back to article UK comms watchdog Ofcom pokes probe into Vodafone and EE over network coverage numbers

UK communications regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into Vodafone and EE for allegedly giving inaccurate data about mobile coverage areas. The two investigations were opened on 1 October and both will examine "whether there are reasonable grounds for believing" that each operator "has failed to comply with its …

  1. johnfbw

    Protecting our interests

    By making phone companies over exaggerate their phone signals

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Conspiracy or cock-up?

    Well, the conspiracy theory would be that Voda was doing this to persuade somebody or another that they needed more sub-1GHz spectrum. But I think the company’s quite capable of having perpetrated a cock-up.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No Signal

    "EE had not responded to our request for comment by the time of writing. Ofcom is investigating whether EE had overpredicted the extent of its 3G"

    Probably because they haven't received it as all their office phones/tablets are on EE.

  4. AndrueC Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Well there's no Vodafone signal in and around Brailes, Warwickshire. Not even enough to send or receive an SMS. Thankfully I only go there to play golf so it's a good thing for me but Brailes isn't all that small nor isolated half way up a mountain. Kind of shocking to find a large village in the South East with no mobile coverage.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Surely Warwickshire isn't in the South-East?

      I know commutes into London are getting long but that's ridiculous. It's in the West Midlands.

    2. Ken Moorhouse Silver badge

      Re: Thankfully I only go there to play golf

      Ah, that's where the problem is...

      If the TLA's detect you're in a sandbox (where you're trying to outsmart them), then they will restrict your service.

      Now if they knew your golf handicap they would know why you're in the sandbox. ONLY JOKING!

    3. Dabooka
      FAIL

      Warwickshire isn't SE England

      I'm originally from that part of the world, and I would not describe myself as being form the SE England. Blimey, you're virtually in the heart of England!

      1. Ken Moorhouse Silver badge

        Re: Warwickshire isn't SE England

        Unless you are an Estate Agent.

  5. lsces

    Down the road a bit ...

    Vodafone reception is just as hit and miss. At least with my analogue Vodafone phone I could usually make a phonecall, nowadays even THAT can be hit and miss around here!

  6. alwallgbr
    WTF?

    Another nail in ESN's coffin

    That'll be the same EE that was intended to provide the infrastructure for the increasingly delayed replacement for Airwave for the Emergency Services.

    Excellent coverage is crucial

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Another nail in ESN's coffin

      Except the EE/Ofcom dispute here relates to the 3G network, which EE say has had less geographic reach than their 4G network for a couple of years. 2G/3G-only areas still exist, but they're getting increasingly rare.

      And ESN is primarily (exclusively?) using 4G.

  7. Zmodem

    they should probe BT, i ordered some rubbish talktalk fast broadband package, and straight away, they had a problem, which i guess is todo with the £500 i have owed BT for the past 14 years which they are never getting

    1. Phil Kingston

      What's that got to do with the price of fish?

      1. Zmodem

        its the power of the monopoly still existing, you can claim bankruptcy, and still get a bank account and 10 credit cards, because you have no legal binds with another company, which should be the same for a reseller "telecom"

        1. Zmodem

          i have'nt had a landline in my premises, for 14 years, as there has been no need, 3G is faster and has ran at a constant 10Mbps most 10 years

  8. Tom Kelsall

    Just goes to show...

    ...that the figures you get online are absolutely zero substitute for anecdotal "evidence". It has long been my experience that Vodafone's signal is rammed against the stops in cities but with zero throughput due to saturation; but almost no signal at all in non-city areas. And that EE, while not boasting such high signal levels, seems to boast good throughput pretty much wherever I go.

    Also, I don't see ANYONE using coverage data to bolster or direct their purchasing decisions... I see people using bundle content and price, alongside which shiny fondle slab they get.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Using the data for service selection

    Where I work did have to rely (to some amount) on the information, as we provide a service over quite a large rural area in northern England.

    We also did a "drive by" service check, with phones from our existing provider and one from EE on the dash, checking signal strength over a wide area.

    We are now with EE and have been for several years.

    On the point of replacing airwave, they only have to provide the same amount of signal / service that airwave currently provides, not 100% coverage.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Using the data for service selection

      So 99.5% then?

      Airwave cover all Motorways - A and B roads in the UK.

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