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

[Legosa]

Location: Sunninghill, Simba Road (Joburg)
Date & Time of Issue: From Mon 14th Jan 2013 to 16th, between 8am and 3pm
Device Manufacturer & Model (e.g. Huawei E1820, ZTE MF190, Not: Black Modem, White Modem): iPhone 5
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Post Paid
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: Contact with Tsepho from Call Centre
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): 3G and edge
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): at 6am speeds at 6Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. After 8am, no results
Cell ID (if possible):
RSSI (if possible, see How to check signal strength (RSSI))
Any other information relevant to the problem:
No data connection during office hours, set it to EDGE manually, that sometimes helps, but congestion is really bad. Early hours of the morning, 6am to 8am, speeds are quick, after that, useless. All I ask for is a connection that allows my mail and whatsapp's to come through, not expecting good streaming. Also, with the phone searching for a data connection, battery drains really quickly.

 

[JimM]

I'm currently on vodacom and upgrading next month, I'm really interested in Cell-C, but after reading all this.... hmm having second thoughts.

I have switched two of my Vodacom numbers over to Cell C... Not a moment of regret.

Vodacom may have a reasonable network in some places but they neglect to spend any money on existing infrastructure and so places like Stilbaai (with a 'out of season' population of 8000 or so) have the network collapse in a heap once we have 55,000 people on holiday here!

I can't recall the last Vodacom SIM card I RICA'ed here... Everyone wants Cell C and cheap fast data, something sadly Vodacom can't provide...

 

[Jola]

Benmore Gardens @ 13:59 on LTE using a Huawei E589 : DL=13190kbps; UL=8728kbps; Ping=37ms.

 

[Jola]

After Hours in Illovo :

Little doubt that this is a congestion issue.

 

[Jola]

Couldn't even run a speedtest on Cell C this morning.

I now have a formal policy :

Vodacom for browsing on weekdays (I have LTE cover, and a E398 LTE modem, but due to my Top Up contracts cannot use it !!! - come on, Vodacom !!!)

Cell C for evenings and weekends (browsing, downloading, etc with a Giga200). Maybe someday with LTE - once my area has LTE cover.

ADSL doesn't work in this area, congestion just kills it stone dead.

 

[WernerVanAs]

Is there some sort of issue in Braamfontein JHB? Network speeds range from dismal to nonexistent. It's been like that for this entire week. At home the network seems fine but at home I have DSL so I don't need mobile data there. The problem isn't only with my device. My colleague is having the same issue.

Can someone from CellC please give an explanation of what the issue is. Not just some generic "We are having some technical issues".

 

[Andre53]

It would be nice if Cell-C can Report Problems on their Website. Or if you do call in have a voice message that inform us if there is a problem.

Yesterday I called in, had to wait for 18 minutes before they answer. I ask the lady if there is a problem because I can't get connected, if I could, connect, I could not open any sites, No e-mail. Only then she told me that there was a problem with Cell-C network in Johannesburg, Data and Voice, but did not tell me what the problem was and how long it will take to fix.

We had no network from round about 10AM. This morning I connect but the connection is very slow and it is a waste of time and data to do anything on the network.

 

[duk3]

Location: Kenridge, Cape Town
Date & Time of Issue: 18/1/13
Device Manufacturer & Model: ZTE MF668
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): prepaid (R1299 promo for 24gig)
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: n/a
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): 3G, when actually able to stay connected
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): n/a (haven't tested)
Any other information relevant to the problem: Frequent disconnects

Getting frequent disconnects today.

 

[Human.Debris]

Getting dropped calls on the entire network on RedBull Mobile. Been a problem for the whole last week. Signal is up and down like a yo-yo. What is happening??

 

[3Gee]

Dropped calls have become a major problem in the southern suburbs, cape town.
Been going on for a few weeks now. The problem is only getting worse.

 

[usaf2103]

No 3G all weekend in Fourways/Lonehill

Is there some sort of issue in Braamfontein JHB? Network speeds range from dismal to nonexistent. It's been like that for this entire week. At home the network seems fine but at home I have DSL so I don't need mobile data there. The problem isn't only with my device. My colleague is having the same issue.

