NBS - advice on 3G signal strength?

hollypink

My parents live in a pretty rural area and signed up to the NBS a few months ago. 3 automatically installed the Nextivity Repeater as the area is down as 'poor coverage' or something like that. They have problems using skype sometimes, it freezes and breaks down so when I was visiting last week I ran a few speed tests and the speed downstream varies from 3M to .1M (upstream is similar) and this seems to correlate with the signal on the 3G router (a Huawei 586 mifi) regularly going from a strong 3G signal to strong Edge to weak Edge signal and back to 3G again. I turned off the repeater to see what would happen and the signal didn't particularly deteriorate; maybe that's normal (the signal on the repeater is fairly consistently 2-3 bars). My parents aren't particularly bothered but I don't feel they are getting the contracted service.

I'm wondering if it's worth pushing them to complain to 3? If 3 install an outside aerial, is that likely to make any difference? Or is the signal strength fluctuation an inevitable feature of 3G if you're quite far from the mast? I don't know anything much about 3G myself as you can see. They don't need fantastic speeds, but skype (with video) is important to them as some of our family live abroad.

baords dyslexic

Have you checked at www.siteviewer.ie to see where the nearest mast(s) are and then tried pointing the Repeater in that direction?

iwantbroadband

I doubt that Three will install an outside aerial for you (I don't think they're obliged to, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong), but it's what I'd recommend you do.

That's the setup I have, an 11dbi directional aerial on the chimney TV pole pointing at the mast (located through www.siteviewer.ie) connected into a Huawei E156G USB modem in the attic, which is plugged into a Dovado UMR wireless router for wifi throughout the house.

The aerial made a huge difference and means we have around 35-41% strength 3G signal all the time, no fallbacks to EDGE at all.

However, whilst this means a stable connection, it doesn't mean consistent speeds. Normally it's pretty decent but tonight (Sat night, 10:30pm) I'm on a pathetic 0.18MB/s download and 111ms ping.

I think if you can do without the repeater, you should avoid using it, as it's only another device to cause problems. I tested one here that I borrowed from a friend and it made no difference, if anything I think it made things slower.

DF1

I'm in the same position and looking at repeaters on eBay fron hong kong, haven't a clue if they'll work.

If you don't mind me asking what make of repeater had you success with ?

Sponge Bob

Complain to the department of communications direct. It is up to 3 to get you a usable signal and service.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/communications/communications+development/national+broadband+scheme.htm

If you wish to speak to an official within Communications Development Division in relation to the National Broadband Scheme, please contact Niamh Hamill at 01-678 2123, or by email at nationalbroadbandscheme@dcenr.gov.ie.

eirator

DF1 wrote: »

I'm in the same position and looking at repeaters on eBay fron hong kong, haven't a clue if they'll work.

If you don't mind me asking what make of repeater had you success with ?

btw any of the repeaters from HK would be illegal to use here 3 hold a licence so can get away with providing the repeaters themselves as a self install :rolleyes:

An antenna and or better dongle/router location would be better see Remote 3G Installation for some ideas.