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

Good Day Glipsie

Got all other info.
Thank for the update.
Looking in to it.

Regards
~AM~
 
Speeds at 00:30 are pretty good:


Wish they were like this between 7 and 9 as well. Earlier tonight I could not access anything. I would be connected for roughly 2 minutes before my connection would completely die; I would be connected but wouldn't be able to access or ping anything. Disconnect and reconnect and everything is fine for another two minutes.

Just not usable, so now I'm up at 00:32 finishing off work that I was hoping to get done by 21:00 >:(
 
Location: Hospital Park, Bloemfontein
Time of issue: 2011-07-08; since about 08h40
Device (Huawei / ZTE): Huawei Black Stick E1820 11.831.03.00.00
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): post
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 1379133, 1391134
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): not possible
Any other information relevant to the problem: frequent disconnects; connects, but no throughput; no connection at all... in other words, the USUAL :mad::confused::sick::(:eek::rolleyes:
RSSI: -83dBm
Cell ID: 49343
RAT: 3G/HSPA+

Another Cell C EPIC FAIL!

Posted using Vodacom

P.S. At least I have the correct modem to use when I move over to 8ta...
 
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Guys & Gals, please stick to the format provided in the first post. Things have been good up till now, but suddenly there is a lot of incomplete or off topic posting.

If you have already posted your details as per the template and have more info to add please quote your post and add the additional info below that. That way the mods and the rep can see you've provide your info as requested (a number of you have already been doing this - thanks).
 
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Re-added this, as it was deleted... (Original Post Yesterday)

Location: Douglasdale, Gauteng
Time of issue: Ongoing, for almost 2 months
Device: Huawei E1820
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: TT:1384343

This is a follow on to my previous post a few weeks ago... I am noticing a definite trend in the low throughput issue - it's always in the evenings and on weekends - during the day in the week the speeds are great, sometimes on the weeked the speeds are great, but always in the evening it just falls apart.

I think there are serious capacity issues on this network, there are too many people in my area who have Cell C, and it shows, cause when they are all home the quality of the network degrades.

Today during the day I was getting 75ms ping, above 9Mbps download and above 2Mbps upload... Now, I am getting this: http://www.speedtest.net/result/1378341176.png

Its not like this happens every now and again, its EVERY day... Great during the day, shocking at night, great during the day, shocking at night...

The network was great since I got the modem, but in the last 2 months it has been shocking - only 4 months left on the contract, will this improve or should I start shopping around for another provider? I see 8ta has a good special on right now
 
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Location: Robyn Street, Jukskei Park
Date & Time of Issue: 10/07/2011 20:00, and every other evening for at least the past 2 weeks
Device Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E-1820
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid 5GB/month
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 1413949.
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): not saved, but approx upload 2Mbps, download 0.2Mbps
Cell ID (if possible):
RSSI (if possible, see How to check signal strength (RSSI))
Any other information relevant to the problem: Performance is OK-ish during the day, but at night it comes to a standstill. Ping times to google.co.za of as high as 235763 ms (yes, that's almost 4 minutes)! Tested with device plugged into Linux and Windows laptops, and into 2 different routers - same results on all.
 
Date,ConnType,Lat,Lon,Download,Upload,Latency,ServerName
"2011-07-13 06:07","Wifi","-26.12510","28.05700",4989,1517,72,"Johannesburg"

Ok, so I have closely monitored my performance over the last 24 hours, and it has been pretty good, even during peak periods where it never fell below 3mbps.

This is certainly good enough for me to cancel my mediocre Telkom ADSL, if only I could be more certain of a measure of stability in this performance from Cell C - it has been quite poor in the recent past.

It may be in my interest to install an external antenna, except that :

1) How do I determine the position of the best tower in my area? (Where are these towers ?)
2) There seems to be doubt about the functionality of the E1820 antenna connection - what is the truth about this, do I maybe need to get another device - if so which one ? (How effective are inductive couplings ?)

Could Cell C assist wrt these questions ?
 
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Jola said:
1) How do I determine the position of the best tower in my area? (Where are these towers ?)
2) There seems to be doubt about the functionality of the E1820 antenna connection - what is the truth about this, do I maybe need to get another device - if so which one
Click to expand...

For (1) you can just use the process of elimination, provided you're not behind a large obstruction like a tree or a wall. Turn the antenna say 10 degrees, wait 1 minute, record signal strength, turn again, etc.
For (2) see this post and the the few following that
 
Traffic stops flowing every few minutes. Have to disconnect and reconnect every time manually to browse again. Pinging Cell C's website on IP address also gives no response.

Location: Stellenbosch
Date & Time of Issue: 19/7/2011 (last hour or so)
Device Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E-1820
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid 5GB/month
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): not saved but 2 meg down, didn't check upload
RSSI varies between -70 dBm and -85 dBm
 
ajax said:
Traffic stops flowing every few minutes. Have to disconnect and reconnect every time manually to browse again. Pinging Cell C's website on IP address also gives no response.

Location: Stellenbosch
Date & Time of Issue: 19/7/2011 (last hour or so)
Device Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E-1820
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid 5GB/month
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): not saved but 2 meg down, didn't check upload
RSSI varies between -70 dBm and -85 dBm
Click to expand...

