A coverage survey would be a very useful thing to have.
So can we have people’s experiences please of 3G coverage along the Kennet and Avon?
To start the ball rolling;
Vodafone
3G
Good between Bath top lock and Bathampton swing bridge
intermittent between Bathampton swing bridge and Harding’s Bridge (Cow Bridge)
no more 3G up to Bradford
GPRS
Claverton to rocky section, nothing until Avoncliffe, patchy to Bradford
Three
3G
Good from Bath to Dundas, drops out between Digger’s bridge and Claverton narrows
Good from Horse Field to Bradford with a drop out Bradford side of Smelly Bridge.
GPRS
unknown – do Three do GPRS at all?
And a hot tip;
If you dangle your dongle in the middle of a wok and rotate the wok to point at the mast you will improve coverage in marginal areas.
Tags: 3G, mobile internet, phone coverage
3 works good at Bathampton even to just beyond swing bridge on Dundas side. It works good at Horsefield. I get it at Sunset Strip but very slow.
Extension cables are tempting as Rich recommends but I had it from a techie that over 5m and it works against you. I use a 1 meter extension inside the boat to get it a little higher, it makes a difference and it don’t get wet.
xposh
Dear Mr, Mrs or Ms administrator. A friend at work, a young and good catholic girl, was browsing through your excellent website but was perplexed at the phrase ‘dangle your dongle’ and asked me to explain. I admit that I was at a loss and became quite embassissed when she pressed the subject. I promised I would make enquiries to you sir or madam. On her behalf, I pray for enlightenment. Yours, Bad boy Biddy 🙂
3 do do GPRS. I get HSDPA at Digger’s Yard with my dongle. Mark, who is on the other side of the swing bridge from me (I’m at the Dundas end), has one from vodafone but only gets GPRS.
Three signal is ok on some of the 14-day mooring stretch just after Digger’s bridge before the aqueduct. I got a Three signal at Sunset Strip with the dongle high up. Maybe it’s easier with a fibreglass cabin.
O2 GPRS excellent at Hilperton Marsh !
3 works very well at bathampton so does T mobile…you live in a steel tube rubbish for getting a signal….So get a long USB cable (say 6m) a waterproof electrical box around £3 from Denmans…and put yer dongle on the roof…or in a wok. DO NOT buy the arial boosters and other bits of tat they do not work …just get yer dongle outside Rich