Bt Mobile On The Rivers

[Siddy]

What is the signal like for BT Mobile on the northern rivers, anybody used it yet.

BT offering 20gig data unlimited min/txt for £15 and O2 can't touch it offering it for £20

Maybe time to move back to them.

Offer ends tomorrow.

[quo vadis]

Hi Siddy from my own personal opinion O2 is no good go for Vodaphone

[tjg1677]

Yes, definitely vodaphone, the others tend to be very hit and miss that i have tried, although not tried O2.

Trev

[quo vadis]

My mate Jiffy reakons Nokiia is the best 

[Timbo]

I was getting all excited thinking it was the BAT Mobile...

I'm on O2, never had a problem. Whenever I'm down on the boat the Mrs can't get hold of me at all! 

[BryanW]

My wife has an iPhone on BT and it's pretty useless on the north Broads but I am on Vodafone, again with an iPhone, and I can invariably get a signal (even 4G in a few places).  I think BT use the EE network.  If you have a non-smart phone (e.g. older Nokia) then you are likely get a better signal but, obviously, only for voice calls.

I was told many years ago that Eastern Electricity (remember them?) used Vodafone which is why the signal was always good with them because they had put up many masts to satisfy this customer.

[ExMemberBobdog]

I get b***er all signal with O2 anywhere in the broads, but I bought a little old fashioned Samsung phone for £10 and a PAYG SIM from Vodaphone and that works everywhere.  I've got BT Broadband at home, and they keep offering me good looking deals for mobile, but not convinced the coverage will be any good while I'm on the boat.  I believe many BA staff, including the Rangers, are issued with Vodaphone connected mobiles.

[ginbottle]

I'm also interested to hear the replies to this, as my other half was keeping me awake the other night, with his hypothetical question..."what happens if we were to break down and be drifting in the middle of nowhere and can't get a mobile signal?"

We had been out on our old boat, for over two hours and not passed any other boats whatsoever! It was mid-week and out of season, of course it would be different in Spring or Summer! My phone is O2 and his is EE and the signal is non existent, or erratic at best!

Also, if we were to be lucky enough to get a brief signal, is there an equivalent to the AA, but for boats?

[SwanR]

I have found O2 to be very much improved this year over any other year that I have been on the Broads. Can't be sure for the southern rivers but the only place on the northern side that I couldn't get 3 or 4G was Acle. Everywhere else was brilliant. And   it was the same at Lowestoft this weekend. Meanwhile my hubby has EE and he has been struggling to get a signal almost everywhere. My vote is definitely with O2 at the moment.

[grendel]

999 calls will use any available phone network, they will also override the normal battery protection that turns the phone off when the battery is low.

http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/special-shows/the-mystery-hour/science-technology/how-can-mobiles-always-make-emergency-calls-7034/

 

[LondonRascal]

This topic must be the most often debated – and like what brand of Varnish to use, everyone will have the best idea and choice.  That said, things do change and I have gone from deeply disliking O2 to now being rather happy I stayed with them (at least as reception goes).

In the not too distant past once you left Norwich you could kiss goodbye to any sort of data connection with O2 – you were firmly in the grips of GPRS and would be doing very well if you got three bars of signal on the Broads.

But now go to Horning wandering down by the Swan and while those on other networks will be frustrated, I’ve got 4G! In Stalham, and the surrounding area I can get a good 3G signal too but it is odd that in Wroxham you are alas stuck with GPRS.

Some people with EE will get a little bit better where I cannot, then someone with Vodafone will get a signal where EE and O2 cannot so short of having several phones ready to go for all eventualities you are going to come unstuck at some point with whoever you use.

The issue I now have with O2 is the amount I pay for what I get in return – At close to £50.00 a month I get very little data allowance included – but for less with EE you’d get more than double.  I also maintain Three to be the best for data speed and coverage when Shilea will bring her EE dongle it is rare we get more than 3G speeds and often will drop below that, where as the Three dongle will carry on chugging away.  Increasingly I find too that having a good, fast data connection more important than a phone signal on my mobile.  If I have WiFi I can use Whatsapp, Viber, Facetime etc and stay in touch that way.

[LondonRascal]

By the way Ginbottle have a look at this link: http://www.boultermarine.co.uk/breakdown-recovery/

It is a breakdown service offered on the northern rivers by Boulters of Horning.

[LondonRascal]

While it would not be useful for people 'on the go' I am considering getting something a bit like the image below which blends a Router we are all familiar with from home but with the addition of a SIM card slot.  Thus it takes the provider of your choice's 3G or 4G signal then creates a WiFi hot spot on the boat - but with the benefit of better range internally and Ethernet ports too.

Something like this could then be used with IP cameras for security, smart switches controlled over the Web and all sorts of fun gadgetry like getting Internet Streaming services from music to films.  The real issue is data costs.  Three do an 'unlimited everything' but it is £32.00 a month which for close on £400 a year is a little steep when you are not on board a boat all the time.

 

[MauriceMynah]

Does it run on 12 volts? What are IP cameras? What is your definition of "people on the go"?  ... now the questions that prove I'm really thick...   What are "3g and 4g"? What are "smart switches"? and if EE stands for Everything Everywhere, does it work in Horning and Hickling?

Apart from the questions above I'm following this thread pretty well.... even if my brain does hurt.  

[Jim]

IP cameras run on networks (IP = Internet Protocol) 

[LondonRascal]

I won’t get too techie here as to try and make sense – let’s look at the Routers. No they don’t run on 12v, I’d guess more probably the wall transformer knocks the voltage from mains voltage to 5v or maybe 9v so, with some electrical knowledge it would make more sense on a boat to have a feed from 12v boat supply regulated down to whatever voltage the Router required.  The main thing there is to have it ‘regulated’ so whether the engine was running or not it maintained the same voltage with no spikes in voltage which can be the death of electrical circuits. 

IP cameras work by sending the image collected by the sensor as data and not an analogue video signal. The data then comes to a ‘set top box’ type affair and this does several things: It can record the video locally to a Hard Disk mounted in the box, but also the box can be connected to the Web thus allowing you to remotely watch the video feed from anywhere in the world over the Web – even from a Smartphone. Analogue based camera systems can also do this such as you may see in Maplin under the Swann brand through a box but the video signal that is sent to the box will be analogue and not a data stream. 

The benefit of an IP Camera system is you use standard and cheaply available Ethernet Cable (network cable) to not only get the data (video) from the camera but can also send power down some of the wires not being used for data to the camera. This means just one cable is needed and greater lengths can be achieved without degradation of picture quality. 

People ‘on the go’ would be people who may hire boats, or those not wishing to have a permanent install on their boat of a Router and associated power/cabling.  A better system would those types of people would be a small pocket MiFi unit which is simply recharged like a mobile phone and can be carried about with you.  You won’t have such range from such a portable device (so far as the WiFi hot spot range goes on your boat) and you cannot plug into it things that may use Ethernet or that you might like to connect to without loss of speed – which can happen when transmitting data over radio waves (WiFi).

3G and 4G are just names which simply are to do with data and its speed the name 3G, 4G etc is about the protocol behind it (an industry standard that is accepted by many manufactures and networks).  Put in simple terms there are several standards that cover the sending of data over a mobile network – GPRS is very very slow (and may be referred to as ‘2G’) There is EDGE which is faster than GPRS but not as fast as the third generation data protocol ‘3G’ and now we have 4G or you may here it referred to as LTE (Long Term Evolution).  As you can see it really is a very complicated area, but suffice to say 4G is faster than 3G that is faster than 2G. Data speed is important because although you might be able to send a photograph on a slow speed data connection to the Forum, for example, even though you have a ‘data connection’ you would not be able to watch a video streamed from You Tube because you did not have enough speed.

Smart Switches are a group of products that collectively are being called ‘The Internet of Things’.  In short it is something that controls something, could be a light switch controlling lights, a thermostat that controls heating or even a light bulbs that have speakers and can play music – the common connection between them is they connect over the Web because they have WiFi and so through an App on a phone or your computer you can connect to the device and control it – turn the heating on before you get home, turn the lights off because you forgot to – you get the idea.

 

EE does indeed stand for Everything Everywhere, but commonly I can be called as Ef-all Ere’

[Jim]

Hi Robin,

 

The Netgear range of routers run on 12 volt DC amongst many other brands.  Sure, they come with a mains adaptor which converts down to 12 volts DC.

[Siddy]

I've no issue with o2 on the northern except little bit in horning but then the phone get it's signal over wifi from the mifi on '3' with there TuGo app. Same at home in the offie it loses signal with the kit I have but gets call over the router. I would lose this option on BT. Then again the price is a lot better.

