Usable mobile network in Chichester Habour

[RogerFoxTerrier]

I live minutes from Chi Harbour, and O2 is the best network I've found at home (although still crap) - but I get next to no signal on the water.

I've used the Ofcom checker but don't trust it as I don't get anywhere near the coverage at home it suggests - so can anyone recommend a network where I can actually get some usable signal?

Thanks

 

[jlavery]

I'm on EE, and it seems OK out on the water in Chichester Harbour.

 

[seumask]

Odd, I'm on O2 and I have not had significant issues in Chichester Harbour , based at Hayling Island sailing club often venturing to Itchenor, Bosham, Emsworth.

 

[lumphammer]

EE has always worked for me over last 12 years in the marina

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

Odd, I'm on O2 and I have not had significant issues in Chichester Harbour , based at Hayling Island sailing club often venturing to Itchenor, Bosham, Emsworth.

Yeah that is odd. Yesterday, on the Itchenor pontoon a call to my wife was unreadable and took about 5 mins to send a WhatsApp. I often reboot my phone when on board to help pick up the nearest cell.

 

[neil_s]

O2 works for me. GiffGaff, too.

 

[wonkywinch]

O2 works for me. GiffGaff, too.

GiffGaff uses the O2 network.

 

[wombat88]

I'm with Tesco mobile which I think is O2, it works all around the harbour.

 

[Boathook]

Yeah that is odd. Yesterday, on the Itchenor pontoon a call to my wife was unreadable and took about 5 mins to send a WhatsApp. I often reboot my phone when on board to help pick up the nearest cell.

I thought the phones went to the strongest signal automatically. It would seem possibly something is wrong with your phone or it is very old.

 

[[70521]]

I live minutes from Chi Harbour, and O2 is the best network I've found at home (although still crap) - but I get next to no signal on the water.

Isn't it brilliant. You can get away from all the day to day crap and enjoy peace and quiet on the water.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

I thought the phones went to the strongest signal automatically. It would seem possibly something is wrong with your phone or it is very old.

No, it's Samsung, about 6 months old. Same deal for son and wife who have Motos - all on O2.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

Isn't it brilliant. You can get away from all the day to day crap and enjoy peace and quiet on the water.

Well I'd rather be able to get weather info, arrange to meet friends, call the wife for a lift home or to let her know we're OK.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

I thought the phones went to the strongest signal automatically. It would seem possibly something is wrong with your phone or it is very old.

And it should be fine according to O2 - O2 Network Coverage Checker | 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G Coverage.

 

[Mark-1]

I live minutes from Chi Harbour, and O2 is the best network I've found at home (although still crap) - but I get next to no signal on the water.

That's weird. I also live in Chi and use Tesco (which is the O2 network). I get superb signal at home and all around the harbour and Solent. (Except for two spots in the Harbour.) I researched and specifically chose O2 because of good coverage in my house and the harbour. So I'd have said O2/Tesco was the perfect Network for our area.

As you, know signal in the town is frequently non-existent for all networks for technical reasons, but that's a different issue.

So that's a lot of words to say I can't help.

(Love the boat, BTW.)

 

[FinesseChris]

Yeah that is odd. Yesterday, on the Itchenor pontoon a call to my wife was unreadable and took about 5 mins to send a WhatsApp. I often reboot my phone when on board to help pick up the nearest cell.

Itchenor is a complete black hole for signal for us, on Vodafone or O2. Suspect the amount of money thereabouts blocks the signal in some fashion? Both networks fine in (relatively poor) Emsworth.

 

[Mark-1]

Itchenor is a complete black hole for signal for us, on Vodafone or O2. Suspect the amount of money thereabouts blocks the signal in some fashion? Both networks fine in (relatively poor) Emsworth.

Weirdly, I have no signal problems in and about Itchenor. (Tide is a problem, but that's a different issue. )

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

That's weird. I also live in Chi and use Tesco (which is the O2 network). I get superb signal at home and all around the harbour and Solent. (Except for two spots in the Harbour.) I researched and specifically chose O2 because of good coverage in my house and the harbour. So I'd have said O2/Tesco was the perfect Network for our area.

As you, know signal in the town is frequently non-existent for all networks for technical reasons, but that's a different issue.

So that's a lot of words to say I can't help.

(Love the boat, BTW.)

Yeah centre of Chichester is just a joke - I've heard the Cathedral (people, not the building) object to masts going up. This really p****** me off as my 13 yo daughter often goes into Chi with friends, and I literally can't contact her.

I live on the Manhood Peninsular and tested every network on a PAYG SIM and found O2 the best, although I rely more on wifi calling at home, but step out on the boat in Itchenor Reach and sail up towards East Head and there's almost nothing.

(thanks - we love the boat too - though have had many problems lately!)

 

[david_bagshaw]

No, it's Samsung, about 6 months old. Same deal for son and wife who have Motos - all on O2.

might be relevent, but newer phones seem to have poorer call connection quality, may be the regs reduced the power of the phone transmissions in recent years,

 

[ylop]

might be relevent, but newer phones seem to have poorer call connection quality, may be the regs reduced the power of the phone transmissions in recent years,

I think it’s feature priorities! You need to squeeze as much as you can in a tiny space and get best battery, camera and screen - somethings is going to give. The rather old fashioned practice of using a phone for phone calls is an easy victim!

not all phones are equal*; but I wonder if the OP would find any benefit in installing a 4/5G router with a decent antenna mounted somewhere up the mast.

*my wife and I have the same phone model, same network but she often has more signal - I suspect it’s because my battery is pretty knackered and so the phone tries to reduce power - you may have settings you can turn on/off.

 

[oldbloke]

Our house has very marginal mobile reception, last timex I was looking to buy a phone I looked hard but could find nothing on which phones have good/poor reception. With all the consumer sites and tech reviews I find it surprising that no-one has done a comparison or that no company has wanted to boast that they have the best phone