Date: 28-03-24  Time: 16:15 pm

Author Topic: Giff Gaff  (Read 7184 times)

fireblake

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,489
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #25 on: 07 August 2014, 11:09:00 am »
Phone signals are a bastid. I used to be on 02 but never could get a signal in my house, although just outside it was great. Now on Orange/EE and its pretty damn perfect everywhere i go. My question is, Would getting a few Sim cards on PAYG be the best way to find out if you can receive a signal at your most traveled to areas like home, work, Mum's house? Rather than getting a new 2 year deal only to find it doesn't give a great signal at home. Are the cheap Sims the same as Monthly Sims in terms of signal for phones and Internet?


Mickey
Sent from my villa in the South of France.


Tefer

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 454
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • - FZS1000 2003
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #26 on: 07 August 2014, 11:39:03 am »
I am on GiffGaff.


The network can drop off, has a couple of times in the time I've been with them but its not been for that long to be fair. Its not a business phone so if i get knocked of for a couple of hours its too bad a problem for me. For what you get its awesome in my view, girlfriends contract with )2 ran out and she asked what she could get and they said, just what's online. So she went to GiffGaff and has no problems on her Iphone.


Although unlimited, no tethering on the mobile sim cards, not sure if thats a problem?


Four Wheels Moves The Body... Two Wheels Moves The Soul

Davebo

  • Weekend Warrior
  • ***
  • Posts: 193
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - None
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #27 on: 08 August 2014, 10:08:00 am »
Most networks will have a coverage checker so if you contact Customer services they can tell you what to expect. It's not as reliable as actually testing it yourself obviously.

If you get duff signal at home but have WiFi there are boost boxes available to create a mini cell site in your home and there's also products like Tu Go that use the wifi direct.

I suppose I should declare an interest here though as I work for Telefonica (home of O2 and giffgaff).

Dead Eye

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,753
  • What doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #28 on: 08 August 2014, 10:15:29 am »
I believe it was 3 that were looking in to using your home Internet / WiFi network to transmit the GSM signal required for calls and texts in the absence of a cell signal. Obviously 3G and 4G tech is irrelevant as they are primarily data handling networks and if you are connected to WiFi then you are fine. It's a fairly good stop-gap measure for residents who only have issues at their home / office or other fixed locations.

goldfazer

  • FOC-U Riding with Piles Expert
  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 20,349
  • Expert Porn Star
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - .
    • View Profile
    • AvBrief
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #29 on: 10 August 2014, 04:10:51 pm »
I believe it was 3 that were looking in to using your home Internet / WiFi network to transmit the GSM signal required for calls and texts in the absence of a cell signal. Obviously 3G and 4G tech is irrelevant as they are primarily data handling networks and if you are connected to WiFi then you are fine. It's a fairly good stop-gap measure for residents who only have issues at their home / office or other fixed locations.

I've had a Vodafone SureSignal for a few years which does exactly that. Only it doesn't. It's crap. It may be OK if there really is  no other signal, but I've now turned it off and get much better reception on a very weak 'proper' signal!

mickvp

  • Global Moderator
  • GP Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,247
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #30 on: 10 August 2014, 04:43:35 pm »
I believe it was 3 that were looking in to using your home Internet / WiFi network to transmit the GSM signal required for calls and texts in the absence of a cell signal. Obviously 3G and 4G tech is irrelevant as they are primarily data handling networks and if you are connected to WiFi then you are fine. It's a fairly good stop-gap measure for residents who only have issues at their home / office or other fixed locations.

I've had a Vodafone SureSignal for a few years which does exactly that. Only it doesn't. It's crap. It may be OK if there really is  no other signal, but I've now turned it off and get much better reception on a very weak 'proper' signal!

Orange/T-mobile/EE also have the "signal box" which does the same thing, utilizes wifi to give a good signal - its about as reliable as the vodafone one in my experience, and you really do need a minimum of 2-3MBps broadband for it to work at all.


fireblake

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 1,489
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #31 on: 10 August 2014, 07:03:48 pm »
it sounds similar to 3G, when the is the faintest sniff of WIFI the fecking thing don't work. A real pain to have to turn the WIFI off as I always forget to put it on again and munch up most of my allowance downloading stuff thinking tge WIFI is on.
Sent from my villa in the South of France.


goldfazer

  • FOC-U Riding with Piles Expert
  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 20,349
  • Expert Porn Star
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - .
    • View Profile
    • AvBrief
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #32 on: 10 August 2014, 08:49:45 pm »
No - this is a box that is a femto cell (low power base station) the connects to the Vodafone etc. network over the internet. Nowt to do with WiFi. Great idea if it worked properly.

mickvp

  • Global Moderator
  • GP Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,247
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #33 on: 10 August 2014, 08:55:17 pm »
No - this is a box that is a femto cell (low power base station) the connects to the Vodafone etc. network over the internet. Nowt to do with WiFi. Great idea if it worked properly.


it still works through your wifi and plugs into the router though? the EE one does for sure, and Im sure my old vodafone signal box was the same (I ended up leaving vodafone as i couldnt get a sugnal at home at all, and even with a signal box it was really spotty):

http://ee.co.uk/help/mobile-and-home-connections/checking-and-improving-your-network-coverage/signal-box

As I say, the EE one is pretty rubbish as well.

goldfazer

  • FOC-U Riding with Piles Expert
  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 20,349
  • Expert Porn Star
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - .
    • View Profile
    • AvBrief
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #34 on: 10 August 2014, 09:01:18 pm »
Nope, no wifi, just plugs into the router.

mickvp

  • Global Moderator
  • GP Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,247
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #35 on: 10 August 2014, 09:04:34 pm »
Nope, no wifi, just plugs into the router.

ahh.. it DOES work the same, its just me being a bit thick and referring to my broadband as "wifi" rather than "broadband" :lol

Dead Eye

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,753
  • What doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #36 on: 10 August 2014, 10:30:28 pm »
The femto cells do work differently - they broadcast an actual GSM signal and route that via the internet. I remember a company I used to work for used the Vodafone one and the main issue was nearly always the femto cell itself

goldfazer

  • FOC-U Riding with Piles Expert
  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 20,349
  • Expert Porn Star
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - .
    • View Profile
    • AvBrief
Re: Giff Gaff
« Reply #37 on: 11 August 2014, 09:18:30 am »
I know - that's why I described it as ' femto cell (low power base station) that connects to the Vodafone etc. network over the internet. Nowt to do with WiFi. Great idea if it worked properly.'  :)