Applegreen Motorway Services and phone signal

kingofburt

This might be better suited to Commuting and Transport so apologies to the mods if it needs moved.

I often stop at Applegreens on the M2 outside Belfast and always curse at the lack of phone coverage, but it's in the countryside so that's life.

However, I was in Dublin at the weekend and stopped at their services on the M1 around Balbriggan (not sure of the exact name) and had the same thing happen, no phone coverage. Thinking this was coincidental I thought I'd check as I drove up the road to Belfast and noticed as I drove passed the new site close to Lisburn spanning both sides on the motorway that my signal dropped again.

Has anyone else noticed this in Applegreens or am I just being very unlucky with my phone signal?

projectgtr

Yeah its something ive noticed myself, same with a lot of work mates. Always thought it was just the loaction.

CorkMan_

I'd to go to Mullingar from Dublin last week. Stopped at the Applegreen services both on the way and on the journey home at Enfield. It just happened I'd to make phone calls both times and I had to go outside each time. Thought it was just my phone!

R.O.R

Report it to your network (customer services probably).

Believe it or not, they have people who's job it is to drive around and check phone signal in different area's.

Homer

In another life I used to service ATM machines on behalf of BOI and I know that the latest ATM machines have a mobile back up in case the phone lines go down to enable the machines to continue to operate.. I was in a couple of the applegreens around the country and noticed the same issue when testing the mobile connection on the routers.. I spoke to the managers and was informed it was to do with the shape and material they build the roofs with. Not intentional but an unfortunate side effect of the design.

MarkR

Like a faraday cage. Seems to be the curse of modern offices.

kingofburt

That's a pretty good answer Homer, thanks for the explanation. Pretty inconvenient side effect for a motorway services building!

Cuddlesworth

Homer wrote: »

In another life I used to service ATM machines on behalf of BOI and I know that the latest ATM machines have a mobile back up in case the phone lines go down to enable the machines to continue to operate.. I was in a couple of the applegreens around the country and noticed the same issue when testing the mobile connection on the routers.. I spoke to the managers and was informed it was to do with the shape and material they build the roofs with. Not intentional but an unfortunate side effect of the design.

Unless the roof was between you and the Mast, that seems unlikely.

MarkR

If the frame of the building was also adding to the issue, it would make sense.

r3nu4l

Interesting thread. Not Applegreen but at the Manor stone Topaz at junction 3 on the M8. I have a similar issue. Outside the building, the signal is fine on the 3 network but the moment I step inside I have no service...

They couldn't be using a jammer, surely?

laoisfan

I just live about 10 minutes down the road from Manor Stone and like r3nu4l I have great signal outside (Three network) but crap inside. That said...if I walk around inside the store I can get 1 or 2 bars max so no I do not think they are using a jammer. Would they be even allowed to use/operate a jammer?

ED E

laoisfan wrote: »

I just live about 10 minutes down the road from Manor Stone and like r3nu4l I have great signal outside (Three network) but crap inside. That said...if I walk around inside the store I can get 1 or 2 bars max so no I do not think they are using a jammer. Would they be even allowed to use/operate a jammer?

They wouldnt, it would subject to serious fines if detected.

The Savoy cinema in Dublin has dismantled a device it used to scramble mobile-phone signals, following an intervention by the Commission for Communications Regulation.
The Irish Times reported on Thursday in The Ticket supplement that the O'Connell Street cinema was using such equipment.
The same day, the commission informed the Savoy that possession and use of this equipment was a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of €25,400 and/or a term of imprisonment of up to 12 months.

ironclaw

laoisfan wrote: »

Would they be even allowed to use/operate a jammer?

No, they are outright banned here. Even the Prison Service can't use them. I can't see a use case for Applegreen to have one. The only place I know for sure they are in operation is around Spanish police stations in the ETA hotspots, at some you can't even lock or unlock your car.

ED E

This sounds like simple obstruction. High sites in Ireland arent often actually that high and density is quite low so finding a blackspot is easy.



From a glance there your LOS to the cell would be directly through the main building here. If made of metal sheeting it could well attenuate it below a usable level. Walk round the corner and you should get a perfect connection.