It will cost you $5 to get both a SIM and $5 credit with ALDI who use the Telstra network, not the entire network but should be ok to find out if a Testra linked one will do the job.
Vodafone also have their own network so a prepaid SIM from them should give you a good idea if they or their MVNOs will work.
Have you contacted the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman? If you canāt make calls, I think they might be in breach of your contract.
I tried Virgin once and got bugger all coverage. I rang them as I just signed a contract and they checked my area and agreed my coverage was poor, they let me off the contract.
I have been thinking about what else you could do @Suzique .
I have found two free iOS 11 apps that may be of use for you.
The first is called āFindTowerā. It finds the local mobile phone towers with different icons for the different carriers. If you click on an icon it shows the
You could load this app, and get better information on what Virgin/Optus has available in your vicinity. Unfortunately, there is no information on signal strength.
The second is called āOpenSignalā. The opening screen shows your carrier and the bars your phone shows.
On the bottom bar if you press coverage, it will show a crowdsourced map with green areas being strong signal (above -85dBm), and red/brown being weak signal (below -99dBm where you get poor data speeds and dropped calls).
Above the bottom bar is another bar which says āCompare Performanceā. Click on that and it will show all available networks that cover where you are, with their download and upload speeds. Swipe Left and you get their Latency and signal strengths.
The data from the two apps should help you to compare and contrast the performance of the different network operators without having to join the other networks, or find phones connected to the other networks. Depending on results, you may be able to use the information to go back to Virgin and say that the signal is not up to the standard of the other networks.
Great suggestionsā¦thanks so much for your input. Iām away at present but will definitely try them out when I get home.
I did complain to the Ombudsman, and Virgin got back to me pretty quickly after that. Virgin said if I wanted to move to another carrier, they would waive the contract fees. Interestingly, I was agonising over my āloyaltyā to the company, as I am one of those loyal customers. Virgin then dumps the news that they are winding down, and weāre all out the door in 2 years anyway!
Well thatās an interesting chain of events! Iām glad they decided to wave the fees though, and hopefully the next option works out a bit better for you. Thanks for taking the time to update us.
Further updateā¦I finally took the plunge and changed carriers this week. I wanted a Telstra network option, without paying a fortune so I have now switched to the Aldi mobile network. Reviews had said the customer support was lacking, but I found the whole switching process online was very easy. I ported my number over and it was all done within an hour, with barely any phone interruption.
Iām now only paying $15 month for unlimited calls, texts and 1.5GB data (which rolls over). No contract and I can easily change plan options each month. Very happyā¦should have done it ages ago. Andā¦I can now make calls from anywhere in my house!! Winning!!
When I read articles comparing Telstraās excellent mobile service and coverage with Optusā second (or third) rate service and coverage, it always reminds me of the story of the sign behind the counter at the stockfeed merchant, which read.
āWe sell first grade oats so they cost a little more.
However, if you are happy to settle for oats that have already been through the horse, then they come a little cheaper.ā
Great to know there are these apps. It will help sort out how coverage actually affects where we live. The telco coverage maps are not perfect.
I work outside in the scrub a bit so having the mobile to hand has been essential. Due to carrier signal issues I now use one on Telstra and one on Optus. Telstra has been the go to for ever due to where I have worked previously. If they offered loyalty bonus Iād be due a V8 Cruiser?
Where I am now is in a slight hollow and lots of trees (forest). With a Telstra tower not much more than 1km distant we need to move all over the house to get a signal. Often SMS come in but calls go to message bank. Telstraās coverage map did draw a line halfway through our property so I guess they already knew there were horizon issues.
Optus used to be a sit on the roof job. There closest tower is many kmās away. But now works great all over the house and reliably with data on 3G at 10-20Mbs. Just on the edge of 4G service.
Will now be able to do a few checks and hopefully drop Telstra, given Optus has been reliable with our travelling here and OS.
Guess it all depends on where you live or work on the day?
