Which mobile network for the Dales?

samoff

Having suffered 18 months of '3', I am finally out of contract soon and will certainly be change my mobile phone network. One of the promises I've made to mrsmoff is that I'll endeavour to find the network that'll give me best coverage whilst I'm riding around the Dales (we're based in Harrogate).

Does anyone know know of a network that gives you any coverage at all when you're in the wilds of Yorkshire? (Obviously, a yogurt pot would be better than '3')

jairaj

I think most of the networks have a web page where you can enter your postcode and get a map of the level of coverage they offer (or claim to offer).

beverick

jairaj wrote:

I think most of the networks have a web page where you can enter your postcode and get a map of the level of coverage they offer (or claim to offer).

Here's O2's:

http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/map/mapPage_final.asp

Light blue shows coverage, white is no guarantee and black is no coverage.

Bizarrely my experience is that the coverage tends to be variable in the valley bottoms and gets better the higher you go - it's the same in the lakes.

I assume you need basic 2g coverage? If you're intending to use data services (GPRS/mobile web access or 3G services) you may struggle anywhere away from centres of mass population.

Bob

samoff

I'm checking the coverage maps, but to be honest I don't believe 'em. Three claim to have coverage in lots of places I no for a fact to offer no hint of a bar.

If anyone has first-hand experience of successfully phoning from, say, Malham then I'd be very grateful.

beverick

samoff wrote:

I'm checking the coverage maps, but to be honest I don't believe 'em. Three claim to have coverage in lots of places I no for a fact to offer no hint of a bar.

If anyone has first-hand experience of successfully phoning from, say, Malham then I'd be very grateful.

No problem on O2.

Bob

samoff

Cheers Bob

demmerson

I've found O2 coverage to be very poor in certain parts of the Dales. There is no signal at all in Upper Wharfedale north of Kilnsey (I believe the locals all use Orange) and none in Ribblesdale up round Horton and Ribblehead.

STEFANOS4784

I used to sell phones so can vouch for the fact that the coverage maps, well at least on vodafone, don't mean anything, i'd suggest trying pay as you go sims, 3 should unlock your phone for you free of charge as it is over 12 months old and your contract has expired and sims can be obtained for next to nothing on e-bay, hope this helps

singlespeedexplosif

the network that'll give me best coverage whilst I'm riding around the Dales

mobile phone coverage whilst riding....in fact mobile phones anywhere near a ride - I despair. I can't think of anything I'd like less when I was on a bike. And that includes being hit head-on by a tractor.

STEFANOS4784

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

the network that'll give me best coverage whilst I'm riding around the Dales

mobile phone coverage whilst riding....in fact mobile phones anywhere near a ride - I despair./quote]

I think you'd despair more if you were stuck 30 miles from anywhere with no means of getting help :arrow:

singlespeedexplosif

I think you'd despair more if you were stuck 30 miles from anywhere with no means of getting help
I don't think I would

STEFANOS4784

to each his own..........

ColinJ

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

I think you'd despair more if you were stuck 30 miles from anywhere with no means of getting help :arrow:

I think you'll find that cyclists had been enjoying being out in remote countryside for over 100 years before mobile phones were invented!

I only own a mobile phone because my mother bought me one for Christmas a couple of years ago. I don't usually carry it about with me.

Why would I be stuck in the middle of nowhere? I ride carefully and maintain my bike well so it doesn't fall apart unexpectedly. I carry spares and tools with me and know how to use them so I can fix things like punctures and broken chains. If I get hit by a vehicle, I'd probably be in no state to use a phone anyway and I'd rely on someone stopping and looking after me.

cougie

My '3' phone has had good reception pretty much everywhere I've been.
My mates 'o2' phone struggles at the local cycling cafe - which is odd. I think sometimes the phone plays a part ?

I thought 3 piggybacked onto one of the other networks - so it wouldnt be any worse than the others ?

They are handy for emergencies - but hopefully they are few and far between.

STEFANOS4784

ColinJ wrote:

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

I think you'd despair more if you were stuck 30 miles from anywhere with no means of getting help :arrow:

I think you'll find that cyclists had been enjoying being out in remote countryside for over 100 years before mobile phones were invented!

Why would I be stuck in the middle of nowhere? I ride carefully and maintain my bike well so it doesn't fall apart unexpectedly. I carry spares and tools with me and know how to use them so I can fix things like punctures and broken chains. If I get hit by a vehicle, I'd probably be in no state to use a phone anyway and I'd rely on someone stopping and looking after me.

