Reception on My 1hr Train Commute Each Day Is Rubbish. Looking for Options to Help Me Get Some Work Done Online

Lsauteer on 07/06/2024 - 09:32

So I currently take the Vline between Geelong and Melbourne for work. Always get a seat and it's not a bad service all in all.

The only problem is that the cellular reception is patchy. Some people say that the Velocity trains are constructed in such a way that they act like a bit of a faraday cage which prevents the full strength of the 4g and 5g signal getting through. I think also the other factors are:

  • The trains are often full and everyone is on their phones so the cell towers are all switching at the same time and servicing a full train all at once as well as the suburb and people who live in the area
  • Many Chinese phones have stronger reception as they don't conform to the same "health" standards when it comes to signal amplification. (not sure about this one, but it sounds feasible).

They used to have signal boosters on each carriage and that worked pretty well, but they have discontinued that for some reason.

Also in Australia cell phone repeaters are heavily regulated and it's illegal to have an unapproved mobile signal repeater or booster.

So I'm thinking about finding a mobile hotspot/router for 5g / 4g in that hope that it has stronger and more capable reception than what is packed into my phone and sandwiched in glass and metal etc.

Can anyone recommend a good cheap portable wifi hotspot that has good signal strength compared to their phone?

I'm on the Telstra network

Mobile

Comments

  • AustriaBargain on 07/06/2024 - 09:36
    +21

    Are you being paid for your commute? If not then you could just not work. Download a movie onto your device and watch that, or read a book, or take a nap.

    • foxmulder on 07/06/2024 - 10:38
      +1

      Power nap is for me if I'm on train :)

    • sauteer on 07/06/2024 - 10:54
      +6

      Kind of. I do leave the office early at times with the plan to take a call or two on the train.

      Also when I say "work" I really mean just getting stuff done. I have a necessarily productive and busy life, I've got young kids, a big mortgage and a lot of motivation. I "chill" when everything is done and the kids are asleep!

  • jorf on 07/06/2024 - 09:37
    +3

    https://imgur.com/o0c5NhR

  • mskeggs on 07/06/2024 - 10:08

    You need to plan a bit so the work you are doing is not so sensitive to uninterrupted access. I used to do a 2hr train commute and did email and documents in that time.

    But the real answer is work from home.

    • sauteer on 07/06/2024 - 10:56
      -4

      Agree and I do. Email and unsynced documents aren't a big part of my work. I manage a team of people and communication is probably the biggest part of what I do.

      I work from home 3 days a week.

      • Pcosmic on 07/06/2024 - 11:48
        +7

        I'm sure they'll survive and actually happier without you for an hour

  • p1 ama on 07/06/2024 - 10:09
    +6

    I'm on the Telstra network

    This is going to sound nuts, but you should give Vodafone a try. If you don't believe me, just sign-on for a month and see how it goes for you.

    Telstra may have the best network coverage, but their network is heavily congested in many places to the point of being unbearably slow. I have a Vodafone personal phone, and a Telstra work phone, and there are definitely areas where the Vodafone signal is significantly better - faster speeds, less latency. My guess is that there's just significantly more congestion on the Telstra network.

    Yes, when venturing rural, Telstra is by far better. However, Vodafone have focused quite a lot of resources in putting up towers in suburban areas, especially new and emerging estates (of which there are a lot between Melbourne and Geelong).

    • cfuse on 09/06/2024 - 00:37

      It was a billion years ago but my VIC sales reps point blank refused to use anyone but Voda over coverage issues. They could have had Telstra and they didn't want it. All the rest of our mobile (national) was with Optus and they wouldn't have that either.

    • original15 on 10/06/2024 - 21:14

      Or Optus. Depending on location Optus is even better than Telstra in regional spots. Obvs all varies dependent on location

  • rumblytangara on 07/06/2024 - 10:16
    -2

    Many Chinese phones have stronger reception as they don't conform to the same "health" standards when it comes to signal amplification. (not sure about this one, but it sounds feasible).