Also they've offered me online black friday deal, 76meg broadband unlimited £15/month for 24month. Think I joined December last year so may have take this.

[LondonRascal]

Jim, you'd still need a stable 12v supply so not to cause perhaps 14v or more heading into the Router when the engine was running.  Something like this would seem suitable and could well be used for other 12v low amp requirements

Link

[JennyMorgan]

One of the joys of Broads boating is being able to get away from the blessed phone! Reckon that the darned things are best stored in a water filled, lead lined bucket for the duration of the voyage.

Re breakdowns, my handheld VHF with Channel 16 seems to work perfectly well wherever I am on the Broads.

[MauriceMynah]

There are a million and one reasons why somebody might need or just want to have a working mobile phone on board, and I'd find a marine VHF unit pretty useless anywhere other than the boat. I might for example be on Oulton broad and want to get hold of my old mucker to have a beer with him.

No, there are times to stay with the Luddites of the world and times to be up to date, and it's up to each individual to decide for themselves how close to the 21st century they wish to get when they are out enjoying themselves.

[BroadAmbition]

Ginbottle - As Robin has mentioned, Boulters marine for the breakdown, 24 x Hrs a day, 365 days a year, it is strongly advisable to get the extra cover for the propeller fouling as well.  We have an yearly breakdown service with them for peace of mind, but mainly for the propeller thing.

Griff

[Viking23]

No matter how careful you are, a rope can go in the water, and you reverse slowly over it. For us it happened on the Broads at low speed as we were approaching our mooring, the other time, we were on the canal, just came out of a lock and the wind got up, the mooring line that were on the side deck was now in the water, and bingo... A prop foul.

We have an outboard, but when it fouled it took the rope under the boat, so it was impossible to tilt the engine, but some carefull unraveling we managed to release the rope without damage, it was touch and go as to cut the rope or not. 

So two fouls in nearly 30 years isn't that bad, but it still can happen.

For ease of mooring we have one long rope on each side of the boat, cleated at both ends, it means when you step off at the stern, you have full control of the boat. I use the same rope as a springer too, from bow cleat to post, from post to rear cleat ( have to take other end of rope off stern cleat first) then tie off the rope to a post behind the boat.

I then have a shorter rope that I take from the opposite stern cleat to the post behind the boat, the boat isn't going anywhere.

However, these much longer ropes may have contributed to the prop foul.

[JennyMorgan]

Actually I'm not adverse to mobile phones & the like, I carry one myself although normally in the 'off' mode but it's there if I need it, being geriatric and decrepit.

What I do question though is the general need for high technology on a boat. Amazingly sailing boats seem pretty much able to cope without the latest boy's toy, dongle, must-have-thingummyjig or electro-super-wotsit. I kid you not when I tell you that I recently went aboard a gin-palace that had a trouser-press in the guest cabin, I ask you! 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Actually I'm not adverse to mobile phones & the like, I carry one myself although normally in the 'off' mode but it's there if I need it, being geriatric and decrepit.

What I do question though is the general need for high technology on a boat. Amazingly sailing boats seem pretty much able to cope without the latest boy's toy, dongle, must-have-thingummyjig or electro-super-wotsit. I kid you not when I tell you that I recently went aboard a gin-palace that had a trouser-press in the guest cabin, I ask you! 

The whole technology vs tradition/basics question is very interesting and one which, being in the middle of a fairly comprehensive restoration of a 50's woodie, we're giving a lot of thought to. There is no simple answer, so far as I can see. Take our other boat, a 1930s Woods half decker. Structurally she's almost entirely original, apart from the odd modern stainless steel fitting here and there. But look at the running rigging - a lot is traditional , but there's a Harken ratchet on the mainsheet, two Harken air blocks on the jib clew (wonderful things), a dyneema soft shackle, modern ropes. I'm sure traditionalists would disapprove but they make sailing her so much easier that I really don't care.

But then our woodie is going to be resolutely 12v, no shore power, oil lamps in the saloon (but 12v leds as well), basic instrumentation, no inverter, no TV, no communication equipment apart from our mobiles. Inconsistencies? Yes, there are but it's what suits us - enough to be comfortable but independent of shore facilities for for a week or two. Others will do things differently and although I don't necessarily agree, if you want a whirlpool bath and a sauna (or even a trouser press) the decision is yours!