Ah, but do you have any figures on how often they had to walk ages due to unexpected puncture etc? Doesn't matter how well a bike is maintained nothing will make it invincible to crashes or punctures, i was in the scouts so ya know be prepared and all that :P
Anyhoo maybe we could start a new helmet/no helmet, mpp3/no mp3 debate here
To each his own but i'd rather cover any eventuality just in case...................





P.s, i'm absolutely shite at bike maintenance, i'm still learning and it's difficult when yo're a cac-handed salesman, if i had to fix my bike out on the road i'm fairly certain i'd manage to make it 10 times worse, so there :P :arrow:

mrdales

I work in the dales and have finally settled with orange as it seems to give the best coverage.

redvee

As mentioned above the coverage maps for the networks can't be taken as gospel. There was a report on Watchdog on network coverage and 2 people who took the coverage map as a guide for their area found out that they couldn't get a signal at home and with the help of an engineer and his box of tricks, proved that there was no signal at their home and with this information they managed to get out of their new contract.

jordan_217

Being in Yorks Dales shouldn't you chose 't' mobile by default? Sorry couldn't resist I'll get my coat......

samoff

Funny enough, I did choose t'mobile.

And there we were at Pately Bridge yesterday: no bars at all on my phone, while a woman we shared our cafe table with had a full signal. With 3 mobile. Can't win can you.

jimmypippa

beverick wrote:

Bizarrely my experience is that the coverage tends to be variable in the valley bottoms and gets better the higher you go - it's the same in the lakes.

Not bizzarre at all....

Line of site.

How far can you see in Seathwaite? (maybe a mile at best? and that is UP) so 3 square miles, say...

How far can you see from Scafell Pike? On a good day, Snowdonia, and the Isle of Man, so say 50-miles radius... so seven-thousand square miles...

How many mobile masts? Los of rock and earth block the signals.

alan_sherman

3 is piggy backing on the T mobile 2G network these days IIRC, and T mobile and orange are doing a network share with their merger into "everything everywhere".

Usually O2 and Vodafone have better coverage due to their legacy network of stations, but I think everything everywhere is quite close, depending on where you actually are.

sheffsimon

alan sherman wrote:

3 is piggy backing on the T mobile 2G network these days IIRC, and T mobile and orange are doing a network share with their merger into "everything everywhere".

Usually O2 and Vodafone have better coverage due to their legacy network of stations, but I think everything everywhere is quite close, depending on where you actually are.

You've dug deep to revive this thread mate from 2 1/2 yrs ago.

alan_sherman

Wow - you are right. Odd that is was on page one of the forum. Maybe I clicked on filter by date, oldest first by accident! Wierd. Bloomin technology!

plowmar

Can't you get emergency cover irrespective of which network that you are on?

Kendal Black Drop

plowmar wrote:

Can't you get emergency cover irrespective of which network that you are on?

You can make 999 calls regardless of your provider but only if there is coverage from one of the other networks.

plowmar

True, but my impression from OP was that no one provider covers the dales but that there is always one available, perhaps I misunderstood.

Kendal Black Drop

Nearly all of the Dales will be covered by at least one provider, but there are some areas where you will not get any phone reception at all. Any sparsely populated rural area with large hills will be the same. If you don't stray too far from the main roads then you shouldn't have a problem.

bompington

Kendal Black Drop wrote:

plowmar wrote:

Can't you get emergency cover irrespective of which network that you are on?

You can make 999 calls regardless of your provider but only if there is coverage from one of the other networks.

I heard on a first aid course, I don't know if it's true but the guy seemed to know his stuff for most things, that the network is set up so that a 999 call has more chance of getting through regardless of which network. You can also register to send texts to 999, as a text has far more chance of getting through.

Kendal Black Drop

bompington wrote:

I heard on a first aid course, I don't know if it's true but the guy seemed to know his stuff for most things, that the network is set up so that a 999 call has more chance of getting through regardless of which network. You can also register to send texts to 999, as a text has far more chance of getting through.

That is my understanding too.

The weather can also make a big difference.

I've spent a lot of time down dales and up hills trying to send texts, make calls and playing with radios. Some places where you can't normally even send a text from you can occasionally actually make a call.