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EE aiming to bring super-fast mobile broadband to 99% of the UK population by 2017


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Old 11-02-2015, 12:54
roadshow2006
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EE has announced that it has invested £1.5 billion into the expansion of its 4G network, and its double-speed 4G+ service.

The operator is aiming to bring super-fast mobile broadband to 99% of the UK population by 2017, with 4G+ available in the 20 busiest cities within the same year.

The funds will also be used to improve EE's voice and data services across 90% of Britain, including rural areas where coverage is often patchy.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/new...p3ZeNx04AFGH2B

So superfast for 99% of population by 2017... what did they originally propose?
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Old 11-02-2015, 13:01
jabbamk1
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So superfast for 99% of population by 2017... what did they originally propose?
Original was 98% by end of 2014.

Now it's 98% by end of 2015 and 99% by 2017.

People really underestimate how hard it is to go from 80% to 99%. 3G has been deployed across the country for more than 10 years now and no network has got over 99% yet.
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Old 11-02-2015, 15:24
WelshBluebird
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I'm assuming these figures are for outdoor coverage rather than indoor?
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Old 11-02-2015, 15:27
moox
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Indoor coverage would probably be even more of a challenge.

Besides, if they're trying to go for rural home broadband, they don't need indoor coverage - they could give another line of business to aerial/satellite installers by installing proper fixed LTE setups with good antennas and modems.
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Old 11-02-2015, 16:44
M1kos
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Sounds like a good idea ^ Aerials is what I do!
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Old 11-02-2015, 21:48
The Lord Lucan
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That last percent will be a PITA for them but two years should be ok. More restricted by backhaul providers than anything by that point.

This double speed 4G+ talk is starting to annoy me!
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Old 11-02-2015, 22:15
enapace
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That last percent will be a PITA for them but two years should be ok. More restricted by backhaul providers than anything by that point.

This double speed 4G+ talk is starting to annoy me!
in fairness by the time they targeting that last 1% imagine they will just be using Openreach backhaul of some kind anyway.
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Old 11-02-2015, 22:37
The Lord Lucan
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in fairness by the time they targeting that last 1% imagine they will just be using Openreach backhaul of some kind anyway.
True.. To a certain extent. They wI'll never be exclusively using OR fibre, even for new masts.

Currently upgraded sites are running ahead of backhaul or local wholesale fibre deployment by a few months. I don't expect that to change until late 2016. So there might be a time during 2016 where little happens with at least EE.. Until the last needed places catch up with site upgrades.
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Old 11-02-2015, 22:40
enapace
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True.. To a certain extent. They wI'll never be exclusively using OR fibre, even for new masts.

Currently upgraded sites are running ahead of backhaul or local wholesale fibre deployment by a few months. I don't expect that to change until late 2016. So there might be a time during 2016 where little happens with at least EE.. Until the last needed places catch up with site upgrades.
Makes a lot of sense honestly imagine that is a reason for a delay with some of the MIP sites as well.
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Old 11-02-2015, 23:28
enapace
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Interesting question here anyone know how much different 99% outdoor is compared to 98% indoor that O2 has to reach. I can't imagine there is much in that at all.
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Old 12-02-2015, 02:17
The Lord Lucan
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Impossible to know answer to that seeing the full restrictions that O2 have to adhere to and how Ofcom will measure it. Only time will tell.

It should be noted that by that time the networks will be very very similar in coverage and I doubt EE won't have 98% indoor as literally it will be like for like on current masts if all using 800 & new masts like MIP will be shared so no benefit to any one network there.

The big difference is O2 only have to demonstrate a 2mb down link to meet the requirements. EE's 98% will be far faster than that.. Seeing they are billing it as Superfast Broadband and EE have not disappointed so far!
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Old 12-02-2015, 08:48
Synthetic42
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Apparently EE are looking at using balloons / drones to increase rural 4G coverage...

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/0...0LF24N20150211

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...ral-areas.html
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Old 12-02-2015, 12:07
jabbamk1
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Its something that was trialed in Australia recently.

Don't see it taking off.

