Complaint: Persistent Network Coverage Issue

Hello ​@Jdkhan,

nice that you have contacted us here in the o2 Community.💙

That doesn't read so well. I can understand your displeasure. Did I read it correctly that you have
already reported the impairment several times? Do you only have problems with the network when you are in your
home or also outside?
 

Best regards
Daniela

Hey ​@Jdkhan 🙂
Some time has already passed here. I wanted to ask about the current status of your network.
Has your reception strength improved at home?
Best regards, Kathi

Hello Kathi,

Thank you for checking in on my network issue. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved, both inside and outside my apartment. I recently performed a speed test indoors which showed extremely poor results: 0.32 Mbit/s for download and 0.01 Mbit/s for upload. Equally troubling, the connectivity outside is also consistently bad, and I am unable to hear any calls clearly, which is not only inconvenient but also embarrassing, especially during important calls.

This issue has been ongoing for four months now, severely impacting my ability to use essential services for both personal and professional purposes. Given the persistent nature of this problem and its widespread impact, I kindly request a detailed update on the steps being taken to resolve it. Could a technical inspection of the area be considered? It's crucial for me to have reliable service, and I believe an on-site evaluation might help identify and rectify the underlying issues.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to a proactive response and a solution soon.

Best regards,

Hello ​@Jdkhan ,

Have you ever checked the Livecheck to see whether there is currently a fault in your area? If not, please have a look there.
If there is no fault, you can forward a fault report directly to the technical department.

Have you ever tested your SIM card in another cell phone? And also tested another SIM card in your cell phone? In this way, a defect in a cell phone or the hardware can be ruled out or narrowed down.
You can also contact a direct o2 store in your area to have the sim card checked there.

Best regards,
Maria

Dear o2 Team,

Thank you, for your continued attention to my network issue. Unfortunately, despite following all recommendations, the problem persists with no improvement in coverage.

Additional Information:

I also have a connection with Telekom Deutschland, which works absolutely fine on the same device. This confirms that the issue is specific to the o2 network and not related to my device, SIM card, or the network environment itself.

Additionally, the network signal bar usually shows only one bar, and at times, it doesn’t show any bar at all. On many occasions, the connection is so poor that I am unable to even perform the speed test provided within the o2 application. This makes it impossible to assess the network performance consistently.

Steps Already Taken:

1. Live Check: Repeatedly verified via the o2 Live Check, which shows no faults in my area.
2. Troubleshooting: Completed all suggested troubleshooting steps:
   • Manually selected networks.
   • Enabled WiFi calling.
   • Tested my o2 SIM card in another phone (issue persists). Additionally, another SIM card in my phone (Telekom Deutschland) works perfectly, ruling out hardware issues.

While I can visit an o2 store for further testing, I want to emphasize that the phone I am using is barely new, and my o2 SIM card also appears to be in excellent condition. Based on this, I believe the issue is not hardware-related but specific to the o2 network.

Current Situation:

• Signal Strength: The signal bar consistently shows only one bar, and sometimes no signal at all.
• Speed Test Results: On the rare occasions I can perform the speed test. But for now its not even working.
• Call Quality: Frequent disconnections and unclear audio, significantly impacting personal and professional communication.

Request:

Given that this issue has persisted for over four months and is specific to the o2 network, I kindly request:

1. A Technical Inspection: Conduct a site-specific evaluation in my area (15320 Neuhardenberg) to identify and rectify the underlying problem.
2. Network Infrastructure Review: Verify the o2 network coverage and signal strength in the area and provide a detailed explanation of any potential issues.
3. Compensation for Service Interruption: Due to the prolonged lack of reliable service, I would like to discuss compensation for the inconvenience caused.

I trust that o2 values customer satisfaction and will escalate this matter to the appropriate department for an urgent resolution. Please provide a detailed update on the planned steps and timeline to address this issue.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.

Best regards,

​@Jdkhan 

I read all your steps you already went through but there is one point missing. Did you change your network manually to LTE only to check if there is a 5G problem in your area? As far as we can see the 5G network is currently in progress. It can be used outside but inside a building there are still some restrictions. 

Unfortunately we are unable to open a network ticket right here. Please use the  Livecheck  to report a default. This is also necessary to ask for a compensation after the problem might be solved. 

Greetings

Dear O₂ Customer Support Team,

I am writing with extreme frustration regarding the unresolved network issue at my residence in 15320 Neuhardenberg, ongoing since September 2024 Its almost 11 full months.

Despite numerous complaints and following every recommended troubleshooting step (SIM swap, device change, WiFi calling, Livecheck, etc.), nothing has improved. You continue to claim that "everything is fine on your side" — but I am the one living with zero usable signal on a daily basis.

My situation:

• 0–1 signal bar, sometimes none at all.

• Dropped calls, unclear audio — especially during job interviews.

• Mobile internet is unusable — even the speed test often fails.

• Other providers (e.g., Telekom) work flawlessly in the same phone.

I am using a new phone, and I have proof of poor speeds, call logs, and comparison with other SIMs. This is not a device problem, it is clearly an O₂ network issue.

If you truly believe this is not the case, I invite your technical team to visit my home and test it themselves.

I am now officially requesting:

1. Immediate technical inspection at my address.

2. A detailed explanation of the issue and why it has remained unresolved for so long.

3. Full compensation for the past 10 months of service failure — I have paid for a service that I did not receive.

This is not a goodwill request, but a justified demand based on continuous lack of service. As per German consumer rights, I have the right to seek compensation when a service provider fails to deliver the contracted service.

If this issue is not resolved and compensation not initiated within the next 5 business days, I will:

• Report this to the Verbraucherzentrale (consumer protection authority).

• Explore legal action and the immediate cancellation of my contract due to breach of service terms.

Please take this matter seriously. I am requesting a written confirmation of this complaint and a timeline for both resolution and compensation.

​@Jdkhan

This is not the correct place for your requests and certainly not expecting a reply within 5 days. Use the contact form to appropriately send your complaint to customer services.

https://www.o2online.de/kontakt/

Mobile contracts are not linked to a specific location so they do not guarantee service at an / your address. As such there is no right to immediately terminate the contract in such cases where the reception is weak or the network capacity is insufficient. You should, however, terminate the contract now if you have not already done so in order that it ends after the minimum term. You clearly do not want to extend it if reception is not good where you are.

https://info.o2online.de/kuendigung/

Dear O₂ Customer Support Team,

I am writing to raise a formal and urgent complaint regarding the continued network failure I have been experiencing at my residence in 15320 Neuhardenberg since September 2024 — a period of now more than 10 months.

Details of the Issue:

• I use a Samsung Galaxy A54 5G and my O₂ SIM (SIM 1) constantly shows 0–1 signal bar, and often no signal at all.

• I face frequent call drops, very poor audio quality, and almost unusable mobile internet — making it impossible to communicate effectively.

• Speed tests through third-party services like Speedtest.net frequently show download speeds as low as 0.2 Mbps and upload speeds near zero, or they fail to complete at all.

• My Telekom SIM works flawlessly on the same device, clearly proving that this is an O₂ network issue, not a device issue.

What I’ve Already Tried:

• Restarted my phone, swapped SIM slots, enabled WiFi calling.

• Tested my O₂ SIM in another phone — same issue.

• Manually selected network, checked Livecheck regularly (which always reports no problem).

• Spoke to several neighbors, who confirmed they have the same experience and no longer use O₂ due to poor connectivity in this area.

Impact:

This has caused significant personal and professional disruption. I have missed important job interviews, faced issues with urgent family calls, and paid monthly for a service that is effectively non-functional.

