Where to complain about network issues?

[ckl]

Hello.

Recently I have been getting some really wierd issues with my Essential phone at work here that previously had no issues about a couple of months ago. I think it may have something to do with the cell tower in the area.

The issue is that the network seems highly congested. My essential phone notified me of app updates, so I let it do the updates over the cellular connection. It usually takes seconds to update 4-5 apps, but recently, it's been taking over 5 minutes... I look at the downloads and it going at a snails pace. I'm talking a 10MB app update will take 2 minutes. Meawnhile, on the notification bar, I see that the network icon is going bonkers... it continually switches from LTE to LTE+ and then the signal bars go from full to min then back to full again then going to LTE with full bars, then min bars, then back to LTE+ with full bars then min bars... repeat indefinitely... so weird.

While it was doing this, I stopped the updates, then went into speedtest and did a quick test. The download speed was 6mbps and 2mbps up. That's ridiculously slow because later on in the day, I performed the same speedtest and got 140mbps down and 50mbps up with none of the wierdness on the notification bar. So I tried toggling airplane mode on/off, then everything is back to normal for about 5 minutes. I also rebooted the phone, again, fine for 5 minutes or until I need to use data again.

I've been watching closely this past week and it seems to only happen during the morning and early afternoon. After that, everything seems to go back to normal.

I've live chatted with Telus mobility and even though it is their network, they don't seem to help non Telus customers... nor do they care that there might be an issue with a specific cell tower.

[ckl]

@will13am  600Mbit/s? Lol. Wow. I don't think my provider even offers speeds that fast.

Anyway, I have been running on 3G for pretty much the entire week and I think I'm going to stay on 3G. After the initial withdrawal of not having 100+Mbps download speeds, I noticed that for general use 3G is quite adequate. Webpages load within an acceptable amount of time and other data hungry apps load without much appreciable difference from LTE. So I'm good now. I've noticed battery life has gotten slightly better as well. Probably not due to 3G per say, but rather the 3g signal strength is solid whereas the LTE signal strength was weak and was always switching between LTE and LTE+.

I wish I could put all of your helpful posts as the accepted solution, but I could only choose one. So @Luddite gets it for his suggestion.

[will13am]

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@ckl wrote:

@will13amI'm all about cheap thrills! Keeps me alive on extremely boring days.

Currently running on 3G and see how it goes for a couple of days. If it saves some battery too, then that will weigh heavily on whether to give up on the unstable LTE.

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I just had my home internet downgraded today because the new promo is for a slower speed.  Now, it is only 600 Mbits.  I am not longer amused by speed tests.  I need to find something else to do when I am bored.

[ckl]

@will13amI'm all about cheap thrills! Keeps me alive on extremely boring days.

Currently running on 3G and see how it goes for a couple of days. If it saves some battery too, then that will weigh heavily on whether to give up on the unstable LTE.

[will13am]

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@ckl wrote:

@will13amI'm used to the 100+mbps speeds now! It's a sight to see when you have a 20MB app update, it takes literally a second to download!

@srlawrenThanks for this tip. I just downloaded the app and submitted a complaint.

@LudditeI just tried this. Speedtest showed 11mbps down and 1mbps up. I'm currently contemplating stability vs. speeds...

@sheytoon1. I don't have another phone unfortunately and 2. there is nobody here to test with as I work alone.

Today, at 9am. I did a speedtest. Result was 180Mbps down and 22mbps up. At 10am, another speedtest showed 1.86mbps down and 3.22mbps up. Huge difference LOL.

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I just queue up my updates and however long it takes is however long it takes.  If I want ultra fast speeds, I will connect to home Wi-Fi which I rarely do.  That gets me about 230 Mbps.  It is a bit of a cheap thrill to see speed tests top 900 Mbps on a wired connection.

[ckl]

@will13amI'm used to the 100+mbps speeds now! It's a sight to see when you have a 20MB app update, it takes literally a second to download!

@srlawrenThanks for this tip. I just downloaded the app and submitted a complaint.

@LudditeI just tried this. Speedtest showed 11mbps down and 1mbps up. I'm currently contemplating stability vs. speeds...

@sheytoon1. I don't have another phone unfortunately and 2. there is nobody here to test with as I work alone.

Today, at 9am. I did a speedtest. Result was 180Mbps down and 22mbps up. At 10am, another speedtest showed 1.86mbps down and 3.22mbps up. Huge difference LOL.

[ckl]

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@MEU_21 wrote:

Here.

First, turn off your phone and restart it. See if issue remains.

If yes, it sounds like it could be tower maintenance. I would check with someone in your office who is on Telus (or PM), since they are on the same network. See if their phone is acting-up as well. If yes, then tower maintenance.

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Here's what I've tried:

1. Reboot

2. Toggle Airplane mode on/off

3. Network settings reset

Only happens in this location... nowhere else.

Unfortunately, I don't have anybody else here or an extra phone to test.

[sheytoon]

@ckl

Two questions for you:

1. Do you experience the same issues using your SIM in another phone?
2. Does anyone else in your office on Bell/Telus/Koodo/Virgin experience the same issues?

[srlawren]

@ckl download the Telus Network Experience app form the play store:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.telus.tneapp.  Works fine for PM and Koodo customers too.

[Luddite · Accepted solution]

@ckl Give my favourite "trick" a try: set your network to 3G instead of LTE/auto. Works a charm where I live.

[will13am]

I have an essential phone as well.  In the various forums, there have been talk about signal problems with the phone.  I have not experienced any issues with my phone, touch wood.  Try using the phone at a different location to make sure the problem is with a local tower.  If you have specific tower information, try sending it to the moderator team to see what they can do for you.  The moderator team can be reached via private message using this link.  Refer to the following knowledge base link for information on contacting the moderator team. 

BTW, I would be thrilled with 6/2 mbit performance at work.  My local tower is alway well loaded but it doesn't bother me too much.  I used to be a Wind Mobile customer and so I am well conditioned to slower data speed. 

[MEU_21]

Here.

First, turn off your phone and restart it. See if issue remains.

If yes, it sounds like it could be tower maintenance. I would check with someone in your office who is on Telus (or PM), since they are on the same network. See if their phone is acting-up as well. If yes, then tower maintenance.

If not, put your SIM into another phone and see if that solves the problem. If yes, it is possible that your phone is having issues.