Three 4G Rollout | Free 4G for ALL!

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 12:29

Quote:

Jabba, sorry if I missed it in this thread. Do you have any info about this software update business Three are mentioning?

Carrier settings.

If you go to your phone mobile network settings you may not have an option for LTE. If you don't then you'll get an update enabling it. If you do (e,g unbranded phone/custom rom)... then you're set

coachtrip_fan99 · 30-08-2013, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

Carrier settings.

If you go to your phone mobile network settings you may not have an option for LTE. If you don't then you'll get an update enabling it. If you do (e,g unbranded phone/custom rom)... then you're set

I own the HTC one mini. I bought it unbranded and am on threes one plan.

There is no option for LTE in the carrier settings.

The sim card is < a month old too. Maybe they will need to send some kind of sim update closer to the time

SkipTracer · 30-08-2013, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Buil...netting?site=d

There ya go^

New 4G logo and advertising as i said is now live.

London, Manchester and Birmingham inc Wolverhampton, Oldham, dudley and west bromwich from launch.

Full list of cities/towns for 2014:
Aberdeen
Blackpool
Bolton
Bournemouth
Bradford
Brighton
Bristol
Cambridge
Cardiff
Coventry
Dundee
Edinburgh
Exeter
Glasgow
Gloucester
Huddersfield
Ipswich
Kingston upon Hull
Leeds
Leicester
Liverpool
Luton
Milton Keynes
Newcastle
Northampton
Nottingham
Norwich
Oxford
Peterborough
Plymouth
Portsmouth
Preston
Sheffield
Slough
Southampton
Southend on sea
stoke on trent
stockport
Swindon
Watford
York

(a certain someone on this forum will be able to confirm i got the list yesterday

)

Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download.

japaul · 30-08-2013, 14:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkipTracer

Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download.

3.2 Mbps in 2003? Hmm, I don't think so. Maybe a tenth of that.

Everything Goes · 30-08-2013, 14:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachtrip_fan99

I own the HTC one mini. I bought it unbranded and am on threes one plan.

There is no option for LTE in the carrier settings.

The sim card is < a month old too. Maybe they will need to send some kind of sim update closer to the time

I had posted about this recently when trying to see if I could pick up EE's 4G network when doing a network search.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1865578

Jwhiterz · 30-08-2013, 14:34

Jabba, you know this carrier update? According to Three's twitter page if you got your phone from another network originally and you now have it unlocked you will have to contact them to get the carrier update and it wont be pushed automatically by Three. Do you know if this will be the case. Seems a bit odd to me.

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkipTracer

Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download.

These are standard speed measures used across all networks.

EE have been using those quoted speeds for the last year, as have three. Now O2 and Voda are using it for 4G as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EE4G website

Average 4G speeds 12-15Mbps: EE test data 2013.

O2 are quoting 6mbps as the average 4G speed. This is inline with Ofcom.

Voda are saying the same as O2.

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwhiterz

Jabba, you know this carrier update? According to Three's twitter page if you got your phone from another network originally and you now have it unlocked you will have to contact them to get the carrier update and it wont be pushed automatically by Three. Do you know if this will be the case. Seems a bit odd to me.

I don't know exactly how it works mate.

I presume it's due to the fact LTE option won't be enabled on other network branded phones unless they activate it first.

This shouldn't be a problem with any new 4G phones bought after this week though.

The Lord Lucan · 30-08-2013, 16:03

So i was only a few days off when i said 27th of Nov (likely the Network ready date !)

Heres hoping that the uncapped means totally unlimited 4g (uncapped, both in speed & data usage)! Even if you decide not to go with Three this would benefit everyone who wants 4G in general although i don't see EE doing any knee jerk reactions to reduce prices/increase data allowances across the board.

As for coverage being quoted for 2014 98% outdoor for EE, please bare in mind that is only using 1800.. they are still drawing up plans for 800 so likely it shall be better than first planned! This is likely a similar situation for Three.

Three will roughly be about 6-7 months behind EE in cities in the early part of 2014 however they should start to overtake O2/Voda around the same time and stay ahead. Basically as EE rolls out double speed in a city or area in 2014 Three will be in that city. Thats what i've been told at least.

I've not heard where it goes from 2014 onwards for rural on Three. This has not bothered them in the past though as everyone knows with 3G.

Can't wait to see where we will all be in Summer 2014!

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

Can't wait to see where we will all be in Summer 2014!

Hopefully on a beach relaxing in the sun

Thanks for the post though, very informative

enapace · 30-08-2013, 16:39

Anyone but me think it weird that belfast a capital city isn't included in the 50 city list ?

Specially when EE have 4G there so the masts are obviously upgraded.

