Going to Vodafone from 02? Mast Sharing!

ACL777ACL777 Posts: 1,665
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I want to buy the Google Nexus 6p in March when my contract ends with 02. I've not had good coverage with 02 so naturally want to leave and looked at Three as an option but they are not stocking the 6p so am considering going to Vodafone however know they share masts with 02. Does this mean that I would receive exactly the same coverage as 02 or is it more to do with power and frequency?
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  • clewsyclewsy Posts: 4,222
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    Near enough. Depends if VF have masts that have not been shared with o2 yet in your area.

    As a typical rule o2 and VF will have very similar coverage going forward.
  • ACL777ACL777 Posts: 1,665
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    Thanks for the info. It really means that they are one carrier then as far as the consumer is concerned. I wonder how things will fair when 02 are taken over by Three. It's possible we will just be left with two choices, BTs EE and Three who own 02 and share masts with Vodafone.
  • lightspeed2398lightspeed2398 Posts: 2,491
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    As said above it depends where you are and if the masts are yet being shared. Do you know if your local mast is broadcasting 4G and are you in an urban/rural area?
  • clewsyclewsy Posts: 4,222
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    It does depend on area and the plan of sharing is to make a more enhanced network. As for the possible 3 deal, I think worry about that IF (big one) it happens.
  • clewsyclewsy Posts: 4,222
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    Can you not buy that phone from Google network unlocked and then get a sim only deal with the network of your choice?
  • jaffboy151jaffboy151 Posts: 1,933
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    Going forward is anyone's guess on coverage but in these parts south of Nantwich, Crewe & Stoke which is where the great O2/VF mast share & upgrade programme has largely got to so far they are very much separate networks in regards to 2g coverage, using very different locations to cover towns and the surrounding countryside, with O2 often with more masts in better places so less black spots, 3g is mostly the same often using the same small slow streetside masts to cover too much area, again in a small number of areas O2 seems to have a larger sites with better backhaul, but not many..
  • d123d123 Posts: 8,590
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    ACL777 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info. It really means that they are one carrier then as far as the consumer is concerned. I wonder how things will fair when 02 are taken over by Three. It's possible we will just be left with two choices, BTs EE and Three who own 02 and share masts with Vodafone.

    What makes you think there is any realistic chance of the 3/o2 deal actually happening?

    The current consensus is that it's going to be refused or neutered so badly as to make it unviable.
  • natbikenatbike Posts: 517
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    O2 and Vodafone are still very different south south east of London to the coast.
  • Pedro_CPedro_C Posts: 906
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    natbike wrote: »
    O2 and Vodafone are still very different south south east of London to the coast.

    O2 and Vodafone are quite different full stop.

    Here's my latest review: http://pedroc.co.uk/mobile%20network%20performance%20test.htm

    My best advice is to look at the coverage maps to begin with. If O2 and Vodafone look much the same on the map, they'll be much the same in reality.
  • GigabitGigabit Posts: 8,768
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    O2 and Vodafone do share masts. Vodafone take better advantage of the situation though and install their cells in more strategic locations on the mast.
  • Gareth_BeerGareth_Beer Posts: 31
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    Giga, do you mean higher up? I thought they share antenna's (a lot at least)?
  • clewsyclewsy Posts: 4,222
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    Well I did read years ago that the VF cell locations were better strategically placed, however I guess now they are shared O2 gets access to these.

    The real cornerstone test will be what they do with areas where they have no o2/VF mast. Will they build new sites or just move on and worry about this at a later date?
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    clewsy wrote: »
    Well I did read years ago that the VF cell locations were better strategically placed, however I guess now they are shared O2 gets access to these.

    The real cornerstone test will be what they do with areas where they have no o2/VF mast. Will they build new sites or just move on and worry about this at a later date?

    I think that's a very old thing based on where BT used telephone exchange buildings and BT sites they already owned a lot and Vodafone didn't when they were the first networks.

    That might have had some truth to it years ago I guess.
  • tycho-magtycho-mag Posts: 8,642
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    Thine Wonk wrote: »
    I think that's a very old thing based on where BT used telephone exchange buildings and BT sites they already owned a lot and Vodafone didn't when they were the first networks. That might have had some truth to it years ago I guess.

    Two telephone exchanges here have Voda masts on (now CTIL shared) rather than O2 which surprised me. The O2 mast is up the road a bit.

    O2 did install quite a few juniper poles in around 2009/2010 which gave good 2G and basic 3G (900) and good indoors reception - these have since been 'refreshed' by CTIL to give both Vodafone and O2 signal on 2G/3G/4G and has changed Vodafone coverage in this town dramatically.

    Voda used to give 1.2mbps on 3G with 1bar indoors, only in my kitchen, and 2G everywhere else, now I get 4G (800) at 20mbps easily throughout the place. If I turn off 4G then 3G manages 10mbps throughout the place. (EE by comparison is approx 12mbps 3G and 40mbps 4G).
  • M1kosM1kos Posts: 660
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    The whole sharing thing is quite complicated. where i live the voda masts have been upgraded to 4G and as 4G is shared o2 their 4G (only) comes from the voda masts ( apart from monopoles who are more often fully shared) so you could have O2 4G but nout else if you happen to be nearer the voda mast ( so much for footprint retaining for voice calls) north London is the other way around

