O2, where is your 4G in South West England & Wales?

[Anonymous]

To date, 3rd September 2014, O2 still have NO 4G coverage in Wales, and only in villages surrounding Chippenham, Wiltshire in the South West of England. They've launched 4G in Bournemouth, but that's not exactly the "South West" like O2 are calling it. Bournemouth is the South/South Coast of England.

So, after a year of O2 4G being available, where is it? Big cities like Bristol, and Cardiff - the CAPITAL of Wales, still have NO 4G from O2. How much longer do they expect people to wait? Three have had 4G in Cardiff & Bristol since around February 2014, and EE have had 4G in Bristol & Cardiff since their network launched almost 2 years ago.

I was originally told last year by an O2 advisor that "4G would launch by the end of the year" (so by 31st December 2013). Someone else told me "March 2014", then it was "July 2014", then "we'll have it by September". It's now 3rd September. Where is it?

The thing is, 4G can't be coming anytime soon. I've searched for local council planning applications for new 4G masts. The local mast is on a street corner and looks like a streetlight. I've seen the new designs on the planning application - which was made in May, and there has been NO work on the mast whatsoever. Vodafone & O2 seem to be launching 4G together, and on Vodafone's coverage map, it says there will be no 4G upgrades in Bristol for at least the next 3 months.

Are we talking 2015 now? Or maybe even 2017 when O2 claim they'll have 98% coverage?

Are you there O2? If you are, where will you be launching 4G next? Networks such as Three have published a list of cities/towns, even villages, where they will launch 4G in 2014. Why can't you? Why are you keeping your customers in the dark about this?

O2 managed to set up a temporary 4G mast in Long Ashton, Bristol for the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. That was really quick to set up! (and remove!) So what's going on?

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
And just spotted 4G when I was at leckwith retail park.

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Please excuse me laughing at this post. Its as if we are looking for some strange, wondrous, mystical  species. The Lesser Spotted 4G Warbling Bird maybe?

[Anonymous]

O2 4g is in parts of Bristol. Mainly around Ashton Gate

[jonsie]

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@Anonymous wrote:
O2 4g is in parts of Bristol. Mainly around Ashton Gate

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Let's hope it's imminent for full coverage....

[Anonymous]

I have been getting 4G in parts of Radyr, Cardiff this week, had up to 20MB/s download speed at one point too.

Still nothing in the Centre of Cardiff yet though 

[Anonymous]

4G IS COMING TO BRISTOL WITHIN 3 MONTHS

Yes! You've read that correctly! Woooo! Neither O2 nor Vodafone have published any kind of press release about this, but if you don't know...

Vodafone & O2 are sharing their masts in some areas for 4G. Not sharing networks... just basically sharing the stand that the antennas are on.

So, this means they are launching 4G together - like we've seen in Cardiff. 

Vodafone updates it's network coverage checker - vodafone.co.uk/coverage - every Thursday. They are the only network to show "Planned Coverage". This shows expected coverage within 3 months. O2 & Vodafone have recently launched 4G in parts of Cardiff, but, you were able to find this out before they did by viewing Vodafone's coverage checker. 

So the good news? On Thursday when Vodafone updated it's coverage checker, it's now showing a few areas of Bristol under "Planned". The following areas will have 4G coverage within the next 3 months:

• Avonmouth, Bristol
• Lawrence Weston, Bristol
• Parts of M49 motorway
• Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire/Bristol
• Parts of Bradley Stoke & Stoke Gifford, Bristol.

...and the good news? This also means O2 4G coverage WILL be here.

To confirm this, if you go to O2's Network Service Status website - status.o2.co.uk, and type in one of Vodafone's planned 4G coverage areas, such as "Avonmouth, Bristol" you'll see the following message...

"Our Network modernisation programme to improve 2G and 3G coverage and roll out 4G has reached this area. It does mean that you may experience intermittent service on your mobile device while our engineers 'do their thing'."

To also confirm this... O2 have a mast in Cadbury Heath, Bristol. After walking past it, I've noticed work has been carried out by "Vodafone Ltd.". They've dug around it, and are putting a new box in - I'm guessing this is to house the 4G system.

For anyone from Cardiff wondering, the next 4G areas of Cardiff will be; Gabalfa, Llandaff, Cathays, and more central areas such as Cardiff Castle. 

[Anonymous]

More importantly to the majority, it appears o2 are now starting to share information on the rollout even if it is only the next three months. That has to be considered an improvement.

I will be moving closer to Bristol in the coming weeks so have done a search across the area and yes it looks like o2 will be busy there over the next 3 to 6 months. Let's hope things improve enough for me to stay as currently I plan to leave.

As for Bristol, @Anonymous I bet you are delighted. Let's hope that the network is strong enough given that in London congestion is starting to appear already in the 4g networks in places.

[Anonymous]

I work in the Bay - right next to the Assembly - and have not seen the "lesser spotted 4G" yet. 

however, I don't normally have my reading glasses on when listening to Xperia/Walkman - I'll have another look on the way to the bus tonight! (CF10 to CF11)

Not seeing it as far south as Penarth Road, but it seems to be 'on' permanently close to the Cardiff City Stadius/Leckwith Retail Park.

[Anonymous]

As do I @Anonymous  and I've only seen it near my pad by Channel View but it's only a fleeting glimpse.. blink and it's gone. As O2 and Vodafone seem to be launching in tandem a visit to the Vodafone coverage checker provides some interesting info as to where the lesser spotted 4g might be seen next if you're quick enough.

[Anonymous]

The O2 coverage checker now shows 4G in North Cardiff between the A48 and M4 area

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
The O2 coverage checker now shows 4G in North Cardiff between the A48 and M4 area

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Best go and set up your tent then....