The Lord Lucan · 30-08-2013, 17:15

EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps.

I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva.

enapace · 30-08-2013, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps.

I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva.

I didn't realise there were any 4G masts that weren't part of MBNL interesting.

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps.

I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva.

Well technically they are MBNL masts. And they're all being integrated into MBNL next year anyway. And MBNL have been dealing with the 4G roll out.

The Lord Lucan · 30-08-2013, 17:28

NI is a bit different...

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

NI is a bit different...

Ah right, i was talking about in England. Presumed you were too. No worries.

enapace · 30-08-2013, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

Ah right, i was talking about in England. Presumed you were too. No worries.

We were discussing why Belfast wasn't one of the 50 cities Three is launching in next year it seems puzzling is all.

jabbamk1 · 30-08-2013, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by enapace

We were discussing why Belfast wasn't one of the 50 cities Three is launching in next year it seems puzzling is all.

Yeh i thought he was referring to the entire UK.

Lucan knows much more than me on this subject though. I have no idea why Belfast isn't one of the 50 cities.

The Lord Lucan · 30-08-2013, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

Yeh i thought he was referring to the entire UK.

Lucan knows much more than me on this subject though. I have no idea why Belfast isn't one of the 50 cities.

On NI i think others on here would actually know a little more.. i try to stay clear of asking about NI as it is such a duct tape solution that MBNL/3/EE have going on due to previous litigation and shut downs.

wavejockglw · 30-08-2013, 18:22

3 only have 7.5 million active users in the UK and need to attract huge numbers to make the business viable. They have been a fabulous market disruption presence but as time has moved on their situation has been made even more difficult with the merger of T-Mobile and Orange into EE. That proved 14 or so million was just not big enough to compete long term and 3 has almost half of that market penetration. So they will invest millions more and give away 4G to gain market share but unfortunately it's something most can live without and they themselves have branded their network 'Ultrafast' attempting to fend off the competition who have 4G before them.

It's a rock and a hard place for 3 I suspect. They have to pay a huge premium to attract new customers and have no prospect of making any return on investment fro all the 4G infrastructure they install.

If Vodafone sell their Verizon stake I would not be surprised if they don't take 3 UK out of the market in the UK subject to Ofcom and competition authorities approval. That would provide Hutchison with an exit strategy and create 3 very strong UK mobile networks all with 2G fallback, 3G and 4G with about 24-26 million customers each. That might not be Ofcom or the competition commission's preferred option but it would place the UK in the same competitive situation as every other major EU country and that would be hard for UK competition regulators to argue against.

DevonBloke · 30-08-2013, 18:40

I do wonder how they are going to make money by giving away 4G for nothing. It all looks great and I really want them to succeed but how if you aren't charging for something that's costing you a fortune?
As I keep banging on about as well, no voice fallback in a lot of places. Just how are they going to deal with this? I can't see a way that's going to be easily explainable to Joe Public.

If they still had the Orange 2G (or even better O2) fall back in place then no problem, but it was costing them the earth so it had to go.

DevonBloke · 30-08-2013, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

As for coverage being quoted for 2014 98% outdoor for EE, please bare in mind that is only using 1800.. they are still drawing up plans for 800 so likely it shall be better than first planned! This is likely a similar situation for Three.

A load of EE 800 kit going live in London from September!
Thought I'd just throw that in there.

The Lord Lucan · 30-08-2013, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

A load of EE 800 kit going live in London from September!
Thought I'd just throw that in there.

Think in another thread i did mention excluding London.

2600 was being investigated at the same time in the capital but not sure what actually came of that..

bigpete15 · 30-08-2013, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

On NI i think others on here would actually know a little more.. i try to stay clear of asking about NI as it is such a duct tape solution that MBNL/3/EE have going on due to previous litigation and shut downs.

Duct tape.....lol. It's working very well at the minute! I'm sure then next (soon) root metrics report will confirm

Still a lot of work ongoing in NI, mostly getting the old 3 sites that are staying upgraded and enabling DC on EE.

DevonBloke · 30-08-2013, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan

Think in another thread i did mention excluding London

Oh, ok. Ignore the PM then!