I am now requesting the following:

1. A technical inspection of the O₂ network in Neuhardenberg (15320).

2. A written explanation for the network failure and lack of resolution.

3. Compensation for 10 months of unusable mobile service.

4. Suspension or cancellation of my O₂ contract without penalty due to breach of service agreement — but only after compensation has been provided.

If I do not receive a clear response within 5 working days, I will:

• File a complaint with the Verbraucherzentrale (German Consumer Protection Office).

• Consider legal steps to recover my costs.

• Share my experience on consumer review platforms to warn other users.

I have attached screenshots from speed tests and phone status to support this complaint. Unfortunately, your app does not allow screenshots, but third-party tools clearly show how poor the connection is.

Please treat this matter with urgency and respond with a clear action plan and timeline.

Adding screenshots of a speedtest and posting your text again does not change the fact that this is not the right place for your complaint. You can attach the screenshots as attachments to the contact form (link see above).

I did not wake up after 10 months to suddenly complain — I have been actively reporting this issue through different channels over the past several months. But as a working professional, I do not have the time to chase after the same problem every day, especially when no real solution is offered. I waited, gave it time, restarted devices, followed all steps, and hoped it would get better — but it hasn't.

Furthermore, I am using O₂ broadband (DSL) at home, which works fine. This proves that the location is not the problem, nor is my house “too remote” or “outside coverage.” If your broadband works reliably here, then your mobile network should too — and it simply doesn’t.

This shows a clear failure of O₂’s mobile infrastructure, not an issue on my end. I expect compensation and immediate corrective action.

If this forum was never the correct place to escalate my complaint, why did no one say this clearly months ago, when I first reported the problem here and followed every instruction provided by moderators? Instead of offering a real solution, O₂ simply kept repeating generic suggestions — wasting months of my time.

Also, stating that "contracts are not location-specific, and poor reception is not a reason for early termination" is unacceptable. If I am paying monthly for a connectivity service, then I should reasonably expect to be able to connect — especially while living inside Germany, in a covered area, not a remote island. You cannot justify poor performance by hiding behind contract language while ignoring the actual service failure.

The fact that O₂ broadband works fine in my house proves that this isn't a coverage issue — it's a mobile infrastructure issue, and therefore, O₂ is clearly at fault.

Broadband / DSL and mobile are two completely different technologies. You could have perfect mobile reception and no broadband or extremely fast broadband and limited or no mobile reception. Sorry, but the fact that you have working broadband at home proves nothing at all.

It may be unacceptable to you that mobile contracts are not location-specific, but that is simply a fact. Nowhere in your contract is reception at a specific location guaranteed. This does not mean it us not possible that a mobile provider may agree to early termination for good will on a case-by-case basis, just that there is no contractual basis for this.

Nobody is suggesting it is a problem "at your end" or trying to justify poor performance with contract wording, but if there is no network fault and it is simply a case of poor reception (in your initial post you say yourself that it is a network coverage issue), there is unfortunately not really much you can do about it. o2 offers free test cards to enable customers to check reception before concluding a contract.

No mobile provider can guarantee 100% coverage. It is a fact that there are some areas where reception is poor, either on general or with certain networks. That is why it is important to go with a network that has good coverage at the location you are on most of the time.

Yes, I am fully aware that DSL/broadband and mobile networks are different technologies. However, my reference to working O₂ broadband is not a technical comparison  it’s a practical one. It’s proof that my home is within a properly served region by O₂ infrastructure in general. I am not living in an isolated village, mountain valley, or forest. I live in 15320 Neuhardenberg, a residential area within Germany, and I have every reason to expect basic mobile service from a nationwide provider like O₂.

You are correct that mobile providers cannot guarantee 100% reception everywhere. However, when someone reports the same issue for 10 months, across multiple support channels, and provides speed tests, signal evidence, and SIM comparisons, it goes beyond simply “poor reception” it reflects a long-standing, unresolved service failure. At that point, hiding behind the “mobile contracts are not location-specific” clause may be legally acceptable, but it’s ethically questionable and poor customer experience.

