O2/GiffGaff

[Anonymous]

I understand & know that GiffGaff is an mvno & uses O2 network to run on but just asking for a friend who is on GiffGaff..

Why do I on O2 have better signal when we are in the same place & they have less signal on GiffGaff which is the same service

[Anonymous]

Didn't think of that

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Signal meters are like fuel gauges in cars. ie a random indication of something somewhere near to reality. Even two indentical phones can sit side by side showing different signals.
Totally normal and nothing to be concerned about at all.

[Anonymous]

Cheers mate

[Cleoriff]

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@MI5 wrote:
Signal meters are like fuel gauges in cars. ie a random indication of something somewhere near to reality. Even two indentical phones can sit side by side showing different signals.
Totally normal and nothing to be concerned about at all.

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At last. An explanation I can understand

[perksie]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

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At last. An explanation I can understand

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Here is a better one specially for @Cleoriff  : 

[Cleoriff]

Absolutely brilliant @perksie  I love that show. PS...only you could have found that obscure video clip so quickly...

[anticpated]

I think it really depends on a lot of factors such as the number of ASU units within a cell region. 

Arbitrary Strength Unit (ASU) is an integer value proportional to the received signal strength measured by the mobile phone.

Which is a fancy way of saying signal to strength ratio of a mobile cell, which the real measurement can calculated depending on the network type. GSM, 3G or LTE all have different ways of gauging this value in terms of strength. 

According to Wikipedia anyway.

I think GiffGaff may benefit from the MVNO with not using the same resources. O2 contract uses some different APN for the data network and if this is overloaded, busy or under the constant maintainance program they seem to be persuing then it will seem like O2 are comparitively slower. 

[anticpated]

Good find on the QI video clip.

[Cairdeas]

Just to throw my 2p worth in..lol..I've had phones with one bar, which I thought must be a bad signal..and it performed far better than one with 3 bars x

[perksie]

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@Cairdeas wrote:

Just to throw my 2p worth in..lol..I've had phones with one bar, which I thought must be a bad signal..and it performed far better than one with 3 bars x

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That's the odd thing, nobody has ever set a standard, so what you see is not surprising.