Paddydog`1
Member
Does anyone know the providerwith best coverage from Skye to the mull of kintyre. I'm thinking about either ee or 3 mobile
mobile broadband in western isles of scotland
- Thread starter Paddydog`1
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JumbleDuck
Well-known member
O2. Three coverage is poor outside the Firth of Clyde and roams to 2G on Orange/EE.
agurney
Active member
Vodafone, but "mobile broadband" is a rather grand term for the speeds you're likely to encounter
ianj99
Active member
Time for a reality check! Not even 3g at Oban, never mind further north and don't hold your breath for it ever arriving except maybe for a small zone around Oban and Fort William.
There will certainly never be any uniform coverage from the Mull of Kintyre northwards.
The situation is not much better for broadband.
Steve_N
Well-known member
That's the best way to look at it. None of the mobile operators have anything that could remotely be termed 'coverage' and you can go from full signal to nothing upon rounding a headland, or from full signal on your own network to full signal with 'Emergency calls only'. You get used to scanning the skyline for masts and recognising whose they may be from the form of the antenna.
We carry Vodafone, EE and O2 on the West coast and I'd say that Vodafone is the closest to offering 'coverage' but with little chance of 3G.
EE, where you can get it, often offers 3G.
O2 is just plain pants as far as I'm concerned (which I acknowledge disaagrees with Jumbleduck above). Our number 1 phones are on 02 and I'm not sure why we pay for a data allowance as there's little chance of using it productively anywhere in rural Scotland from my experience.
I guess that all the investement is going into 4G and 5G for the city dwellers.
The sooner that UK phone companies are forced to share masts in rural areas the better as until then we're in a worse situation at home than we are when travelling abroad.
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JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Disagreement is fine! As others have said, it's all so variable that the experience can depend on where exactly you sail, within a mile or two. I now have a Three/O2 dual-sim phone ( I can tether to either) and an unlocked mifi with a Three PAYG sim and a Manx Telecom data sim at the ready.
When I'm in the wilds, though, my other half texts me the inshore waters forecast twice a day, and I find that's the only semi-reliable way of getting information. I hope to automate that process with a dedicated Beaglebone Black (like a Raspberry Pi) for this summer.
EdWingfield
New member
Change your thinking.
Tell everyone you are 'off air' for the duration. Enjoy.
Tell everyone you are 'off air' for the duration. Enjoy.
NormanS
Well-known member
You're lucky you can even get texts. We have O2, Vodafone, and EE, and still find lots of places with no signal at all at sea level. Often, climbing a hill helps. Calmac piers usually have WiFi, and some places have a good enough signal to get XC Weather, which seems to come in even with a fairly modest signal.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
The good thing about texts is that they queue up and get through when even a week signal arrives for a few minutes. The worst place I was in for comms last year was Loch Moidart: no phone signal, no VHF. Which as we were galebound was a wee bit of a pain, but hey, we coped. Stuck our noses out after three days and scarpered for Muck, bounced around overnight and found solace, superb burgers and lovely wifi at Eigg,
NormanS
Well-known member
Was anchored in N Channel Moidart, and had a phone call from someone who never makes social calls. Very poor signal, which broke off when answered. Thought, "This must be serious", so into dinghy with phone, and rowed, in the wind and rain, to a spot where I happened to know that there is a reasonable signal. Phoned, and his wife answered and said laughing, "Oh, Bill was just at a loose end". Grrrr
CFarr
Member
Have to say that out west Vodaphone gives best chance in my experience with EE probably the worst and O2 inbetween.
Colleague was posting Facebook updates off Staffa on Vodaphone recently but no coverage at all on my O2.
However 3/4G - forget it as far as a reliable connection is concerned.
Colleague was posting Facebook updates off Staffa on Vodaphone recently but no coverage at all on my O2.
However 3/4G - forget it as far as a reliable connection is concerned.
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Vertical migration is often a better option. Send a text then haul phone up main halyard in a bag. Worked for me a few times.
wully1
Well-known member
I've had all the usual suspects on contract at one time or other and am about to switch back to Vodaphone as on balance they give the best coverage.
But they are all shit compared to built up / populated areas.
Then again, why head out west if you need a phone signal? The remoteness is a big part of the attraction isn't it?
But they are all shit compared to built up / populated areas.
Then again, why head out west if you need a phone signal? The remoteness is a big part of the attraction isn't it?
NorthUp
Active member
4G off the island of Coll, Vodafone. Apparently the locals did a deal with Vodafone a few years back.
wully1
Well-known member
dunedin
Well-known member
Walking boots (seriously!) are the best answer for mobile data in remoter West Coast of Scotland - plus as many different network SIMs as possible and BT wifi
Going ashore and climbing the nearest hill will usually get signal with one or our SIMs - Vodaphone (best), BT/EE and Three.
Covered quite a few family events / news on very remote West coast locations this way - including Shiant Islands, which get good signal if climb the west side
If not walk around any hamlet you find with with wifi turned on - some house will be using BT broadband which creates a public BT WiFi hotspot outside - though you may get chased away as a suspected stalker / burglar
Going ashore and climbing the nearest hill will usually get signal with one or our SIMs - Vodaphone (best), BT/EE and Three.
Covered quite a few family events / news on very remote West coast locations this way - including Shiant Islands, which get good signal if climb the west side
If not walk around any hamlet you find with with wifi turned on - some house will be using BT broadband which creates a public BT WiFi hotspot outside - though you may get chased away as a suspected stalker / burglar
alan_d
Well-known member
Unless your phone is very heavy it would probably be a good idea to rig a downhaul....
machone
Member
I'm not representing or selling anything but I do like gadgets. I bought an Inmarsat handheld satphone a couple of years ago and had hardly used it until last month. It's brilliant and not as expensive to keep topped up as you think, if it's important for communication. I also bought a delorme tracker which can send texts. Again, a very useful gadget for showing your track in real time and sending receiving texts.
I haven't yet bought but am thinking about getting an iridium go in case the Inmarsat doesn't have coverage. Check out the price of these gadgets because although not 3 or 4 g speeds they can keep you in contact anywhere in the world, if that's what you want! ps you can always turn them off when you don't.
I haven't yet bought but am thinking about getting an iridium go in case the Inmarsat doesn't have coverage. Check out the price of these gadgets because although not 3 or 4 g speeds they can keep you in contact anywhere in the world, if that's what you want!
ps you can always turn them off when you don't.DaveyG
Member
Have you considered using a foreign (European SIM) that will give you access to all available UK Networks?
The EU law changed recently and operators are only allowed to charge a 5% increment for EU Roaming (this 5% increment will be abolished in 2017 - assuming we stay in the EU).
So you could get say an Austrian 4G data SIM and get the best possible UK coverage (2/3/4G), perhaps for less than you are paying to your UK provider. You would have an Austrain phone number but you could ignore this and use Whatsapp, or other, for calls and messages.
There are currently no data limits on this as the EU have not defined their 'fair use' policy, or as they call it Global Roaming rules.
Maybe worth considering.
The EU law changed recently and operators are only allowed to charge a 5% increment for EU Roaming (this 5% increment will be abolished in 2017 - assuming we stay in the EU).
So you could get say an Austrian 4G data SIM and get the best possible UK coverage (2/3/4G), perhaps for less than you are paying to your UK provider. You would have an Austrain phone number but you could ignore this and use Whatsapp, or other, for calls and messages.
There are currently no data limits on this as the EU have not defined their 'fair use' policy, or as they call it Global Roaming rules.
Maybe worth considering.
Sandy
Well-known member
Problem is when you are that far north there is little in the way of networks.