    Outside London as we know is an east west split (mostly) apart from monopoles again. o2 masts in Maidstone now broadcast voda too ( all bands) some voda masts have been decommissioned (not many) down in Cornwall /Devon Voda are doing the upgrade the masts are being upgraded to firstly voda/o2 4G then depending on exisitng o2 sites being decommissioned o2 is added as well . eventually we will have voda masts doing both networks all bands some o2 ones being upgraded all bands and some being removed in the west and the opposite in the east dont forget monopoles will be both networks straight away at launch providing backhaul is available

    so in London its quite possible to have 4G but nout else if you are nearer to the upgraded mast but your home networks signal for 2G/3G comes from elsewhere!
  • duffman25duffman25 Posts: 960
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    i would keep well away from vodafone they are the most complained about network in the uk voted worst network and if you look st there facebook page and the net there is nothing nice to say about them they have the worst customer service in world and they steal from you.

    http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-3374636/Readers-complain-experiences-Vodafone.html

    http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/best-worst-mobile-network-uk-2015-vodafone
  • GigabitGigabit Posts: 8,768
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    What I mean, is, the equipment that O2 install on a previously Vodafone-only mast is just thrown on on any part of the mast, whereas Vodafone will install it so it points in the direction of an area with poor coverage currently.

    I am talking about triangular-type masts here, not monopoles.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    What?? O2 just throw it on??
    You are talking about a sectored mast and I can't believe O2 come along, bung some panels up and don't tune them.
    They need to be angled for direction for a start so each panel doesn't overlap the next too much etc.. not to mention being integrated with surrounding cells.
    You can't just stick some panels up and go home however crap you are. Nothing would work at all otherwise.
    Nah, can't believe that. Height is going to be the thing.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    d123 wrote: »
    What makes you think there is any realistic chance of the 3/o2 deal actually happening?

    The current consensus is that it's going to be refused or neutered so badly as to make it unviable.

    There is all this talk of it going ahead.
    I just think one simple thing will stop it dead.
    The UK will go from 4 networks to 3 and that will be completely unacceptable.
    Period! *
  • GigabitGigabit Posts: 8,768
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    DevonBloke wrote: »
    What?? O2 just throw it on??
    You are talking about a sectored mast and I can't believe O2 come along, bung some panels up and don't tune them.
    They need to be angled for direction for a start so each panel doesn't overlap the next too much etc.. not to mention being integrated with surrounding cells.
    You can't just stick some panels up and go home however crap you are. Nothing would work at all otherwise.
    Nah, can't believe that. Height is going to be the thing.

    Let me rephrase, I don't literally mean just thrown on.

    What I mean is, Vodafone will choose a part of the mast where the equipment will cover the area they want it to best. So, on a triangular mast, each sector will point in a different direction.

    O2 will put their equipment on a free sector, they won't spend as much time choosing which sector to put it on. Once they have put their equipment on of course they tune it, etc. to give the best reception but placement is less important for O2 than Vodafone.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    * Some Americanisms are pretty good.
    Speaking of Americans, the best thing that happened for me this year was when we went on the 17th to see The Force Awakens in Vue Plymouth, Screen 9 (the biggest curved one), VIP seats, Jack Daniel's and coke, all my kids around me (after watching The Return of The Jedi the night before on Blu-Ray) and Harrison Ford enters the Millennium Falcon.
    I haven't had goose bumps like that for a loooong time....... a long time......
    Got quite emotional. :) *

    * For those who don't understand, I saw A new Hope in the Princess theater in Torquay in 1977 at the age of 9.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    Gigabit wrote: »
    Let me rephrase, I don't literally mean just thrown on.

    What I mean is, Vodafone will choose a part of the mast where the equipment will cover the area they want it to best. So, on a triangular mast, each sector will point in a different direction.

    O2 will put their equipment on a free sector, they won't spend as much time choosing which sector to put it on. Once they have put their equipment on of course they tune it, etc. to give the best reception but placement is less important for O2 than Vodafone.

    Ok, I kind of get you. But surely on a sectored mast they would still have 360 degrees of coverage wouldn't they?
    On a sectored mast, each sector is roughly 120 degress (with slight overlaps). This means that spectrum can be reused per sector and therefore a sectored mast can have three times the capacity of an omnidirectional.
    You appear to be suggesting that O2 only get 1 sector or maybe I misunderstand?
    Still don't get it.
    Hey, I'm not arguing with you. You know me, I'm right up EE's arse. Hahahahaha
    Just trying to understand what you are saying.
  • d123d123 Posts: 8,590
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    Gigabit wrote: »
    Let me rephrase, I don't literally mean just thrown on.

    What I mean is, Vodafone will choose a part of the mast where the equipment will cover the area they want it to best. So, on a triangular mast, each sector will point in a different direction.

    O2 will put their equipment on a free sector, they won't spend as much time choosing which sector to put it on. Once they have put their equipment on of course they tune it, etc. to give the best reception but placement is less important for O2 than Vodafone.

    That sounds like the kind of crap a salesman would try and BS you with, where did you hear that? From a salesman in a Vodafone Retail store?

    The odds are, the same engineers will be servicing the o2 equipment on the mast now (as part of CTIL).
  • Gareth_BeerGareth_Beer Posts: 31
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    I hate to say this Giga, but I don't believe 02 would be anymore sloppy than Voda with sectorisation & integration...

    It sounds like internal Voda-chest beating (in vain) we're better than o2 rhetoric...

    IMHO only...
  • interactiv-ukinteractiv-uk Posts: 627
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    For Beacon sites (outside the M25) O2 and Voda share the same antennas.. The comments about Voda getting better loacations on a mast are incorrect. This MAY have been the case in the pre-Beacon Cornerstone days when each operator could use the others masts to add their equipment, but with the new Beacon MORAN rollout for 2G/3G/4G the same antennas are shared by both operators.
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