct, there IS 3G/HSDPA coverage, but hell, is that the kind of service MTN is proud of, when you get 17(!) to 45kbps out of an HSDPA covered area. Not my idea!
If the guys could check this as well would be great, otherwise they might as well not have 3G/HSDPA coverage in this area, coz it's completely useless.

Sheesh.... what a long post
I can PM u the cellphone numbers, but I doubt if it will help, the problem is not with the phones or modems, it the area, real usable coverage.

 

[CeeBee]

Just wanted to mention, I have just received a call from MTN regarding both my problems with coverage vs actual signal.
Received ref numbers and told its on the do-to list for the MTN engineers to come check why the signal isn't as good as it should be.
While I don't realistically expect to get a perfect signal, if we can at least get something to work with, it's better than nothing
This was quite a pleasant surprise to see such quick service.
Of course it remains to be seen if and how long it will take to get actual results, but my compliments to MTNDD and colleagues for positive service today.

 

[sean12]

Could you please PM me with the cell number's effected I'll get network and coverage to look into this and advise ASAP

MTNDD

What is sooooo important about the Cell Number!!!!

Is there a difference between numbers on the same network in the same area?

Sean

 

[Pitbull]

What is sooooo important about the Cell Number!!!!

Is there a difference between numbers on the same network in the same area?

Sean

Ever heard of service provisioning on the network - Simulation testing etc.

 

[sean12]

Ever heard of service provisioning on the network - Simulation testing etc.

I guess I havent until now! Whatever that means.

Sean

 

[sean12]

So does it mean that 2 SIMS in the same data card in the same computer run at different speeds?

 

[YelloFever]

I know the title of this post sounds strange but that is exactly the problem I'm having at the moment.

If I set my Data Card to 3G only then it shows 3G but no signal. Every now and then If I'm lucky it will show one bar 3G but only for a few seconds.

I'm not able to browse anything.

If I set my Data Card to 3G Preferred I get GPRS/EDGE connectivity that works 100% but then all of a sudden it shows 3G and I loose my connection.

What can I do to get a better signal? I do have a external antenna plugged into my Data Card.

Thanks in advance guys.

Good day

Both complaints have been logged with SMC. Below are the reference Numbers for the complaints:-

USD REF No: 1084556
MSISDN: 083781***
Address: Dennis Avenue
Akasia

USD REF No: 1084642
MSISDN: 083781****
Address: Annette Street
Northwold Ext4
Randburg

Will keep you posted

MTNDD

 

[acidrain]

Well i guess im just one more person with the same problem. Recently started picking up 3G/HSDPA coverage, checked the coverage map and nothing so i made a query and was told sites were being upgraded faster than the map.

Anyways back to the problem... every now and again i get 3G/HSDPA reception but software shows no signal. Somehow im still able to surf for a brief moment until the card starts bouncing between 3G and HSDPA mode and i lose connectivity (dont know if its confused or what... maybe its just me thats the confused one)

So now i have to force my card to connect on edge and have round 85% strength but would like to know... is there 3G in my area or not???

@MTND
Checked the coverage map again... still the same ... only shows cpt CBD and surrounding areas up to 5km or so??? I asked about this a while ago... how long does it take even one man to update one simple map?

 

[ginggs]

Somehow im still able to surf for a brief moment until the card starts bouncing between 3G and HSDPA mode and i lose connectivity

It is normal for the card to switch between 3G and HSDPA, you should see that when your connection is idle it will show 3G, when you start downloading it will change to HSDPA and then back to 3G when the download ends.

The problem you are experiencing sounds a lot like the problem in Cape Town centre, see this thread.

 

[YelloFever]

Well i guess im just one more person with the same problem. Recently started picking up 3G/HSDPA coverage, checked the coverage map and nothing so i made a query and was told sites were being upgraded faster than the map.

Anyways back to the problem... every now and again i get 3G/HSDPA reception but software shows no signal. Somehow im still able to surf for a brief moment until the card starts bouncing between 3G and HSDPA mode and i lose connectivity (dont know if its confused or what... maybe its just me thats the confused one)

So now i have to force my card to connect on edge and have round 85% strength but would like to know... is there 3G in my area or not???

@MTND
Checked the coverage map again... still the same ... only shows cpt CBD and surrounding areas up to 5km or so??? I asked about this a while ago... how long does it take even one man to update one simple map?

