Mobile phone provider Woodbridge area

[Leighb]

Hi, we are moving to Woodbridge soon, and it is obvious on our visits there that our current mobile provider, EE, is pretty useless in Woodbridge, OK in the marina at HW rubbish otherwise, no signal at all in the area we are moving to, very patchy elsewhere in the town.
Anyone on here from that area who can suggest who it might be worth moving to? O2, Vodaphone? ANother?

 

[Chae_73]

I'm on EE via Virgin, my father is on O2, doesn't seem much to chose between them to be honest.

 

[Seashoreman]

Mobile Coverage Checker | Check 5G, 4G & 3G | BT mobile
I use BT around Suffolk Coastal and rarely lose signal.
There is an app for BT Hotspots and it seems there are three of these free wi-fi hotspots in Woodbridge.
Have had good coverage off shore also.

 

[Chae_73]

BT mobile uses the EE network, I think?

As above, I find EE ok, I'm around the Deben area mainly when I'm in Suffolk.

It does have some blackspots, as all networks do.

 

[Tradewinds]

Son-in-law uses EE and says it's not too great around town. Daughter uses Vodafone and says it's OK for signal as far as signals go in Woodbridge - probably best of the bunch.

I also use Vodafone and find it pretty good - Yoxford all the way down to the Orwell and haven't noticed any really bad spots in recent times.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Try this:

Ofcom

It's from Ofcom, shows the coverage of all four actual networks.

 

[Leighb]

Try this:

Ofcom

It's from Ofcom, shows the coverage of all four actual networks.

Thanks, I have had a look, but it shows that EE has good coverage where I know from experience that It is zero.?
Difficult to make any choice when the Ofcom table shows them all the same for that postcode!! The coverage map looks identical for all networks which seems improbable in reality. I guess we will just have to ask around locally and form a view.

 

[ex-Gladys]

The difficulty is that cells are very dependent on very local topography including whether your close to a building or tree...

 

[Concerto]

Just an observation. I recently changed from an i-Phone 5S to i-Phone SE and the reception in my local area has improved a lot due to the change of phone.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Vodafone

 

[Leighb]

Just an observation. I recently changed from an i-Phone 5S to i-Phone SE and the reception in my local area has improved a lot due to the change of phone.

Mine is an iPhone 5SE, the first iteration of the SE designation, maybe the latest SE might be better?

 

[John 32i]

I am with Vodaphone and my wife with O2 - wouldn't like to choose between them as neither are 100% on the rivers.

Hasn't EE been bought by BT? Not that that's a good recommendation!

 

[Concerto]

Mine is an iPhone 5SE, the first iteration of the SE designation, maybe the latest SE might be better?

I noticed how my daughter's i-Phone 7 and 8 performed so much better than my 5S, you could see how technology was improving the performance. She kept badgering me I should change to a new model. She was so impressed with my new SE, she now has the same. The latest SE has the same chip as the i-Phone 11. The other major improvement is battery life. When new the 5S lasted all day with my usage and overtime this dropped until I was having to charge it once or twice a day. The new SE lasts me all day with about 3 hours useage. If just left on and not used, it will last 2 days. Certainly would suggest a new phone will give you more benefit than changing provider. The camera is far better and the phone is also splashproof. You can either buy direct from Apple, they also offer 0% over 2 years, or on a contract from your current provider.

 

[Concerto]

duplicate post

 

[Leighb]

I noticed how my daughter's i-Phone 7 and 8 performed so much better than my 5S, you could see how technology was improving the performance. She kept badgering me I should change to a new model. She was so impressed with my new SE, she now has the same. The latest SE has the same chip as the i-Phone 11. The other major improvement is battery life. When new the 5S lasted all day with my usage and overtime this dropped until I was having to charge it once or twice a day. The new SE lasts me all day with about 3 hours useage. If just left on and not used, it will last 2 days. Certainly would suggest a new phone will give you more benefit than changing provider. The camera is far better and the phone is also splashproof. You can either buy direct from Apple, they also offer 0% over 2 years, or on a contract from your current provider.

Thanks, that is very helpful, maybe we need to splash out! My wife still has a 5S and in spite of one battery replacement it still does not last that long. Neither of us like the larger form factor of later models, but the new SE is a similar size to the 5 is it not?

 

[Concerto]

Thanks, that is very helpful, maybe we need to splash out! My wife still has a 5S and in spite of one battery replacement it still does not last that long. Neither of us like the larger form factor of later models, but the new SE is a similar size to the 5 is it not?

Slightly larger, but very similar in size. I also dislike the giant phones. I also have a screen protector and this is the same size to fit the 6S/7/8 and SE. For extra protection I have a Tech21 Evo Check case protector which also fits the 7 and 8. For carrying I have a leather vertical belt pouch which adds extra protection. Never damaged a phone yet in over 20 years. These 3 extras are available from eBay and Amazon at keen prices.

 

[Charlotte Anne]

Leigh, the other key feature is 'wifi calling'. It means that your mobile will work in your home even if there is no mobile reception. I always seems to be free but you always need to ask them to switch it on - I have no idea why. It means that we have mobile service in a house with very thick stone walls, and indeed have now done away with the landline altogether.

It won't help when you are around town. I find it amazing that a town the size and wealth of Woodbridge has a problem - there is not even the steep sided valley that they used as an excuse for years in Salcombe (now solved by a big ugly town on the hill).

 

[ditchcrawler]

I live in Woodbridge. Down by the shops and near the river the reception is rubbish. I race model yachts on the pond and there the reception is even more rubbish whoever your provider is. Why it cannot be sorted I do not know.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Different makes of phone are vastly different in terms of reception. I have never had (nor will have) an iPhone, but with Android, I have found my HMD Nokia to be way better than my wife's Sony. She will have no or very poor reception, I will have full signal being only a couple of feet away

 

[PeterWright]

Hi,

In general, EE offer better coverage than other providers simply because they resulted from a merger of T-Mobile and Orange, hence inherited two networks of masts. Of course, they retired a lot of them where overlap was unnecessary but they tended to keep those which improved coverage compared to either of the two predecessor companies. yes, they were since acquired by BT, but I don't believe that led to further network sharing.

i use a Huawei (forget what model) Android phone and find Woodbridge generally OK, except around the river wall towards Kyson, which includes the model yacht pond.

If you want to know why improvements are not made quickly, see the post explaining the consequences of improvement in Salcombe and remember that Suffolk Coastal District Council is keen to protect visual amenity in the district.

Peter.