SE London 4g/5g non-existent

[HD2]

Anyone else having major issues with mobile Internet in SE London? Been well below average speeds for 4g/5g since I moved to o2 (ironically from Virgin) last April. In November/December 2023 my average speeds dropped to about 1Mbps...worse than 3g! 

Apparently there's a faulty mast causing everyone to connect to a single mast out in East London somewhere...how long does it take to fix a mast? Given this is one of the biggest providers of mobile connectivity in the country!!

[SimonD86]

I do acknowledge some of your points. However, it's frustrating to pay for a 90GB data plan yet be unable to utilize it due to poor coverage.

While Three and EE are indeed data-focused networks, I've had consistent experiences with calls and texts on Three across the UK. The shift towards prioritizing data in phone contracts reflects the growing importance of data in modern communication.

The increasing dominance of data in the mobile sector is evident with the rise of VOIP and VoLTE for calls. This underscores the need for robust data infrastructure, an area where O2 struggles due to mismanagement of network spectrum and slow data infrastructure.

Interestingly, I recently spoke with someone at Three's Head Office who mentioned that their network infrastructure is already equipped to handle 6G when it debuts in 2025/2026.

O2 will need to significantly enhance their performance and make substantial improvements to stay competitive and keep pace with the evolving demands of the mobile market.

[Oxonian]

@SimonD86 

Three might be equipped for 6G in some areas, but in many suburban and rural areas, the 3G shutdown will leave their customers with no service at all.  

I fully agree that O2 desperately need to improve their network ; but my experience with the UK networks is not as black and white as yours.