Cell C Network Issues: Disconnects, Coverage, Throughput Problems - Report Here

Cell C's network has not changed, for years, in Vincent, East London. Vodacom and MTN are able to deliver good 3G / LTE speeds.

Signal quality is terrible, web browsing speeds are terrible, download speeds are terrible (anything above 80Kb/sec is scarce). I use Cell C data on my laptop, through my D-Link DWM 156 Modem. This modem works fine, it is able of getting me good Cell C speeds in Port Elizabeth. I am downloading a video file at 230 bytes per second, on Cell C 3G (highest speed I have seen 53Kb/sec).
 
Problems with Cell C signal in the Rivonia/Sandton area?

Last few weeks have been very flaky connection wise. Previously always had 100% signal and very good throughput, now the signal goes up and down and sometimes just dies.

Also trying to find a Giga200 package somewhere, seems like no one has stock!
 
Dolby said:
Location: Randpark Ridge
Time of issue: 10.22am
Device: Black Cell C modem
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: n/a
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): n/a
Any other information relevant to the problem: Randpark Ridge down for days - with no throughput at all. I've noticed the past 4 days - but plenty of others say around a week. Note this is not just slow ... this is ZERO.

All good, Mr Mod?
Click to expand...

Hi Dolby

Kindly send us an email to [email protected] or you can PM your Cell C number.

We would like to get our team to assist.

^NS
 
Thanks for the prompt reply.

Unfortunately, I sold my Cell C SIM around 4 years back and am no longer in the area...
 
Horrible throughput on 3G dongle

Is this thing still on?

These are the speeds I'm experiencing on the Cell-C network atm, notice that the measures are in kb/s, not the usual MB/s. It's that bad.

I average around 0.5Mb/s, with upload speed about 50-75% of that.

In this one, the upload speed is higher than the download speed!



This one is a little faster but still not very usable for (what should be) an HSDPA/HSUPA connection.



My Huawei dongle (E3131) is capable of speeds up to 21.6MB/s down and 5.76MB/s up.

I live in Observatory, Cape Town. It has not always been this bad.

These are between myself and a server at Afrihost in Cape Town. Topologically close.

EDIT: Bought an LTE modem because Cell-C supports LTE on prepaid. Performance is okay, modem confirms I have a 4G connection - I get 6.69Mbps down and 2.22 Mbps up.

So for an LTE device I get maybe a third of 3G's top speed. And for 3G I get the speed of a 512Kbps ADSL line. Surely this is wrong? Why have LTE at all, if the network can't seem to support 3G speeds (a lower standard)?
 
Last edited:
marlinf said:
Is this thing still on?

These are the speeds I'm experiencing on the Cell-C network atm, notice that the measures are in kb/s, not the usual MB/s. It's that bad.

I average around 0.5Mb/s, with upload speed about 50-75% of that.

In this one, the upload speed is higher than the download speed!



This one is a little faster but still not very usable for (what should be) an HSDPA/HSUPA connection.



My Huawei dongle (E3131) is capable of speeds up to 21.6MB/s down and 5.76MB/s up.

I live in Observatory, Cape Town. It has not always been this bad.

These are between myself and a server at Afrihost in Cape Town. Topologically close.

EDIT: Bought an LTE modem because Cell-C supports LTE on prepaid. Performance is okay, modem confirms I have a 4G connection - I get 6.69Mbps down and 2.22 Mbps up.

So for an LTE device I get maybe a third of 3G's top speed. And for 3G I get the speed of a 512Kbps ADSL line. Surely this is wrong? Why have LTE at all, if the network can't seem to support 3G speeds (a lower standard)?
Click to expand...


Hi Marlinf

Please PM your contact details and affected physical address as we would like our network team to investigate.

Regards
TM
 
Cell_C said:
Hi Marlinf

Please PM your contact details and affected physical address as we would like our network team to investigate.

Regards
TM
Click to expand...

I've already had your network team investigate the issue. They told me that LTE works fine in this area when they tested it. I suspect that was based off a network trace of some sort instead of an on-the-ground real measurement. Currently, I can't get 4G at all (where I could before), and the 3G is so slow I can't load speedtest.net to send you a measurement.

The only place I've seen anything above 9Mb/s is in Claremont.

But your network guys say everything's fine.

I know it isn't, so I don't believe your network guys are correct, that's where it's at.

Anybody else in Cape Town have an LTE connection that actually works (that doesn't live in Claremont)?

EDIT: Managed to load speedtest.net (1.51Mbps/0.08Mbps)

5194314599.png
 
Last edited:
download 0.12mpbs, upload 0.01mpbs

Location: Linden, Johannesburg
Device : Huawei E367
Contract Type : prepaid - valid until 20 October 2016 (31GB still available)
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 6040800870
RAT : HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results: http://www.speedtest.net/result/5244346867.png
RSSI: 24%

I have recently moved to Linden, Johannesburg. Before moving I was told by Cell C to check on the Cell C map to see if my address was covered (it is covered, according to your map).

Your technician (Emanuel Knuena) phoned this morning & told me there is nothing he can do as the area must be blocked by a building or something. He was very unhelpful and when I suggested the blocked area be removed from the map so that people like me know in advance what to expect he said I as am still connecting so it is not a problem to show it on the map.

Downloading at this speed (at times so slow it's being displayed in bytes!!) is an equivalent to dial-up , not even EDGE, let alone 3G!

Do you intend to add a new tower to the area (alternatively stop lying and remove the area from the map!)?
 
