Surfing with 3 is horrible!!

NerdyChick

Hi.

I'm new on Boards so I hope this question haven't been posted before and I missed it. Apologies for repeats in that case.
Anyway, I have an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3 which I got a prepay SIM-only with 3 for.
My hubby has a branded Galaxy S2 phone with 3 on billpay.

The problem for me is that while he can surf with no problems, we live out in Balbriggan just for the record, I cannot surf at all.
Or it's more like sitting on an old 32k modem trying to load a streaming movie when I'm in fact only trying to get the google page up!
It's so bloody annoying!

I've talked to 3 tech support but of course that was useless, and totally expected. I've put in a new APN per 3's website advice but still no change.

Even in central Dublin I get the same crappy problem so for me the only thing is to connect to free wi-fi's when I'm out and about to be able to surf.

Does anyone else have a similar problem with an factory unlocked Galaxy S3 on 3??

Once I spoke to a girl at the three shop on Henry street, I think, and she mentioned something about branding my phone to 3 to maybe solv the problem?!
Is this even possible to do? Not that I'd even consider doing anything so foolish.

Please let me know if there's any thing I could try or if you got any tips for me to try to resolve this.

I'm strongly considering to leave 3 for another carrier but want to make sure it's not my phone that's the problem before doing that.

Thanx in advance!

jimmycrackcorm

Try swapping your sim with your OH to see if it makes a difference on either phone.

NerdyChick

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Try swapping your sim with your OH to see if it makes a difference on either phone.

Thank you for replying but my hubby has a normal size sim in his phone and S3 has the new micro sim otherwise I've done that.
And unfortunately I haven't got any other unlocked mobile handy to test his sim.
I have a Meteor locked older Samsung that I've trying to unlock, for times like this, but that's a whole other story.

TomoBhoy

Could you try resetting it, Branding it will not make it work better, if anything the branding does not make the phone use it's full capability

NerdyChick

TomoBhoy wrote: »

Could you try resetting it, Branding it will not make it work better, if anything the branding does not make the phone use it's full capability[/Quote.

I might have a go at that later. I think I've already reset this phone once before as I always test everything when I get a new gizmo.

I just want to make sure all my apps and settings are backed up first.
But isn't it strange that his phone can surf perfectly while mine seem to suffer chronic constipation!

ED E

Its probably not moving itself from 2G vodafone masts to 3G three ones as it should.

RangeR

NerdyChick wrote: »

Thank you for replying but my hubby has a normal size sim in his phone and S3 has the new micro sim otherwise I've done that.
And unfortunately I haven't got any other unlocked mobile handy to test his sim.
I have a Meteor locked older Samsung that I've trying to unlock, for times like this, but that's a whole other story.

Trim it down.

What letter do you see on your signal bar. You should see something like

In order of speed [Fast to Slow]
H, [3]G, E, R

R means you are "roaming" on Vodafone and may not get ANY data at all.

partnership

Try downloading an app called tweakker from google play. This will give all the apn settings required for any network. I unlocked a phone recently and had to use this to get the internet through 3 g as it only worked on wifi once unlocked.

NerdyChick

RangeR wrote: »

Trim it down.

What letter do you see on your signal bar. You should see something like

In order of speed [Fast to Slow]
H, [3]G, E, R

R means you are "roaming" on Vodafone and may not get ANY data at all.

When trying just now I get a G but most of the times its Edge.
But even though it says G it's slow as fcuk!
I just tried to access Reuters.com and it stuck after it only loaded about half a centimeter on the "loading page" indication bar when using Chrome. Unreal!!

Feckin hate 3!:mad:

Naw, sick of this. I'll ring or text until my credits run out and then I'll change network as thins in beyond a joke!

NerdyChick

partnership wrote: »

Try downloading an app called tweakker from google play. This will give all the apn settings required for any network. I unlocked a phone recently and had to use this to get the internet through 3 g as it only worked on wifi once unlocked.

Thanx. Will try it!
I have no problem with my wifi though only the 3g but that's almost worse.:(

stevenmu

NerdyChick wrote: »

But even though it says G it's slow as fcuk!

G actually means GPRS, which IIRC is about the same speed as a 28.8kbps modem (which is why it reminds you of that). If you're mostly going between Edge and GPRS then you are actually roaming on Vodafone's network which is why it's so slow.

I don't know much about your phone, someone else may be able to give tips on how to force it to use Three's own network.

ED E

Pull down the notification bar(the top) and hit settings, hit more, mobile networks, network mode: Select WCDMA Only. This will force you onto a 3 antenna or nothing at all. If you get signal, do a speedtest.

Burkatron

ED E wrote: »

Pull down the notification bar(the top) and hit settings, hit more, mobile networks, network mode: Select WCDMA Only. This will force you onto a 3 antenna or nothing at all. If you get signal, do a speedtest.

Does this not mean if you're in a non WCDMA area you wont be able to make or recieve calls? I have similar problems to the OP on my Galaxy S2 with 3!

RangeR

Burkatron wrote: »

Does this not mean if you're in a non WCDMA area you wont be able to make or recieve calls? I have similar problems to the OP on my Galaxy S2 with 3!

It means that you will never roam onto Vodafone. If you go to an area with no Three coverage, you get nothing.

NerdyChick

ED E wrote: »

Pull down the notification bar(the top) and hit settings, hit more, mobile networks, network mode: Select WCDMA Only. This will force you onto a 3 antenna or nothing at all. If you get signal, do a speedtest.

Oh, believe me I've tried to put it to WCDMA many times, works fine in central Dublin but here out in the sticks ie Balbriggan I straight away come back with "Emergency calls only"!

I just wonder how my hubby can surf without problems here at home, he rarely uses our wifi, but I can't and we're on the same network.

Just because his phone (Galaxy s2) is a 3 branded phone shouldn't make any difference or should it?