Will 4G improve my coverage

Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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I live in London and my network is 3 and outside of the house have decent signal in my front garden 4 bars, soon as you step foot inside the house it goes down to 1 bar, in many parts of the house there is no coverage.

To be fair all the networks have poor coverage here, but since 4G is launching on different frequencies, how much better is 1800MHz at penetrating thick walls in old houses than 2100MHz and how likely is 800MHz in greater London?

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  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    1800 is better at getting through windows.. If they were both transmitting from the same site you should see an increase over 2100. Bare in mind you still need 3g to make calls with current technology.

    3 Signal box?
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    1800 is better at getting through windows.. If they were both transmitting from the same site you should see an increase over 2100. Bare in mind you still need 3g to make calls with current technology.

    And texts.

    So 4G won't make a difference for calls and texts (yet). Just data.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    I live in London and my network is 3 and outside of the house have decent signal in my front garden 4 bars, soon as you step foot inside the house it goes down to 1 bar, in many parts of the house there is no coverage.

    To be fair all the networks have poor coverage here, but since 4G is launching on different frequencies, how much better is 1800MHz at penetrating thick walls in old houses than 2100MHz and how likely is 800MHz in greater London?

    It should penetrate your house more how much more isn't exactly easy answer but would say 2/3 bars in some rooms. It certainly should be greater than 2100MHz [3G] and certainly a lot better than 2600MHz. Only O2 will likely be using 800MHz in Greater London as that will be there primary spectrum.
    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    And texts.

    So 4G won't make a difference for calls and texts (yet). Just data.

    Very true but I think it will only be one to two years from now when that changes.
  • Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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    1800 is better at getting through windows.. If they were both transmitting from the same site you should see an increase over 2100. Bare in mind you still need 3g to make calls with current technology.

    3 Signal box?

    thanks for that answer.

    so basically lets say in the same area where there is no coverage in the house, even if 4G was to provide coverage there, it would be pretty much useless because we still couldn't make calls?

    I have a signal box, but its a bit crap to be honest, although it provides signal, lots of the time my calls are going to voicemail even with coverage and data drops out quite a few times I've noticed.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    thanks for that answer.

    so basically lets say in the same area where there is no coverage in the house, even if 4G was to provide coverage there, it would be pretty much useless because we still couldn't make calls?

    I have a signal box, but its a bit crap to be honest, although it provides signal, lots of the time my calls are going to voicemail even with coverage and data drops out quite a few times I've noticed.

    Not entirely useless as data would still work, and you couldn't make calls the standard way but you could use something like Skype so better than nothing.
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Data & Tests would still work. Until VoLTe is deployed (late on 2013..likely early 2014) there will be no calls over LTe.

    Call Three in regards to the box as that should not happen. Rarely at most.
  • davybhoydavybhoy Posts: 1,296
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    And texts.

    So 4G won't make a difference for calls and texts (yet). Just data.

    I have sent many txts over 4G mate.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,835
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    When a 4G signal is not available does the phone drop down to 3G or does it go straight to 2G?

    Just curious. It'll be a while before I get onto 4G.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    Data & Texts would still work. Until VoLTe is deployed (late on 2013..likely early 2014) there will be no calls over LTe.

    Call Three in regards to the box as that should not happen. Rarely at most.
    davybhoy wrote: »
    I have sent many txts over 4G mate.

    Really? I thought it wasn't possible just yet?
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    It does not switch down for a text.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    It does not switch down for a text.

    And receiving?
  • Ashley_BradburyAshley_Bradbury Posts: 204
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    thanks for that answer.

    so basically lets say in the same area where there is no coverage in the house, even if 4G was to provide coverage there, it would be pretty much useless because we still couldn't make calls?

    I have a signal box, but its a bit crap to be honest, although it provides signal, lots of the time my calls are going to voicemail even with coverage and data drops out quite a few times I've noticed.

    I had the exact same problem with my three box. I just decided to get a timer plug so it resets every night and its been perfect ever since.
  • Zee_BukhariZee_Bukhari Posts: 1,335
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    Also I am wondering how much would the signal improve on 1800?

    Lets say I get 1 or 2 bars on 2100 what am I likely to expect with 1800?
  • The Lord LucanThe Lord Lucan Posts: 5,054
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    Also I am wondering how much would the signal improve on 1800?

    Lets say I get 1 or 2 bars on 2100 what am I likely to expect with 1800?

    That is impossible to accurately answer.
  • mikey86ukmikey86uk Posts: 5,657
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    Ive sent Text's over 4G but everytime i make a call my HTC One drops down to 3G
  • djpalmer93djpalmer93 Posts: 210
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    Also I am wondering how much would the signal improve on 1800?

    Lets say I get 1 or 2 bars on 2100 what am I likely to expect with 1800?

    I've found that 1800 adds about 1 bar compared to 2100 but it will depend on how your phone measures each bar.

    900 seems to add another bar.
  • Synthetic42Synthetic42 Posts: 1,690
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    mikey86uk wrote: »
    Ive sent Text's over 4G but everytime i make a call my HTC One drops down to 3G

    That's because EE haven't sorted out VoLTE Yet, I've noticed SMS is sent / Received, I believe (please correct me if i'm wrong) These are routed over the IP network 4G runs on
  • davybhoydavybhoy Posts: 1,296
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    thedrewser wrote: »
    When a 4G signal is not available does the phone drop down to 3G or does it go straight to 2G?

    It will go to 3G first. Should there be no 3G signal then it will go to 2G.

    Just curious. It'll be a while before I get onto 4G.
    That's because EE haven't sorted out VoLTE Yet, I've noticed SMS is sent / Received, I believe (please correct me if i'm wrong) These are routed over the IP network 4G runs on

    Every 4G capable phone does this and will do this no matter what network you're on (when the option for other networks is here). It'll be quite some time yet before calls over 4G (VoLTE) is initiated,
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