Three 4G Rollout | Free 4G for ALL!

jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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Three UK have confirmed that 4G will be launching this December in 3 cities. London, Birmingham and Manchester will be the first lot of cities going live in December with more to follow in January.

Three are aiming for-
-50 cities by end of 2014
-98% coverage by end of 2015 (1 year behind EE, on par with O2/ Voda)
-1.5m customers to be 4G ready by 2014.

As mentioned previously, Three will not be charging a premium for 4G and will allow all existing customers to access the 4G network as long as they have a 4G phone. Three confirmed that this includes their unlimited data packages.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/28/three-uk-lte-december/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi

Watch this space for more.
Turns out i was wrong about November (which i was told back in June). What's funny is someone told me it was pushed back 1 month but then he said it was November again.

Well at lest we have a date now. And yes, this announcement was what i was hinting at in the other three thread.
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Comments

  • Prof-xProf-x Posts: 297
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    Wahoo - just seen this on TNW too

    Slightly disappointed its not earlier but three will deliver the goods and I bet they have more coverage, faster than O2 and voda.

    All good things come to those who wait.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    Certainly good news to hear they still providing unlimited data. Not sure how they going be able support that but it is certainly good to hear. Glad I stayed with Three. Hoping my area is covered by end of 2014. Doubt it as EE say my area is going get within 6 months so we obviously down the list. Often in manchester though during the week so should see 4G pretty soon.

    BTW Jabba you might want update your thing. Vodafone say on site now 98% coverage by end of 2016 so Three is meant to be delivering a year ahead of them.

    Oops Edit it says before 2016 my bad.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    Prof-x wrote: »
    Wahoo - just seen this on TNW too

    Slightly disappointed its not earlier but three will deliver the goods and I bet they have more coverage, faster than O2 and voda.

    All good things come to those who wait.

    Your sim only question from before. Prices aren't changing as far as i'm aware. However, expect a certain phone (and other phones) to carry a high upfront cost when it launches on contract.

    (btw when i said new tariffs i meant a possible new Mobile broadband tariff). Definitely new dongle/mi-fi devices supplied by ZTE on their way though. (apparently)
  • Lidtop2013Lidtop2013 Posts: 4,326
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    And another reason to stay with Three....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 297
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    Your sim only question from before. Prices aren't changing as far as i'm aware. However, expect a certain phone (and other phones) to carry a high upfront cost when it launches on contract.

    (btw when i said new tariffs i meant a possible new Mobile broadband tariff). Definitely new dongle/mi-fi devices supplied by ZTE on their way though. (apparently)

    Will the new MBB plans be announced today (29th Aug) or during Sept do you know?

    THanks
  • japauljapaul Posts: 1,727
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    -98% coverage by end of 2015 (1 year behind EE, on par with O2/ Voda)
    Are you sure that's on a par? O2/Voda is an indoor 98%. Unless they've now changed Three have only ever quoted outdoor figures and the difference is quite big if you use the Ofcom model (O2 have to as their licence has a coverage obligation and Ofcom have provided the assumed building penetration loss figures). EE I know is certainly outdoor but as you said it's for end 2014 as opposed to the others end of 2015.
  • sethpetsethpet Posts: 497
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    japaul wrote: »
    Are you sure that's on a par? O2/Voda is an indoor 98%. Unless they've now changed Three have only ever quoted outdoor figures and the difference is quite big if you use the Ofcom model (O2 have to as their licence has a coverage obligation and Ofcom have provided the assumed building penetration loss figures). EE I know is certainly outdoor but as you said it's for end 2014 as opposed to the others end of 2015.

    correct 3 and EE will only commit to 98% outdoor whereas Voda and O2 are committed to 98%indoor coverage, which as stated is a huge difference.
  • Prof-xProf-x Posts: 297
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    Is this 98% of the population or land mass with O2

    There is quite a big difference there too

    I find this amusing as O2 has massive gaps in 3G coverage when you start traveling
  • japauljapaul Posts: 1,727
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    Prof-x wrote: »
    Is this 98% of the population or land mass with O2

    There is quite a big difference there too

    I find this amusing as O2 has massive gaps in 3G coverage when you start traveling
    It's always population, never geographic % for all of them. The point is though that there is a difference between the same figure outdoor and indoor. Ofcom's model at 1800MHz assumes a BPL of over 16dB (a fair bit less if you are using 800).

    A couple of years ago, Three's then CEO Kevin Russell said that Three which at the time claimed outdoor coverage of over 97% with more than 12500 base stations said their indoor coverage was 79%. Obviously the figures start to converge as you get closer to 100 but there's always a difference.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    japaul wrote: »
    It's always population, never geographic % for all of them. The point is though that there is a difference between the same figure outdoor and indoor. Ofcom's model at 1800MHz assumes a BPL of over 16dB (a fair bit less if you are using 800).

