No HSDPA on O2 UK

allanmb · Feb 18, 2008

I got my Orbit 2 last week for valentines day and am loving it! The only problem I have so far is that I cannot connect to HSDPA. I am on O2 UK and in an area where I think there should be coverage (Newcastle/Gateshead area). I have it enabled on the phone yet 90% of the time I get 3G and the rest I get Edge! I got a new sim with the phone so it *should* be compatible....

Does anyone know if this is a problem with the handset? Or is this area not yet covered?

Thanks
Allan

mrvanx · Feb 18, 2008

allanmb said:
I got my Orbit 2 last week for valentines day and am loving it! The only problem I have so far is that I cannot connect to HSDPA. I am on O2 UK and in an area where I think there should be coverage (Newcastle/Gateshead area). I have it enabled on the phone yet 90% of the time I get 3G and the rest I get Edge! I got a new sim with the phone so it *should* be compatible....

Does anyone know if this is a problem with the handset? Or is this area not yet covered?

Thanks
Allan

afaik HSDPA is only available to business customers dude

I personally left O2 last year due to the REDICULOUS prices they charge for data. Tmobile webnwalk has HSDPA available to everyone and the bill works out a damn site cheaper.

be_vigilant · Feb 18, 2008

Check out 3 instead. I swapped from 02 and never looked back

£20 a month for

600 Texts
75 any network minutes
1 gig a month on HSDPA speeds!!!

allanmb · Feb 18, 2008

I have just switched to O2 so leaving them is not an option! Mind you the tarrif aint bad! 600 cross network minutes, 500 texts and unlimited we browsing for £35 pm. Coupled with that, the Orbit2 only cost £49.99 which is pretty good.

mrvanx, I am on a business tarrif so that shouldnt be what is limiting me as far as I know...

jonboyuk · Feb 18, 2008

Strange - I'm on Online 30 with unlimited txts & internet with my yearly discount) for £20 pm and I get HSDPA no problem...

phsnake · Feb 18, 2008

u need to check coverage - for example - Glasgow is no tcovered at all. Shame

Aleemz · Feb 18, 2008

I Don't get HSDPA in Stockton/Middlesbrough, but I was in Luton over the weekend and saw the H symbol a few times.

I'm on the 600 minutes, 1000 texts, and unlimited web bolt-on, and insurance for £42:50. Still deciding whether to keep the handset (Orbit 2) or wait for something with better drivers.

I havn't cancelled my contract with Orange yet, where I get 800 minutes, 400 texts, unlimited data, and Care (insurance) for £52ish.

Decisions decisions.

allanmb · Feb 18, 2008

I managed to find a coverage map for HSDPA (http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/map.asp) and it looks like there is very little coverage for o2 at the moment. Only major cities South of Leeds have coverage...

nickbro · Feb 18, 2008

I only got a H on my phone when I was in Bristol Temple meads. Anywhere else the post I got was a 3G sign, mostly G tho

nickbro · Feb 18, 2008

Acroding to the HSDPA map, the middle of no where in wales (Search:NP7 0EX) and it's HSDPA, yet somewhere like plymouth is not, how odd

Anks · Feb 19, 2008

I believe it is just coverage, I'm on O2 and I live and work around Docklands in London and almost permanently have a H displayed.

~J~ · Feb 19, 2008

I've noticed I often get a H too, although more commonly I get an "E"? What's this mean?

HandySpanner · Feb 19, 2008

~J~ said:
I've noticed I often get a H too, although more commonly I get an "E"? What's this mean?

It means Edge.

mrvanx · Feb 19, 2008

With regards to the 'Middle of nowhere' getting HSDPA you never know that might be where O2 did thier trial for it?? But its more likely they did the trial on the IOM since they hold the contract for telecoms dont they??

Im quite staggered how little HSDPA coverage they have since Tmobile seem to have it nearly everywhere where there is 3G??

S0ylentK · Feb 19, 2008

H in most of Brighton but on Vodafone

Before I realised the RSS thing had sucked 80mb from my data plan oops .

have to be careful now.

nickbro · Feb 19, 2008

mrvanx said:
With regards to the 'Middle of nowhere' getting HSDPA you never know that might be where O2 did thier trial for it?? But its more likely they did the trial on the IOM since they hold the contract for telecoms dont they??

Im quite staggered how little HSDPA coverage they have since Tmobile seem to have it nearly everywhere where there is 3G??

Nope, middle of nowhere was not the trial, only seems to have gone HSDPA in the last month or so, as it wasn't HSDPA when I was there on my phone.

Dashers · Feb 19, 2008

I get HSDPA in Bath with O2, works a treat.

Strangely enough HSDPA appeared across the south west just after the outage on boxing day (or was it the 27th? can't remember exactly).

Alas, where I live I don't even get Edge. Which is why the Wifi is so useful. If I want to download anything big, I just do it on Wifi.

pebsuk · Feb 20, 2008

Watford

I pick it up when working in Watford so would guess it's a coverage issue..

dysoong · Feb 20, 2008

I think its a coverage problem. I'm in london (north, east, and south east usually) and get an almost permanent H symbol.
The only problem for me is that the speed is effectively the same as 3G, in london anyway.
I've disabled HSDPA to test this and get 121-128Kbps for both 3G and HSDPA.
(try http://text.dslreports.com/mspeed or http://www.dslreports.com/mspeed?jisok=1 to test for yourself)

O2 customer support reckons that the number of users in London is overwhelming and this reduces the speed.
Pretty crappy if you ask me....
My friends assure me that data speeds on O2 increase significantly when you get outside london, but I've not had the chance to leave the big smoke since getting my Orbit2.

AdamR78 · Feb 20, 2008

This is (probably) a stupid question.
I have the Polaris, and live in Fulham, work in the city - yet I only ever get GPRS or Edge... my phone didn't ship with a new sim card, is it possible that I need a new one for 3G or HSDPA?

A.

No HSDPA on O2 UK

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