Mobile phone signal in Cardiff

You may be forgiven for thinking Cardiff is a large enough city that you wouldn't have to worry about mobile phone signal in certain areas, particularly the city centre. however, we often hear about issues people have about not getting signal, dropped calls, losing GPS just at the wrong time etc. (key places here include the drive from Cardiff city centre to the airport, which can be a bit dramatising).

Ofcom (the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries) have this advice to offer:

"Switching mobile phone providers is easier than it's ever been but if you don’t do your homework you could end up missing one vital ingredient – a signal.

The strength of a mobile signal varies depending on where you live and which provider you choose. So, just because you enjoy a strong signal with your current provider doesn’t mean that a competitor will necessarily provide the same coverage.

For example, if you want to use your phone to browse the internet or download music and videos, then you’ll need to make sure there is a suitable 3G signal in your area.

Each of the five main mobile networks – Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and 3 - have coverage checkers on their sites.

You simply enter your post code and they will show you what kind of coverage you can expect in your area.

This will include information on standard 2G coverage – suitable for calls and texts – as well as the 3G coverage needed for web services.

Vodafone coverage checker

Orange coverage checker

O2 coverage checker

T-Mobile coverage checker

3 coverage checker

Asda Mobile

Tesco Mobile (uses the map of its partner O2)

Virgin Mobile

As well as using these checkers, you can also ask friends and family in your area how they find the signal strength of the various networks."

source: http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/mobilecoverage

You may notice the main problem with these is that they aren’t exactly independent and are provided by the operators themselves.

Another new site which just seems to be getting started is www.signalmap.com, it isn't very comprehensive yet but does make a point of highlighting "dead spots" in signal areas. This site has potential for being independent and not tied to the mobile coverage operators.

We would love to see your comments below and tell us where in Cardiff you struggle to get signal

Cardiff's night life plays a crucial role in making the city a vibrant place to be. It is also important in creating jobs and attracting people to the city.

But there is also a need to ensure that Cardiff at night is welcoming, clean, safe, is easy to get to and from and offers a rich mix of leisure and entertainment.

Members of the council's Economy and Culture scrutiny committee will be taking to the streets to find out more about the night-time economy.

As part of their inquiries, the committee is keen to hear your views of the city's night-time economy and how it can be improved.

Please complete the Cardiff at night survey.

http://www.surveys.cardiff.gov.uk/cardiffatnight/English/

http://www.surveys.cardiff.gov.uk/cardiffatnight/cymraeg/

The survey will also be available at several city centre locations during untill the end of August. Everyone who completes a questionnaire will be entered into a prize draw.

Cardiff wifi hotspots

Cardiff's free and paid for hotspot map!

View WiFi in Cardiff in a larger map

IMPORTANT
Pease make free wifi GREEN, and paid wifi BLUE.

ABOUT
Editable map of wifi in Cardiff and the surrounding regions. When you add places please stipulate whether the wifi is free or paid. Also, if you can add details such as size, atmosphere, prices etc it would be useful for people who don't know the area/venue.

HOW TO
If you're signed into Google then just click on "Edit" and follow your nose. If you have any queries then head on over to http://wifi-in-uk.co.uk.

Set up by www.neilcocker.com
and part of www-wifi-in-uk.co.uk

To embed this map in your website copy the code in the box below and add it to your site:

<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100925070844289100032.0004601fd255e641897ff&ll=51.478817,-3.183804&spn=0.037419,0.073128&z=13&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100925070844289100032.0004601fd255e641897ff&ll=51.478817,-3.183804&spn=0.037419,0.073128&z=13&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">WiFi in Cardiff</a> in a larger map</small> select

Give us a shout if you’ve got the loudest voice in Cardiff

The hunt is on to find the person with the loudest voice in Cardiff - whether they’re a shopkeeper, lead singer, sergeant major, teacher or mum!

They’ll represent the region in the National Yelling Championships later this year - and could be crowned Britain’s Loudest.

To enter, you just turn up at St David’s Shopping Centre (The Hayes) on Saturday 5 June between 11.00 - 16.00 and yell as loud as you can into the Yellometer for what you want the most.

The challenge is being organised by Yell, the company behind the Yellow Pages directory, the online version Yell.com and the voice service 118 24 7.

It’s part of the UK-wide Yell! Tour 2010, which aims to perfectly match up Britain’s local businesses with their local customers.

Cardiff’s shops and small businesses are getting the chance to have a Yell too - about what makes them great.

Said Matthew Bottomley from Yell: “Local shops and local shoppers want to give and receive the best service - especially in these tough times.

“We’re encouraging everyone to let rip about what they’re selling and what they need.

“It’s going to be like an old fashioned bazaar or market with everyone shouting out their wares.”

Whoever records the loudest Yell on the day will win an Apple iTouch, loaded with the Yell app and a decibel meter - and will go forward into the national Yell-offs.

Said Matthew: “We all know people with unusually loud voices – and here’s the chance to give them the stage they deserve!

“If you know an unusually loud shopkeeper, boss, teacher or parent, or you’re the lead singer in Cardiff’s loudest band, then do please get them to give us a shout.”