30-08-2013, 12:29	#76
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by TheBigM Jabba, sorry if I missed it in this thread. Do you have any info about this software update business Three are mentioning? Carrier settings. If you go to your phone mobile network settings you may not have an option for LTE. If you don't then you'll get an update enabling it. If you do (e,g unbranded phone/custom rom)... then you're set

30-08-2013, 14:08	#77
coachtrip_fan99 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2,127	Quote: Originally Posted by jabbamk1 Carrier settings. If you go to your phone mobile network settings you may not have an option for LTE. If you don't then you'll get an update enabling it. If you do (e,g unbranded phone/custom rom)... then you're set I own the HTC one mini. I bought it unbranded and am on threes one plan. There is no option for LTE in the carrier settings. The sim card is < a month old too. Maybe they will need to send some kind of sim update closer to the time

30-08-2013, 14:12	#78
SkipTracer Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The City and County of Bristol Posts: 2,623	Quote: Originally Posted by jabbamk1 http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Buil...netting?site=d There ya go^ New 4G logo and advertising as i said is now live. London, Manchester and Birmingham inc Wolverhampton, Oldham, dudley and west bromwich from launch. Full list of cities/towns for 2014: Aberdeen Blackpool Bolton Bournemouth Bradford Brighton Bristol Cambridge Cardiff Coventry Dundee Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow Gloucester Huddersfield Ipswich Kingston upon Hull Leeds Leicester Liverpool Luton Milton Keynes Newcastle Northampton Nottingham Norwich Oxford Peterborough Plymouth Portsmouth Preston Sheffield Slough Southampton Southend on sea stoke on trent stockport Swindon Watford York (a certain someone on this forum will be able to confirm i got the list yesterday ) Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download.

30-08-2013, 14:25	#79
japaul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,662	Quote: Originally Posted by SkipTracer Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download. 3.2 Mbps in 2003? Hmm, I don't think so. Maybe a tenth of that.

30-08-2013, 14:27	#80
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by coachtrip_fan99 I own the HTC one mini. I bought it unbranded and am on threes one plan. There is no option for LTE in the carrier settings. The sim card is < a month old too. Maybe they will need to send some kind of sim update closer to the time I had posted about this recently when trying to see if I could pick up EE's 4G network when doing a network search. http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1865578

30-08-2013, 14:34	#81
Jwhiterz Forum Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: South Wales (Brecon Beacons) Posts: 490	Jabba, you know this carrier update? According to Three's twitter page if you got your phone from another network originally and you now have it unlocked you will have to contact them to get the carrier update and it wont be pushed automatically by Three. Do you know if this will be the case. Seems a bit odd to me.

30-08-2013, 14:40	#82
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by SkipTracer Those speed comparisons in your link are interesting and I assume they are average speeds because I get 12Mbs download on average using DC-HSDPA but sometimes, though not often, have reach over 20Mbs download. These are standard speed measures used across all networks. EE have been using those quoted speeds for the last year, as have three. Now O2 and Voda are using it for 4G as well. Quote: Originally Posted by EE4G website Average 4G speeds 12-15Mbps: EE test data 2013. O2 are quoting 6mbps as the average 4G speed. This is inline with Ofcom. Voda are saying the same as O2.

30-08-2013, 14:49	#83
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by Jwhiterz Jabba, you know this carrier update? According to Three's twitter page if you got your phone from another network originally and you now have it unlocked you will have to contact them to get the carrier update and it wont be pushed automatically by Three. Do you know if this will be the case. Seems a bit odd to me. I don't know exactly how it works mate. I presume it's due to the fact LTE option won't be enabled on other network branded phones unless they activate it first. This shouldn't be a problem with any new 4G phones bought after this week though.

30-08-2013, 16:03	#84
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	So i was only a few days off when i said 27th of Nov (likely the Network ready date !) Heres hoping that the uncapped means totally unlimited 4g (uncapped, both in speed & data usage)! Even if you decide not to go with Three this would benefit everyone who wants 4G in general although i don't see EE doing any knee jerk reactions to reduce prices/increase data allowances across the board. As for coverage being quoted for 2014 98% outdoor for EE, please bare in mind that is only using 1800.. they are still drawing up plans for 800 so likely it shall be better than first planned! This is likely a similar situation for Three. Three will roughly be about 6-7 months behind EE in cities in the early part of 2014 however they should start to overtake O2/Voda around the same time and stay ahead. Basically as EE rolls out double speed in a city or area in 2014 Three will be in that city. Thats what i've been told at least. I've not heard where it goes from 2014 onwards for rural on Three. This has not bothered them in the past though as everyone knows with 3G. Can't wait to see where we will all be in Summer 2014!

30-08-2013, 16:18	#85
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan Can't wait to see where we will all be in Summer 2014! Hopefully on a beach relaxing in the sun Thanks for the post though, very informative

30-08-2013, 16:39	#86
enapace Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 4,249	Anyone but me think it weird that belfast a capital city isn't included in the 50 city list ? Specially when EE have 4G there so the masts are obviously upgraded.

30-08-2013, 17:15	#87
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps. I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva.

30-08-2013, 17:18	#88
enapace Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 4,249	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps. I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva. I didn't realise there were any 4G masts that weren't part of MBNL interesting.

