Three Dongle

[mikey4444]

I access the 'net with a Three dongle. Sometimes I get a good signal and sometimes I don't....all within the same few minutes. Given that I am stationary and so is the antenna, site, why is the service so hit and miss ?

I thought that once my dongle "logs on" to my nearest antenna site, my connection would be made, and held so I'm not sure why the signal should vary so much within such a short period of time.

[bibblebub]

I reckon it's down to the network itself - for about 8 years, I had been using a 3 dongle and was happy with it - even recommended it a couple of times on AB; then last year I decided to upgrade to the 4G ready dongle but the connection using that turned out to be so bad so often. For example, just about every day in March this year it would start off ok until lunchtime, when the connection would drop out altogether for up to a couple of hours, and then the connection speed was at a dial-up rate, i.e. very slow, for the rest of the afternoon before recovering somewhat during the evening. In May I had had enough, and got cable broadband as my main ISP; I couldn't afford to buy out of the 3 contract so I still have that dongle which I could still use if nothing else works.

[mikey4444]

Thanks bibs. I normally have no problem at home, as I have BT Infinity but here in the caravan in Cornwall, I have no choice but to use a dongle.

I am hoping someone out there can give a "technical" answer as to why the service is so hit and miss. Its been OK for for a few mins, and actually, when I do get a good signal and then get a interneting, its seems to "keep hold of the connection" and all is OK.

[mikey4444]

Out of interest, why didn't you get your internet connection via your telephone line ? I can't fault my BT Infinity service that I get at home. Perhaps you don't have a telephone into your house ?

[whistonian]

I use a Three MiFi ,i never have any problems at home in South Yorkshire. however in the summer at our caravan on the East coast it sometimes runs very slow especially at weekends.I put it down to the very high volume of usage by weekenders and holiday makers.

[bibblebub]

A possibility is that the local transmitter is being run with minimal power (maybe to save money) so that it's a relatively weak signal for the area that has to be covered and any adverse weather effect could result in the connection going down - with analogue transmissions you'd just get a degradation of the signal but with digital you could have a step change from on to off instead.

[mikey4444]

Thanks everybody.

Since I posted this a few mins ago, my signal has been fine !