    This is a new one to me. "Reception" is a passive thing, how sensitive an antenna is. Maybe you're talking about transmit power, but I doubt that'd make much difference with cell tower distances (am not an engineer).

  • neoleo on 07/06/2024 - 10:50
    +4

    Do you use iphone or android phone? Since long time ago I have noticed that iPhone's signal reception is weaker than android phone, even for wifi. Not sure about now.

    You should try different network like Vodafone or Optus.

    • sauteer on 07/06/2024 - 10:52

      I'm on a S23+ Android.

      I'm with Telstra because I live in a rural area and Telstra gets the best reception where I live.

      • neoleo on 07/06/2024 - 10:55

        It's better if it is dual sim card phone. 1 Telstra and 1 Voda/Optus. For example, on Vodafone PAYG plan like $40 a year, often I gets free data from Vodafone. Okay as data backup or for light work that needs data.

      • skittlebrau on 08/06/2024 - 11:23
        +2

        Using a second SIM on a different network as suggested and enabling the Android setting for dual data use, so that both SIMs are used for data rather than one.

  • SimAus007 on 07/06/2024 - 11:02
    +2

    I use Vodafone on an occasional VLine commute between Melbourne and Geelong (once a month) and it has worked fine from my experience, although I am not working usually, I've not noticed any dropped signal or slow speeds.
    It is worth trying Optus or Vodafone for that route to see what it's like (get a cheap 1 month SIM for maybe $10)

    • sauteer on 07/06/2024 - 11:16
      +1

      yeh thats a good idea. I was working with the assumption that Telstra should have the best coverage but you're right that's a blanket rule and there will be differences in particular areas

      • p1 ama on 07/06/2024 - 23:34
        +2

        the assumption that Telstra should have the best coverage

        Coverage is different to availability. Coverage means you get a signal, availability means how reliable that signal is once established.

        Unquestionably Telstra has the best coverage. There's no universal data for availability, but OpenSignal does some testing: https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2024/04/australia/mobile-…

        For "overall experience", Vodafone actually wins the Download and Upload speed tests, and also the Availability and 5G Availability tests.

        As is expected, Telstra is the clear winner in Coverage, but actually gets trounced in all other areas (even in consistency). They just have too much congestion, especially as they have 44%+ of the mobile market share, and likely even higher in regional areas.

  • Whensday on 07/06/2024 - 11:59
    +2

    I use Optus on the route and aside from the section around Ravenhall (where the Geelong line joins the Ballarat line) I don't have a problem.

    Catch the XPT and you'll see what bad signal on a train really is…

  • JimmyF on 07/06/2024 - 12:31
    +1

    Some people say that the Velocity trains are constructed in such a way that they act like a bit of a faraday cage which prevents the full strength of the 4g and 5g signal getting through.

    Those people are correct. The trains use a metal tint on the windows that blocks/reduces the phone service.

    Can anyone recommend a good cheap portable wifi hotspot that has good signal strength compared to their phone?

    Try loading up some esims on your phone and seeing what the other networks are like first.

  • elgrande on 07/06/2024 - 13:34

    Are you with Telstra? I find Optus has better service in outter westeen suburbs.

  • AnyFurtherDiscount on 07/06/2024 - 15:27
    -1

    Telstra network?

    Like Aldi mobile or real Telstra? Even for real telstra, Prepaid and post-paid made different.

  • JIMB0 on 07/06/2024 - 16:50

    Are you going to stick the hotspot on the outside of the train?

  • Ghost47 on 07/06/2024 - 18:28

    +1 for trying a different network. Does your laptop have a SIM card slot you could put a SIM into?

  • xylarr on 09/06/2024 - 11:04

    Have a look at getting an eSIM. Just try one for a month - see how it goes. It also means you don't have to give up your normal SIM. I'm not sure if the phones are smart enough to route traffic onto the SIM with the best reception - I think you select which one is active at a particular time.

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