30-08-2013, 17:26	#89
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan EE's 4G may be only provided by Orange non MBNL masts... perhaps. I'll have to look into my notes... NI is always different and screws with my head which way round things are set up ha! Bloody Arqiva. Well technically they are MBNL masts. And they're all being integrated into MBNL next year anyway. And MBNL have been dealing with the 4G roll out.

30-08-2013, 17:28	#90
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	NI is a bit different...

30-08-2013, 17:31	#91
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan NI is a bit different... Ah right, i was talking about in England. Presumed you were too. No worries.

30-08-2013, 17:45	#92
enapace Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 4,249	Quote: Originally Posted by jabbamk1 Ah right, i was talking about in England. Presumed you were too. No worries. We were discussing why Belfast wasn't one of the 50 cities Three is launching in next year it seems puzzling is all.

30-08-2013, 17:52	#93
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by enapace We were discussing why Belfast wasn't one of the 50 cities Three is launching in next year it seems puzzling is all. Yeh i thought he was referring to the entire UK. Lucan knows much more than me on this subject though. I have no idea why Belfast isn't one of the 50 cities.

30-08-2013, 18:16	#94
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	Quote: Originally Posted by jabbamk1 Yeh i thought he was referring to the entire UK. Lucan knows much more than me on this subject though. I have no idea why Belfast isn't one of the 50 cities. On NI i think others on here would actually know a little more.. i try to stay clear of asking about NI as it is such a duct tape solution that MBNL/3/EE have going on due to previous litigation and shut downs.

30-08-2013, 18:22	#95
wavejockglw Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10,276	3 only have 7.5 million active users in the UK and need to attract huge numbers to make the business viable. They have been a fabulous market disruption presence but as time has moved on their situation has been made even more difficult with the merger of T-Mobile and Orange into EE. That proved 14 or so million was just not big enough to compete long term and 3 has almost half of that market penetration. So they will invest millions more and give away 4G to gain market share but unfortunately it's something most can live without and they themselves have branded their network 'Ultrafast' attempting to fend off the competition who have 4G before them. It's a rock and a hard place for 3 I suspect. They have to pay a huge premium to attract new customers and have no prospect of making any return on investment fro all the 4G infrastructure they install. If Vodafone sell their Verizon stake I would not be surprised if they don't take 3 UK out of the market in the UK subject to Ofcom and competition authorities approval. That would provide Hutchison with an exit strategy and create 3 very strong UK mobile networks all with 2G fallback, 3G and 4G with about 24-26 million customers each. That might not be Ofcom or the competition commission's preferred option but it would place the UK in the same competitive situation as every other major EU country and that would be hard for UK competition regulators to argue against.

30-08-2013, 18:40	#96
DevonBloke Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Totnes, Devon Posts: 6,694	I do wonder how they are going to make money by giving away 4G for nothing. It all looks great and I really want them to succeed but how if you aren't charging for something that's costing you a fortune? As I keep banging on about as well, no voice fallback in a lot of places. Just how are they going to deal with this? I can't see a way that's going to be easily explainable to Joe Public. If they still had the Orange 2G (or even better O2) fall back in place then no problem, but it was costing them the earth so it had to go.

DS Forums

Three 4G Rollout | Free 4G for ALL!

30-08-2013, 19:28	#97
DevonBloke Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Totnes, Devon Posts: 6,694	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan As for coverage being quoted for 2014 98% outdoor for EE, please bare in mind that is only using 1800.. they are still drawing up plans for 800 so likely it shall be better than first planned! This is likely a similar situation for Three. A load of EE 800 kit going live in London from September! Thought I'd just throw that in there.

30-08-2013, 19:29	#98
The Lord Lucan Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,966	Quote: Originally Posted by DevonBloke A load of EE 800 kit going live in London from September! Thought I'd just throw that in there. Think in another thread i did mention excluding London. 2600 was being investigated at the same time in the capital but not sure what actually came of that..

30-08-2013, 19:32	#99
bigpete15 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ballymena Posts: 237	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan On NI i think others on here would actually know a little more.. i try to stay clear of asking about NI as it is such a duct tape solution that MBNL/3/EE have going on due to previous litigation and shut downs. Duct tape.....lol. It's working very well at the minute! I'm sure then next (soon) root metrics report will confirm Still a lot of work ongoing in NI, mostly getting the old 3 sites that are staying upgraded and enabling DC on EE.

30-08-2013, 19:33	#100
DevonBloke Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Totnes, Devon Posts: 6,694	Quote: Originally Posted by The Lord Lucan Think in another thread i did mention excluding London Oh, ok. Ignore the PM then!