Last edited:
ordy said:
Location: Linden, Johannesburg
Device : Huawei E367
Contract Type : prepaid - valid until 20 October 2016 (31GB still available)
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 6040800870
RAT : HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results: http://www.speedtest.net/result/5244346867.png
RSSI: 24%

I have recently moved to Linden, Johannesburg. Before moving I was told by Cell C to check on the Cell C map to see if my address was covered (it is covered, according to your map).

Your technician (Emanuel Knuena) phoned this morning & told me there is nothing he can do as the area must be blocked by a building or something. He was very unhelpful and when I suggested the blocked area be removed from the map so that people like me know in advance what to expect he said I as am still connecting so it is not a problem to show it on the map.

Downloading at this speed (at times so slow it's being displayed in bytes!!) is an equivalent to dial-up , not even EDGE, let alone 3G!

Do you intend to add a new tower to the area (alternatively stop lying and remove the area from the map!)?
Click to expand...

Good day

We are here to assist. Please PM us your contact details and a Consultant will contact you to assist.

^SM
 
So I took out a cell c data contract and they provided me a ZTE lte modem. Got at home and the modem picked up LTE on 2 bars signal. The speeds was low because according to there coverage map I am out of there coverage area but within 30 to 50 meters of coverage in varies directions. My speeds was about 3Mbps download. Got a outdoor antenna and then got 5 bars coverage and 8 to 12 Mbps download. Last Saturday evening my speeds just drop all the way down to 2Mbps and less. When I call there technical and network support they persist that I am not covered even though I tell if I put my router on 4G only I get signal even with good gain currently at -57dbm. They can not tell me why my speeds dropped all of a sudden to 2Mbps and lower. What can I do? I think I need to cancel this contract. Any advice guys?

And yes Emanuel spoke to me to!
 
Location: Lotus River, Cape Town

Experiencing intermittent internet loss and low speeds, from Newmans Farm Base station ongoing issue with ticket number 6040900466
 
I also bought their 100gb sim to use in my iPad on 28 March 2016. I have had problems connecting since then though im also in the so called 3G area in the
Pretoria CBD. I have been in constant contact with them from day one. One of their consultants even suggested I buy the blue tripple sim and do a sim swap, which I did to the cost of R20 but to date the network issues persist. I get less than 1mbps and half the day my ipad at the no service signal point. These guys must just disolve this sh*tty company and eff off to Dubai.
 
Jelly-tot said:
I also bought their 100gb sim to use in my iPad on 28 March 2016. I have had problems connecting since then though im also in the so called 3G area in the
Pretoria CBD. I have been in constant contact with them from day one. One of their consultants even suggested I buy the blue tripple sim and do a sim swap, which I did to the cost of R20 but to date the network issues persist. I get less than 1mbps and half the day my ipad at the no service signal point. These guys must just disolve this sh*tty company and eff off to Dubai.
Click to expand...

And now they are giving me the run a round because I want to cancel because of the **** service
 
marlinf said:
I've already had your network team investigate the issue. They told me that LTE works fine in this area when they tested it. I suspect that was based off a network trace of some sort instead of an on-the-ground real measurement. Currently, I can't get 4G at all (where I could before), and the 3G is so slow I can't load speedtest.net to send you a measurement.

The only place I've seen anything above 9Mb/s is in Claremont.

But your network guys say everything's fine.

I know it isn't, so I don't believe your network guys are correct, that's where it's at.

Anybody else in Cape Town have an LTE connection that actually works (that doesn't live in Claremont)?

EDIT: Managed to load speedtest.net (1.51Mbps/0.08Mbps)

5194314599.png
Click to expand...

mine started on the 9/04/2016
 
marlinf said:
I've already had your network team investigate the issue. They told me that LTE works fine in this area when they tested it. I suspect that was based off a network trace of some sort instead of an on-the-ground real measurement. Currently, I can't get 4G at all (where I could before), and the 3G is so slow I can't load speedtest.net to send you a measurement.

The only place I've seen anything above 9Mb/s is in Claremont.

But your network guys say everything's fine.

I know it isn't, so I don't believe your network guys are correct, that's where it's at.

Anybody else in Cape Town have an LTE connection that actually works (that doesn't live in Claremont)?

EDIT: Managed to load speedtest.net (1.51Mbps/0.08Mbps)

5194314599.png
Click to expand...

mine started on the 9/04/2016
 
Before 09/04/2016 I had speeds of 8 to 12Mbps down now it is less then 2Mbps
 
Dolby said:
Location: Randpark Ridge
Time of issue: 10.22am
Device: Black Cell C modem
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: n/a
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): n/a
Any other information relevant to the problem: Randpark Ridge down for days - with no throughput at all. I've noticed the past 4 days - but plenty of others say around a week. Note this is not just slow ... this is ZERO.

All good, Mr Mod?
Click to expand...

Hi Dolby

Thank you for posting to us.

Have you sent this to online support?

^BM
 
I'm probably setting a record here, and not in a good way:

5300761345.png


I haven't seen speeds like that since my dial up days. I'm running the sim in my old HTC Cha Cha, but can't see it bottlenecking to those speeds!

5311650338
 
Last edited:
cr@zydude said:
I'm probably setting a record here, and not in a good way:

5300761345.png


I haven't seen speeds like that since my dial up days. I'm running the sim in my old HTC Cha Cha, but can't see it bottlenecking to those speeds!
Click to expand...

Experience the same speeds on 3G whereby I wanna throw the modem to the wall. Literally have to use 4G to get internet access . http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/1922000110
 
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