I also had yesterday massive problems, i get connected but no throughput. sometimes there also came that the remote computer didnt answered. That problems runnung since beginning this year. mostly between 6 and 9pm, but yesterday wath the record 4 hours nearly nothing.

Location Randburg
Date: 19.07 the whole evenning
Device Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E1752
Contract: Prepaid 2GB

That issue´s are terrible, the internet in Sierra Leone is better than here....
 
Location: pta north. north abeam wonderboom airport
Date & Time of Issue: 10:30 2011-07-21
Device Manufacturer & Model : ZTE MF190
Contract Type : pp
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: 350467
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): na
speed test results : na
RSSI: na
Any other information relevant to the problem: before i had 3g/umts/hspa , now after time of the issue i have ZERO 3g/umts/hspa signal
 
knightfourtwo said:
Re-added this, as it was deleted... (Original Post Yesterday)

Location: Douglasdale, Gauteng
Time of issue: Ongoing, for almost 2 months
Device: Huawei E1820
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Prepaid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: TT:1384343

This is a follow on to my previous post a few weeks ago... I am noticing a definite trend in the low throughput issue - it's always in the evenings and on weekends - during the day in the week the speeds are great, sometimes on the weeked the speeds are great, but always in the evening it just falls apart.

I think there are serious capacity issues on this network, there are too many people in my area who have Cell C, and it shows, cause when they are all home the quality of the network degrades.

Today during the day I was getting 75ms ping, above 9Mbps download and above 2Mbps upload... Now, I am getting this: http://www.speedtest.net/result/1378341176.png

Its not like this happens every now and again, its EVERY day... Great during the day, shocking at night, great during the day, shocking at night...

The network was great since I got the modem, but in the last 2 months it has been shocking - only 4 months left on the contract, will this improve or should I start shopping around for another provider? I see 8ta has a good special on right now
Click to expand...

Connectivity seems to be a bit better in the evenings, but the latency is still a major issue... The problem is that it fluctuates all the time, there is no consistency.

 
Pathetic after hours performance

knightfourtwo said:
Location: Douglasdale, Gauteng

I am noticing a definite trend in the low throughput issue - it's always in the evenings and on weekends - during the day in the week the speeds are great, sometimes on the weeked the speeds are great, but always in the evening it just falls apart.

I think there are serious capacity issues on this network, there are too many people in my area who have Cell C, and it shows, cause when they are all home the quality of the network degrades.
Click to expand...

I have had exactly the same problems in Jukskei Park. Technical call ref 1413949 dated 10/7/2011, promised feedback in 7-10 days, nothing to date....... Anyone else experiencing the same, or got any feedback on whether they're at least looking into the problem?
 
I finally had my internet fixed after 7 months of hassle. I am now getting speeds of between 4-5mb/s, and I can use the internet in the evenings with no disconnects at all. Northgate/Northriding area, Johannesburg North. So, to whover finally got somebody to fix it, thank you.
 
I am also noticing more and more that my phone is struggling with network data connection. Often now it will say A network error has occurred. Retry or cancel and return to the previous screen.

This has been happening at home and now it is also happening in Midrand. Sometimes switching to 3G or back to EDGE will sort it out...but many times all you can do is wait it out. urg.
 
Markkis said:
... i get connected but no throughput. sometimes there also came that the remote computer didnt answered....
Location: Durban North
Date: Today and just about always
Device Manufacturer & Model: Huawei E1752
Contract: Prepaid 2GB

That issue´s are terrible, the internet in Sierra Leone is better than here....
Click to expand...

+1
Browsing is totally painful.
 
Jer1cho said:
I finally had my internet fixed after 7 months of hassle. I am now getting speeds of between 4-5mb/s, and I can use the internet in the evenings with no disconnects at all. Northgate/Northriding area, Johannesburg North. So, to whover finally got somebody to fix it, thank you.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same area, had a poynting installed and I'm still struggling with my Internet. I really feel like giving up with Cell C.


Sent from the MyBroadband iPhone App
 
Mine is OK at the moment, after a lot of hassle over the last few months - just as well since I have canned my ADSL.

I get between 1mbps and 5mbps DL, depending on time of day, which is OK considering that my 4mbps ADSL was usually performing well below 1mbps.

I still want to get a decent external antenna, but I am having difficult finding a modem that supports 900MHz UMTS and an external antenna.

The E1820 works well, but doesn't really have external antenna support, and I tried a Sierra Aircard 307 which gave constant disconnects.

There is the new Vodafone K4605 modem, but it does not look as if many 3G routers support that as yet.
 
Jola said:
Mine is OK at the moment, after a lot of hassle over the last few months - just as well since I have canned my ADSL.

I get between 1mbps and 5mbps DL, depending on time of day, which is OK considering that my 4mbps ADSL was usually performing well below 1mbps.

I still want to get a decent external antenna, but I am having difficult finding a modem that supports 900MHz UMTS and an external antenna.

The E1820 works well, but doesn't really have external antenna support, and I tried a Sierra Aircard 307 which gave constant disconnects.

There is the new Vodafone K4605 modem, but it does not look as if many 3G routers support that as yet.
Click to expand...

I borrowed one from work the other day and could not get my cell c card working in it. Neither pc nor router. I think the crappy voda software is messing with us!


Sent from the MyBroadband iPhone App
 
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