Also, no one offered me a test SIM before contract signing and even if that were the case, I would still expect a provider to respond meaningfully to months of reported service failure, rather than pointing me to terms and conditions after the fact.

Furthermore, saying, “There’s not much you can do about it” is exactly the opposite of what a customer-focused support team should say. It implies helplessness, rather than taking accountability or at least trying to investigate and acknowledge the issue properly.

Let’s also be clear: I’m not demanding perfection — I’m asking for:

A basic level of usable mobile service,

A technical investigation,

And compensation for the paid months when service has been virtually unusable.

Instead of being guided to a proper solution early on, I was redirected and never clearly told that this forum wasn’t the right place, until months had passed. That is also part of the frustration.

I respectfully stand by my request for:

1. A formal investigation of the O₂ network quality in my area.

2. Compensation for the prolonged service failure.

3. Termination of contract without penalty, based on goodwill or lack of service delivery.

This is not a matter of technical definitions this is about real-world service. And right now, I’m paying for something I cannot use, and have been for almost a year.

I recommend you send your requests to o2 via the contact form as already mentioned so that they can be considered by the appropriate department. If they are not prepared to terminate the contract early, maybe they will offer you something like a reduction on your monthly basic charge for the remainder of the contract. Maybe you can post the outcome here when you receive a reply.

Just as a point of interest, and I do understand what you are saying, but in fact the broadband infrastructure does not belong to o2, it belongs to Telekom. o2 just uses it as do other providers. In contrast, o2 does have its own mobile infrastructure (that is also used by other providers).

Hello ​@Jdkhan,

I do understand that it is frustrating not having good network reception with our LTE net for such a long time.

In our Network coverage map our LTE net is shown to be covering your area and there are no disturbances or restrictions for our LTE net reported for your address.

As bs0 explained, here we cannot work on requests for extraordinary terminations of contracts, you can forward a request to us via our contact form.

I have asked our spoecial department what could be a reason for the unsatisfactory coverage in your area.

Best Regards,

Gerrit

​@Jdkhan 

The colleagues already send an answer, that the station providing your address, which is in Karl-Marx-Allee, 15320 Neuhardenberg, has indeed no outages or is worked upon lewading to lower coverage.

The two frequencies LTE800 und LTE900 are used for area coverage. A larger number of simultaneous users then reduces the speed for the individual.
Higher frequencies for better data throughput are not available at this station. Structural or building conditions can also impact local coverage.

Best Regards,

Gerrit

Thank you for your response.

What you’ve shared confirms that the mobile station near my address only supports LTE800 and LTE900, which clearly explains the poor network quality I’ve been experiencing for months.

Unfortunately, this means I’m paying for a service that is not usable in real life  frequent call drops, very slow data, and unstable signal. For reference, I already shared screenshots as proof of these issues.

Also, I’ve reported this several times over the past months, yet only now I’m being told that this forum is not the correct place to raise such complaints. This should have been clearly communicated much earlier.

I still request:

1. Compensation for the long period of poor service.

2. Early contract termination without penalty, as the service does not work properly in my area.

Please forward this to the relevant department 

https://www.o2online.de/service/kontaktformular/

​@Jdkhan Our o2 Community is more of a customers help customers forum, where we, the o2 staff moderate and try to support as far as possible. Which is often very valuable due to a great variety of expertise here.

Compensations are regulated by the Telecommunications Act via for example our form for an application for compensation, we as staff cannot issue compensations for network disturbances.

An early termination you can apply for via our cancellation form.

As bs0 suggested I also recommend a complaint via our Kontaktformular where you can upload screenshots as a proof.

Please keep us updated if you want to.

Best Regards,

Gerrit

Could you already contact us via our contact form, ​@Jdkhan?

Best Regards,

Gerrit