Can someone from CellC please give an explanation of what the issue is. Not just some generic "We are having some technical issues".

3G seems nonexistent all weekend in the Lonehill/Fourways area, my iPad battles to understand what that little E means and acts accordingly!

Anyone know what the hell is going on? No complaints before this as I have been getting consistently good speeds.

 

[Jola]

IMO the mobile networks are congested because the non-torrents folk are moving away from ADSL because of high line costs and poor performance. Thanks for the incompetence, Telkom !!!

 

[CellBel]

IMO the mobile networks are congested because the non-torrents folk are moving away from ADSL because of high line costs and poor performance. Thanks for the incompetence, Telkom !!!

I think you have a point, i don't even complain anymore regarding Cell's performance in my area.
I use it for browsing (&downloading if i have lots of time) and it's a waste of time to try watching Youtube videos. So this "New Offer" won't bring better speed here, and we'll have to see what it will be price-wise.
Lots of disconnections as well lately.

 

[Jola]

R I P !!!

My Cell C died from congestion at 07:00 this morning, as soon as the traffic in Oxford Road picked up.

Modem still showing a light blue light, though, but cannot even run a speedtest.

 

[Legosa]

Same here, my iPhone data stopped at 7:30am this morning, Sunninghill. Been an issue the whole of last week since I moved offices. Cannot even send a whatsapp or iMessage even when I force EDGE.

But the weird thing is that I am typing this through our office temporary 3G CellC Dongle. Either iPhone works on different frequency band/s or the towers prioritize dongles. Have full 3G bands.

 

[GRES]

CONSTANT DISCONNECTIONS!!!
Trying to download file 190Mb - disconnected all times after 3-4 min.
Terrible!!

 

[The Profiler]

Getting massive latency and severe packet loss, logged the problem with the Cell C rep, via email and their website.

Waiting for feedback. I am in the Wonderboom South area Pretoria. Ive been having problems for the last couple of months. I used to be able to Game a bit on Cell C, now I can hardly even browse the web anymore. Happens on my phone and on my modem.

 

[KarateKallie]

Location: Radiokop, Roodepoort, GP
Date & Time of Issue: 19:00 - 23:00 during weekdays (basically anytime during peak time)
Device Manufacturer & Model: ZTE MF668
Contract Type (pre- or post-paid): Pre Paid: 100 GB deal. 98 GB remaining.
Existing reference numbers from Helpdesk: none
RAT (2G/3G/HSPA+): HSPA+
www.speedtest.net results (if possible): Not possible. Can't even google.
Cell ID (if possible): 12791
RSSI: -71 dBm
Any other information relevant to the problem: I can connect without any problems, but get no response from any website I try to access. I orginally came on board Cell C in Nov 2011. I had very few problems back then. Over the last couple of months, at regular intervals, I have experienced no throughput on my connection. It has now reached a point where I cannot access the Internet at all early in the night. I have to connect late at night or in the early hours of the morning to get any throughput. During these times the connection is fantastic. Seems like a congestion issue which Cell C has not been addressing. Posting this from my Vodacom cell phone.

 

[Legosa]

Post your issues as well to CellC Rep.

I had a CellC Network rep out yesterday to my office. She could not connect either with her Nokia or Samsung. 10 minutes later after speaking to the Network Technicians, decent downloads speeds of 6Mbps. Keep on pestering CellC and hopefully they will resolve.

The also upgraded the capacity on the network in Sunninghill, or so they say. Only time will tell if the have resolved the issue here.

 

[The Profiler]

0 throughput

Getting massive latency and severe packet loss, logged the problem with the Cell C rep, via email and their website.

Waiting for feedback. I am in the Wonderboom South area Pretoria. Ive been having problems for the last couple of months. I used to be able to Game a bit on Cell C, now I can hardly even browse the web anymore. Happens on my phone and on my modem.

0 throughput on both phone and modem, I cant even use the 800+MB that I still have left for the remaining 3 days of the month.

Tested on Sunday with the same result so I do not think it is congestion, tested again now and the results are: Screenshots of phone + pc right now the modem shows connected and good signal strength but can not open any websites.

Very frustrating.