[Everything Goes]

Its pretty much been 1 year since O2 and Vodafone launched 4G so how have they gotten on?

Well both O2 and Vodafone had initially planned to have 98% coverage by the end of 2015 but then revised it to 2017 instead.

So far O2 have only done Glasgow and Edinburgh districts in Scotland. England fared slightly better with London, Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford and Newcastle districts. There is a least a decent amount of overspill in these districts but as you would expect its clearly aimed at highly populated areas as usual.

As for Wales forget it!

Unsurprisingly Vodafone's 4G coverage is broadly similar.

Roll out is slower than EE so they will have to shift things up a gear in the next 12 months.

http://www.o2.co.uk/4g/coverage-and-cities

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/our-netwo...x.htm?=network

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1942613

[wavejockglw]

EE are miles ahead with 4G coverage but to be fair where O2 and Vodafone have some they have depth of coverage making it possible to get a signal in most areas of the cities covered easily. 3 are the network that is presently offering the least 4G coverage in the UK but they have stated that their rollout is being driven by capacity requirements in the first instance.

Frankly I doubt if the type of technology is that important for most mobile users as long as they can stream video, audio and browse on their handsets and that is possible with the widely installled updated versions of 3G from all network providers.

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

Unsurprisingly Vodafone's 4G coverage is broadly similar.

Give them both a couple of weeks as I've seen coverage in towns that isn't on the checker. e.g. Vodafone 4G arrived last Wed in half my town (not my half) and over the weekend I noticed O2 4G now transmitting.

Neither are on the coverage map - and I suspect this is a large part of Hampshire now enabled.

At exactly 1 year I suspect they will both issue a press release.

[sethpet]

1 yr in and our town has full 4G coverage from Vodafone. It appeared this last week but not had any publication from Vodafone to say it's on.

still no sign of any coverage of 4G from EE

what's your point?

[jabbamk1]

O2 have 43% population coverage 1 year on.

EE had 60%+ population coverage 1 year on.

EE is still leading the way in terms of 4G IMO. They just need to sort out their stuff.

I just hope ALL networks follow through in their promise of 98% population coverage otherwise it's just going to be dumb having loads of gaps in coverage

[KieranDS]

My mum who is on O2 4G (who was offered a cheaper contract if she went 4G) doesn't get nearly as much coverage on 4G as I do (I'm on EE).

[Thine Wonk]

I got a bit bored and figured out how to pull the raw images from O2's coverage map by trial and error just by changing the URLs lol

2G overall UK coverage

3G overall UK coverage

4G overall UK coverage

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

1 yr in and our town has full 4G coverage from Vodafone. It appeared this last week but not had any publication from Vodafone to say it's on. still no sign of any coverage of 4G from EE what's your point?

Interesting no EE but you have Voda (and thus should have O2 shortly).

Its obviously down to when the backhaul guys get their high speed links into an area, when masts get activated. Its just interesting to watch.

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

I got a bit bored and figured out how to pull the raw images from O2's coverage map by trial and error just by changing the URLs lol

2G overall UK coverage

3G overall UK coverage

4G overall UK coverage

Can you do that for Voda and EE and Three as well, then we'd have something to compare with Rootmetrics

[Thine Wonk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jchamier

Can you do that for Voda and EE and Three as well, then we'd have something to compare with Rootmetrics

Three's 3G

http://www.three.co.uk/static/images...st/5/15/21.png
http://www.three.co.uk/static/images...st/5/16/21.png - other tile for the East coast

They are all there, it's just a case of locating the links which takes a bit of time and because they are map tiles you don't get the whole country, even on the outer zoom levels. It's a bit tedious, but maybe somebody will have a go.

I thought I heard that Ofcom were going to release some new maps for us at some point like they did in 2009?

[Everything Goes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

I got a bit bored and figured out how to pull the raw images from O2's coverage map by trial and error just by changing the URLs lol

2G overall UK coverage

3G overall UK coverage

4G overall UK coverage

Good work

So O2 should pretty much be aiming for their 4G coverage map to look similar to their 2G Coverage map by the end of 2017. Given their 3G coverage is nowhere near the 2G coverage map after 11 years of minimal investment it looks like they have a lot of work to do! Is still suspect they will weasel out of it and use the bare minimum of 3G at 2Mbps to meet Ofcoms coverage criteria.

[Faust]

Frankly I think most customers would be happy if they could simply make a phone call from most areas. Move out of the towns and cities in most areas of the country and you may as well switch your phone off. Whilst 4G 3G etc. etc. may be the main focus of town dwellers lives I can assure you that just being able to make a call when you want to is the focus for non city dwellers.

[neil402003]

Only EE4g in Aberdeen.No sign of any of the others bothering.

[Everything Goes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neil402003

Only EE4g in Aberdeen.No sign of any of the others bothering.

Three have some patchy 4G in Aberdeen and Dundee.

[de525ma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

Three have some patchy 4G in Aberdeen and Dundee.

In Aberdeen, 3 are transmitting 4G from a mast in the Rosemount area.

EE cover a bit more, but it appears to be from 3 or 4 sites only.

Backhaul is the apparent reason.

[Icaraa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust

Frankly I think most customers would be happy if they could simply make a phone call from most areas. Move out of the towns and cities in most areas of the country and you may as well switch your phone off. Whilst 4G 3G etc. etc. may be the main focus of town dwellers lives I can assure you that just being able to make a call when you want to is the focus for non city dwellers.

I disagree, more and more business users need at least 3G to do their job. Major companies are now asking their employees to work from their smartphone using off the shelf or custom developed apps. You try using business apps on (for example) Vodafone's 2G network. It just doesn't work!

[Faust]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icaraa

I disagree, more and more business users need at least 3G to do their job. Major companies are now asking their employees to work from their smartphone using off the shelf or custom developed apps. You try using business apps on (for example) Vodafone's 2G network. It just doesn't work!

The point I was trying to make was whilst mobile operators are jumping up and down shouting 4G from the rooftops, large areas of the country can't even use their smartphone to do the basics i.e. make a phone call. Until the fundamentals are addressed then for many using using an app is something to dream about. In recognition of this problem the government has made more funds available in the last few days in an effort to address this.

Firms can make as many bespoke apps as they wish but if there isn't a signal then the effort is all for nought.

[M1kos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icaraa

I disagree, more and more business users need at least 3G to do their job. Major companies are now asking their employees to work from their smartphone using off the shelf or custom developed apps. You try using business apps on (for example) Vodafone's 2G network. It just doesn't work!

I agree i have a payleven credit card machine which needs 3G or 4G to work very embarrassing when you have none and have to ask to pair the customers wifi only happened once thou to be fair with Vodafone ( south east england)

[M1kos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

I got a bit bored and figured out how to pull the raw images from O2's coverage map by trial and error just by changing the URLs lol

2G overall UK coverage

3G overall UK coverage

4G overall UK coverage

Good work, shame o2s maps havent been updated since the end of june they have shit loads more coverage than what is shown with the large swathe of central southern uk now live

[uno]

Vodafone are having big problems all over Leicestershire and Northamptonshire there is no 3G coverage at all. Also calls keep dropping on 2G as well.

It must be quite a large issue to affect such a large area.