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Old 28-03-2016, 13:31
beans0ntoast
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Well...

Thank you very much, O2/Vodafone!

I thought there would be trouble... and there is! By shoving 4G800 on to my local mast (which isn't that far away from what I live - getting 80% strength on 4G800 and 67-78% on 3G2100), I'm now getting the occasional pixelation on my Freeview TV.

And this pixelation was happening on the main BBC channels, on a low frequency multiplex! (Ch27, so 522Mhz). I dread to think what Ch52 (722MHz) is like!

This was fine until the Vodafone mast in Higham Ferrers was 4G'ed and CTIL'ed.

This is why I'm happy that EE are using 1800 as their base layer - not 800! Looks like I'll need to get a filter installed!

One good thing: 3G performance seems to have increased as well. On Giffgaff (which has rock bottom priority on the o2 network), I got 3.40Mbps down and 2.47Mbps up on 3G - much better than the 0.5Mbps I got previously! And the 4G upload was looking to be around the 14-16Mbps area - though the download was still only around 3Mbps.

I think I may now use my Giffgaff SIM for heavy uploading, because EE are still 3G (so 2.5Mbps upload) and Virgin Media (Wifi) are heavy handed with their upload policies - very slow speeds that are made even slower after a set amount of upload.
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Old 28-03-2016, 13:48
M1kos
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^^ do you have a distribution amp or masthead?? as its normally always those who need
replacing/ filtering and not the TV itself
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Old 28-03-2016, 14:41
beans0ntoast
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^^ do you have a distribution amp or masthead?? as its normally always those who need
replacing/ filtering and not the TV itself
Nope, no amps required here as we're in a pretty good signal area for TV.

The aerial on the roof provides the signal to one TV via a straightforward cable run from the aerial to my wall plate (a screened one, obviously) then from the wall plate to the TV via another length of coax cable. All cables are satellite grade cable with double screening.

Chances are, my aerial must be picking up some CTIL 4G800... which isn't surprising, as the 4G mast is only a few hundred meters away and in the same direction as my aerial is pointing.
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Old 28-03-2016, 14:56
frejus19
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Nope, no amps required here as we're in a pretty good signal area for TV.

The aerial on the roof provides the signal to one TV via a straightforward cable run from the aerial to my wall plate (a screened one, obviously) then from the wall plate to the TV via another length of coax cable. All cables are satellite grade cable with double screening.

Chances are, my aerial must be picking up some CTIL 4G800... which isn't surprising, as the 4G mast is only a few hundred meters away and in the same direction as my aerial is pointing.
Have you got in contact with At 800? They should be able to install a filter of some description for you.

I think my parents may be having a similar issue with their TV, especially seeing as they're near a VF/O2 4G mast and the TV channels from their transmitter are between 50 and 59 UHF. Hopefully it's not too much hassle to have sorted out.
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Old 28-03-2016, 15:18
M1kos
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Yes a filter should help they are only a fiver or so just plugs on the end of your flylead
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Old 28-03-2016, 15:28
beans0ntoast
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Have you got in contact with At 800? They should be able to install a filter of some description for you.

I think my parents may be having a similar issue with their TV, especially seeing as they're near a VF/O2 4G mast and the TV channels from their transmitter are between 50 and 59 UHF. Hopefully it's not too much hassle to have sorted out.
That's more of an issue for them as their frequencies are higher up than most of mine. However, my BBC multiplex (SD) on Ch27 was affected, so it might just be the sheer strength of the 4G signal in this area.

Thankfully my aerial (Log 36) is designed to help filter out the 4G, but an at800 filter as well will definitely stop every last drop of 4G coming in to my TV.

I've already emailed them today and hopefully they'll send out a filter soon.

Hopefully, your parents will be able to get a filter as well
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Old 28-03-2016, 22:30
frejus19
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That's more of an issue for them as their frequencies are higher up than most of mine. However, my BBC multiplex (SD) on Ch27 was affected, so it might just be the sheer strength of the 4G signal in this area.

Thankfully my aerial (Log 36) is designed to help filter out the 4G, but an at800 filter as well will definitely stop every last drop of 4G coming in to my TV.

I've already emailed them today and hopefully they'll send out a filter soon.