(Pun intended)
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Old 12-02-2015, 12:46
DevonBloke
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I wonder if EE will look at moving some masts to get better coverage to sort this rural problem?
That Orange tree mast near me was going to but put up on top of the hill right in front of the house (which would have been nice : ) but Orange changed their minds and put in right on the railway line instead. Too costly apparently (about a half mile of digging to do to get there).
If it was where they wanted to put it it would not only cover the same place as it is now but also my entire valley where a bit further down there is a massive not-spot right now.
I wonder if they keep records of that kind of thing.
I know, I'm dreaming!
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Old 12-02-2015, 13:23
Synthetic42
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Sounds like they're trying to fill in the gaps the masts can't get to, like that other rural mini mast thing they were on about a month or 2 back.

Sounds like a good idea, in theory!
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Old 12-02-2015, 16:06
The Lord Lucan
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Headline grab.. Can't imagine it's worthwhile for anything other short term, events or for areas with a few faults..
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Old 12-02-2015, 16:14
japaul
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Its something that was trialed in Australia recently.

Don't see it taking off.

(Pun intended)
It all sounds like a load of hot air.
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Old 12-02-2015, 16:54
jabbamk1
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It all sounds like a load of hot air.
i'll get your coat.....
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Old 12-02-2015, 17:23
DevonBloke
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Hahahahahahahahaha
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Old 12-02-2015, 17:28
Gigabit
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I don't always agree with EE but their "Signalling the Future" document/manifesto agrees with everything I want, especially this:

At EE, we work constantly maintaining, updating, and
improving the mobile service upon which the UK is now so
reliant. But, clearly, there is a gap emerging between rural and
urban mobile service. As world-leading 4G+ mobile speeds
roll-out across London and other major cities, it would be
easy for the UK’s rural areas to slip even further behind.
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Old 12-02-2015, 21:49
oilman
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I would love to be able to get 2G let alone 3g or 4g (did 1g ever exist?) in Aberdeen (aka granite city). Granite kills mobile signals really well. I need a 3 homebox to use my phone at home.

I do not believe they can possibly meet 98%+ based on indoor coverage. This is plain marketing bovine excrement!
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Old 12-02-2015, 22:01
moox
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I would love to be able to get 2G let alone 3g or 4g (did 1g ever exist?) in Aberdeen (aka granite city). Granite kills mobile signals really well. I need a 3 homebox to use my phone at home.

I do not believe they can possibly meet 98%+ based on indoor coverage. This is plain marketing bovine excrement!
1G would be the old analogue systems like TACS, if I remember correctly.

3/EE uses 2100MHz for 3G which as you say is killed by thick walls (I too live in a granite house and use a 3 box), but EE has 800MHz spectrum which will allow them to get better indoor coverage than they've ever had on 3G.

In theory Vodafone and O2 had a step up on 3G, because they had existing 900MHz spectrum that they could use, but as we all know, those two companies don't know what the word "investment" means
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Old 12-02-2015, 22:13
jchamier
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In theory Vodafone and O2 had a step up on 3G, because they had existing 900MHz spectrum that they could use, but as we all know, those two companies don't know what the word "investment" means
Vodafone are now throwing money at the problem, but you can't create infrastructure that quickly without issues.
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Old 12-02-2015, 22:30
Gigabit
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There is a town near me (Odiham) which had 900MHz O2 3G rolled out a couple of years ago and as a result the coverage from one mast on the top of a hill extends all the way into a village a good few miles away - EE and Three both have zero coverage here.

It's a shame that O2 didn't roll it out in more places. I'm hoping that when my nearest Three mast gets 800MHz I may see a similar level of good coverage. Coverage on 900MHz 2G is good here.
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Old 13-02-2015, 14:08
jaffboy151
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I'm in a rural area of Staffordshire/Cheshire/Shropshire but thankfully on quite high ground so can get 4g signals from all the networks (apart from three which is too weak to connect) but have had to dance with the devil and go with Bt. the only adsl provider in my area as using mobile broadband is just too expensive due to the download limits need to use a home broadband connection as we would like due to all the devices and data hungry people in an average house these days..
It's not download speed I find limiting here, it's the 0.3mbps upload which kills us when facetime, and browsing,
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