3G or 4G?

[galpat]

Have now only got one bar of mobile signal, which I suspect is related to Virgin allegedly having switched off 3G on my local mast and gone to 4G only. I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo which when I bought it said it was 4G compatible, but when I go into Settings for Mobile networks the only options are LTE/3G/2G; 3G only; and 2G only. Is this down to Virgin, and if so, how do I get 4G so I can go back to using my phone? (And I suspect the poor phone is frantically looking for 3G since its battery is running down 3 times as fast as usual, as it usually does when the mobile service is completely down.)  Do I need a different SIM?  If so, how do I get it?

[enlli]

First and foremost Virgin are a Virtual Network and piggyback off signal from either EE or Vodafone.

Neither EE or Vodafone have switched off 3G as yet. What they have done is to reduce bandwidth on some towers to free up some radio spectrum for 4G and 5G

Your phone should be set to LTE/3G/2G

I'm assuming you have been using 4G in the past and are not on a 3G account.

There could be a number of reasons for what is happening. It may be a fault on the network or it may be you have been transitioned off the EE signal onto Vodafone and possibly a weaker signal.

Can you do a manual network search and let me know what networks the phone sees?

[galpat]

I have NOT ever been using 4G.  My phone has always just had the LTE/3G/2G options.  I read on a local Facebook page awhile back that Virgin was going to make our local mast only 4G, and I wondered if this would make my phone not work.  Now for the last 2 or 3 days I've gone from all bar signal to only 1 tiny bar, so I assumed that must be related.  And I do not understand WHY the phone only has the LTE/3G/2G options when its specs when I ordered it said it was 4G compatible.  I assume maybe it's something to do with Virgin only allowing me 3G in my package?

[enlli · Accepted solution]

LTE is just another term for 4G so your phone is 4G capable. However, you are on a 3G package so are not seeing any benefit.

As I said, 3G won't be turned off completely, that starts to happen late next year, but you may be experiencing reduced signal 

I think at this stage you need to think of moving to  4G package, either with Virgin or another supplier 

[galpat]

Thanks.  Didn't realize LTE meant 4G.  How do I move to a 4G package?

[galpat]

Interestingly, when I go to a slightly different part of town I get full all bars signal, so it's just my local mast that's the problem now.

[David_Bn]

Thanks for your posts on our Community Forums @galpat, can you possibly advise me when you last changed tariffs with Virgin Mobile?

We would no longer issue 3G tariffs, and therefore a simple changing of the tariff would enable you to gain 4G connections as a minimum.

You would also need to ensure you're connecting to masts that cover 4G services, and also have a handset that allows for a 4G service

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[galpat]

I don't think I've ever changed tariffs. When I got the phone in 2016 it said it was 4G compatible, and its settings say it's on the LTE/3G/2G option.  I didn't know the tariff meant I could only have 3G....???  I just know that in the last few days I have suddenly started having only 1 bar of signal at home, which uses the mast on Nashe's Farm Hill, but if I go elsewhere in town I have full signal.

[galpat]

Oh, and it does seem to sort of work even with the minimal signal--at least I have received some text messages.