    Agreed though in fairness there is no reason why both ee and three won't have 98% indoor eventually as well. Eventually 800mhz will be used by all
  • booiebooie Posts: 379
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    There is still gaps in 2G on all networks never mind 3G or 4G. The fact is 3 are offering 4G ayce at no extra cost unlike the "greedy networks" who want to charge you even more than your already paying.
    i admit its not much cop if you dont get a 3 signal but for those that do its great. im not even with 3 but think its great news.
  • Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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    another reason to stay with three or switch now !

    Was hoping for it to launch quicker though.
  • TheBigMTheBigM Posts: 13,125
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    The great news about what Three are doing is that this will benefit those who stay on 3G too as some data pressure will be relieved by people moving over to the LTE services.

    I'm still concerned about how good Three's 4G will be relative to the rest as they have less spectrum than the others? Will Vodafone and EE be the best for LTE (looking purely at speeds, ignoring price and data limits).
  • mogzyboymogzyboy Posts: 6,390
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    All very good. I might get myself a cheapo Three One Plan when my contract with Orange is up in October.

    Might buy an iPhone 5S outright and then get a £15/month SIM only offering to get meself some 4G at no extra cost! :)
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    dangetti wrote: »
    Will the new MBB plans be announced today (29th Aug) or during Sept do you know?

    THanks

    No idea. Not as soon as this week.
    japaul wrote: »
    Are you sure that's on a par? O2/Voda is an indoor 98%. Unless they've now changed Three have only ever quoted outdoor figures and the difference is quite big if you use the Ofcom model (O2 have to as their licence has a coverage obligation and Ofcom have provided the assumed building penetration loss figures). EE I know is certainly outdoor but as you said it's for end 2014 as opposed to the others end of 2015.

    Good point. Sorry i just read 98% and took it to be on par. Can't edit the first post now but you guys know what i mean. Although i don't see Three and O2/Voda having a huge coverage difference in terms of population coverage by the end of 2015

    Oh and just to confirm. Three will be launching 4G on Mobile broadband and pay as you go services from day 1.

    According to the Three Blog-
    Aberdeen
    Cardiff
    Glasgow
    Liverpool
    Norwich
    Reading
    Southampton
    and more....

    will have 4G in 2014.

    Three are hoping to have 80% coverage by the end of 2014. (That's theoretically a faster roll out than EE?)
  • mogzyboymogzyboy Posts: 6,390
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    How would any network ensure 98% indoor coverage, though? Are they going to come in my house and make sure it's working? :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,133
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    Can't wait to ditch Orange in January when I'm due :D
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    mogzyboy wrote: »
    How would any network ensure 98% indoor coverage, though? Are they going to come in my house and make sure it's working? :D

    Yeah, they'll all have a bloke (or bloke-ess) who's job it is to visit 32 million homes to test it.
    They'll be testing 50 a week on average so it would be completed in 640,000 weeks or about 12,000 years!
    We should know by the year 14,013 if 98% has been achieved!
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    DevonBloke wrote: »
    Yeah, they'll all have a bloke (or bloke-ess) who's job it is to visit 32 million homes to test it.
    They'll be testing 50 a week on average so it would be completed in 640,000 weeks or about 12,000 years!
    We should know by the year 14,013 if 98% has been achieved!

    So that's why O2's 3G roll out took so long! :D
  • Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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    good luck O2, hopefully if my future family in 12,000 years is on O2 they'll have 98% indoor coverage.

    Just got a new sim only one plan contract with £65 cash back, thought its better value hen paying £15 top up on pay as you go as I have no plans to leave 3 and no plans to get a new one in the foreseeable future.
  • Titan9Titan9 Posts: 2,472
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    good luck O2, hopefully if my future family in 12,000 years is on O2 they'll have 98% indoor coverage.

    Just got a new sim only one plan contract with £65 cash back, thought its better value hen paying £15 top up on pay as you go as I have no plans to leave 3 and no plans to get a new one in the foreseeable future.

    Is it that Quidco or TCB?
  • Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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    Titan9 wrote: »
    Is it that Quidco or TCB?

    Was Quidco and was £61 cashback.
  • Titan9Titan9 Posts: 2,472
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    Was Quidco and was £61 cashback.

    Ok thanks, TCB is 61.47 so the same really.
  • mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    Was Quidco and was £61 cashback.

    Have they just changed it? It's saying 50 quid for One plan SIM-only 12 months or 33.33 for 1 month.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    TheBigM wrote: »
    The great news about what Three are doing is that this will benefit those who stay on 3G too as some data pressure will be relieved by people moving over to the LTE services.

    I'm still concerned about how good Three's 4G will be relative to the rest as they have less spectrum than the others? Will Vodafone and EE be the best for LTE (looking purely at speeds, ignoring price and data limits).

    They don't have less spectrum than others. The least dedicated 4G spectrum prize belongs to O2 :p:D

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/22/three_ee_spectrum_sale/

    http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2013/02/20/ofcom-announces-winners-of-the-4g-mobile-auction/
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