Maximising mobile coverage

If you own a mobile phone, you know how annoying it is when you hit a dead spot in your provider’s coverage. But for some people, particularly in rural areas of the UK, it’s a day to day problem as they struggle to find reception in their homes or workplaces.

But there’s no need to lose your head over a lost signal. A little research can help you find out which mobile operators best serve your area, and even if you’re stuck with a contract, there are some things you can do to try and boost your reception.

Check coverage in your area

Before you sign-up to a new mobile contract, you should check the coverage in your area. All mobile phone networks provide coverage checkers - all you have to do is type in your postcode, or the name of your town, and you’ll be able to see whether you can get a signal in the area. You’ll also be able to check the strength of the operator’s mobile broadband connection, which is useful if you own, or are considering getting, a smartphone.

Be aware though that these coverage checkers are guides only - they don’t guarantee you’ll get a good service, particularly if you’re indoors. For that reason, it’s always worth corroborating your findings with a company representative - either at point of sale, or by phoning their customer or information service (just be careful they don’t upsell you into a contract before you feel ready).

It’s also important to note that mobile phone operators don’t display information the same way on their coverage checkers. For example, Three’s (www.three.co.uk) coverage map shows both indoor and outdoor coverage, whereas T-Mobile’s (www.t-mobile.co.uk) does not.

Operators’ coverage checkers:

• Three coverage checker
• Orange coverage checker
• O2 coverage checker
• T-Mobile coverage checker
• Vodafone coverage checker
• Virgin coverage checker
• ASDA coverage checker
• Tesco coverage checker.

However, possibly the most reliable way of gauging the coverage a mobile network provides in any given area is by word of mouth; ask family, friends and colleagues what mobile network they use and what their experience of the coverage they receive is. This will help you build up an accurate idea of what kind of coverage you can expect from a network in real terms.

Check where you go - not just where you live

When investigating coverage, you should consider more than where you live. You should also check the coverage at the places you or your family regularly travels to - for example, work, schools or the shops. After all, a mobile phone isn’t much use unless it’s... well, mobile.

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Try pay-as-you-go before you sign a contract

Most operators offer pay-as-you-go plans, or monthly rolling contracts. These are a good way to test coverage without being trapped with a long-term contract. It’s not quite “try before you buy” as you have to spend some cash, but it’s still a safe way to get a sense of how well a network performs in your area.

Boost your signal

If you are locked into a contract for the foreseeable future, it’s not the end of the world. If you’re struggling for a signal at work or at home, and you’re a Vodafone (www.vodafone.co.uk) or Orange (www.orange.co.uk) customer, it might be possible to extend your coverage by rerouting calls over the internet.

Vodafone offers customers a device called Sure Signal. Sure Signal is a femtocell, which sounds like something you might find in a Petri dish, but is actually a device that reroutes your phone’s signal through a Wi-Fi broadband connection.

Femtocells are around the same size as a wireless router, and four mobile phones can connect to single device. Sure Signal costs £50 (a one-off cost on plans below £40 a month), which isn’t an insubstantial sum, but if you have access to a broadband connection (and if you’re reading this, it’s likely you do), the femtocell can ensure your phone is always capable of making and receiving calls.

Orange also lets customers make calls over the internet, albeit through a slightly different method. The company offers a service called Signal Boost, which automatically reroutes calls over your home or work Wi-Fi connection. There’s no need to deploy a femtocell, but the service is only available on a limited selection of Android, BlackBerry and Nokia handsets. If you don’t have one, you’re out of luck (and possibly signal).

Your operator may have other methods for boosting your signal - it’s often worth getting in touch with them to see if they have any advice.

Don’t use a signal booster/repeater

A quick search online will quickly throw up the existence of signal boosters or repeaters - devices that purport to enhance your mobile phone’s signal. These can look tempting, but should be avoided at all costs. Although it’s legal to sell these devices, and legal to buy one, it isn’t legal to use one. It’s a rather bizarre situation, but as telecoms regulator Ofcom explains:

“Repeater devices transmit or retransmit in the cellular frequency bands. Only the mobile network operators are licensed to use equipment that transmits in these bands. Installation or use of repeater devices by anyone without a licence is a criminal offence...”

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Don’t worry - coverage is getting better

Mobile phone operators are investing heavily into maximising their networks, and so is the UK government. It plans to spend £150 million to buy additional phone mast sites to increase coverage, starting in 2012.

Operators are also experimenting with 4G networks and new spectrum bands to extend reach and in-building coverage. 4G is the next step in mobile broadband and the successor to 3G, and many see it as a potential solution for rural connectivity problems in the UK.

Coverage is more important than price

To get the most out of a phone you need good coverage - even if it means you can’t get the cheapest offer out there. Even so, if you’re looking to choose an operator, or switch to a new one, compare mobile phone deals using a comparison service such as Mobilechoices.co.uk to ensure you get the best price on the best mobile network for you.

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