Mobile Phone Reception issue?

[ashthekid]

I’ve noticed within my conversion project after installing a lot of PIR foil backed insulation that my mobile reception dramatically drops upon entering the property now from a good 4G signal to a mediocre 3G.

Is there anything, whilst I still have the chance, I can install to make the reception good again? It’s pretty annoying that something so simple could affect the signal so much. I imagine it’s just going to get worse once it’s plasterboard and doors hung. 
 

Any tips?

I’ve heard about plug-in boosters using your Wi-fi network but I’ve tried that at my parent’s property and it hasn’t made any difference whatsoever. 

[TonyT]

Run a cable to an additional access point?

 

[Temp]

1 hour ago, ashthekid said:

I’ve heard about plug-in boosters using your Wi-fi network but I’ve tried that at my parent’s property and it hasn’t made any difference whatsoever.

 

WiFi and 4/3g are totally different. Boosting WiFi has no effect on 4g.

 

Some phone companies used to offer mini 3/4g base stations that provided a phone signal indoors and used your broadband connection but I suspect they have all stopped offering those now.

 

There are some (illegal) mobile phone signal boosters that have an aerial outdoors, an amplifier and another aerial indoors. I half remember that another forum member has used one but perhaps I'm wrong. It's not me! 

 

Different phone companies use different masts. At my house the EE signal is stronger than Vodaphone for example so ask your friends around and compare network and signal strength. Changing network might improve things. 

 

 

 

[Temp]

1 minute ago, Temp said:

Some phone companies used to offer mini 3/4g base stations that provided a phone signal indoors and used your broadband connection but I suspect they have all stopped offering those now.

 

Actually it seems they have switched to offering calls over WiFi 

https://www.4g.co.uk/news/ee-o2-three-and-vodafone-which-networks-offer-wi-fi-calling/

[ashthekid]

Sadly I live in quite a small village which is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Currently only Vodafone works. I used to be on EE when I first moved here but had zero signal(which was quite nice for a while).

 

I’ve used the Vodafone signal booster that plugs into a standard electrical socket and then uses your existing Wi-fi to boost your signal but it’s awful and didn’t make a single difference, if anything it made it worse. 
 

I've seen this online too:

[elite]

I'm using what @Temp mentioned above - I have zero phone signal here, and now use wifi calling with three (wife does same on EE), doesn't need a base station/booster but does require a compatible handset and network - search for "wifi calling". Seems to work well for calls and texts if you have good wifi and reasonable internet

[Temp]

Do they still charge you call time?

[markc]

Internet phone systems are great.

as a company we now have no phone lines, everything is done over the internet and our mobiles also use the same connection while we are in or around the building

[SteamyTea]

2 minutes ago, markc said:

Internet phone systems are great.

Are they.  Not my experience of listening to phone interviews and radio phone in shows.

[markc]

7 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Are they.  Not my experience of listening to phone interviews and radio phone in shows.

Good morning, ours are fantastic, really clear. We were having problems with phone lines.

Our desk phones now plug straight into the back of the desktop pc’s.  

[joe90]

Interesting, I asked about this a few years ago, I am very rural but the signal varies minute but minute from 3 bar to nothing and I have to walk 1/4 mile down the road to make a call!!!!!. I also use an old phone (the only one that talks texts to me whilst driving in my Merc.) My builder had an EE phone, my son has an EE phone and they had no problem with signals so I may have to change phone and supplier (my cheap Tesco mobile does not do wifi calling.

[elite]

8 hours ago, Temp said:

Do they still charge you call time?

Yes, I think most (probably all), will use your monthly allowance then charge you at their normal rates

[TonyT]

I’ve just moved office and staff with company mobile phones now have an app so that the old landline number calls the mobile phone

 

2 weeks now and I can hear the ‘landline’ ring but can’t answer it- awesome!

[joe90]

Resurrecting this thread as I have now changed to EE and although a little better I still have border line signal. Rather than instal a land line and use wifi calling has anyone bought (a reasonable priced) signal booster they can recommend?

[dpmiller]

first thing to do is to comfirm which Band you local celltower is on- your phone's diagnostics might show this, or download an app like Networ Cell Info or the like.

[joe90]

I am such a Luddite, tried that app and it shows no EE masts anywhere, I need my son to work this out for me ?.

[dpmiller]

in Network Cell Info, look at the "Gauge" screen, the top speedo is the signal strength, IMT is the Band, and Fc is the actual frequency.

[Triassic]

Did anyone get to a solution to the foil backed PIR causing poor phone signal problem?

 

Our house if built of the stuff and the only place we can get a signal now is by the front door. I'm with Tesco mobile and the wife with Vodafone and has WiFi call enabled (dos'nt appear to work very effectively, as she misses loads of oncoming calls!)

 

We can't be the only ones living in a PIR house????

[joe90]

I changed from Tesco (O2) to EE as the reception seemed  better, but alas it’s not that good. No PIR but very rural. I was hoping an external aerial and repeater of some sort would help.

[Kelvin]

Just enable Wi-Fi calling. 

[ProDave]

On 11/11/2021 at 09:32, dpmiller said:

in Network Cell Info, look at the "Gauge" screen, the top speedo is the signal strength, IMT is the Band, and Fc is the actual frequency.

I can't post a screen shot from the phone.

 

Mine says "GPRS Sky"  Serving cell -97 dbm, Band 1, UAC: 518, CD: 6390, and at the left are the letters S, D, R and IWLAN where only S is "lit up" the others are greyed out.

 

Care to decipher what all that means?  No mention anywhere of actual frequency.

 

EDIT: Found another screen called "RAW" that says:

Operator: Sky

Mcc/Mnc : 23410

Voice NW: GPRS

MCC: 234

MNC: 10

Band : 1

LAC: 518

CID: 6390

RSSI: =95

ASU:9

Power :316.2fW

RXLEV: 16

[ProDave]

21 minutes ago, Triassic said:

Did anyone get to a solution to the foil backed PIR causing poor phone signal problem?

You have made the house into a Faraday cage.  I like mineral wool insulation.

[ProDave]

7 minutes ago, Kelvin said:

Just enable Wi-Fi calling. 

Not all phones do that and not all phones that claim to do that, work with all providers, and when you have a phone that claims to do it but it does not work with your provider they are not interested "buy a new phone" being the standard answer.

[dpmiller]

22 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I can't post a screen shot from the phone.

 

Mine says "GPRS Sky"  Serving cell -97 dbm, Band 1, UAC: 518, CD: 6390, and at the left are the letters S, D, R and IWLAN where only S is "lit up" the others are greyed out.

 

Care to decipher what all that means?  No mention anywhere of actual frequency.

 

EDIT: Found another screen called "RAW" that says:

Operator: Sky

Mcc/Mnc : 23410

Voice NW: GPRS

MCC: 234

MNC: 10

Band : 1

LAC: 518

CID: 6390

RSSI: =95

ASU:9

Power :316.2fW

RXLEV: 16

Band 1 is 2100MHz I think

GPRS is a slow data connection, your local mast isn't 3g is it?

[ProDave]

3 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

Band 1 is 2100MHz I think

GPRS is a slow data connection, your local mast isn't 3g is it?

The mast itself is probably capable of several bands and 3G 4G etc, but this is the only signal we get from it at home, 2G.  Yes I know it is no good for data.  I always thought it was 900Mhz band, the lowest and one that travels furthest?

 

Wanting to find out so I can look at those naughty powered extenders.