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Will LTE+ network be expanded in rural NS?

  • 16 February 2021
  • 4 replies
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B

Hi,

I am in a unique situation where I don’t seem to get coverage inside my home, yet my next-door neighbour has full LTE+ according to a zoomed in version of the coverage map. I have to use my Wi-Fi calling inside my home which is problematic because the only option I have for internet is satellite internet and the latency and upload are so slow that the person on the other end can’t hear me on Wi-Fi calling. This means that I have to go outside and cross the street anytime that I want to make a phone call. (I just moved to current location, used to be much closer to Halifax and did not have this problem).

 

Are there any planned upgrades to the TELUS/Bell LTE+ network that would see more coverage along the Eastern Shore of NS in the near future? Also, somebody suggested that I use a signal booster, but from what I read on the reviews, they work really well at amplifying an incoming signal, but not so much at outgoing, which kind of would defeat the purpose. 

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Best answer by Dinh 16 February 2021, 18:33

Hi

You mentioned about indoor signal. How about your outdoor signal? When you went out, did you receive better signal coverage?

Also, which phone are you using? Is your neighbor using the same phone model as yours? Different models can have different settings in display and network capacity.

Regarding the network upgrade expansion, I would suggest you check in with local Telus in your area. I think the local rep might know more about it.

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Dinh
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

Hi

You mentioned about indoor signal. How about your outdoor signal? When you went out, did you receive better signal coverage?

Also, which phone are you using? Is your neighbor using the same phone model as yours? Different models can have different settings in display and network capacity.

Regarding the network upgrade expansion, I would suggest you check in with local Telus in your area. I think the local rep might know more about it.

A Koodo customer, opinions are my own.
B

Hi

You mentioned about indoor signal. How about your outdoor signal? When you went out, did you receive better signal coverage?

Also, which phone are you using? Is your neighbor using the same phone model as yours? Different models can have different settings in display and network capacity.

Regarding the network upgrade expansion, I would suggest you check in with local Telus in your area. I think the local rep might know more about it.

Thank you, yes the signal goes in and out inside the home, but never higher -105dBM (not even one bar), wen I go outside it is better, around -90dBm (2 bars) and when I go to the end of the driveway it switches from 3G to LTE+ and the signal goes up to -80dBm (3 bars).

 

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. The network map for Telus shows me in the service are for LTE+, however, you cannot really zoom in on it. Since, Telus uses Bell’s infrastructure and when I zoom in using the coverage map on Bell’s site (where you can zoom in much closer), there is actually a pocket, a small semi-circle blip, which is void of coverage (which is right over my house). I am guessing that I am just on the extreme from each direction of all of the towers that would broadcast to me. 

Dinh
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

If the phone is the S20 FE, it is a newer model and should have no problem to connect to various bands. I would suggest you try to reset network settings of the phone (Settings » General management » Reset » Reset network settings) and  check the APN of the phone to see if your phone APN was setup correctly https://www.koodomobile.com/en/help/setting-data-your-non-koodo-phone. After that if the phone signal reception doesn’t improve, the issue is the LTE+ blackout in your place. there isn’t much you could do except waiting for them to install newer towers nearby.

LTE+ is only for data speed. The S20FE supports both VoLTE and VoWiFI so as long as you have LTE or WiFi at home, your voice/text should be fine.

 

A Koodo customer, opinions are my own.
R
Badge +4

Since you have a working cellular signal outside, a cellular signal booster might be worth looking into. The trick in choosing a cellular booster system is to consider the square footage of your home and then look for systems that cover an extra one or two thousand square feet. Sounds excessive, but this ensures that the booster will offer higher maximum gain and greater maximum uplink power. 

Outdoor antenna selection is key. In this case, opt for booster kits that have a directional or Yagi antenna as these types of antennas operate on the line-of-sight principle. This allows you to aim the antenna in the direction of the tower that services your area. Omni-directional antennas work best when there are several towers within close proximity to your area. 

Outdoor antenna placement. I’ve installed several cellular booster kits for friends over the years. Surroundings play an important part as to whether the outdoor antenna is mounted just under the eaves of a roof or mounted atop a 20’ mast to overcome naturally occurring obstacles. While you may get an excellent signal installing the booster kit during winter months, when summer returns, dense foliage can wreak havoc with signal. 

I would recommend calling or emailing Wilson Amplifiers Canada and their competitors to get a better idea of your coverage needs. Shop around and compare pricing and specs. I’m not going to gloss over the fact that this is a costly investment, it most certainly is, but it should pay for itself within the year.

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.ca/

A Canadian cell tower map should give you a rough idea as to which tower services your area. This can help figure out which direction to aim a directional antenna.

Canadian Cell Towers Map

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