Hopefully, your parents will be able to get a filter as well
Thank you - although I may have spoken too soon when it came to 4G interference! The mast that I thought was "close by" is actually over 1km away (found this out thanks to O2 having their mast locations publicly available), and not in the direction the aerial is pointing, so I've probably got it wrong. Digital UK reckons they shouldn't even be able to get the channels they do get, so maybe the aerial could just do to be on a bigger pole
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Old 31-03-2016, 16:04
beans0ntoast
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Thank you - although I may have spoken too soon when it came to 4G interference! The mast that I thought was "close by" is actually over 1km away (found this out thanks to O2 having their mast locations publicly available), and not in the direction the aerial is pointing, so I've probably got it wrong. Digital UK reckons they shouldn't even be able to get the channels they do get, so maybe the aerial could just do to be on a bigger pole
In which case, you probably haven't got a 4G problem with your parents' TV...

Do you know when the problems started?
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Old 31-03-2016, 16:24
frejus19
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In which case, you probably haven't got a 4G problem with your parents' TV...

Do you know when the problems started?
I'm not entirely sure, as I live an hour or two away from them now and don't see them too often. I just noticed that when I was last down, the picture seemed to cut out every 5 minutes or so. Could have been the weather, given the poor signal in the area in general...
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Old 31-03-2016, 22:58
beans0ntoast
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I'm not entirely sure, as I live an hour or two away from them now and don't see them too often. I just noticed that when I was last down, the picture seemed to cut out every 5 minutes or so. Could have been the weather, given the poor signal in the area in general...
If the area is in a poor signal area then it won't be to do with 4G.

So not to clutter up this thread anymore, I sent you a PM earlier, if you want to continue the subject of poor Freeview reception...

Back on the subject of CTIL/O2/Voda... I noticed that one of the masts close to Chelveston, which only ever used to be O2 2G900, is now 2G/3G/4G 900/900/800. The Higham Ferrers CTIL mast (was ex Vodafone) is confirmed to be 2G/3G/3G/4G 900/900/2100/800, using a dual panel setup - possibly two dual input panels? One of them would be low/low, doing the 800 and 900, with the other one being low/high (the high doing 2100) - or perhaps there might be some other setup going on. I'll have to get some pics of that mast!

On the subject of mast upgrades, I have a quick question: when masts get upgraded, do the old panels get left to rot, or are they removed? In particular, when both operators in the mast share have separate panels close by? For example, on the Higham Ferrers mast, the Vodafone panels were upgraded, and the O2 ones were not - but seeing as though O2 are using the CTIL/VF panels now, will the old O2 ones get left there, or will they eventually be removed?
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Old 01-04-2016, 19:08
Stereo Steve
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There was a European directive some years ago regulating what plastics could be used in cellphone panels. It was predicted that if a certain compound could be used and that the acidity of the rain were to increase as per target with climate change, that the old panels would simply degrade naturally and disappear.
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Old 02-04-2016, 09:38
mobilecentre
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There was a European directive some years ago regulating what plastics could be used in cellphone panels. It was predicted that if a certain compound could be used and that the acidity of the rain were to increase as per target with climate change, that the old panels would simply degrade naturally and disappear.
You were pushing the time on that one!
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Old 02-04-2016, 10:58
clewsy
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I assume in answer to the question, they will leave the old sites as then in the future they can always return and use / upgrade them with little issue.

If they got cleared, locals could moan about the look of more masts being installed, SK leaving them probably means that most don't know the difference between working and off.
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Old 02-04-2016, 11:17
Darreninessex
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Next time you are there try to check the Band you are on. I assume you've got an iPhone because you mentioned FaceTime. Try *3001#12345#* and then the call button on your dialler.
and go into Service Cell. Check the Band number.
Band 7 = 2600 MHz
Band 20 = 800 MHz

If you were on Band 20, it is only logical to experience low speeds as the area would have been very congested on a Saturday. I am not saying that this is acceptable though.

I don't know if they have implemented carrier aggregation there and I am not sure how you can check that on an iPhone. I doubt they have though as you experienced low speeds.

All that, on the assumption that the other person you were talking too was in a high speed stable connection.


Come visit Brighton during a weekend, weekday lunchtime or end of business day and you will see how this is very possible
Hi again
Sorry for the delay in response.....

