You're just the latest of a number who have replied on this while not knowing the circumstances.
I challenge that 95% have coverage, 95% of cells might have in parts but many within some of those cells individually don't have coverage, as in my case due to the contours of the steep sided valley I'm in. Here many of us are masked from the signal masts on the North Downs high points and also two local repeaters, therefore cells shown as having coverage don't have 100% coverage, so its 95% of far less than 95%.
And it's not just this older man suffering this, I'm in flats predominantly occupied by younger people who live on their latest smartphones when they can. But for many of them that means going outside and walking to the top of the hill to gain enough of a signal for calls and I see regular visitors who approach using a mobile waiting a short way off to complete their call or text before entering the area.
The networks are aware and many years ago wanted to provide an additional mast. But one idiot resident launched a campaign against it on the grounds of radiation (!) addling children's brains. He manage to raise such a fuss that the company withdrew, cancelling the plans. So we've been living in the mobile phone past for many years.
I have had a modern smartphone for a few months now, a Motorola G6 given by a spendthrift younger friend who bought it, changed his mind immediately and bought something more expensive. So with no signal I tried the WiFi route but without success since connection is rarely possible and suffering frequent dropouts. My router is of preference hardwired to computer, Smart TV, FreeviewPlay recorder etc with its wireless facility normally turned off, but I turned it on and set it up but still had no success with WiFi. To underline all this, most of our SmartMeters don't work either since they are mobile network dependent.
Because I'm old many assume I'm technophobic, but nothing could be further from the truth. I've been computing for decades, was for two years a leading advisor on Microsoft operating systems on the PC Advisor website, use SatNav, bought a mobile nearly two decades ago for emergency use when out, the heating and lighting in my home and even garage are all remote controlled and I drive a fully electric car.
I love new technology that works and set everything up myself, but hate that which doesn't work properly, and smartphones definitely fall under category. The Motorola drives me bonkers due to its failure to respond reliably to commands. Just one example, because without a signal it would rarely be any use I wouldnt want be charging it every two or three days so want to power it right down. To do that means pressing the on/of button and selecting power off from the three choices that are supposed to be given on screen.
But almost all the time that doesn't happen, instead I'm asked "Do I want to restart" but with no option to choose no and no swipe command to reach that option! That is stupid design. So I have to press the off button and try again. After anything from five to nine attempts I finally do get the Power Off choice, but more often that not choosing that returns me to "Do I want to restart", starting the whole useless cycle again!
At that point if the designer responsibly was in front of me they would need an ambulance, such is my built up exasperation. What else in this world takes so much time and effort just to turn it off? Not that other touch screen commands on Smartphones are much more successful. All around I see owners swiping repeatedly in their efforts to get what they want or what they want happen. The same when they want to show me something on their phone. Lose it and I have to watch them furiously swiping for ages to try to get it back.
They mostly seem happy with this, but I'm not. I'm only interested in technology that works first time, every time, and in this respect smartphones and many other touch screen items are a failed technology in many respects, despite their immense popularity and usefulness for some.
If I had many genuine uses for a smartphone I might be inclined to pursue other options or stand outside in the cold and wet at the top of the hill, but for one app to contact a doctor with a stupidly designed App, no way.
You see, despite your protest it is stupidly designed. That doctor had a very good website which I always used for prescription repeats and other contact. But their "Doctor IQ" app propaganda has been superimposed across the home page, blocking all access buttons. To make matters worse at the end of the app description urging me to download it is the sentence, "for those who cannot use the app, all the other ways to contact can still be used", when very clearly that is untrue and just another bit of smartphone idiocy.
.
Last edited:
