Our debate about bad mobile phone coverage got a good reception (stop groaning at my pun!) this week. Read how Wavechange helped Lee Beaumont stop leaning out of his window just to get a good signal.
Lee Beaumont shared that he’s not having a good time with his mobile:
‘In my home I get no signal at all apart from my bedroom window, so I keep my mobile on the window sill and when I need to make a call, or when someone calls me I stand on the sill and pop my head out of the window. I must look like a right fool to people walking down my street. But I don’t moan about it, after all I get such a good deal – something needed to give and it was the signal.’
Wavechange shared this advice:
‘As far as I am aware, mobile phone companies are sympathetic to those who struggle to make and receive calls from home.
‘Signal boosters are available for home users who have problems in their home. They are not cheap but some users have managed to acquire one free of charge. I know you like challenges, Lee, so perhaps try and get hold of one at no cost.’
Just three hours later and Lee was back with this update:
‘I have been contacted by Three via Twitter and they are sending me one of those booster box things that will connect to the internet.
‘My friend who lives next door is also on Three so the box will be connected to his internet and will help both me and him. Thanks Three… and Which? for posting this story.’
Should networks work together?
And thanks to Wavechange! We’re continuing the Wavechange love in by awarding him our Comment of the Week for his musings on whether there’s another way to ensure better mobile coverage:
‘If a customer withdraws money from a ‘free’ ATM, they don’t need to go to one operated by their own bank. From the customers’ point of view this works very well and the banks deserve praise for giving us a service that is very useful. Perhaps banks reimburse each other where customers use an ATM managed by another bank, but as a customer, I don’t need to know.
‘As a mobile phone and mobile broadband user, I want a connection and I don’t care how it happens. It is to the benefit of all consumers for the networks to work together. We know that it is technically possible because networks have been shared for emergency calls for the past five years.’
What do you think about Wavechange’s suggestion?