topic Re: Another " Technical Experiment" ! in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Another " Technical Experiment" !

shutter — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 11:45:52 GMT

I have moved home in the past 6 months... Previously, I ran my internet on a 4G LTE Router, using a Mobile Phone Sim. with SMARTY running on THREE network. I lived about 2 miles downhill from the nearest Mast.. and constructed my own pair of external YAGI antenna. to get a better signal reception ... The terrain between me and the mast was 100% Urban , dense housing in terraces. Also the mast would not be "visible" by eye, due to it being below the top of the hill it was located on, (or very nearly below the top ) . Generally , I had a good connection, and speeds were acceptable to me, for what I did on the internet. (no gaming or streaming movies/watching tv ) Due to the directivity of the design of the antenna, the signal was quite reliable, and only occasionally dropped out for a second or two.

Now that I am in my new home... I have been running the internet in the same manner, but not using the YAGI antennas (using the Bunny Ears antenna supplied) because I am only about 400mtrs away from the nearest mast.. and I am on the 2nd floor .. If I lean out of the window, it would be possible to see the mast clearly !.

In this location,.. my phone signal Download speed is between 120Mb/s and 220 Mb/s... generally above 160 Mb/s Just done a speed test on the phone it is 187.4Mb/s Download. and 10.9 upload (not bothered with that bit ! )

Running speed test on the Laptop connected to the 4G LTE router..using a 1p Mobile phone sim , gives speeds between 65Mb/s and 93Mb/s ( looks like about 50% lower) again adequate for my use.. but 3 times better than the old location !.

So.. I have been looking for a cheaper monthly sim... but also looking for another network, so I have a "back up" if EE goes down... with a better monthly DATA allowance.. currently with 1p mobile at £12.50 for 100GB.. usually enough.... 1p mobile run on EE My phone is also on EE.. but with SPUSU .. I have two other phones in storage.. and thought I would try to see if the different Network suppliers gave the same SIGNAL LEVEL.. running on EE.

so I found some old, no longer in service, sims..

Here is a pic of all three phones using "Signal Detector" app.... All three running on the same mast All on the EE network.

The middle phone is using an "out of data service" EE sim bought in the local shop... (£15 for 25GB) was used up on an emergency use.. but kept the sim for some reason! ) .

XAOMI 5G SPUSU EE ARTFONE 500 EE (Genuine) HUAWEI Y6 RWG Wales EE

So.. it looks like there must be some kind of "throttling" on the "2nd users" ( MVNO`s ) Networks, which reduces the SIGNAL STRENGTH.

As a comparison for EE SIM (middle phone above pics) ( non active- data expired ) and THREE SIM, signals strength... here is a pic of a non-active (in abeyance) SMARTY sim on THREE network.

ARTFONE 500 SMARTY SIM THREE

From this experiment... i have now found that I am able to use MVNO`s on the THREE network.. ( not many, I know,..but a good alternative network signal strength) .

Re: Another " Technical Experiment" !

MisterW — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 11:54:35 GMT

So.. it looks like there must be some kind of "throttling" on the "2nd users" ( MVNO`s ) Networks, which reduces the SIGNAL STRENGTH.

@shutter its not possible to throttle to reduce signal strength. However some MVNOs don't have access to all the bands available on the corresponding MNO. In particular RWG (used in your example) does not have access to EE Band 20. In fact I believe RWG has now moved to the Three network with later issued SIMs

Re: Another " Technical Experiment" !

shutter — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:28:00 GMT

@MisterW Thank you for your input.... I could not understand why or how, EE could lower the signal strength for the MVNO`s.. it was a "wild guess" as to why the sig strength was lower,... So I appreciate your information regarding the access given to MVNO`s on the "parent" network..

Also Thank you for the "heads up" that RWG Wales is now on THREE network... I can have a look at what SIM deals they are offering too !..

RWG on THREE...as confirmed by a Google search.... and the RWG site page says..

RWG Mobile is powered by the Now & Three Mobile networks and also has its own data network

Re: Another " Technical Experiment" !

MisterW — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:36:23 GMT

So I appreciate your information regarding the access given to MVNO`s on the "parent" network..

@shutter the 'not having access to 4g Band 20' was a common problem with MVNOs, in fact Plusnet mobile suffered from it.

Band 20 is a lower frequency (800MHz) and so gives better coverage than the other 4g bands (typically 1800/2100/2600) https://www.4g.co.uk/4g-frequencies-uk-need-know/

Re: Another " Technical Experiment" !

shutter — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:40:16 GMT

@MisterW Ah Yes !... lower frequency better range ... I think I am on band three on my router.. but don`t know what band my phone(s) are using. being so close to the mast, I doubt the different bands would make that much difference,.... or would it