Was in the same location as before just by Westminster bridge and typed in what you said and the band was number 3

Tried a FaceTime call and it worked, although the connection was a little shaky at best
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Old 02-04-2016, 17:12
M1kos
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heres a pic of some voda 2600 antennas

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kl1xiyqste...00076.JPG?dl=0
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Old 02-04-2016, 18:34
Pedro_C
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In case you're wondering how it's cabled, it's most likely:

Right panel: UG900, U2100 (Kathrein: one low band and one high)
Left Panel: L800, 1800, L2600 (Commscope: one low band and two highs)

Another Vodafone 2600MHz 4G mast and a video showing 2600MHz and high capacity masts from EE and Voda/O2
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Old 03-04-2016, 12:28
beans0ntoast
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In case you're wondering how it's cabled, it's most likely:

Right panel: UG900, U2100 (Kathrein: one low band and one high)
Left Panel: L800, 1800, L2600 (Commscope: one low band and two highs)

Another Vodafone 2600MHz 4G mast and a video showing 2600MHz and high capacity masts from EE and Voda/O2
Interesting - thanks for the info!

A quick question about that mast setup: I see that 1800 is in use, but it doesn't say what technology this would be. Am I correct in assuming that Vodafone/O2 are using L1800, or is it still G1800 (that will eventually be refarmed to L1800)?
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Old 03-04-2016, 13:32
interactiv-uk
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Interesting - thanks for the info!

A quick question about that mast setup: I see that 1800 is in use, but it doesn't say what technology this would be. Am I correct in assuming that Vodafone/O2 are using L1800, or is it still G1800 (that will eventually be refarmed to L1800)?
Not sure about VF but O2 are using 1800 for both LTE and GSM in different parts of the network..
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Old 03-04-2016, 19:12
Pedro_C
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Not sure about VF but O2 are using 1800 for both LTE and GSM in different parts of the network..
It's being used for LTE in some cases, 2G in others so I am not sure for those particular masts.
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Old 03-04-2016, 19:32
moox
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Not sure about VF but O2 are using 1800 for both LTE and GSM in different parts of the network..
O2 still has 1800 GSM where I am, which is really surprising because it is about as far from a major urban area as you can get (so I'm not sure that they have capacity problems on 900)
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Old 03-04-2016, 20:16
beans0ntoast
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O2 still has 1800 GSM where I am, which is really surprising because it is about as far from a major urban area as you can get (so I'm not sure that they have capacity problems on 900)
And anyway on major urban areas, they'd be better off using L1800 instead of G1800, in order to help with capacity on L800.

Rural areas... wouldn't need extra capacity for GSM, so G900 would be adequate. So even then, L1800 would be better, to future-proof the network?
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Old 04-04-2016, 16:54
jaffboy151
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I must say I can't quite figure out what Vodafone's plan is on future roll outs and refarming it's network, it has tones of capacity in terms of bandwidth, could probably do with some more low band in the future but otherwise it's well stocked..
Though I don't agree with it I can see why they gave up on 3G, outside big urban areas most of there mast sites even if they had 2100mhz 3g wouldn't cover things that well, they needed to build many more filler masts just to get somewhere near three and t mobile, back to the present though I can't quite see where there going after 800mhz 4g, also I can't quite understand why 2600mhz wasn't added to all but rural mast upon upgrade for future proofing, my way forward would be a national 800mhz 4g roll out with 2600mhz on all but rural masts, as much as I hate 2g and the fact it sounds crap and breaks up even on a -85db signal when 3g can be smooth down to the 100's, I'd keep 2g going but move as much over to 900mhz 3g as possible, turn 2100mhz 3g over to 4g due to as you may have noticed it's just largely unused now in areas with 4g & 900mhz 3g, leaving 900mhz 3g for a few intermediate years while legacy devices fade out and volte gets up and running, setting a tight time scale of no more then 3 years after 90% 4g coverage is reached, I can't see why this or a variant shouldn't be the way forward.
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Old 05-04-2016, 20:58
Bentoni
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Any news on VoLTE?

The link http://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/be...n-voice-calls/ seem to suggest it is already available
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Old 05-04-2016, 21:04
jonmorris
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You can search compatible phones or see the list. But the criteria is for HD Voice.

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/mShop/con...oicecompatible
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Old 05-04-2016, 21:33
Darreninessex
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HD voice is only available on the 3G network ?
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