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Vodafone and O2 4G experience thread


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Old 28-01-2016, 13:52
M1kos
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Here is the Antennas both Alan Dick I believe from 2006 pic taken just now!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ljz6xla2pc..._0495.JPG?dl=0

I wondered if it was 1800 but I'm not sure and only two sectors are live... The signal is not bad either
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Old 28-01-2016, 14:10
Gigabit
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O2 having major 3G congestion issues in Farnham...

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/1704787532
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Old 28-01-2016, 15:05
andyukguy
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and leave you with the exciting news that my number is apparently going to be ported across tomorrow.
Port has gone smoothly! Phew. Got everything set up now (WiFI calling etc) and all appears to work well

Now the exciting times (for someone like me) await for the visits to all those places I had no signal before on EE. Hopefully I'll be bathed in nice 3G/4G coverage now.
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Old 28-01-2016, 17:47
M1kos
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My new cells info from gnet track using old Antennas https://www.dropbox.com/s/pltxuew291...44-49.png?dl=0
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Old 28-01-2016, 18:05
beans0ntoast
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EE and 3 do have 3G and 4G around Norfolk but the signal can get incredibly weak at times; my dad on 3 and mum on Orange found themselves with no signal from time to time, but their devices would usually connect to a strong 2G signal from voda/O2 (emergency calls only).

In Dorset, things were not too different. On my spot on the campsite, EE had -113dBm 3G and about -110dBm 2G. If I walked to certain parts, the signal would disappear. (To be fair, EE/3's prediction was pretty much exactly right). Vodafone. meanwhile. had -86dBm GPRS, which was no data until about 1am when I could then get about 30K.

The pivotal question, however, is which device did I use?

EE.
Enough said
.
That's exactly the same approach that I would use as well.

Alright, -113dBm 3G isn't the best (in fact, it's the lowest possible 3G signal), but 3G is 3G, and it can provide more than the 30 odd kilobits that you usually end up with on 2G.

Orange are usually quite strong (certainly on 2G), and are even better merged into EE. The Orange masts compliment the MBNL masts nicely and, when the Orange masts are upgraded, the EE network will definitely require a lot of effort to be beaten in terms of coverage. As an example, there was an Orange mast in Wisbech that was upgraded not too long ago.

Vodafone are OK around my area but it's 2G, which is no good at all if you want more than a few kilobits per second of data. In some places (i.e. Oundle), even Vodafone 2G struggles.

CTIL will have an advantage due to the 900MHz 3G but EE/3 have an advantage with the fact that they have more masts. It'll be a tough one to call in a few years time.

I'll let you all know if any of the masts around my way get upgraded anytime soon!
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Old 28-01-2016, 20:28
Pedro_C
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My new cells info from gnet track using old Antennas https://www.dropbox.com/s/pltxuew291...44-49.png?dl=0
-77dBm is very significantly weaker than I'd expect given the closeness to the antennas. There are also what looks like CTIL 4G masts not too far away.

Modern low band panels work roughly 690-960 so I can't see the old 900MHz panels being totally useless for 800MHz 4G
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Old 29-01-2016, 17:49
andyukguy
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I know Vodafone WiFi calling works differently from EE but I wondered whether it is supposed to show "Vodafone WiFi Calling" on the iPhone at all times when connected to WiFi or not?

I ask because at home it doesn't show but at a friend's house it does. Both places full bars... At my place where it doesn't show whilst on WiFi it *does* show and works if I airplane mode the iPhone and then enable WiFi! All a bit odd. Just wonder if it's working correctly from mine or from my mate's place?
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Old 29-01-2016, 20:52
beans0ntoast
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-77dBm is very significantly weaker than I'd expect given the closeness to the antennas. There are also what looks like CTIL 4G masts not too far away.

Modern low band panels work roughly 690-960 so I can't see the old 900MHz panels being totally useless for 800MHz 4G
I would assume that, if Vodafone/O2?CTIL was to upgrade a mast for 4G, they'd remove the old panels and use more modern panels? Do more modern panels have better gain and transmission properties than older panels?
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Old 30-01-2016, 00:41
DevonBloke
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I know Vodafone WiFi calling works differently from EE but I wondered whether it is supposed to show "Vodafone WiFi Calling" on the iPhone at all times when connected to WiFi or not?

I ask because at home it doesn't show but at a friend's house it does. Both places full bars... At my place where it doesn't show whilst on WiFi it *does* show and works if I airplane mode the iPhone and then enable WiFi! All a bit odd. Just wonder if it's working correctly from mine or from my mate's place?
Ok, that's a bit weird. When you say "full bars" you mean cellular yeah?
So in this situation on Vodafone you wouldn't normally get WiFi calling since it is prioritised lower than cellular. So in both locations you shouldn't see it at all.
I'm going to have a really wild guess (which will probably be wrong) but is it maybe something to do with new CTIL and legacy masts.
Maybe WC only does the proper thing while on CTIL masts but not on old ones?
Dunno, it's the only thing I can think of.
Did any of that make any sense at all? If it did, award yourself 11 points as I have now confused myself!
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Old 30-01-2016, 07:58
M1kos
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I would assume that, if Vodafone/O2?CTIL was to upgrade a mast for 4G, they'd remove the old panels and use more modern panels? Do more modern panels have better gain and transmission properties than older panels?
Well it only lasted a day and now off air as I back to 1/2 bars must be testing I suppose however the 4G (800) was definitely coming from the 10 year old panels. They may well yet be changed maybe the guys were just trying them out to see how effectively they'd work. Oh and the signal was only voda nout on my mates o2 phone!
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Old 30-01-2016, 10:28
Pedro_C
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Well it only lasted a day and now off air as I back to 1/2 bars must be testing I suppose however the 4G (800) was definitely coming from the 10 year old panels. They may well yet be changed maybe the guys were just trying them out to see how effectively they'd work. Oh and the signal was only voda nout on my mates o2 phone!
Interestingly, Vodafone have an unexpected issue listed for that mast on their Status checker.
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Old 30-01-2016, 11:33
mobilecentre
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Interestingly, Vodafone have an unexpected issue listed for that mast on their Status checker.
More interestingly they are showing O2 only sites in planned maintenance for a 2G upgrade on the VF site. However checking the same site on O2 nothing shows.

