also frustrated-3g keeps dropping

[twr]

Hi
Well Im also another frustrated vodacom 3g client,heres my story:

I live in Gillits KZN and yes according to the vodacom coverage map I fall just outside of their 3g area,however I borrowed an E220 and saw I had 3g speeds of up to 1700 kbs great!!so I bought a pre paid E220

And for the last 2 months ive had 3G no problem till friday last week,

I could only get 2 G so I lodged a fault,they said I needed the lates firmware and the 3.2.156 software, I went and upgraded but still no luck,
so I phoned back then they phoned me back ans said they will look into what tower I am receiving the signal from and will get back to me,

Version 3.2 seems so unstable!
In the meantime I am playing around with version 9.1 dashboard seems more stable than 3.2 then I used to online upgrade to version 9.2
seems a bit better I get 3g+(HSDPAlight blue) then only for a few minutes then drops to 3g(dark bkue) in this time as it swithces over Is slows down so bad that It wont load any pages!and then drops to 2G or GPRS,

Will geting 9.3 help?

something I also noticed if I am on 3g+(HSDPA) and I am loading pages its stays HSDPA but as soon as the upload and download goes to 0 bps the light goes to dark blue(3g) is this normal??as then when I click something it gets going after like a kickstart then goes back to hsdpa(seems it has to think what its doing)!

Thanks for reading hope anyone can help me out!
twr

 

[JimM]

Have you got the E220 set for 3G only? Look under Settings, Choose Connection Type.

If not the E220 could be trying to go to EDGE (2.5G) and back resulting in what seems like lockups...

 

[vodacom3g]

Hi
Well Im also another frustrated vodacom 3g client,heres my story:

I live in Gillits KZN and yes according to the vodacom coverage map I fall just outside of their 3g area,however I borrowed an E220 and saw I had 3g speeds of up to 1700 kbs great!!so I bought a pre paid E220

And for the last 2 months ive had 3G no problem till friday last week,

I could only get 2 G so I lodged a fault,they said I needed the lates firmware and the 3.2.156 software, I went and upgraded but still no luck,
so I phoned back then they phoned me back ans said they will look into what tower I am receiving the signal from and will get back to me,

Version 3.2 seems so unstable!
In the meantime I am playing around with version 9.1 dashboard seems more stable than 3.2 then I used to online upgrade to version 9.2
seems a bit better I get 3g+(HSDPAlight blue) then only for a few minutes then drops to 3g(dark bkue) in this time as it swithces over Is slows down so bad that It wont load any pages!and then drops to 2G or GPRS,

Will geting 9.3 help?

something I also noticed if I am on 3g+(HSDPA) and I am loading pages its stays HSDPA but as soon as the upload and download goes to 0 bps the light goes to dark blue(3g) is this normal??as then when I click something it gets going after like a kickstart then goes back to hsdpa(seems it has to think what its doing)!

Thanks for reading hope anyone can help me out!
twr

The fact that you're outside 3G coverage is an indication that you should not expect a stable signal, but there are ways you can improve your signal quality.

First step is to get a high-gain, external antenna with an inductive coupler from Poynting. Mount the antenna as high as possible outdoors and use ginggs utility to align it properly.

 

[twr]

Jim m
I have it under 3G only,
I have been watching it this morning and it hasnt dropped to 2G/GPRS at all,
The problem is is that the light blue light(3G+HSDPA)is on but as soon as there is no internet activity or when upload/download goes to 0 it drops to the 3g dark blue light is this normal??

thanks vodacom3g for your reply,
it is just bugging me how I can have perfect strength for over 2 months then all over sudden it changes?
any idea what the costs involved for and extension antenna?

 

[JimM]

I'd echo the need for an external antenna. The problem with being outside of the coverage area is that it only takes something simple to take your signal away. For example an engineer turns that antenna on the cell tower and you are suddenly all but without signal...

I've had customers using Poynting products and although they are not cheap, you are getting a top quality product and the results are quite impressive.

 

[vodacom3g]

Jim m
I have it under 3G only,
I have been watching it this morning and it hasnt dropped to 2G/GPRS at all,
The problem is is that the light blue light(3G+HSDPA)is on but as soon as there is no internet activity or when upload/download goes to 0 it drops to the 3g dark blue light is this normal??

Yes, that normal. It'll go back into HADPA when you start transferring data again.

thanks vodacom3g for your reply,
it is just bugging me how I can have perfect strength for over 2 months then all over sudden it changes?
any idea what the costs involved for and extension antenna?

A few hundred rand for a complete installation.

 

[twr]

Good news!
Well done Vodacom, just got a call from the technical side,
they said one of the sectors from where I receive my signal was done and it has been repaired,its true been having HSDPA all day since yesterday!!!