@acidrain

It's not a case of the updating what we do is we take the map that we want we have a meeting with our agency that get the map ready with the info we provide them and then they get it ready this process does take time

The street level mapping network group have gotten up and they are ready as we speak

The county map we have to get the agency to do - It is in the process with the agency but the agency do have quite a few other job's they they're in the process with so I can assure you that it will be available ASAP

MTNDD

 

[CeeBee]

Good day

Both complaints have been logged with SMC. Below are the reference Numbers for the complaints:-

USD REF No: 1084556
MSISDN: 083781***
Address: Dennis Avenue
Akasia
Will keep you posted

MTNDD

any idea where/how I can check how far down the waiting list I am to get the engineers to check this out?
really starting to freak me out, having the data card disconnect on me every few seconds (whether connected to 'Edge' or '3G') coz it loses the signal... all this in a supposed HSDPA covered area
The query/complaint has the sim/cell number of the 3G sim used (only) in the data card, so won't help anybody tries to contact me on it.
I know it can't be the sim/modem/laptop coz in other, proper, HSDPA areas, as well as with VC sim I get great speeds & no connection probs.
Its just starting to cost a lot having to reload the pages everytime I need to reconnect

 

[YelloFever]

Just wanted to mention, I have just received a call from MTN regarding both my problems with coverage vs actual signal.
Received ref numbers and told its on the do-to list for the MTN engineers to come check why the signal isn't as good as it should be.
While I don't realistically expect to get a perfect signal, if we can at least get something to work with, it's better than nothing
This was quite a pleasant surprise to see such quick service.
Of course it remains to be seen if and how long it will take to get actual results, but my compliments to MTNDD and colleagues for positive service today.

@CeeBee

No prob

MTNDD

 

[JJF]

@Piesang

I normally get between no signal to 2 bars with a YAGI antenna and I can connect with no signal or with 3 barrs I get between 500 to 900 Once I got 1.4

Piesang maybe you should invest in a YAGI - Just a suggestion

MTNDD

As far as I know a YAGI is a very narrowband antenna, won't a wideband or dual-band antenna (like a LPDA) work better for 3G?

I was under impression that 3G connects at 900MHz and then switch to 1800MHz once authenticated.

 

[YelloFever]

As far as I know a YAGI is a very narrowband antenna, won't a wideband or dual-band antenna (like a LPDA) work better for 3G?

I was under impression that 3G connects at 900MHz and then switch to 1800MHz once authenticated.

The frequencies licensed for use for GSM in South Africa are in the 900Mhz and 1800 Mhz bands. The frequency licensed for UMTS or WCDMA typically called 3G is in the 2100Mhz band. Wideband or triband YAGI antennae are available that support frequencies across all three bands.

MTNDD

 

[YelloFever]

Just to add some more info

3G uses the 2.1GHz bearer. HSDPA and HSUPA are technologies that extend the modulation scheme of UMTS and naturally use the 2.1GHz bearer too.
2G technology, ie GSM, uses either the GSM900 or GSM1800 spectrum. A recent network advancement, called multiband cell, allows a BCCH in the 900MHz band and allocation of a traffic channel after call setup, in the 1800MHz band. Previously this seamless handover worked differently and a BCCH had to be allocated in both the GSM900 and GSM1800 bands.
Yagi antennae (or sometimes called Yagi Uda arrays) are relatively narrowband. A 3G Yagi would have to cater for 2.1GHz, and will not have good performance in the 900MHz or 1800MHz bands. If it is your intention to only use 3G, a 2.1GHz Yagi would not be a bad idea, but you would not be able to fall back to GSM900 or GSM1800.
Call setup on 3G does not start in the 900MHz or 1800MHz band and only then move to a different carrier. If there is good 3G in your area, you will get on well, even if you only see the 2.1GHz carrier. Call setup will start and terminate here.
Log periodic antennae are indeed radiating structures specifically aimed at covering a large portion of the spectrum. They do have a wider bandwidth

MTNDD

 

[gerardhs]

Since last week I'm getting 1 out of 5 bars in my rural area Boons outside Rustenburg. I logged a coverage complaint 7758798 with MTN and am still waiting and waiting. Exactly how long must I wait for the engineers to resolve the problem? I think that a credit would be appropiate as it affects my data usage speeds badly.