Some of these sites are 2G only O2 and been there for years.

In my area there is a group of sites showing some VF some O2 on the same date for the same update.

Most of these sites have planning for CTIL but never seen them appear on the VF site.
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Old 30-01-2016, 14:33
M1kos
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Interestingly, Vodafone have an unexpected issue listed for that mast on their Status checker.
Been showing that fault for weeks u have no problems until the 4G issues
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Old 30-01-2016, 19:53
sills
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Since Thursday's update, Vodafone's planned coverage map is showing the two new MIP masts near me. One of them (Pett Bottom) is showing up only on the 3G map, but the other (Wingmore) is only on the 2G map. I know the MIP only has to provide 2G, but is it likely that's all they'll do?

It might just be that they are slow to update the maps. My local normal mast only ever showed up on the 3G planned coverage map and didn't appear on 2G and 4G until it went live.
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Old 30-01-2016, 21:36
japaul
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O2 4G+ speed test. Wahey!

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/1709664899
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Old 30-01-2016, 21:49
packages
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o2 are CA'ing 800 and 1800?
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Old 30-01-2016, 21:52
plymouthbloke1974
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O2 4G+???? They need more than 15.8MHz of paired spectrum for that
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Old 30-01-2016, 22:20
japaul
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Yep, it's was using an aggregated 15MHz (10MHz of 800 and 5MHz of 1800) so technically it counts as 4G+.

More interesting is the number of sites running 1800 where I tested it which was a couple of miles from Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex.

I noticed O2 had 4G1800 there before so as I was going to the retail park bit today I packed an O2 PAYG sim to try it out and I was quite surprised at how many 1800 sites there are. Not just individual local coverage spots but continuous areas of 1800 coverage which extend miles beyond Lakeside, all setup to aggregate with 800.

O2 did have a lot of 2G 1800 sites (far more than Vodafone) and if they roll out 4G1800 like this everywhere they'll quickly have largest 4G+ network in the UK!

On my LG G4 though, even though it was in 4G+ coverage (and deployed an active second carrier when needed), the display only showed 4G, not 4G+.
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Old 31-01-2016, 00:25
DevonBloke
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You've convinced me.
I'm ditching EE after 20 years and joining O2.
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Old 31-01-2016, 00:30
jaffboy151
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Yes that's one annoying thing about the LG G4 that it doesn't show H+
I added a little app called phono to show me in the top corner if I'm on H+ or H or even just 3 for umts..
Sadly I don't think they've added a 4g+ notice to it yet.
Does this move by O2 now mean that outside London, Vodafone have the slowest 4g network as they've not bothered adding or switching on there 2600mhz band yet?
Somethings never change hey...
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Old 31-01-2016, 11:06
beans0ntoast
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You've convinced me.
I'm ditching EE after 20 years and joining O2.
But O2 doesn't give you any coverage in your area, whereas Orange/EE now have 4G?
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Old 31-01-2016, 11:14
lightspeed2398
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But O2 doesn't give you any coverage in your area, whereas Orange/EE now have 4G?
This is a continuation of Devon's sarcasm right? You can't have missed it can you?
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Old 31-01-2016, 11:43
DevonBloke
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Missed it by a very wide margin as well.........
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Old 31-01-2016, 11:58
mrMick
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You've convinced me.
I'm ditching EE after 20 years and joining O2.
You broke the needle on my sarcasm detector ..
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Old 31-01-2016, 13:28
andyukguy
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Ok, that's a bit weird. When you say "full bars" you mean cellular yeah?
So in this situation on Vodafone you wouldn't normally get WiFi calling since it is prioritised lower than cellular. So in both locations you shouldn't see it at all.
I'm going to have a really wild guess (which will probably be wrong) but is it maybe something to do with new CTIL and legacy masts.
Maybe WC only does the proper thing while on CTIL masts but not on old ones?
Dunno, it's the only thing I can think of.
Did any of that make any sense at all? If it did, award yourself 11 points as I have now confused myself!
Yes I meant cellular. Oddly it now appears to only be my house that doesn't show WiFi Calling! I've been to 3 other locations and even with a strong mobile signal it's showing WiFi Calling. Hmm!

It's all rather odd as I can make the WiFi Calling work at home by disabling cellular. To be honest none of this really matters it's more academic, I just wasn't sure what was supposed to happen but now it seems what it's doing at my place is the out of place behavior.
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