Let me just say that there is no reception...Full stop!

I'm with Orange and after some phone calls to them, they advised that the reception should be good where I live. Other networks seem fair inside the house, but on the Orange network my mobile phones have to keep migrating to the windows, like some kind of insect, to get a mediocre signal.

Is there away that I could increase the signal in the house by some form of aerial on the roof?

I think you will have to switch networks. I had similar issues with Orange when I moved house - my signal at home struggled to one bar and in the town centre only 100yds from my home I got no signal at all. Orange insisted that coverage in my area - a London borough not some mountain top in Snowdonia - was 'good'. I am now with T Mobile and they have a guarantee that you can get out of their contract if you cannot get a good signal in your area, but only if you test this on their web site first. However what I did was accost everyone who came to my house and ask them to show me the signal strength on their phone so I could work out which provider was going to offer me the best service. If you are still under contract with Orange you will probably find that buying your way out of it is cheaper than getting aerials put on your roof....

I have the same problem. To be fair, we are in the middle of nowhere - but other networks seem to be okay. My partner has Vodaphone which works anywhere inside the house, whereas I have to go to the top room and hang out of the window to get reception - and sometimes even that doesn't work. I agree changing network would probably be the best idea.

My sister in law works for vodafone and she said that o2 (and poss orange) were known for rubbish reception within houses ( iknow she works for vodafone sowould say that-but i have found it to be true also)
Can also confirm that 3 is rubbish in a lot of areas and the only way to get out of your contract with them without having to pay for it is to write a very politely worded grumpy letter to the MD
(maybe can try that with orange if you still under contract-stating that they not providing you with their side of the bargain etc etc etc, if no luck, theaten with watchdog)

It may be a case of getting an external, or extension antenna for your phone, while you are at home.
Also worth cleaning the sim card contacts, just to make sure there's no problem there.

am on t mobile and get a full signal my sons on t mobile and cant get a signal they said its cos his is a cheap phone

I would recommend that you get yourself a new phone with a better aerial.

I had an old phone on the Orange network an had to hover near windows to get signal... but since I replaced it a few months back the reception has been awesome. Now, I have reception where other networks have nothing.

oh, and I live in London and travel through mobile "blackspots" regularly... only with my new spangly phone not all London mobile blackspots are such any more

I got a new phone last year, but it didn't help at all, the problem remained exactly the same. The phone is nice though . Whereas my partner's phone (Vodaphone reception) is donkeys years old, but gets much better reception than mine (both phones are Motorola).

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately one of my phones is a works Blackberry phone, so I cannot change network providers.

What I've done in the meantime is to call forward the mobile to my home number, but I cannot get e-mails (No problem there then!)

I have the same problem - work mobile is on Orange and despite the Orange website showing full coverage for my postcode I can only get a signal upstairs and near a window so I do as you do and have to divert call to my personal Vodafone mobile which has a near full signal when indoors.

I am loathed to ever move away from Vodafone and go with anyone else e.g. O2, T Mobile etc just in case I have the same problem as with Orange - I'm not sure if you can return a new mobile if the providers website says you should have coverage.

I had to do the window thing, shaking it about, holding it up like I used to have to do with my first portable telly years ago. That was with Orange.

I am with O2 and have never had a problem anywhere with them.

The problem will vary from house to house - there's no global O2 is best or Orange is best answer. It will vary with the provider's tower positioning, lines of sight from house to tower, multi-path, trees and a whole host of other things. When I worked 30 miles away I carried both an O2 and an Orange PAYG phone and which phone worked best varied dramatically according to where I was on the journey. The actual technology used and maximum transmitted power is the same for all providers.